Suzdal & Vladimir

Monday 29/04/2013 and Tuesday 30/04/2014 - SUZDAL and VLADIMIR.

Suzdal.

The obelisk indicating the Asia-Europe border

(picture taken through the train window).

Vladimir.

(Click here to consult the home page)

Yekaterinburg

Saturday 27/04/2013 - YEKATERINBURG.

Underway...

A typical view through the train window, over thousands of kilometers.

The living space.

Soldier leaving his girl friend.

Typical railway station shop.

The samovar!

Boiling-hot water is constantly available to brew tea.

Yekaterinburg.

 The Romanov cathedral, build where the Romanov tsar family was killed.

The post office, also internet cafe!

The Opera, from outside.

Yekaterina has the third important opera of Russia (after Moscow and St Petersburg). 

Tosca tonight (Giacomo Puccini)! 

The opera, from inside.

One of the famous Marseille cows reached Yekaterinburg!

Typical Russian food.

Dramatic monument to the Afghanistan war

(January 1979 to February 1989).

(Click here to consult the home page)

Irkoutsk

Tuesday 23/04/2013 & Wednesday 24/07/2013 - IRKOUTSK.

One of the most popular stops on the Transsiberian due to the proximity of lake Baikal.

Once known as the 'Paris of Siberia'.

Around 600000 inhabitants.

Read as "Irkutsk".  Easy to decode, no?

Irkutsk was founded in 1652, so I suppose this pannel is about 11 years old.

A typical street. 

A typical wooden house. 

 Church of the transfiguration.  Many churches are being restaured.

Decembrists' Memorial. Very nice and interesting museum.

Built by the exiled Volkonsky family in 1838, and sold in 1856 (amnesty).

In the museum.

The wintergarden of the museum.

Cold war relic?

Peaceful fishing through the ice.

Boat-shaped church of Our Saviour.

Exterior frescoes.  In the middle: Christ being baptised.

Cathedral of the Epiphany, reconverted from museum back to a place of worship.

Leaving Irkutsk for Yekaterinburg

(a more than two days train journey...).

Irkutsk train station.

Train number is 349.  In train stations, the time is always displayed as Moskow time.

A departure announced as 13:21 corresponds to 18:21 in Irkutsk (Moscow time +5h).

(Click here to consult the home page)