Cat & Dave on the Trans-Siberian Railway

Train to Irkutsk

Greetings Comrades,

We have made it to Irkutsk after 3 very long days on the train. The train ride was interesting to say the least. We shared our cabin with an entire army platoon of generally friendly officers who it seemed had not bathed in weeks. The smell was strong, but the spirits were plentiful. We have learned much about Russian culture from the time we spent on the train. First, if you do not like sausage, pickles or vodka, Russia may not be your ideal vacation getaway. Often times, the aforementioned foods were given to us as chasers while drinking the vodka. Second, never turn away previous items mentioned or you will be considered rude. Women can generally deny alcohol but men cannot. Third, real Russian men like to drink beer for breakfast. Beer is basically like water to them. Fourth and most important, when a Russian flicks his throat that means its time to break out the vodka. 

Tomorrow, we are going to Lake Baikal, which is the largest fresh water lake in the world. We hired a guide who speaks English and he’s taking us on a hike around the area.