Rik left to spend a few days on krasnoyarsk. He made the last few days a lot of fun. His birthday is in a few days and he will be in Mongolia like me.
I was hoping for the cabin to myself but when I came back from buying a cup of noodles on the platform I found a young guy and two younger girls in the cabin.
The girls have not stopped talking to each other since I got here.
While they are nice to look at their entertainment value is quickly running out.
Train pulling out.
One day to Irkutsk.
12 March 2012
Kruska
Morning on the train.
We are in siberia outside omsk.
We picked up passengers in perm last night so now there are four people in my cabin.
Alexei and Andre. Twenty something. Speak mostly Russian but Alexei does speak to Rick and I in English.
I have coffee packets but no cup. There is hot water at the end of the car.
What do I do?
Alexei comes on with a glass in a sliver holder! The train provides it for coffee! Excellent! But how do I ask the older lady for a glass without getting beaten Down.
I ask alexei how you address an old woman politely. He looks confused. He says just ask, please, cup...
I tell him I want to be polite and he tells me, "we don't do this ..."
Interesting.
I ask him for the word for cup....
Krushka...,
And please
Paroshka...
And I head for the old lady.
Now the lady cleans the car and mans the hot water dispenser which is industrial grade. Both the water dispenser and the old lady.
She looks to be 60...ish... Pale pinkish white skin, thin blond hair under a blue kerchief, five foot nothing, two hundred pounds....ish.
I'm on dangerous grounds here but I want some coffee.
I approach poke my head around the corner. Using as much charm as my fat head can pull together I let it go....
Paroska....
The old lady, sitting turns her head at me....eyes on me, cheeks up with a hint of disgust.....
Krushka, I say....
She looks down, puts her hands and her knees and gets up....
Krushka..., she mutters...
YES!
She goes to the other compartment and pulls down a glass and places it in a sliver holder and hands it to me.
I have coffee and am watching the frozen wilderness pass my window.
We are in siberia outside omsk.
We picked up passengers in perm last night so now there are four people in my cabin.
Alexei and Andre. Twenty something. Speak mostly Russian but Alexei does speak to Rick and I in English.
I have coffee packets but no cup. There is hot water at the end of the car.
What do I do?
Alexei comes on with a glass in a sliver holder! The train provides it for coffee! Excellent! But how do I ask the older lady for a glass without getting beaten Down.
I ask alexei how you address an old woman politely. He looks confused. He says just ask, please, cup...
I tell him I want to be polite and he tells me, "we don't do this ..."
Interesting.
I ask him for the word for cup....
Krushka...,
And please
Paroshka...
And I head for the old lady.
Now the lady cleans the car and mans the hot water dispenser which is industrial grade. Both the water dispenser and the old lady.
She looks to be 60...ish... Pale pinkish white skin, thin blond hair under a blue kerchief, five foot nothing, two hundred pounds....ish.
I'm on dangerous grounds here but I want some coffee.
I approach poke my head around the corner. Using as much charm as my fat head can pull together I let it go....
Paroska....
The old lady, sitting turns her head at me....eyes on me, cheeks up with a hint of disgust.....
Krushka, I say....
She looks down, puts her hands and her knees and gets up....
Krushka..., she mutters...
YES!
She goes to the other compartment and pulls down a glass and places it in a sliver holder and hands it to me.
I have coffee and am watching the frozen wilderness pass my window.
The train...baltezino
The train stops for twenty minutes to change locomotives. My cabin mate Rick and I get out to see what the locals have to eat.
I just paid $11 usd for a cup of coffee on the train so I'm going to try and support the local economy.
There are carts selling noodles and beer. Then the grandmas show up with baskets of food.
Along with the grandmas five or so dogs come by the train. Sweet looking dogs, unsure of us. One brown dog with lab features is standing next to the train. I bend down and call him over. He moves close, slowly. Stops.
I rub the scruff of his neck and his body leans, then collapses against me, caresses my leg, desperate and appreciating affection.
I took a picture of the dogs and bought some chicken and potatoes from a grandma and got back to the train .
