With Tom, Tommy, and the Tomichis in Tomsk

Veröffentlicht am 24. August 2014 von Steffi

One of the reasons „many“ tourist come to Tomsk are the numerous wooden houses in different states of construction and reconstruction.

I read somewhere in the internet that Tomsk recently is overflowing with Tourist. Wherever they are, they were not in our Hostel. Unfortunately they didn’t had a map of Tomsk and a not working WiFi, so we headed out into the streets of Tomsk to find the tourist office by chance. We walked along the lively Lenina Street and up the popular Resurrection hill, but no Info to be seen. So we asked a passenger and got a surprisingly „Do you speak English? Yes, a little“. Unfortunately he neither know whether there was a Tourist information in Tomsk (We did not find it until the end of our stay.) He gave us some good recommendations what to see and the next day we enjoyed a relaxed stroll through the city including a ride in a very shaky Tram (nearly jumping off the tracks in each corner) and a overfilled Gas-Bus (equipped with six huge Gasbottles being able two blow away the bus including it’s 50 passengers).

Public transport in Tomsk. At least the reduce a little the air pollution in this city.

Enjoyed pelmenis (the Russian tortellini) and tschebrenok (the same stuff in a different shape, but fried), blinis (pane cakes) filled with meat and fish or caramelised milk (very delicious), and the typical „light beer“. That’s actually not light in alcohol but light in treatment, meaning it was neither filtered nor pasteurized. Very good.

Whenever you are in Russia and find taps in a supermarket go for it, the beer is really good.

The next day we headed out to explore Tomsk behind its city boarders. We hoped for some Taiga like nature (it looked very green in google maps).

We hope to see a lot of this (the picture behind us was not nearly as scenic.)

We hoped to see a lot of this (the picture behind us was not nearly as scenic.)

We found indeed a green area that was also extensively used by the Tomichi for recreation. Many people were building dachas, biking, fishing and swimming in the Tom and playing loud electric music.

Tomichi fishing in the Tom, while people on the other side of the river were playing loud electronic music.

Aside from that we found the people living here exceptional friendly and helpful. Despite the fact, that we could only communicate on a substantive level with the staff in our hostel they really made us make welcome and feel us at home, people in the streets helped us finding our way and they try to make the environment looking nicely also with limited tools.

Little garden in front of a concrete tower-block.

Many of the older people still wear the traditional clothing that we expect from russian grandmas.

Tomichis obviously do not only love the city but also each other, even though they overdue it sometimes a little.

Lessons learned about Russia

Veröffentlicht am 24. August 2014 von Steffi

Antworten

1. Blini are eaten with everything exept cheese.

Blini are eaten with jam, meat, caramelised milk …, but no cheese. And tea is drunken with lots of sugar.

2. Russians know how to use cable to decorate their capital. It looks like Spider came to visit.

Cables, there are everywhere, covering house walls, connecting lamps and busses or just dangling down the pole.

3. Russians are very pragmatic. Write the words as they are spoken and nobody gets confused with pronunciation e.g. Cheppi Mil.
4. During summer not only plants, but also streets are watered to cool down the atmosphere.
5. Salary in Russia must be incredible cheap. Where ever you go there are usually more employees than customer, in supermarkets, cafés or the train station.
6. Russians are big fans of green and black tea. You get in great quality everywhere for a few rubles. But a normal coffee is hard to find outside the modern coffee shops. Freeze dried coffee powder is general standard in hostels, trains and other small bistros.
7. Russian people have a different concept of recreation areas. There city parks usually equal a faded version of a Tivoli sprinkled into a area of trees and concrete paths. People are sitting on benches instead of the grass areas and everybody is eating icecreme.

The concept of a russian recreation area is somewhat different (Tomsk City Park).

8. Public traffic is as pragmatic as the Russians them self. The are usually constructed once and used until they fall apart. You pay a fixed price to the driver independent of the length of your journey directly to the chauffeur. If the vehicle is packed, you just hand the money to another passenger, who hands it further in the direction of the driver. The same happens with the change.

I am pretty sure maintenance of tram trams is even less frequent than in Berlin.

I did not recognised that I am in the way while taking a picture.

9. In Russia exist a lot of untouched nature, so there is no need to take care about environment protection. Plastic bottles are just thrown away, when empty and a catalyst in cars are seldom.

On example of many that we found aside from tourist tracks.

10. The balcony is a part if the apartment that can be individualized and probably has to, giving the old Plattenbau a colorful touch.

The variety of balconies in Russia is unique.

11. If you can’t find your hostel at the stated address, walk to the back door and have a look at the balconies. Usually they pin up a poster to indicate which bell you approximately need to use to get inside.
12. Shops are open until late in the night if you need some extra beer or vodka, but you don’t need to try to find a bakery that opens before 9am.
13. Showers are called banja (sauna) in Russia. Nearly every house in a village has a banja but non has a shower. Usually it is a small wooden room separated in two with a oven in the middle. The oven heats a bowl with water in the front room and the whole back room (the actual sauna). You go into the banja, sweat, and hit yourself or your partner with birch branches. Then you go back to the front room soap your self, mix the hot with cold water in a second bowl and „shower“. Thereafter you can hang out in the yard, cool down an watch the stars.
14. Russian people smile inversely. Since our first day we wondered why all the Russians seem so grumpy and act awkwardly when we tried to be friendly. On our last stop in Ulan-Ude we found the Din A4 long explanation pinned on the hostel wall. Russian people don’t smile to be polite, but to show honest sympathy to the people they know. The lady in the supermarket does not smile, because she does not know you and if you smile at her she will think that you are for some reason laughing about her.

Russian superlatives – from Irkutsk to Olchon to Ulan-Ude

Veröffentlicht am 15. August 2014 von Steffi

If the world would run out of drinking water tomorrow, lake Baikal could supply the whole humanity for the next 40 years. (I read it somewhere, so better double check before you reference to me.)

We started from Tomsk around midnight by a so called elektrischka that turned out to be a pretty old regional train stopping 20 times in the middle of nowhere in our way to taiga. Who thinks taiga means deserted place never spend 4h in the middle of the night in its train station. It’s pretty crowed with people waiting for trains to different directions.

A very different way to install a european style toilet the russian way.

The rather sleepless start of our journey caused that we again spent 80% of our time in the Transib sleeping. The other 20% we chatted with some Spanish guys (finally some English speaking people).

After we finally found the hostel in Irkutsk, we managed to arrange us two sleeping mattresses, a tent for rent (we actually never got it) and a bus going to Olchon island at 8:45 the next morning. The bus arrived at 9:45 and we spent the next hour driving to another hostel close by to pick up the last passengers filling the minibus efficiently and resulting in the bondage of my backpack on the roof of the bus. As badly as our driver knows the streets of Irkutsk as badly does he know how to drive a bus safely and comfortable. I guess his motto is why driving 100 km/h when you can drive 140 km/h, ignoring rules about safety distance, shaking leftover milk to butter (road conditions were not the best either) and resulting in some very green Spanish people. Surprisingly my backpack was still on the roof, when we arrived.

Our very impatient, disoriented, downward smiling bus driver and his bus.

When we arrived at the ferry we got a first warning that Olchon island will not be as lonely as we anticipated. The queue continued for several hundred meter and we waited three hours to cross the 500 m Baikal lake.

Waiting for the ferry can get a little time consuming.

The long waiting time had the big advantage that our russian companions got enough whiskey and rum to become talkative.

Our new russian friends, Lara and me.

We decide to stay in Nikita’s Homestay, the most popular one on the islan and run by a former table tennis profi, who made Olchon accessible for traveler. It was a little more expensive but considering the twin room, a hot shower, table tennis opportunities and numerous Blinis for breakfast you got plenty value for your money.

Nikitas homestay, a very cosy place to meet people and eat pancakes.

During our time on Olchon we got lost in the woods on our search of the other side of the island, made a trip to the „north cap“ in a Bread, and walked the sandy beaches finding russian numerous banjas and rare fresh water seals. We also took a swim in the lake, which is prolonging your life by five years, I heard rumors. However, the island is packed with Russians and Backpackers during summer time, so I would definitely recommend to get here in off season if you only come for the nature.

Chuschir, a very remot place in Siberia, if you exclude all the people coming during summer time.

Olchon woods criss-crossed by sandy paths.

Olchon is also a an area of shamanic spirits, we heard.

Frequent companion on the sandy paths of Chuschir are the cows, making the place a little indian like.

Olchon sunset, enjoyable 300 days a year due to the special clime on the island.

Tom and Tommy watching the sunset.

Several „breads“ as russian call the off road cars are making the trip to the north cap each day.

It actually feels like being on the sea, except that you are able to drink the water.

Happy greetings from the north cap from Tom.

