Day Four

Train Ride

In the evening yesterday we started our journey eastward on the Trans Siberian Railroad. We are having stops between to see things, so had one night and one day aboard and are in Ekaterinburg tonight. This two hours earlier than Moscow time, which is two hours from Greenwich Time. 

This is the Moscow train station, like every other one, except you see trains start with puffs of smoke.

Our wagon

Each wagon has a keeper, in charge of order, cleanliness, and keeping the samovar hot and filled with water. No tap water is drinkable, so tea is consumed in quantity. This was our wagon mistress.


Our compartment, with benches that become narrow beds, which we didn’t know until later.

The views along the way. Fall is setting in and the birches are turning gold. Vast stretches were nothing but forests, punctuated by clusters of simple dwellings, each with a garden plot (empty now for winter), and some sheds and an occasional goat or cow.

We are in a big city now. More of which we will see tomorrow, God willing. But not likely to have any blog posts until the next city, which is after two nights on the train coming up. We had, and will have, lots of time to write in journals, read, and converse, and drink tea.