This gallery contains 20 photos.
No cyclist is safe. Timofei has retired from the secret agent business and has become a cycling enthusiast, whether it be motorized or requiring physcial effort. He has built up a stock of photos of all manner of transport resembling … Continue reading
Vladivostok
Boris and Timofei have discovered the Far-East of Russia. However, their incompetence continues to amaze the combined intelligence agencies. They were tasked to observe and report on maritime activities. In the first instance their photo of the Pacific Ocean Flota was obscured by an inflatable matryoshka.
Next they found a beached or marooned mini-sub.
It wasn’t going anywhere. Then they discovered the last of the S-class submarines. It is on display in Zolotoy Rog, and well and truly grounded.
The couldn’t even take photos of a naval school, just the anchors holding it firmly to the ground.
Neptune, help us!
By the way, the S-class were quite successful during the Great Patriotic War, sinking 82,770 gross register tons of merchant shipping and seven warships, which accounts for about one-third of all tonnage sunk by Soviet submarines.
This gallery contains 7 photos.
date: 24 Sep 2014 In Khabarovsk, the main street is called Ulitsa Muravyova-Amurskogo. It changes name to Karla Marxa at Lenin Square, and of course, there is a Lenin Street. There is a statue of Muravyov-Amurskiy in the park adjacent … Continue reading
Where Timofei goes, the pigeons follow.
It was a big surprise that they had been awarded the Орден Ленина, for posing with Vladimir Ilyich so many times.
Little is known about Boris and his allegedly nefarious activities.
When he is in residence in Brisbane, it is known by a few that he has a weekly sojourn with acquaintances at a competitive event. It is trivial. One of his associates is a fellow who resembles Tsar Alexander III. On occasion in Russia, Boris is known to take photos of Alexander III, to remind his colleague of the likeness.
In Irkutsk there are such opportunities. Boris found a photo of Alex aye-aye-aye (as Timofei calls him) in the city museum (note to travelers: don’t bother, not worth 120 rubles entry). On the second occasion, it was a much grander opportunity. There is a 5 metre statue to the fellow at the end of Karla Marxa street. Rather ironic.
The statue was erected to commemorate the original statue erected to commemorate the arrival of the railway, and the new statue was paid for by the railway company.
Boris took another photo for Allan!
Tourism can do without the taxi mafia waiting at railway stations, ready to relieve passengers of their money. They are a nuisance, an irritation and a scourge. While our travelers have learned to avoid them, they are persistent pests. It is getting to the point where rudeness could be the only weapon in deterring them. Our travelers rang the Imperia hotel, and a real taxi eventually arrived. This was just in time as the temperature hovered around zero. After refreshments at the hotel, our intrepid duo set out to acquaint themselves with Irkutsk. They first saw a restaurant was firmly anchored to the pavement. It would be realised that the city is different in character from any other in Russia. The buildings have a different appearance. The back-streets resemble suburban Melbourne, and perhaps it is just the high fences. Boris and Timofei arrived at the [dis-]Information Centre. “How do we get to Lake Baikal?” – “Go to the Autovokzal and catch a bus with the destination, Listvyanka, and it leaves every 30 minutes (wrong)”. Why not explore more of Irkutsk? The marketplace was crowded with stalls. There were all manner of wares on offer, but none of interest. Setting off to see Alexander III brought them firstly to Vladimir Ilyich.
He had to do it!!!!
Boris really!! did have to mimic the pose.
Finally at the riverside they encountered Alex aye-aye-aye.
He and the pigeons looked well. At this spot, the Russian populace were holding the All Russia Running Day. Fellows in tracksuits were running everywhere.
After Kirov square, they again saw the restaurant was well anchored and that the anchor had well served its purpose.
The restaurant is still there – the anchor has done its job.
That evening they had a repast of soup, rye bread and beer.
Somewhere between Krasnoyarsk and Nizhny Udinsk
Timofei and Boris had retired to the restaurant wagon on the Transmongolian (Moscow to Ulaanbaator, but boarded in Krasnoyarsk, and were to detrain at Irkutsk).
The purpose of their venture was food and beer (Baltica No 7). It all started when some loud poms arrived. They occupied a table and began to complain about the weather. Soon; Timofei introduced himself and had every piece of information that could be extracted without resorting to tools of the inquisition. It turns out they were travelling from Moscow to Beijing. And they were doing the trip in one journey.
Sounds as exciting and boring as a Butlin holiday camp. Our heroes felt this group had missed Russia in the process. They were soon joined by the Swiss Germans who were traveling from Zurich to Bangkok by train – what an objective! They were stopping off along the way. The Swiss French remained in their compartment. After much conversation, the groups called it a night and allowed the officientka clean up the restaurant wagon.
But all I could find was this……………
