Our first full day on the train. We have spent the night and most of the morning running through thick birch forest, with the occasional town and village, all very poor looking. The towns dilapidated and the villages with rundown small wooden houses and dirt roads, very muddy. Most of the houses have patches of ground all cultivated, no flower gardens. The villagers all wrapped up against the cold and damp. God knows what the houses must be like inside.
The carriage doors are kept locked except when we stop and can walk the platform and savour the local delights being offered. Today it was dried fish and soft cheesy looking stuff wrapped in plastic, plus Coke and beer. As Merryn pointed out "that was made in those hovels!" Presumably someone must buy them, otherwise...? When we are let onto the platform the uniformed Chinese carriage conductors stand by the doors, and eventually shout "get on", so we can be locked up safe for the next stretch.
Our conductor has offered (to sell) us beer/tea etc. and last night wanted to know if we could change US dollars for him. He does it all with a pleasant smile.
After 15 hours on board we have past the 1057 km marker from Moscow. The country is opening up and we are passing through the town called Zuyevka. In few minutes we will cross into the Udmurtia Republic. The people here are mainly an ethnic minority. It seems a very poor country. Grey wet and dismal.
For breakfast we had coffee, followed by dried miso soup, then lunch a couple of warm pasty like cakes with meat and cabbage. Quite tasty.
Dinner noodles and the last of our French wine.
The dining car is at the end of the train and a quick recce doesn't inspire confidence .... not too sure of the coloured flags adorning the roof.... we will see.
After a greyish day we were treated to a firework display. With the cabin lights out we watched what seemed like fireflies shooting past the window. But no - sparks
from our coal fire flying everywhere - very pretty. Ahh these small things .....
No comments:
Post a Comment