Omsk, Omsk Oblast, Russian FederationACROSS THE URAL MOUNTAINS
Waking up in Siberia
I was furious with myself. I had slept far too well. By the time I awoke, we were in Siberia. Not only had I missed our train stopping at the famous rail destinations of Perm and Yekaterinburg, I had not even witnessed our journey over the Ural Mountains from European Russia and into the vast Asian side of the country - or Siberia. Not that I would have seen much, I guess. The train stopped at these stations in the early hours of the morning where it would have been far too dark to view the scenery or even the famous obelisk at the 1,777 km post at Pervouralsk, marking the gateway from Europe to Asia.
To my further annoyance, Alan told me he had been awake when our train stopped for thirty minutes at Yekaterinburg. Even at night he said the city was enormous with its massive railway station housing a vast number of platforms and literally hundreds of parked trains. "You could have woken me" I grumbled, knowing full well that if I am asleep, I am totally unwakeable. And if woken, not overly polite....
A LITTLE ABOUT THE URALS
Geography & Demographics
The Ural Mountains form a rugged spine running some 2,500 km north to south through western Russia, from the coast of the Kara Sea in the Arctic Ocean to the Kazakh Steppe in north-western Kazakhstan. The highest peak is Mount Narodnaya at an elevation of 1,895m.
Geographically, the range marks the border between Europe and Asia, with Siberia comprising some 13.1 million square kilometers or a whopping 77% of the total land. Conversely, less than one quarter of the Russian population lives beyond the Ural ranges in Siberia.
History & Economy - Key Points
Although trading had occurred between Middle Eastern merchants and local ethnic communities in the Ural Mountain region since at least the 10th century, it was not until the 16th century when the Tsardom of Russia defeated the Khanate of Kazan, that exploration into the Urals really intensified.
During the 17th century, the first deposits of iron and copper ores, mica, gemstones and other minerals were discovered. Under the reign of Peter I of Russia in the 18th century, iron and copper smelting works developed; the region developing as a key industrial region of Russia.
As a result of the rapid Soviet industrialisation of the 1930's Stalin era, the region became a major site of iron smelting and steel making. During the German Nazi invasion of Russia of 1941-1942, the mountains became a key element of both Nazi and Russian strategic planning. Faced with the threat of having a significant part of the Soviet territories occupied, the government evacuated many industrial enterprises of western Russia to the eastern foothills of the Urals.
Today, the resource rich Ural region is one of the largest producers of metallurgy and heavy industry goods in the country.
AND A LITTLE ABOUT WHAT WE MISSED.....
Yekaterinburg
I would have liked to have witnessed our stop at Perm, but I was especially disappointed to miss our arrival in the historic city of Yekaterinburg. Like Kazan, it was a city on my list to visit - if only we had had the time.... Such a beautiful name. Such a sad history.
Yekaterinburg was founded in November 1723 and named after the Russian emperor Peter the Great's (Peter I) wife Catherine, who later became Catherine I - or as later known Catherine the Great. At the time the city was part of the then called "Siberian Route" which acted as a strategic land connection between Europe and Siberia. And the promise of wealth through the East's rich resources.... Boosted by its linkage via the Trans-Siberian Railway system during the late 19th century, Yekaterinburg was to become one of Russia's first major industrial cities.
Yekaterinburg, a city most infamously known for the assassination of Tsar Nicholas II and his family (the Romanovs) in July 1918, also
signified a milestone in the ending of the Russian Empire and the beginning of the Soviet era.
After the Russian October 1917 Revolution, the family of deposed Tsar Nicholas II was sent to exile and imprisoned in Impatiev House, Yekaterinburg. And here in the early hours of the morning of 17th July 1918, the Tsar, his wife Alexandra and their five children were shot and/or bayoneted to death by the Bolsheviks. The same day, other members of the Romanov family and staff were executed at Apalyevsk some 150 km north of Yekaterinburg.
In 1924, the city was re-named Sverdlovsk after the Bolshevik leader Yakov Sverdlov. In the Soviet era, the city became a key administrative and heavy industrial centre. During this time, the population tripled in size, becoming one of the fasted growing cities in the Soviet Union.
During World War II, the city became the headquarters of the Ural Military District, becoming a major manufacturer of armoured machinery, playing a key role in defending the country. And it was here in Yekaterinburg to where many industrial enterprises were re-located during the war, as well as many collections from the Leningrad (now St Petersburg) Hermitage Museum.
Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the city regained its historical name of Yekaterinburg. Today Yekaterinburg is Russia's fourth largest city in Russia (behind Moscow, St Petersburg and Novosibirsk) and one of Russia's main cultural and industrial centres. The city has retained many of its beautiful old buildings. The Church of All Saints, otherwise known as the Church on the Blood was later built on the site of Impatiev House, the site of the Romanov massacre.
BACK ON THE TRAIN.....
A Meeting with Two Disappointed Australians
Neither of us was feeling very chipper that morning. Not being able to shower and wash our hair for two days was not helping our poor humour. Body wipes and dry hair shampoo just didn't do it. Tetchy and argumentative, we headed off for breakfast.
The hearty breakfast of eggs and toast however, was good. And the Russian jams were as always, absolutely delicious. But it didn't quite make up for the lack of amenity. As I looked around the empty dining car, I had to smile to myself. Like the dearth of markets on the railway platforms and the absence of promised bathroom facilities, the dining car was disappointing - and certainly didn't have any of the much famed ambience we had read so much about on Trans-Siberian trains. I sighed. It was just like all our other train journeys to date.
An article I read on-line in History Today resonated. There was certainly no grand piano. Nor a library or a gym. Not even caviar and sturgeon for that matter.... But I have to admit, we weren't quite third class either.
"The original train with its marble-tiled bathrooms, a grand
piano in the music room, a library and a gym, as well as caviar and sturgeon in
the first-class dining room, proceeded at a stately 20mph or so and took nearly
four weeks for the journey. The third-class carriages with their cargoes of
peasants were crammed and uncomfortable...."
To our surprise, another couple joined us for breakfast. Carmel and Keith were an older Australian couple from "somewhere south of Sydney" who were doing some crazy journey which involved the Trans-Siberian trip from Moscow to Beijing - but for some reason we couldn't fathom, they then had to fly back to Paris to resume a tour they had booked in Europe before returning home to Australia. It was bizarre.
Our newly made friends were clearly rattled. They explained that despite having paid for First Class tickets, they had been allocated a Second Class cabin. Would we like to look at their accommodation, they asked?
The couple had in fact been given First Class accommodation - the only occupied cabin in a First Class carriage. And we must admit that it did look pretty ordinary. But what was infuriating, was there was an entire carriage full of vacant First Class accommodation. On the positive side, I think our visit to their cabin cheered us all up. Carmen and Kevin were relieved they had a First Class cabin. And we were pleased that it didn't look much better than ours.... Of course, we didn't admit that to them.
TO TYUMEN - FIRST CITY IN SIBERIA
A positive aspect of our Trans-Siberian travel was that it was kind of relaxing, although I don't think my disgruntled friend would agree. I guess it was very easy to rest because there was nothing else to do other than view the scenery as best we could through the dirty windows, or read. For someone like me who never sits still, it may have been - if you could draw a very, very long bow - somewhat liberating.
I would have to be honest. The scenery on our first day of travel was not particularly interesting. Luxuriant birch forests, villages and more birch forests.... Attractive but monotonous scenery that certainly was not enhanced by a mostly dull and overcast day. Here is a video of what we saw - for a very long time.... https://youtu.be/6C97iICEYVE
Travelling through the flat plains of Golyshmanovsky District of the Tyumen Oblast on a bright sunny early morning however, you could imagine that the scenery looked a bit more interesting. But yet again, the countryside comprised ubiquitous taiga and muskeg clearings, all interspersed by small farming villages dotted with tiny peaked roofed, doll's house cottages surrounded by miniscule vegetable plots.
Tyumen City
We entered the outskirts of Tyumen city 2,104 km east of Moscow, around mid-morning. Tyumen is the administrative centre and largest city of the Tyumen Oblast. The city is located on the Tura River just east of the Urals and to the south it borders with Kazakhstan. Tyumen is often regarded as "The First City in Siberia" - after crossing the Urals, that is.
