Back from Siberia

(It's worth clicking on this photo to increase its size and see the detail.)

We are back from taking the Trans-Siberian Express across Mongolia and Siberia to Moscow.  We caught the Express by flying to Beijing and then taking a Chinese train to intersect the Trans-Sberian line.  After Moscow we took a high speed train to St. Petersburg where we stayed for three days before staying home.

The picture above was taken from the north shore of Lake Baikal in the general vicinity of Irkutsk, looking at a small river just before it enters the lake.  The fall foliage - largely birch trees here - was at its peak.  We got off the train and had a Barbecue dinner at the spot where this was taken.

This trip ties with Antarctica as the most stimulating, beautiful, mind expanding, and difficult trip we have ever taken.  The cabin in the train was tiny.  Between the cramped sleeping space and a lot of physical exercise walking every day we were reminded of camping out.  The exertion was worth it.

We had never taken a National Geographic trip before and were pleasantly surprised that our fellow travelers were so interesting and congenial.  The friendships we made were one of the best aspects of the trip.

I have put up a few photos at the this site: