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Annie and Dave's World Tour
Greetings from Ekaterinberg. Note that the map is as wayward as ever, and that we still haven't got any photos uploaded (so Moscow is still shown). A further note. To save A-Ms wrists, and because I talk so much rubbish, I have been writing most of the text. She does check through to amend and correct where she, usually incorectly, belives this to be neccessary... :)
Ekaterinberg is famous for being a big Russian city (3rd largest). The military are very big here (the town apparently wasn't shown on the USSR map for security reasons - or maybe peopel were not really interested in visiting!). The Romanovs (last Tsar's of Russia) met an untimely end here. Not that it is an unplesant place, but it doesn't seem to be notable for much else.
However we learnt a lot today about geology, or stones to be precise. Our guide for this morning (Natasha) showed us the various sites of the town. We ended up in the minerology museum as our tour operator is based here and we needed to see them (more on this later). So, whilst the tour operator was "sorting stuff out", Natasha took us through ameythsts, crystal balls, copper, asbestos, etc. Natasha was very keen on her stones. She kept asking what could we "see" when we looked at the stone. Generally I saw nothing, or suggested it was a monkey. "No, look harder, it's something that flies.." (or similar) was the usual response. There was always something there. Perhaps I need to go on interpretative art course? Anyway, we must have been showing some enthusiasm (it was a lot more interesting than I might have imagined)... because some budding documentary maker (he must have been about 18) asked Natasha if they could interview me. Well, obviously I was game on for this. So, next time you see me talking enthusiastically about fossils and stones on Russian TV, you will know why....
Back to the tour office. We were put in the wrong hotel last night but we couldn't do anything about it as it was too late. It did give us a brief opportunity to see how good the other hotels we had stayed in were. The heating didn't work at all, although I nobly donated my rug to A-M so that she was all toasty. [Note that as we moaned bitterly to Natasha this morning, she did remark that the central heating for 'the whole of the city' hadn't been turned on yet. Imagine that - centrally controlled central heating! I thought it put our complaints into a little perspective] Anyway, we got transferred to the nice hotel which we were always supposed to be in, and we even got a free lunch at the "Grand Buffet" out of it to make up for it.
Note the implicit mention of the weather above, given we were trying to turn the hearting on. Generally Russia was been great - it was really sunny in St P, although Moscow was cold at times. Now we are deep into Russia, and it can get pretty cold at times. Siberia will be fine though, I'm sure!
Music update - at today's buffet lunch we had Sabrina 'Boys Boys Boys' (good) and Status Quo 'You're In The Army Now' (bad). Perhaps they could do with some mix CDs from the 90s and 00s to freshen things up a bit. ELO and Deep Purple are touring (though to be fair, so is Madonna and The Prodigy).
We got to Ekat after a 25 hour train from Moscow. We are sharing our trains with a couple of aussies. They are interesting. An addition to the previous list of things that can keep you awake on a train (admittedly this was in the afternoon) - staff hoovering the carriage (this did come as a surprise). Happily, there is a new list started - things that can help you sleep on a train. So far this list reads "vodka". The staff on the train were generally miserable, so - Liz - your top tip for morning greetings has as yet gone unused....
I can also report that the pack of immodium had to be broken into on the train journey. Let us say no more on the subject other than thank heavens for clean and operational toilets on that service.
On our last night in Moscow we had a tremendous meal at an Uzbekistan restaurant. In the adventurous spirit of ordering things on the menu which we did not know the meaning of, I cannot give you much guidance on what it was we ate, but it tasted great. We also had a ripper bottle of champagne for 7 pounds. Lightly sweet but with much less fizz and therefore immensaly quaffable.
Outside the train at the bigger stations we had merchants trying to sell us stuff. This was generally unremarkable foodstuffs of generaly practical (and tasty) value. However I was out of my seat like a flash and onto the platform to gawp when I saw i) a stuffed squirrel on a stick ii) a mounted badgers head iii) a stuffed eagle iv) chandeliers for sale
Haz - nothing to report on Russian football. The only sport we have seen has been via Sky. We watched some great darts and snooker. Also some Russian 'WWE' style wrestling (a very poor imitation, I felt obliged to point out the technical faults to A-M). The TV here is great! Earlier today, when we checked in, there was a show in which 2 dogs had been dubbed to talk to each other in the park. TV heaven.
We have got by pretty well without speaking Russian. A lot of Russians are quite dour so we don't feel too bad about pointing and holding up the required number of fingers (1, 2 etc). 'Thank you' ("spaseeba") seems to have got us quite a long way. Tomorrow I am having my hair cut at the hotel as it is a total disgrace (my hair, not the hotel). The amusing langauage confusion permutations are tickling me. (We booked the appointment by the interpretation aid of the stone saleswoman in the shop next door who is also a magician. I don't think the hairdresser speaks English. As long as she does not give me a mullet then I will be happy).
Tomorrow we are going to see a historical village, then in the wee small hours we got on a train for 48 hours and then get off at Lake Baikal. Depending on the interweb facilities in Mongolia, we may not get online again till Beijing (about 6 October).
Have fun whatever you are doing out there...
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