 |
| Welcome to Ekaterinburg |
4,039 Miles GMT +6hrs Temp -9
Our journey to Ekaterinburg was splendid, the landscape
through the Ural mountain range with pine forests and small villages of wooden
houses was very beautiful. I spent most of the journey glued to the window
watching Russia go by and daylight disappear into one of the starriest skies
I’ve ever seen.
 |
| The first village in Asia |
We’re staying at Lena’s family ‘Dacha’, which she had kept
as a surprise. The Dacha is a Russian institution that dates back to the mid
18th century, essentially a holiday home, ranging greatly in size and stature,
but always with a garden that is used to grow food.
When we arrived in Ekaterinburg we left out luggage at the
station to go shopping at the market and Supermarket. No ‘buyski one get oneski
free’ here or Tesco. I recognised some of the labels, as it’s just the use of
cyrillic writing that differentiates some of the items from home, although some
of the labelling is quite hilarious. Laden like pit ponies with shopping and
luggage we took two buses and then had to walk about three miles down a snowy
track, but finally we arrived at the Dacha.
 |
| Google maps failed here |
It took a little while to warm the place up, with a wood
fire and wood burning stove. There is electricity via a generator, but we just
used candles and oil lamps. It’s delightful here. I wouldn’t swap this for
unlimited time in the best hotel in Russia. It’s like finding the real Russia
and stepping into a Chekhov play. A bit like a Russian version of Beamish. When
we finally had dinner on the stove, Lena gave me a guided tour and told me
about her family and the history in the Dacha. The snow was blowing against the
windows of the wooden cabin, built by Lena’s great great grandfather in 1800’s.
Family pictures of her ancestors, who have mostly made the furnishings in the
house, the men making the furniture and the women having made the rugs, quilts
and cushions. In a wardrobe, her mothers wedding dress, and her grandfathers
boots. In the living room, a small Russian orthodox shrine, rocking chairs by
the fire, a chess set made by her grandfather, along with old family military
awards and more family photos.
 |
| The kitchen |
I fell asleep while I was writing this last night, so
you’re getting a double edition today, as I’m finding the time zone changes
confusing and don’t think I can write this a day behind where I am. I get
confused enough has it is.
I woke up early this morning, got properly dressed this
time, to see the outside of the Dacha and the garden as it was too dark last
night. The garden is covered in snow, it stands in a small orchard of cherry
and apple trees with a garden on the other side about the size of two bowling
greens.
An English breakfast followed, which was well received. I
asked Lena about the other small building, which I thought was a tool shed. “No
that’s the Banya, the sauna. The tradition is to go in there and heat yourself
to sweating point, then beat yourself with willow or oak twigs to get the
circulation going, before dowsing yourself in the snow or cold pool or river,
repeating the whole process several times times. All part of the experience
Gail” – laughing her head off. – “Bugger off!” my reply.
 |
| The Banya |
We’ve had a visitor today, Lena’s Aunt Galina. We gave her
some of the M & S Goodies, shortbread and marmalade, which she seemed
genuinely delighted with. She talked almost non-stop for an hour through Lena,
asking me questions about England and my family and Anya about hers, until
finally Lena asked her to take a breath, she chuckled and said she would go and
sort out lunch. As we ate she asked if I liked the dacha, and I told her I
thought it was beautiful, and I felt very privileged to see it. It was just a
shame it wasn’t spring or summer to see the garden and orchard. Lena told
Galina I used to be a gardener. Well that was it, out with the vodka, I was
hugged to near suffocation, followed by an offer of adoption :)
After lunch we cleared the table and Galina brought out
photo albums, some of the photos went back to the 1920’s. The albums are
effectively a chronicle of the Dacha and the family. It was fascinating to be
guided through them by Galina and Lena. The women were dressed just like
northern fish wives, right up until the 1960’s, with long skirts, long aprons
and headscarves, working away in among rows of beans or up ladders picking
fruit. The men leaning on hoes and forks smoking pipes. It took me back to my
grandparent’s allotment, all those years ago, and Galina was very interested to
hear about it.
 |
| Galina |
We’ve spent the whole day with Galina and her lovely cat
Ivana, who she carried here in her shopping bag. She told me stories of the
good old days and the bad old days through Lena and Anya. Galina is 79, she
left school at 16 and became a nurse. She’s never left Ekaterinburg, she said
by the time she could, it was too late. She brought out some of the postcards
that Lena has sent her, and said that she had seen some of Russia through them.
Galina is going to return tomorrow, I’m going to cook
something English for her, as she was curious about what we eat, and we’re
going to show her the photos that I’ve taken so far on the trip, as she would
really like to see them.
No comments:
Post a Comment