Well, here we are in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Earlier I said the train journeys had been surprisingly easy, so this time I got my comeupance. Our train stopped at the Russian border post for 6 hours, while the toilets were locked, the cabin got more and more hot and sweaty, and we didn't dare leave the train for much of the time in case it left without us or border officials turned up. Eventually the officials came and we could move on. After trundling a few miles and stopping briefly at the border itself, we had another 3 hour wait on the Mongolian side. At least there weren't any problems with our visas or customs forms. And having said that, this wait was all in the timetable. Russian trains are notoriously punctual, and even on a 6 day journey they always seem to arrive at the scheduled time - to the minute! It's just that the scheduled times can be very slow...
There's obviously a quicker way across the border, because, in the single carriage that actually crossed the border (all the rest steadily left us), there were only a couple of Russians. Everyone else was a Westerner. It couldn't have been more different to our Moscow-Irkutsk train where no-one else in the carriage spoke English!
Irkutsk was a lot more relaxed than Moscow, but it was Lake Baikal that was the real draw. The lake is so vast it contains 20% of the world's fresh water, and this water is so pure you can drink it straight from the lake, because of unique endemic sponges that filter the water. There was no way the icy temperature could stop me from having a long swim. The scenery around the lake was beautiful too, with the steep slopes covered in untouched taiga forest. We even managed to do a round walk, by getting slightly lost!
In Russia, several people had come up to us on the street and started talking in Russian, before we had to tell them we didn't have a clue what they were saying. But in Mongolia we are very clearly tourists and foreigners. And one of the most foreign aspects is the food (at least for a foodaholic for me!). Mongolian cuisine is based on mutton, more mutton, and some fermented mare's milk. Vegetables are very rare, and sadly there aren't the mounds of strawberries and blackcurrants that were everywhere in Russia. Maria can find vegetarian food here in the capital, but when we get out into the countryside it really will be hard! But still, we can't wait to get out and stay in some gers, see the mountains or desert and get to know the nomadic culture. Are there any other countries in the world where 25% of the population is nomadic and another 25% is semi-nomadic?
Monday, July 27, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Siberia calling
Well, after 4 nights on a train, we've finally made it to Irkutsk. The journey was surprisingly easy really, the beds were comfortable and the rocking motion worked a treat at sending us to sleep. Of course it got pretty boring at times, but when else do you get the chance to spend hours and days just reading and lazing around, without feeling the slightest bit guilty about all the other things you should be doing? Luckily Maria had a very good book, which she lent to me when she had finished it, in a day and a half. It was the story of a pair of Aussie nutters who did roughly the same journey as us except with one vital difference - they were riding recumbent bikes.
Our abysmal lack of Russian made it hard to communicate with anyone else in our carriage, but we still had great fun with some kids, racing up and down station platforms, doing gymnastics in the corridor and translating long lists of not-so-useful words (if I see a Siberian Tiger I'll know what to shout out). We even made our own chess set out of folded scraps of paper, with pieces that were both recognisable and stood up most of the time.
Roughly twice a day the train stopped at a station for half an hour or so, long enough for us to buy soft fruit and pastries from platform traders. Which was lucky considering that we only managed to get one meal from the restaurant car. Its opening hours were totally incomprehensible and the scary woman in charge did nothing to ease our understanding - we got off to a bad start when we forgot (for less than 30 seconds) to pay for a meal, but she really didn't need to be so aggressive!
Of the long hours spent looking out the window, the most exciting times were when we crossed rivers. There must have been at least five that were each close to a kilometre wide, far bigger than anything in Western Europe. The taiga forest was pretty, interspersed with flowery meadows and swamps, especially Krasnoyarsk when the landscape got hilly. The wooden village houses were nice too, with their well-tended gardens.
But still I'm very glad to be back on solid ground, where I can stretch my legs and see Lake Baikal without a pane of glass blocking my way.
Our abysmal lack of Russian made it hard to communicate with anyone else in our carriage, but we still had great fun with some kids, racing up and down station platforms, doing gymnastics in the corridor and translating long lists of not-so-useful words (if I see a Siberian Tiger I'll know what to shout out). We even made our own chess set out of folded scraps of paper, with pieces that were both recognisable and stood up most of the time.
Roughly twice a day the train stopped at a station for half an hour or so, long enough for us to buy soft fruit and pastries from platform traders. Which was lucky considering that we only managed to get one meal from the restaurant car. Its opening hours were totally incomprehensible and the scary woman in charge did nothing to ease our understanding - we got off to a bad start when we forgot (for less than 30 seconds) to pay for a meal, but she really didn't need to be so aggressive!