As the train pulled away Rick pointed to a brown dog and noticed.... "that dog has three legs..."
Ugh ....
I looked at my picture and that was my dog. My new friend in Siberia, lucky.
Chicken was good
Three days to Irkutsk ....
I just paid $11 usd for a cup of coffee on the train so I'm going to try and support the local economy.
There are carts selling noodles and beer. Then the grandmas show up with baskets of food.
Along with the grandmas five or so dogs come by the train. Sweet looking dogs, unsure of us. One brown dog with lab features is standing next to the train. I bend down and call him over. He moves close, slowly. Stops.
I rub the scruff of his neck and his body leans, then collapses against me, caresses my leg, desperate and appreciating affection.
I took a picture of the dogs and bought some chicken and potatoes from a grandma and got back to the train .
As the train pulled away Rick pointed to a brown dog and noticed.... "that dog has three legs..."
Ugh ....
I looked at my picture and that was my dog. My new friend in Siberia, lucky.
Chicken was good
Three days to Irkutsk ....
The train
Before I left on this trip I watched a video by Henry Rollins who took the same trip I'm on.
He got to the station and asked for help and the attendant told him he couldn't find the platform by himself.
Having seen that I was determined to do it on my own as much as much as I could.
My hotel was two blocks away so I checked my bag and left for the station five hours early. Cops are everywhere and they never have a happy look.
I read my ticket, every sign, kiosk, posting or paper.
My train ends on Vladivostok, but I'm not going that way. I found my train but no platform. I scouted the locations. There are two terminals for departing trains. I would have to wait to see which one was mine.
I ate. Waited. Waited. Walked. Snacked. Waited.
My sleep schedule was getting adjusted so I was getting tired. My train was at 2345. Last train. I could not miss it.
I watched the board. Finally at 11:00pm. My train was assigned a platform. Number 1.
I picked up my bag and left the station. It was chilly. I looked at a sign and it was -4 c. I think it converts to ....cold.
I went to the ticket window and held up my ticket and said "Irkutsk?" and pointed to the platform. The lady grumbled to her friend and pointed to the other terminal. Two ticket and passport checks and I was in.
Tired the train pulled out on time.
The berth is comfortable. Four beds but only two of us. Rick from holland. He's traveling for six months. Nice.
Out the window now is a lot of snow and trees. So pretty. Snow makes everything look clean .
two days to Irkutsk
He got to the station and asked for help and the attendant told him he couldn't find the platform by himself.
Having seen that I was determined to do it on my own as much as much as I could.
My hotel was two blocks away so I checked my bag and left for the station five hours early. Cops are everywhere and they never have a happy look.
I read my ticket, every sign, kiosk, posting or paper.
My train ends on Vladivostok, but I'm not going that way. I found my train but no platform. I scouted the locations. There are two terminals for departing trains. I would have to wait to see which one was mine.
I ate. Waited. Waited. Walked. Snacked. Waited.
My sleep schedule was getting adjusted so I was getting tired. My train was at 2345. Last train. I could not miss it.
I watched the board. Finally at 11:00pm. My train was assigned a platform. Number 1.
I picked up my bag and left the station. It was chilly. I looked at a sign and it was -4 c. I think it converts to ....cold.
I went to the ticket window and held up my ticket and said "Irkutsk?" and pointed to the platform. The lady grumbled to her friend and pointed to the other terminal. Two ticket and passport checks and I was in.
Tired the train pulled out on time.
The berth is comfortable. Four beds but only two of us. Rick from holland. He's traveling for six months. Nice.
Out the window now is a lot of snow and trees. So pretty. Snow makes everything look clean .
two days to Irkutsk
08 March 2012
Ah...I'm back
I needed stamps this morning for postcards. I pussed out and went downstairs to the gift shop where the lady told me the stamps say 25p but we charge 50p. Yes?
Now it's not the money per se but to mark up 100% because you are in a tourist hotel and you're not going to try and find a post office and fuck you very much sir...
No.
I've been a lazy bitch this trip so I decided to sack up like I should have and find a post office. Looked in the booked, two stops on the metro and I'm there. Looked up the spelling of post office in Cyrillic and found it across the street.
