Russia 7: Novosibirsk: art and railways

We arrived in Novosibirsk early in the morning after a 2 night journey from Irkutsk.  We stayed in the modern Azimut hotel and enjoyed their renown buffet breakfast a day early.  We walked through the town and visited the Alexander cathedral filled with icons.  The Roerir museum is Novosibirsk’s link with the international world. He was born in St Petersburg and he left Russia after the revolution. He explored the Himalayas and Tibet with his family and friends in the 1920’s and produced remarkable work of brightly coloured views of mountains with religious figures included. The museum had a short film about his work but omitted his important work arguing that cultural work should be protected during war, The Roerich pact. He never returned to Russia but is highly regarded here and in India. Fortunately I learnt more about him from Wikipedia.

The state museum illustrated the development of Novosibirsk, driven by the railway development at the end of the 19 c. with Russian and English panels with many photos. I enjoyed an exhibition of Black and White photos by a local woman, capturing people in poses that told stories.

We enjoyed the evening light on the central square with presided over by a statue of Lenin and a huge early 20 century music venue with vast arches, built when the expanding town oozed confidence.

I eat Siberian octopus in a cafe and looking out on silver birches.  In Siberian towns we have enjoyed the summer evening light and seeing families relaxing and street artists performing.

In Novosibirsk I learnt about Siberian development, I enjoyed local art and saw how Roerir’s Siberian work is internationally important.

Train stats 1820 km with 2 nights from Irkutsk to Novosibirsk

Russia 5 Life on the train

Aug 9

We had 2 nights and a day on the train travelling from Irkutsk to Novosibirsk. We easily got into the rhythm of life on the train. I made morning coffee using water from the water heater in each corridor.  The provodnista provides glasses in metal holders to each passenger. They are the best way of carrying hot liquids around.  We eat our bread and cheese and veggies. Russian cucumber is tasty with salt.

In the early morning the landscape was misty. The landscape changed over the day, from forest to a wetter terrain. We saw many silver birches and different pine trees. The ground became swampier. We saw many dachas with small vegetable patches. The potato harvest should be good in Russia this year. Around towns there was evidence of light industry with pylons and generators. We passed through 21 stations with a long stop at Krasnoyarsk station. This has a beautiful neoclassical style tiled roof.

The train travels quite slowly, about 50 km/ hr very different to the intercity trains in the Uk. We relaxed and read our books and phones, leant Russian, walked up and down the train and slept. We bought extra food on the stations, pies stuffed with potato and cheese. We drank Kvas, a brown summer drink with a clean cool taste made from fermented rye bread.

We had an excellent supper in the dining car, Ann posted a popular photo of me eating herrings and drinking champagne. An evening storm blew across the landscape and water leaked in through windows left open.

We rose early because we reached Novosibirsk at 6.00 am.

Irkutsk to Novosibirsk 52 hrs