Max and I are lovers of regional art. I admit, our homes are stuffed with remembrances of past tours and various cultures. We always end up leaving personal items hidden in hotel rooms for maids in order to stuff our bags with our local treasures. The train stations offer all types of cultural art from the area you happen to be in, at that day.
The train is always an anxiety filled experience, but only during loadin and load off, lol! Sometimes it brakes only for 5 minutes, and you need to find your train car and get your personal luggage and any gear you are traveling with, on quickly or risk the doors shutting on you and being stranded! In the early days of Soulfly's travels in Russia, we were the first Metal act to travel the Trans Siberian across Siberia and play in many of the stops on the way. We had to travel; with guitar cabinets and drums, not to mention guitars. More than once I saw gear being flung out the door, in the midst of Russian people trying to scurry themselves off in the midst of out conglomeration!!
The train to Moscow was really new and we were all surprised! No well worn carpets and woolen blankets. No lady yelling in her little cubicle! No ancient hot water kettle in the corner! Instead it was a creamy colored paint job and new bedding. There are normally 4 bunks in each car, but we only put 2 people in each room. Our bags and gear tuck safely above us. There were even flat screen TVs in this train! And you always can count on steamy bowls of borscht and fresh slices of black bread in the restaurant car. Grab a cup of hot tea and relax to the rhythm of the train gliding on the tracks. Little villages swoop by and people living their remote lives pass by you.
See that metal piece sticking out above Max's sleeping feet in the photo above? That's a modern day ladder to get to the top bunk!! I wanna see Kendog climb up that!! Next city is Voronezh! But that will be next week...our Russian journey continues!!
Class dismissed......