I went to the top of the stairs and between the bottom and the top floor empty, abandoned, blocked off office space. Thanks email!
At the top a confused lady made some hand gestures indicating I should go across the street.
Downstairs I looked but what she meant was around the building. I found another door and behind a glass partition was a sweet old lady that sold me postage for my cards and a couple of stamps for my journal.
Good start.
Now I picked a random direction and wandered down a park lane where kids were sliding on shovels and adults were playing hockey.
I kept walking but I knew I was going to get hungry. I've been eating shit last few days so I looked for something better.
I still can't read so I looked in windows and I found a spot that had big glass cases of food. Jackpot!
The place had wifi and pictures of Mickey mouse yelling profanity. Awesome! The girl behind the counter flirted with me a little so I felt like I was hitting my stride.
Finished eating. Now what. Wander ...
I've got to keep moving. I go over a bridge and catch a beautiful view of the kremlin and some shining golden onion domes. Amazing.
And I see a trolly. I don't know how much or how to ask and I don't know where it's going. Perfect!
Last person on, I watch the guy in front of me digging for change. I start looking for signs. He's paying and I find a sign that says "blah blah blah....25p.....blah blah blah...28p" I pull 28 roubles and push it through the window and nothing. I start to sweat a little the a little hand pushes a ticket at me! Success!
I grab a seat and watch the city move by. The city looks familiar...
This fucking trolly went back to the exact spot I started at. Nice!
Off the trolley, I played dark alley. Which I play when I travel. The game is. Find an empty dark alley and don't get beaten to death.
I found an empty alley at the end of the trolly after a block....I found....a farmers market. Perfect!
I need something for my bag on the train tomorrow. Snacks I figure will be like prison currency and I would rather have peanuts and cashews than another less attractive alternative.
I found a stall with two old ladies. I bought four bags of nuts and asked to take a picture with them.
The lady behind the counter took my camera and turned into fellinni. She took 6 pictures of me with the other lady pretending to sell me nuts.
Priceless.
Walked back to the hotel satisfied that I had successfully diverted from the tourist track.
I catch the train midnight tomorrow.
This is going to be fun....
Now it's not the money per se but to mark up 100% because you are in a tourist hotel and you're not going to try and find a post office and fuck you very much sir...
No.
I've been a lazy bitch this trip so I decided to sack up like I should have and find a post office. Looked in the booked, two stops on the metro and I'm there. Looked up the spelling of post office in Cyrillic and found it across the street.
I went to the top of the stairs and between the bottom and the top floor empty, abandoned, blocked off office space. Thanks email!
At the top a confused lady made some hand gestures indicating I should go across the street.
Downstairs I looked but what she meant was around the building. I found another door and behind a glass partition was a sweet old lady that sold me postage for my cards and a couple of stamps for my journal.
Good start.
Now I picked a random direction and wandered down a park lane where kids were sliding on shovels and adults were playing hockey.
I kept walking but I knew I was going to get hungry. I've been eating shit last few days so I looked for something better.
I still can't read so I looked in windows and I found a spot that had big glass cases of food. Jackpot!
The place had wifi and pictures of Mickey mouse yelling profanity. Awesome! The girl behind the counter flirted with me a little so I felt like I was hitting my stride.
Finished eating. Now what. Wander ...
I've got to keep moving. I go over a bridge and catch a beautiful view of the kremlin and some shining golden onion domes. Amazing.
And I see a trolly. I don't know how much or how to ask and I don't know where it's going. Perfect!
Last person on, I watch the guy in front of me digging for change. I start looking for signs. He's paying and I find a sign that says "blah blah blah....25p.....blah blah blah...28p" I pull 28 roubles and push it through the window and nothing. I start to sweat a little the a little hand pushes a ticket at me! Success!
I grab a seat and watch the city move by. The city looks familiar...
This fucking trolly went back to the exact spot I started at. Nice!
Off the trolley, I played dark alley. Which I play when I travel. The game is. Find an empty dark alley and don't get beaten to death.