Founded in 1586 to support Russia's eastern migration, the city has grown from a tiny population of Russian Cossack settlers to one of the most important industrial and economic centres east of the Ural Mountains. Today, Tyumen is regarded as the oil and gas capital of Russia. It is an important business and industrial centre and the transport hub for the Tyumen Oblast. Tyumen is also well known as a significant cultural centre.
There are a few other notable facts about the Tyumen region. It was the birthplace of the intriguing Grigori Rasputin, mystic, self proclaimed holy man and ardent womaniser who befriended the family of Tsar Nicholas II. It was also the birthplace of Dmitri Mendeleev, the Russian chemist who during the latter part of the 19th century, formulated the Periodic Law and developed an early version of the Periodic Table of elements.
Another, if rather useless fact, is that Tyumen is also home to the largest chicken farm in terms of bird numbers, in the world....
We did not alight at Tyumen. Although the station looked bright and well-maintained with its classic Russian-style buildings attractively painted in bright pink with white trim and dark red roofs, there was nothing much to entice us from the train. And nor did the Providnitsas encourage us to do so. I am sure we were quite a liability for them with our lack of language and obvious experience in travelling by Russian rail.
We spent the most part of the day resting and reading, travelling east through Ishim and toward the city of Omsk in the south central-west Russia; the scenery being birch and more birch....
WHEN TRAVELLING ON THE TRANS-SIBERIAN.... A NEAR DISASTER IN OMSK
A Few Things You Should Know....
It is important to know that when travelling on the Trans-Siberian, the train toilets are locked an hour prior to arrival, and an hour following departure from scheduled rail stops. This is of course, for city hygiene as the toilets flush directly onto the tracks. Interestingly, hot flushing water is used during winter to prevent freezing.
This sure made our travel difficult as for most of the time, we had no accurate idea when or where our next stop would be. We just had to estimate the distances from our maps, then guess how much time it would take until the next rail stop. I would hate to think what would happen if you had a serious stomach problem as for most of the time, the Providnitsas who held the toilet keys either locked themselves in their cabin or disappeared. As I was to find out, just planning when to enjoy a cold beer was fraught....
To add to the complexity of our travels, there was no signage either on our train nor on the railway stations at which we stopped as to when our train departed. The Providnitsas did try to tell us but with our lack of Russian language, it was through pointing at their watch hands and not very reassuring information. And as mentioned, there is also the perilous problem of time difference as you travel further east through some eight different time zones.
And What Can Happen Even When You Do Know....
Late in the afternoon we passed through Bogandinskaya, some 2,156 km east of Moscow. There was no doubt about it, some of the smaller railway stations like Bogandinskaya were really very attractive. Displaying classic Russian architecture, the railway buildings were freshly painted in pretty pastel pink tones, detailed with intricately patterned white trim.
At an elevation of only 67 meters, the flat land around Bogandinskaya looked to be mostly agricultural, with numerous lakes and ubiquitous muskeg. Closer to Bogandinskaya, our train passed by villages with modest peak-roofed homes - again most housing small vegetable gardens.
We arrived in Omsk at 4:45 pm. It was one time when we were badly caught off guard with our toilet routine - sadly just after finishing a refreshing beer. Missing the Locking of the Toilet Door Ceremony by only minutes, we resigned ourselves to having to find a toilet - at least for me - somewhere on Omsk railway station.
Our Providnitsas were horrified when we alighted from the train. Mercifully, the Russian word "туалет", is very similar in pronunciation to our English version of toilet and the Providnitsas appeared to understand our problem. Or rather, my problem.... There seemed however, to be an issue about us using the platform facilities. "Нет. Нет туалетов!" they said sternly, crossing their arms. As they did not - or could not - offer an option, we kept walking along the platform toward a woman staffing a kiosk, who seemed to understand and pointed to an entrance a bit further along the platform. By then we had no choice other than having to take the downstairs steps and well, goodness knows to where we would go from there.
No wonder our Providnitsas were concerned. What we didn't realise at the time was that the train stopped at Omsk for only 16 minutes. Exactly 16 minutes, that is.... Nor did we realise that we had to pass through security to get to the toilets.
Thank goodness Alan agreed to come with me, insisting that we take our wallets and passports. And just as well, as our voyage to the toilets turned out to be more perilous than we had imagined.