The north cap trip also included fish soup from the typical Omul prepared by a bus driver in a bucket. Jummy

Despite the enormous amount of fresh water in the lake, a great part of the island consist of steppe.

We spontaneously decided not to go back to Irkutsk but to take the ferry to Ust-Bagasin. The village on the eastern shores if the Baikal lake. We were not the only ones taking this trip and found us together with 100 other passengers and their backpacks, suitcases and bikes at the beach waiting for the boat.

How needs a harbour, we had a beach and a ladder. Only the bike got a bit in trouble getting his bike on the boat.

Arrived in Ust-Bagusin, we actually did neither find a passenger friendly harbour.

Arrived in Ust-Bagasin together with another German backpacker the group leader of a German travel group help us finding a bed (space for the sleeping bag) for the night. Our landlord however was the most grumpy person we met in Russia and charged us a pretty nice price. Therefore we ended up for the first in a Russian banja (sauna) because non of the houses in a Russian village has a shower, but all have a banja.

She also ordered a place in the Marschrutka to Ulan-Ude for the next day for us. We wouldn’t have found it on our own, since there is no Bus station in Ust-Bagasin and you are supposed to call the bus company to pick you up in front of your house.

Waiting for the Marschrutka in Ust-Bagusin.

The next day we drove knee to knee with 12 russians, non working safety belts and ventilation in a mini-van to Ulan-Ude.

We had plans to go from here to Ulan Bator the next day, but we did not expect this route to be that popular. All train and Bus tickets were sold out and we were not up for hitch hiking. Instead we spend three nights in three different hostel (they were full as well), saw the most impressive fountain and the weirdest Lenin monument in whole Russia, met many nice people, ate some vegetables (Mongolia is supposed to be just meat and dairy products) and bought a cheap tent.

Evil twins.

Kontrastnaja Kazan

Veröffentlicht am 31. Juli 2014 von Steffi

Antworten

Kazan, a historical city located on the shores of Volga.

Kazan is a weird city (Tom liked it a lot). You will find some beautiful Monasteries, Churches, newly build apartments, and a lovely pedestrian zone. But during a stroll Sunday afternoon we met nearly nobody on the streets, apartments are empty and there are basically no shops in the pedestrian zone.

Impressive Kul-Scharif-Moschee

Partly renovated but rather deserted pedestrian zone.

Typical tartastanic buildings, recovered from degradation.

Everything was build or renovated for the 800 anniversary in 2005. However, you get the impression that Kazan only got itself a nice facade hiding its real face.

Inhabitants are living on the other side of the river in more or less old panel flats and shopping takes place on the traditional central market.

The difference of the living and renovated Kazan is especially underlined by the separating Volga.

Shopping of daily goods takes place on the traditional markets.

These are selling everything from shoes, fresh meat to dried and paperized fruits.

Parked cars filled with teenagers in front of the deserted cultural center playing hits from „Kuschelrock“ Cd’s from the 90’s. Skeletons if unfinished buildings are framing the beach and a pedestrian lane just stops outside the touristic region.

Skeletons of buildings are framing the Volga shores.

We were told by a women from Kazan that nobody can afford living in the newly build part of Kazan and only tourist or people coming for Sports events enjoy them.

Traveling the Transiberian Train

Veröffentlicht am 31. Juli 2014 von Steffi

Antworten

From our bus experience we were prepared for the worst for our first 13h trip by the Russian long distance train and were absolutely surprised by the comfortable journey that awaited us.

We booked a „Kupe“ ticket and found ourself at a small table with Michael and Viktoria. We were offered delicious georgian cheese and bread from Viktoria and a continuing discussion from Michael. The fact that we understand nothing of the complain about politics in Russian did not seen to bother him much. Around eleven all went to bed and were shaken to sleep.

Cosy socialness in a „platkartny“ wagon.

Tom and …

Tommy sharing one bed. Unfortunately beds tend to be a bit short, when your are above 1.60 m high.

The next day we had a look at the „Platzkarty“ wagon and despite the fact, that it was open it didn’t seem worse than a „Kupe“. The two fold price difference finally convinced us. And we started a 36h journey from Kazan to Novosibirsk. I managed to sleep through 24h of this 36h (everybody who knows me, know that I fall asleep as soon as I enter something moving). The rest of the time flew by by eating rolls, bread, waffles and tschak-tschak (some interesting russian kind of sweets), drinking tea, and trying to chat with the ladies sleeping below us. A little russian, hands and feeds help a lot at this point.