I found an empty alley at the end of the trolly after a block....I found....a farmers market. Perfect!
I need something for my bag on the train tomorrow. Snacks I figure will be like prison currency and I would rather have peanuts and cashews than another less attractive alternative.
I found a stall with two old ladies. I bought four bags of nuts and asked to take a picture with them.
The lady behind the counter took my camera and turned into fellinni. She took 6 pictures of me with the other lady pretending to sell me nuts.
Priceless.
Walked back to the hotel satisfied that I had successfully diverted from the tourist track.
I catch the train midnight tomorrow.
This is going to be fun....
07 March 2012
Weak
I've been trying, halfway to explore but I'm tired.
I haven't put in the effort I should have to get the experiences I've gotten from other trips.
I am better at getting to metro stations and learning where they go but I haven't bern able to find a russian restaurant. I can't read so I could be passing good ones by.
Left the hotel this morning. Scouting the train station for tomorrow. Looking for some borscht I set out. It's cold today. I don't know how cold but my face hurts. I'm looking for food but not finding anything it's early but anything will do at this point. Well not anything...I saw a subway for sandwiches but the most I'll bend is mcdonalds. Subway. Over the line.
The only black guy I've seen in Moscow handed me a flyer and I asked him in English if there was food in his building ...," da ... Da..," he says.
I go in and it's a clothing store. I ask the staff where I can find some borscht and three people are pointing and waving at spots down the street. I'm bailing out. I nod politely and I'm at the hotel. Borscht just arrived.
I haven't put in the effort I should have to get the experiences I've gotten from other trips.
I am better at getting to metro stations and learning where they go but I haven't bern able to find a russian restaurant. I can't read so I could be passing good ones by.
Left the hotel this morning. Scouting the train station for tomorrow. Looking for some borscht I set out. It's cold today. I don't know how cold but my face hurts. I'm looking for food but not finding anything it's early but anything will do at this point. Well not anything...I saw a subway for sandwiches but the most I'll bend is mcdonalds. Subway. Over the line.
The only black guy I've seen in Moscow handed me a flyer and I asked him in English if there was food in his building ...," da ... Da..," he says.
I go in and it's a clothing store. I ask the staff where I can find some borscht and three people are pointing and waving at spots down the street. I'm bailing out. I nod politely and I'm at the hotel. Borscht just arrived.
06 March 2012
What a life...
I have more than I dreamed I could have when I was a kid. I hoped I would get a good job. Have a little house, wife , kids then pretty much wait to die. That's what I thought it was about.
Let me tell you about my morning. From my hotel room checked my stocks, looked at a few new ones. Listened to some dodger radio. Drew a couple of pictures. Coffee across from the hotel looking at the walls of the kremlin.
This is bragging. I am grateful for all the opportunities I've created and the millions of things my parents, friends, brothers and sisters have done to make all this possible. I think it would be a crime not to enjoy it all.
Leaving the hotel national today. This is. One of my favorite hotels ever. History, comfort , style. Amazing.
Out yesterday I saw one on stalin's seven sisters. So massive and impressive it is difficult to describe how powerful an image it is. Just thinking about it it was as impressive as the pyramids at Giza. Different. Very different but makes you feel small.
Next hotel is in one of the seven sisters.
Trying to get some pics here will get some soon.
Train in two days
Let me tell you about my morning. From my hotel room checked my stocks, looked at a few new ones. Listened to some dodger radio. Drew a couple of pictures. Coffee across from the hotel looking at the walls of the kremlin.
This is bragging. I am grateful for all the opportunities I've created and the millions of things my parents, friends, brothers and sisters have done to make all this possible. I think it would be a crime not to enjoy it all.
Leaving the hotel national today. This is. One of my favorite hotels ever. History, comfort , style. Amazing.
Out yesterday I saw one on stalin's seven sisters. So massive and impressive it is difficult to describe how powerful an image it is. Just thinking about it it was as impressive as the pyramids at Giza. Different. Very different but makes you feel small.
Next hotel is in one of the seven sisters.
Trying to get some pics here will get some soon.
Train in two days
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