Of the long hours spent looking out the window, the most exciting times were when we crossed rivers. There must have been at least five that were each close to a kilometre wide, far bigger than anything in Western Europe. The taiga forest was pretty, interspersed with flowery meadows and swamps, especially Krasnoyarsk when the landscape got hilly. The wooden village houses were nice too, with their well-tended gardens.
But still I'm very glad to be back on solid ground, where I can stretch my legs and see Lake Baikal without a pane of glass blocking my way.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Today we set off on (part of) the world's longest train journey. After four nights on the train, we'll reach Irkutsk, in the heart of Siberia. I hope those couchette beds are comfortable!
We met a friend of Maria's who lives in Moscow, she gave us a fantastic meal, with a huge spread including Russian salad, Greek salad, chicken, cheese, ham and every sweet you can think of, despite saying she couldn't cook. Then yesterday we went round the Kremlin. In one of the cathedrals I noticed an old woman crossing herself at one of images of Jesus, then moments later beautiful singing appeared as if from nowhere. It was a 5-part cathedral choir, but the magic was lost somewhat when I noticed their stall selling a range of CDs.
As well as the many cathedrals, Moscow also has palatial metro stations swathed in marble (these carried on being built in WWII, to act as bunkers), many 10 lane highways and far too much traffic. Maria's friend says the drivers have recently become much more courteous to pedestrians, because of higher fines - I wouldn't like to have tried to a cross a road here a few years ago then!
We met a friend of Maria's who lives in Moscow, she gave us a fantastic meal, with a huge spread including Russian salad, Greek salad, chicken, cheese, ham and every sweet you can think of, despite saying she couldn't cook. Then yesterday we went round the Kremlin. In one of the cathedrals I noticed an old woman crossing herself at one of images of Jesus, then moments later beautiful singing appeared as if from nowhere. It was a 5-part cathedral choir, but the magic was lost somewhat when I noticed their stall selling a range of CDs.
As well as the many cathedrals, Moscow also has palatial metro stations swathed in marble (these carried on being built in WWII, to act as bunkers), many 10 lane highways and far too much traffic. Maria's friend says the drivers have recently become much more courteous to pedestrians, because of higher fines - I wouldn't like to have tried to a cross a road here a few years ago then!
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Back in the US, back in the US, back in the USSR
Well since I told everyone I was doing this blog I can't back out now!!
Moscow has certainly changed a lot since the days of threatened nuclear apocalypse, as is only to be expected. Right now many things actually seem more expensive than in the UK, what with exchange rates as they are. But something that hasn't changed is the grandeur of the city, where every building is built to be noticed. The best example is the fantastically colourful and whacky spires of St Basil's Cathedral, which was described by a Russian girl I met on the train as 'barbaric.'
The train ride here was suprisingly easy. The bunks were just about long enough and folded up very cleverly in the tiny compartment. We got to talk to lots of lovely people, with varying degrees of mutual understanding. For hours after we got off the train me and Maria still felt like we were rocking from side to side. But right now it's good to be staying in the same place for 3 nights, and to have access to a shower!
We stopped for a few hours in Warsaw, which seemed like a nice place (see Ewa people who aren't from Warsaw can still like the city!). What really caught my attention was a old terrace of crumbling, extremely dilapidated, abandoned tall brick buildings, with pictures of dark haired girls, bearded men and sorrowful children hanging on the walls. I realised this must be the old Warsaw Ghetto, where 1000s of Jew lived and died in WWII. It really hit home to think this could easily have been my family.
Moscow has certainly changed a lot since the days of threatened nuclear apocalypse, as is only to be expected. Right now many things actually seem more expensive than in the UK, what with exchange rates as they are. But something that hasn't changed is the grandeur of the city, where every building is built to be noticed. The best example is the fantastically colourful and whacky spires of St Basil's Cathedral, which was described by a Russian girl I met on the train as 'barbaric.'
The train ride here was suprisingly easy. The bunks were just about long enough and folded up very cleverly in the tiny compartment. We got to talk to lots of lovely people, with varying degrees of mutual understanding. For hours after we got off the train me and Maria still felt like we were rocking from side to side. But right now it's good to be staying in the same place for 3 nights, and to have access to a shower!
We stopped for a few hours in Warsaw, which seemed like a nice place (see Ewa people who aren't from Warsaw can still like the city!). What really caught my attention was a old terrace of crumbling, extremely dilapidated, abandoned tall brick buildings, with pictures of dark haired girls, bearded men and sorrowful children hanging on the walls. I realised this must be the old Warsaw Ghetto, where 1000s of Jew lived and died in WWII. It really hit home to think this could easily have been my family.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
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