Tschak-Tschak, some kind of combination of flour, egg, and honey.

Sleeping neighbours and hand to food translator Angela and Macha.

Some facts about the Transib:

1. Out of 50 Russians only one group of three man were constantly drinking vodka.

2. The whole train works electrically, except the samovar in each wagon that is providing hot water for everybody. This is heated by burning coal.

3. If you are a little limited in your ability, don’t book one of the upper beds. It needs some acrobatic skills to get into them.

4. Russians are overwhelming friendly, but don’t expect them to speak English.

5. If you are running out of food, you can buy fish, fruits, and fried bakery products, from the ladies waiting at the big stations for you.

Stop in Omsk, including many ladies selling fried bakery, smoked fish, and Tschapkas (russian hats).

6. You get bed sheets, and towels, but nobody will tell you how the water tap works – however it works.

7. It’s a lie, that you can’t open the windows. I figured that out after my head nearly froze while sleeping with an open window.

Krasnaja Moskva

Veröffentlicht am 27. Juli 2014 von Steffi

The trip from Riga to Moskva was a little adventure in it self. Entering the Bus I ask the stewardess „Do you speak English?“, and got a very unambiguous answer „Njet“. „German?“ the stewardess started laughing „Njet, ruski i polski“. So much about help at the boarder. However, except from waiting in a saunaous bus and very angry looking (okay it was 1 am) officers, we didn’t had any issues. In Moskva we took the Metro to our Hostel, which was surprisingly straight forward (Copenhagen should take it as example for easier ticket system. 1€ each ride and that’s it).

Taking the Metro is easy, fast, cheap, and an architectural sight.

Anyway, I have to admit being able to read Cyrillic comes in quite handy in this country and provides quit some amusement as well. A visit to Мак Дональдс and seeing the offer for Хеппи мил real made my day (mak donalds, Cheppi mil).

Moskva, I really have to say that is a very beautiful city. Architecture, also aside from St. Basil is amazing.

Red Square, home to the Kreml, St. Basil and the GUM.

The walls of Kreml, protecting Putin from the „real“ World.

A 20 m high monument just standing around somewhere.

It’s clean, you feel pretty safe, and people relaxed. We visited Gorki Park Monday evening and I can’t really compare societal relaxing after a work day to something I saw in Germay or Denmark. Only weird, you don’t really see many kids around in the city.

Tom is wolfing down an eskimo, that became our favourite calorie intake in the 30 degrees hot Moskva.

Moskovian enjoying the wet refreshment arising in Gorki Park.

People training some artistic tricks at the shores of the Moskva.

Dancing in Gorki Park is quite popular.

Krasnaja Moskva (true for the city and the river).

Some people found a pretty good spot to watch the sunset, just the policemen didn’t like it that much.

An impressive episode happened during our last night in Moskva. We got woken by the turkish traveler in our B&B, telling us the there is a lot of water in the bathroom. And there was a lot of water coming from the roof. I went to ring at the person living up the stairs and tried my usually approach „Do you speak english?“. I got some kind of russian answer, so I tried to explain what is going on in russian and failed completely, so the lady hung up. There was obviously no water in her apartment and she neither tried to drown herself. So we called the landlord, but he did not lived around the corner and asked us, whether we could try the neighbour again. So I tried to explain the by now very angry lady, that it is an emergency. Either she couldn’t or she didn’t want to understand me. I run further up the stairs and found a very helpful bear like guy, neither speaking english. He followed me in the B&B, looked at the water and picked out his phone. After a while he disappeared out of the front door and was never seen again. A bit helpless we continued waiting and the running water didn’t actually eased my longing for a bathroom. Finally our landlord appeared and after another half an hour some craftsman came and fixed the broken pipe. Next day at 9 am everything was working again. Pretty impressive.

Even though Moskva is expensive, you can find nice and reasonable priced places to try the local food. Cool kulinara, liked it a lot.

The way to safely cross the street is to undermine the street. Anyway also a good spot to listen to some good classical music an do any kind of shopping.

One thing, that definitely is not limited in Moskva is power. The whole city is enlighten and enlightening during the night.

Steffi and Tom on the Road

With Tommy traveling in the trains of this World.

Archiv der Kategorie: Russia

With Tom, Tommy, and the Tomichis in Tomsk

Lessons learned about Russia

Russian superlatives – from Irkutsk to Olchon to Ulan-Ude

Kontrastnaja Kazan

Traveling the Transiberian Train

Krasnaja Moskva