The huge station was imposing. In bowels of the station basement complex we went through crowded security, having to show our passports to the guards and a process which seemed to take forever. And then to my horror, I had to pass through another barrier to get to the women's toilets. And when I finally arrived there I had to pay 25 rubles, then to wait for ages for a free cubicle.
I finally emerged to find no sign of Alan. I was absolutely frantic when suddenly I caught sight of him holding the barrier gate open.
Apparently, the toilet entrance was one way to the station exit - and it was a miracle that he was able to hold the gate open without being in real trouble with security. He was understandably beside himself. I could well understand his anxiety. During my lifetime, I have acquired a shocking record of getting lost and/or locked in toilets and buildings.*
There was no time to explain. We ran flat out back up the stairs, just making the train in time for the Closing of the Train Door Ceremony. God only knows how we would have fared it had missed the departure. I don't know who was more relieved - us or the Providnitsas. But the nerve wracking near-disaster certainly called for another beer....
A number of new passengers boarded our train in Omsk. Unlike a rather rattled Alan and me who had not washed for coming on three days, they looked well-dressed, clean - and calm. It certainly did not add to our by then, waning humour.
*One of my more terrifying incidents of being locked in a toilet cubicle occurred at Mashad Airport, Iran in 2011 - just a very short time before our flight to Tehran was called. I still feel quite ill thinking about it. Refer blog Secret Threads of the Old Silk Road, link: http://v2.travelark.org/travel-blog-entry/crowdywendy/3/1297513564
Our Omsk Connection....
The first thing I thought of when we arrived at Omsk was that it was home to the mother of our friend Yulia. She and her husband Vadim had kindly looked after us when we stayed in the school accommodation in the tiny village of Yanrakinnot, on the Bering Sea of the Chukotkan coastline in far, Far Eastern Russia in the previous summer of 2018 (http://v2.travelark.org/travel-blog-entry/crowdywendy/10/1544043391).
Yulia's mother had been ill and Yulia was particularly worried about how she would visit her from remote Yanrakinnot where flights can be held up for days or even weeks due to poor weather. Somehow, we had lost contact with Yulia and to this day, we often wonder how and where she is. And how her sick mother fared.
A Little About Omsk
Omsk is the administrative centre and largest city of the Omsk Oblast. It is situated in south-western Siberia on the Irtysh River and only about 1,000 km from the Kazakhstan border.
Housing a population of over one million people, it is the second largest city after Novosibirsk, in Siberia. Omsk is a key rail, road and air transport hub. It serves as the junction point between the northern and southern branches of the Trans-Siberian and is a major centre for the regional highway network. Omsk also is a river port for both passengers and freight on the waterways of the Irtysh and Ob Rivers.
Omsk was founded in 1716 as a stronghold for Siberian Cossacks. It then developed as an agricultural centre but retained its military function as headquarters for the Cossacks until the late 19th century.
After the October Revolution, Omsk became the seat for the anti-Bolshevik government (white forces) headed by Admiral Alexander Kolchak who proclaimed the city as the capital of Russia. Following World War I, the Bolsheviks (red army military wing) eventually forced Kolchak and his government to abandon the city. In 1919, Bolshevik forces entered Omsk.
During the Great Patriotic War, Omsk was boosted as an industrial haven far from the fighting in the west. At the end of the war, Omsk remained a key industrial centre becoming a leading producer of military goods during the Soviet era. In the 1950's following the development of oil and natural gas industries in Siberia, the city became a centre for oil production and the largest oil-refining complex in Russia. Today it is home to the Gazprom Neft oil refinery.
AFTER OUR OMSK ORDEAL - A RELAXING AFTERNOON
Our travels before nightfall took us through beautiful golden steppe country, very close to the Kazakhstan border. It was a far cry from the monotonous taiga forest of which we had become so accustomed. And a most pleasant change. On dusk, as our train sped through the rolling plains, long pencil shadows drew curious striations into the waving grasslands. Wispy wind-combed clouds etched a fading sky. It could well have been the subject of a Van Gogh painting.
It was time to relax after our ordeal and absorb a very peaceful landscape. A perfect ending to a Near Disastrous Day....
Geoff Nattrass
2022-10-30
good one - great read
Bold Mongolia
2022-10-31
Very nice to see you /Wendy/ and Alan on the journey.. "Almost stranded at Omsk city" sounds pretty unusual. Russian people are nice