26th April: We arrive in Moscow

April 10 and there is a large earthquake eruption in Iceland. It releases a massive ash plume closing all airports in the UK and North Western Europe.
We were flying to Moscow via Helsinki which was one of the airports closed due to the ash.
Four days before we were due to arrive in Helsinki as our transit stop the airport finally opened (April 22 at 3pm), so it was an anxious couple of weeks.
We finally arrive in Moscow mid afternoon and as planned our driver found us and drove us to our hotel. No hotel booking, Poo! Great start. Our driver makes a few phone calls and guess what, there are 2 hotels with the same name. So off to the other hotel and all was sweet, we even got a free tour of some of the outer suburbs. The hotel was small but clean and comfortable and the staff spoke English. It's dinner time, lets just have dinner, a few drinks and relax.

27th April: We get orientation from our guide

Straight after a good breakfast our guide arrives.
The deal is he tells us where we should and should not go, points us in the direction to see things and leaves us his mobile number should we get in trouble. She had an appointment in the city late afternoon so she asked if we wished to go to the city with her using the local train. We were in!
The train was packed, obviously peak hour.
We got off at the theatre area and walked towards Red Square.
A number of statues of Oleg Popov, the popular russin clown of the late 1950's

 

Through a monastery which was being restored, it went back to Napoleon's time and the only one to survive WW2

On the way he took us into a deli which started in 1901 which was famous to all the locals.

We arrived at Red Square where she left us. She did give us our train ticket home and instruction on what line to catch and station to get off at (Stations and line in Cyrillic).
We have been to Red Square before but it was good to see again and they were putting up May Day decorations ready for the parade.

Monuments representing Pushkins fairy tales.

 

Pleased to say we made it back to the hotel without a problem, although a good Vodka did go down well.

28th April: Moscow walking by ourselves, Then train to Ekaterinburg.

Pickup time is 3pm to go to the train.
So we decide to go back to the city. After yesterday I had mastered the train, it was only getting tickets that would be an issue. So we talked to the girl in the hotel reception and she wrote down on paper "two return tickets to the city please" obviously in Cyrillic.
We walked up to the ticket lady at the station, she looked horrified knowing we did not speak Russian and this was going to be painful. But we handed over our note, she gave a sigh of relief and even smiled at us as she handed over our tickets.
There is a tourist shopping street pointed out to us yesterday which we wanted to see. I had worked out what station to get off at so we were of on our adventure.

We then wandered down to the river to get a birds eye view of the Kremlin and The Cathedral of  Christ the Saviour.

Back to the hotel by train, feeling pleased with ourselves as we did not get lost.
Our driver picked us up and took us to b train station. He was great as he came in with us and showed us what platform we would depart from and what our destination in Cyrillic looks like.
Platform 16, leaving at 16:50 to CBEPANOBCK

It is 1 day 3 hours to our next stop Ekaterinburg.
Each carriage has an attendant, a well dressed Russian lady who keeps everything clean and the hot water urn topped up. She will answer any of your questions providing you ask them in Russian. There is a toilet at the end of the carriage, which is a clean proper functioning toilet except it opens to the track on flushing. So regardless of how quick the stop will be the toilet is locked 20 minutes before, after and during this stop. Pit stops need to be planned.
So the adventure starts, the train was really nice. We paid extra and have a 4 person berth which was well worth the money.

29th April: Late arrival in Ekaterinburg

We left Moscow on time and it wasn't long before we were out of the city.
Yep on right train, just checked route on the wall

On the outskirts of the city was forest with brightly painted houses scattered around. These were Dachers or weekends owned by the rich who get out of the city each weekend.

Nightfall soon came. Slept well although Carolyn found the bunk bed rather hard. Spent most of the day on the train with a 1 hour stop at Kazan where were allowed to get off and stretch the legs.
Unfortunately Carolyn had not given me my pocket money so I missed out on a real  bargain. I mean who would not want a couple of stuffed Squirrels eating pine cones sitting on your mantle piece at home.

 

Spent some time in the restaurant car for a change in scenery, which is becoming more and more snow covered.

 

We pass some great looking train stations, the rail system obviously kept Russia moving.

We reach Ekaterinburg late in the afternoon. Generally acknowledged as being the mid point between Europe and Asia. Our new guide was there to pick us up and take us to the hotel. It was late so we will see him again tomorrow.

 

30th April: Exploring Ekaterinburg

Today we explore Ekaterinburg founded in 1723 by Tsar Peter.
It became infamous as the site for the abdication and subsequent murder of the last Tsar of Russia, Nikolay Romanov and members of his family.
It was great wandering around experiencing the great Russian Architecture and monuments.

Our walking ended at "The Church Of Blood", recently constructed in dedication of the Romanov Family. Built on the site of the house where the family was housed before their execution in a nearby forest in 1918. The cathedral has  been turned into a museum.

During the second world war , Ekaterinburg became the centre of the war effort producing arms for Hitlers forces. So onto the military Museum.