To travel with the train is fascinating. Without Wi-Fi access, you have to deal with yourself. I fully enjoyed the rattle of the train, to relax, read, look outside on the passing landscape and the dreaming. You meet interesting people and also with the language barrier, our Russian wasn’t that great, it is somehow possible to communicate. We shared our cabin with Tanya and her son Dinet. The wagon boss was a bit harsh and scary, but anyway she caves us a cup that we could drink tea and water and take warm water from the hot pot. We slept very well in the train and the toilets were clean as well. During the stops we had the chance to go outside and take some fresh air and buy some fresh food from the shops at the platform. We also boughed some food and water in Moscow before including food which you can fill in the warm water to “cook” it. As yet, I saw a lot of women and less mans to work. Specially on public area’s as in restaurant, security check, train and so on. The train drove through forests where some snow still lays there also through villages and we saw a lot of old, unused factories.

We arrived at the evening in Ekaterinburg. Our driver Victor drove us to the entry of our hostel in a backyard. After entry the door code we entered a scary staircase. From outside nothing was seen from a hostel. Where did we ended? After a bit waiting a door opened and a young Russian woman welcomes us in a nice hostel. After check-in with usual for here copies of pass and visa where made, we soon fell in bed to sleep.

In the morning we went up quite early that we had the chance to have breakfast before our pre-booked tour started. We walked to the street but all coffees where closed and the police and military people sent people outside the barrier. As we walked back to the hostel, they stopped us. Anyhow I could explain that our hostel was there insight the closed area and he escorted us there. The streets where closed for the parade of the victory day. When went outside at a back entry of the hostel. There we found a coffee and had breakfast for around 5 CHF for three coffees, Blinis (Russian pancakes) and eggs with bacon. We met Irina for our tour and also Victor was our driver today. We first drove to the memorial where some victims of Stalin where found. Further we visited the boarder obelisk which marked the boarder of Europe and Asia. During the drive, Irina told us a lot about this boarder and Ekaterinburg themselves. Ekaterinburg was until 1991 a military fort where no normal people came out- or inside. We drove to the monasteries which was build as a memory of the assassination from the Tsar family Romanov. The mortal remains where found here in 2003. For the monasteries woman had to wear a long skirt and a headscarf. In the church was a mess where the priest made some blessing for us and gave us a caramel bonbon. Irina told us, that these bonbons where totally the highlight during the Soviet days. We had a coffee break where Irina give us some gingerbread and chocolate for our train journey tomorrow.

Back in the city we visited the blood church. These is also as a memory of the Romanov family and build on the place where the assassination took place. Further Irina told us that they had in winter mostly around minus 48 decreases Celsius but the live goes on just normal. She gave us also some recommendations for what to visit further and where to go fur dinner. We say goodbye with a heartily hug. After the tour we walked a bit around the city. The streets where closed for card while the victory day was celebrated. The had dinner in the Podkova restaurant where the food and drinks where delicious. We liked to go to bed early while Victor had to pick us up for our train to Oms at 2.40 am. But we woke up regarding a firework and we enjoyed it in the warm of our hostel room.

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