24. November
Don’t feel like I’ve really done justice to Yekaterinburg but it’s difficult when you’re staying so far away from the centre and with a pushy host. Got pilmeni for breakfast which only served to highlight just how good yesterday’s lunch was. After some difficulty I finally managed to locate the baggage room at the station (kept mispronouncing ‘камера храрения’ every time I asked for directions). Baggage safely stored I set off back into town.
Ate a tasty pizza! Success! (Although it’s taken me the length of Siberia to get one). After that I went back to the café I visited on my first day. It’s called, imaginatively, New Bar or Art Bar – not quite sure which. Anyway, I like it here. 3rd floor loft open plan; complete with a drum kit (and wifi) but with a surprisingly unpretentious feel. Kind of place I would like to hang out with my mates.
Back on the train now. Journey has been great so far. I have made friends with a charming devushka called Natasha. On her way back to home and husband in St. Petersburg after visiting family in Ekaterinburg. Intelligent, quiet and reserved. Taught herself English with incredible results – puts my Russian well and truly to shame (just in case it needed to be any further). 7 years of med school and now a psychiatrist but looking for a career change. The wages for doctors in Russia sound appalling! When you think about how well paid doctors are in the UK relatively. We continued talking for most of the evening until she got sleepy and I got hungry.
Visited the restaurant car and had what has to be the smallest cheese sandwich you can possibly get for 2 pounds. Reminded me of my friend Hugh’s idea to open a pub where the portions were so small they made the patrons feel like they were giants. I drew a to-scale drawing in my journal – length and width: approximately equal to that of an average male index finger.
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25. November – Nizhny Novgorod
Coming to the end of my last long train journey in Russia. Just 3 ½ hours to Nizhny Novgorod. And I have to say I am feeling nostalgic and sad already to almost be at the end of the trip. The trains have been brilliant. Everyone has run to the minute. Makes me despair for the state of trains in my home country. The equivalent distance of the entire length of Britain in a comfortable sleeping compartment here in Russia costs less than the 200kilometers 2.5hr journey (if you’re lucky) from London to Lincoln sitting on the floor of a cramped vestibule.
I met my new host, Alena and her teeny tiny husband Andrew (presumably Andrei), on the platform of Nizhny Novgorod station. They live near the Kremlin in central Nizhny but I am to stay with her parents not far from the centre. Not seen much so far but I am very grateful that the weather is nothing like as vicious as it was in the Urals. 6°C apparently. With 3 bedrooms this is the biggest flat I’ve stayed in so far. Got a feeling I’m going to like it hear. Time to venture out and have a wander. Need to find somewhere with internet to book accommodation for Moscow.
It takes about 25 mins walk to get into the centre of town. Went down Ul Gorkovo and to the edge of the Kremlin. Lots of nice smallish roads to wander down. Have all day Friday and Saturday to explore so no rush yet. Especially liked Ul Alekseevskaya where there were lots of uber-trendy cafes – think this could be a cool city to hang out in. Passed about 4 sex shops but no internet cafes. But despite that I still got a good vibe.
Headed back to the flat about 8. Still no sign of my hosts when I got back but they finally made an appearance about 9.30pm. Irena and Yuri – both are delightful! Guessing they’re both in their mid 50s. They fed me bread and cheese with homemade apple juice from their dacha. Think Yuri is an academic – not sure about Irena.
(c) Richard Breeson
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