Transiberian

CHINA

My journey officially began in Beijing. I spent a day and a half there. The heat was brutal in the day and it was difficult to see any stars at night. It was nice to visit and the city has a lot to offer, but I won't be moving there anytime soon.

The first few pictures are from the Forbidden Palace which is directly across from Tianamen Square.


These next few are from inside the Forbidden Palace. The architecture was incredible and please note that pictures do not do it justice. There are so many intricate details on each building, it was almost impossible to capture them all with the human eye.












And looking across at Tianamen Square


On my second, and only full day in Beijing, I ventured to the Great Wall...the Jinshanling section which is the least touristy section of the five main parts. The Great Wall is so vast. No matter what direction one looks, it seems as though it goes on forever. I hiked around this section for about 4 hours.






























Then on Tuesday June 22nd, the journey I had set out to do began. It all started at the Beijing train station. Here's a photo of this massive train station by night.


Our train was set to depart at 7:40 a.m. for Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia


And in cyrilic, this says....Beijing - Ulaanbaatar




A picture of the inside of our compartment on the first train before we settled in. We got really lucky on the first leg of the journey and had the four person compartment for just the two of us. We did meet a lot of westerners on this leg.


We followed that red line that begins in Beijing, goes through Mongolia and ends up in Moscow...approximately 8000 km traveled by train.


The next few photos were taken from inside the train while we were still in China. The landscape at the beginning of the journey through China was the most spectacular.










Cool land reflection in the moving train




Then it flattened out for the next 7000 or so km before we reached the Urals.


Sunset in China on the first night on the train.


One of the only pictures I have of these lovely ladies, Kerry and Mhairi. They were our neighbors on the train from England and Scotland. Funny enough, they are also teachers at an international school (in China). We were able to meet up with them in Ulaanbaatar after our yert stay. On the right is Michelle, my travel buddy. In this picture, no, we are not on the train....we were at the border of Mongolia and had a three hour stop. We got off to stretch our legs for a few minutes.


MONGOLIA

Each train had a food car. This is me in the Mongolian food car. I liked this one the best.






I like these pictures the best....here, the train is snaking it's way through Mongolia as we approach Ulaanbaatar.










Video of the train snaking along....



Views of Mongolia from our moving train. Out of 2.5 million Mongolians, 1.2 million of them live in Ulaanbaatar, the capital city. The remaining population lives a nomadic life in a yert in the vast steppe of Mongolia. These nomads move with the seasons herding their sheep and horses.






A monument to commemorate Soviet lives that were lost in World War II. This is in Ulaanbaatar just above the city on a hilltop.










Buddha watches over Ulaanbaatar...I believe this statue is 40 meters high.




One of the main streets in Ulaanbaatar just next to the government square.




Centered in the front of the Mongolian government building, is Genghis Kahn.


Genghis sits proudly watching over his Mongolian people.


Government building from afar


Outside the monastery in Ulaanbaataar


The monastary with a 25 meter high Buddha inside.


After our city tour, we went to the steppe where we spent two nights in a yert...or ger as they are referred to in Mongolia.













Sunset at the ger camp




On the second day at the ger camp, our guide (who had been with us since meeting us at the train station), took us on a one and a half hour hike to this newly constructed statue of Genghis Kahn. It stands 40 meters high and the construction of the statue was just recently finished. It was 38 degrees Celsius (about 100 degrees Fareinheit) and the sun was brutal. We walked with umbrellas/parasols to shield ourselves. And then, this massive statue came into view...















This was our Mongolian guide. She was great! One is able to hike up the Genghis Kahn statue so that's where we are in the next few photos.










And on our way home, a wind storm blew in. Can you see the difference in the two sections of sky in this picture?


Some sunset pictures






Some kids riding horses across the steppe


On our last morning at the ger camp, our guide set us up to practice some archery. The Mongolians would definitely want me on their side....








Me and Michelle with the Mongolian flag


Back in Ulaanbaatar for the last day we went to the National Museum of Mongolia which displays national dress and also national items.




And then...back on the train...

