mongolia

gandan monastery. this temple contains a 26 meter high 20 ton gilded statue of migjid janraisig.

our trusty 4x4 van.

our accomodation for the next 6 days.....gers

madame butterfly. she was so excited to show us her catch that she rendered the poor thing unable to fly. throwing it didn't work either.

chuluutin gol gorge.

hiking above terkhiin tsagaan nuur (white lake).

eeeeeagle.

horseridin' to the volcano....

crater. this volcano erupted 8000 years ago......

.....and the debris can be seen for miles.

decorative interior supports of a ger.

my new friend. you should have seen how excited he was to use my camera. his sister took this shot.

watching mongolia win gold in boxing. thank god for satellite tv.

the town of tsetserleg.

small sand dunes on our way back to ulaanbataar.

our travel crew and the best driver, baira.

russia

the famous trans-siberian.

russian village.

babushkas sell their goods at stops along the route.

the russian train calls for some tolstoy.

lake baikal. listvyanka.

delicious smoked fish from the lake.

view from our cabin.

enjoying too much vodka with some friendly russians.

hiking along the lake's edge from bolshoi koty to listvyanka.

all aboard the trans-mongolian to ulaanbataar.

early early morning arrival into moscow, looks a bit like gotham city.

red square.

jenny and the kremlin.

borsch.

cathedral of christ the saviour.

the state historical museum.

alota lada.

swan lake, but not at the bolshoy as its being renovated. gutted.

leo tolstoy's moscow estate.

nice buildings....the all russian exhibition grounds were originally created as a showcase of soviet economic greatness, now its a tacky fair ground and market.

russian women peddle their wares outside the metro station.

st. basil's cathedral. enough said.

stalin skyscraper. nice.

spectacular gum shopping centre. formerly, in soviet times it was the only place russians could buy foreign goods.

escalator.

escalator fashion faux pas.

drinks with new friends kev & caroline.

canal griboedova - st. petersburg

alexander column on dvortsovaya square, opposite the winter palace - st. petersburg.


part of the hermitage.

church of the spilled blood - st. petersburg.

country residence of russian tsars on the gulf of finland - peterhof.



some of the about 76 brides we've seen so far in russia.




nighty night train to moscow.