Saint Petersburg: The cultural and historic mecca of Russia
From the moment you arrive in Saint Petersburg, the culture and history seep from the wide-lined streets and stunning architecture. Where Moscow was drab and dreary, Saint Petersburg brought light and shade in a warm, welcoming, upbeat hug.
Moscow
Moscow in winter is a delicatessen of architectural style. Simultaneously dreary and delightful, it slowly drew me in, one cathedral, ballet, train station, city wall, mausoleum, cemetery and ice skating rink at a time.
Irkutsz to Yekaterinburg
Dog sledding, sleigh rides, Russian babushkas, long train rides and victims of war.
Ulaanbaatar to Irkutsz
The Ulaanbaatar to Irkutsk trip started with flying colours with the arrival of a Mongolian family on the Mongolian side of the Russian-Mongolian border, where we had arrived at some point in the middle of the night. Arriving at Irkutsk two days later, ee were whisked away by our lovely guide, Ivan, to the nearby village of Bolshoe Goloustnoe, where we were to spend a relaxing homestay for two days on the shores of Lake Baikal.