RUSSIA

This is the third time in my life, that I entered Russia. On both previous trips ('95 and '98), I only spent time in western Russia between Moscow and St. Petersburg. On this trip I was fortunate enough to see eastern Russia and the vast land from Irktsk all the way to Moscow.

Before entering Russia, we sat at the border for 11 hours! We pulled in at 5a.m. and had to wait until 9a.m. for the authorities to be there. We were not released until 15:30. Fortunately, after they checked our passports, we were allowed to get off the train. I stumbled off the train around 7a.m. after an unsettling dinner from the night before. I proceeded to regurgitate that dinner all over the platform at the border. Luckily, they still let me in the country.

Here are some views from the train. No more gers.




Michelle and some of our friends look out the window at the scenery as we go by. This is the width of the corridor in each train car when one steps outside their compartment.


We drank lots of tea on the journey. There was one of these in every car.


A view down the hallway of our car.


Siberia






The Irkutsk train station. Our Russian guide met us here and drove us to Listvyanka near Lake Baikal where we spent three days.


Now, in Listvyanka






This part of Russia is particularly known for their shudders. I really like these two houses.




Church in Listvyanka




The following pictures are of the house that I stayed at for two nights. We stayed with a Russian lady named Olga. There was no plumbing in the house and their was a fierce dog caged up in the backyard by the outhouse. The seat of the toilet in the outhouse had a pink velvet seat...I can only imagine that that is to keep one warm in the winter when it's 40 below.



That's Lynn and Steve on the doorstep. They stayed at the same house as us and ended up being our cabin mates on the train to Moscow. They are English but live on a sailboat.






Some information about Lake Baikal from the museum that our guide took us to




Lake Baikal


We went on a hike in the area around Lake Baikal. We stopped for lunch at the lake. Here's our picnic table.


Lunch cooking




That's Sasha, our Russian hiking guide, a former math teacher, making lunch for us. He carried all the pots and pans and food too. He was awesome.






Okay, now for a lesson on bathing (during the homestay).
Outside the house, next to the out house was another sauna like room. Olga started a fire in the furnace inside which boiled water. The water came out here as pictured below. This water is too hot to touch so one must access the bucket of cold water on the other side of the room. The two waters are mixed together until the temperature is pleasing.


Once the temperature is good in the plastic bucket, one uses this ladle to scoop water on oneself.


Here's a picture of the bathing room.


Now, this was inside the house. To wash hands, one pushed up on the bottom spout of the aluminum looking can. The water then went down the sink and drained into the bucket below.


On our last morning in Listvyanka, we hiked to the viewpoint. This was the first and only sunny day we had in Listvyanka. It was beautiful here.
















Now, back in Irkutsk. Here's some of the architecture.




This is a railing near the Angara River in Irkutsk where newly weds place a lock and throw the key in the river.








Back on the train....for 4 days straight. Here's some of the scenery in Siberia




Train station somewhere along the way.


Russian food car...what were they thinking?!


And for four days, we sat....sometimes getting up to make some tea or stretch our legs in that ever spacious hallway. At some of the longer stops along the way, we could get off the train, but never for more than 20 miuntes. Then...finally...at 4a.m. we arrived in Moscow.

After a nap, we were ready to start the day. Here are some architectural pictures from our walking tour with our Russian guide.



Tchaikovsky






Portuguese influenced architecture.




Statue of Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol






Now, on to Red Square....

Here, rests Lenin...I've seen him twice before, but unfortunately, the Mausoleum was closed the day we were there so I couldn't check up on him this time.










St. Basil's in my favorite






















Tomb of the unknown soldier...we also just happened to be there on the hour so we were able to see the changing of the guard.




Bolshoi Theater...currently closed for renovation






The last thing we did in Moscow was go for a boat tour. Normally, one would expect that the boat picks you up and does a loop returning you to the same place....that was not the case as we learned the hard way. We were dropped off quite far down the river and had to navigate our way to the metro. No trip to Moscow is complete without taking the metro.
















And that is the end of the journey. I left the following morning by plane and was back safe and sound in Leysin that evening. This is one journey I won't soon forget. Thanks for checking out this post! =)