Trans Siberian Railway

My travel guide compares taking the trans siberian railway to "having a beach holiday indoors", a "relaxing, languorous" experience. I suppose this doesn't account for:
- coming down with a sinus infection and accompanying fever the day of boarding
- having a bunk above a chatty elderly russian couple who are hard of hearing
- having no conversations beyond charades due to the language barrier
- the list goes on

All things considered however, Russia has been a great experience. It is a place of many peculiarities. The tomb of Lenin now faces a high end shopping mall only accessible to Moscow's upper set. The elder man in the bunk below me wore a Columbia sportswear hat, with a USSR emblem proudly pinned on it. It's also a place of seemingly cold people. Unwarranted smiling is strange if not offensive. This coldness can quickly crumble however revealing some of the most generous, amiable people I've met on my trip.

Soldier in Moscow Metro

Provodnitsa (carriage attendant)

Women selling goods at stops on the platform

Crossing the Yenisei River

Late night stop in Siberia

Off to Lake Baikal for the next few days for the last leg of the trip to Ulaanbaatar. Fortunately Im feeling better and the three days of forced rest may have been best in the end.

Next stop, Siberia

I had my first introduction to Russian hospitality on my overnight train from Saint Petersburg to Moscow. homemade syrniki (russian cheese filled pancakes), kielbasa, and of course a bottle of vodka were all generously shared.

Tea on the train

 St Basils

Red Square

Catching the trans Siberian tomorrow, a 3 and a half day ride in a train car packed with 54 people.

Lapland to Saint petersburg

3 trains 3 buses and 30 hours later I arrived in Helsinki from Sweden and met my friendly host Ilmari. The weather was less than ideal but made for a relaxing time and a great day to visit the city's contemporary art museum.

A much anticipated bus having missed the last bus of the day and having waited for the first from the finish border. Who knew there is a time change between sweden and finland. 

a colorful character of a couchsurfing host, Ilmari

Kiasma modern art museum in Helsinki

First onion domes having arrived in the motherland

Swedish lapland

A few days in the back-country of the northern Scandinavian mountains near the town of Abisko, Sweden.

A Swedish couple were the only people I saw in passing for three days

Only a compass and topo map as a guide

Campsite by night- the streaks are stars with the rotation of the earth

View taken from my sleeping bag through the screen of my tent

shed reindeer antlers

Reindeer

Having made it back to the mountain station at abisko, I took a much needed shower and in good swedish fashion, went to the sauna. I was greeted by in the sauna by an elder German who was hiking with a friend who has been coming to this area for 25 consecutive years. Within recent years she has become blind. During hikes she still enjoys hearing her friend describe the sights as she recalls her memories.

Final meals in Arhus

An evening at home of Kasper's family in Aalborg.

 

 

 

My last evening at Kasper and Tine's where I cooked shrimp and grits. Never leave home without a trusty bag of the stone ground good stuff.

Kasper's brother Christian

Stine

Stine

Farvel Århus

Its been amazing to bee back but its time to move on. Off to Finland in the morning. I can't thank Kasper and Tine enough for being such amazing hosts in a very busy time of their life.

Tine

Kasper

Kasper and Tine

Life in an insane asylum

Im currently staying in an insane asylum... actually Kasper and Tine's place is an old mental hospital converted into apartments. It still has some great vibes and a fantastic rooftop terrace

Kasper and fruit

Tine

Sebastian

Kasper

Self Portrait

Strange to be Back

After 13hours and 6 trains I made it back to Aarhus yesturday where I studied 3 years ago. It was great to see my old friend Kasper. It's "party week" in Arhus which has made for some interesting pics.

An Evening at the Verbeurgts

My stay in Brussels was finished off with an evening with Phillipe's family. bon appetit!

First dish of beef carpaccio

Chicken in a tarragon cream sauce