THE TRANS-SIBERIAN RAILWAY BEGINS CONSTRUCTION, May 31, 1891 (N.S.)

RIDING THE RAILS

THROUGH SIBERIA

1984

FLOWERS FOR THE AMERICAN

When the дежурная, the woman on duty in my train car on my first trip to Siberia, in 1984, discovered I was an American, she put these together for me.

"I was that summer wandering around the Soviet Union for seven weeks by myself, exploring and taking photographs." More on 1984, the USSR, and the US, here and here.

More photographs from the Trans-Siberian Express here and here; more from Siberia, here.

A PLANE CRASH IN TYUMEN', RUSSIA; A FLASHBACK TO YELTSIN'S INSPECTION TOUR

PLANE CRASH

IN THE WEST SIBERIAN

OIL PATCH

April 2, 2012

BORIS YELTSIN IN TYUMEN'

The Severe Inspector General

August 1991

Today a passenger plane carrying forty-three souls crashed not long after take-off from the city of Tyumen' in Western Siberia, center of Russian oil and gas production. Thirty-one were killed as the plane (an ATR-72, French-Italian, not Russian or Soviet) burst into flames and broke up.

Speculation seems to have begun more or less immediately about the cause of the crash: Was it improper de-icing? "Technical malfunction"? Fingers were pointed at "Russia's poor safety record." (More details here.)

Amidst concerns for the survivors, and for Russian aviation, I could not help flashing back to the start of my plane ride out to the area to accompany Boris Yeltsin on an inspection trip, back in August 1991 (see photograph above, and here and here and here):

Finally I was on the plane, and settling in, when I was startled by a strange movement by the emergency exit across from me. Something black, and furry, was shadowing the small airplane window. A German shepherd was keeping tabs on the takeoff! "Only able-bodied passengers who are willing to take responsibility for occupying the seat next to the emergency exit may sit there" flashed through my mind. But this was Aeroflot, the Soviet airline. The dog licked the door handle; fondled it with his teeth. I wondered, not really idly, how much force it would take to open the door. A human hand reached out to coax the dog's teeth away from the handle. We were off for Tyumen', Russia's premier oil and gas region.

-- from "RUSSIA REDUX," Chapter Five ("On the Road Again on the Eve of the Coup: Tyumen' and Oil and Gas)

WINDOW GAZING IN SIBERIA: CHILDREN OF IRKUTSK

WINDOW GAZING  

IN SIBERIA 

KIDS GAZING OUT A WINDOW 

IRKUTSK, RUSSIA, 1984 

BACK IN THE USSR 

"HERE BE GIANTS" 

RIDING THE TRANS-SIBERIAN EXPRESS, BACK IN THE USSR II

RIDING THE 

TRANS-SIBERIAN EXPRESS 

FELLOW PASSENGER 

BACK IN THE USSR 

1984 

 

"RUSSIA REDUX"  

THE TRANS-SIBERIAN LADA: PUTIN ON THE HUSTINGS?

THE TRANS-SIBERIAN LADA 

VLADIMIR PUTIN 

ON ELECTION DAY, MARCH 26, 2000: 

HIS FIRST RUN FOR THE RUSSIAN PRESIDENCY 

The former president, once again prime minister, made a tour of Siberia in a Lada and set off speculation (such as here) that he is campaigning for a 2012 run to re-gain the presidency. 

For more on Vladimir Putin, see "Putin Observed." 

IT IS FRIDAY. TIME FOR A BIT OF THE SEA OF TRANQUILITY: LAKE BAIKAL

IT IS FRIDAY

TIME FOR A BIT OF

THE SEA OF TRANQUILITY

LAKE BAIKAL

IN THE WAKE

OF A HYDROFOIL, 1984

RIDING THE TRANS-SIBERIAN EXPRESS I: BACK IN THE USSR

BACK IN THE USSR

RIDING THE

TRANS-SIBERIAN EXPRESS

1984

ABOVE LAKE BAIKAL

IN SIBERIA

BACK TO BAIKAL, 1990

While we are in the area, a photograph taken a half-dozen years later that gives some idea of Siberian country living.

This time I had come to Baikal and Irkutsk to cover the meeting between U.S. Secretary of State James A. Baker and Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze. I stayed to see a bit more of the area around the lake, including the infamous Baikalsk paper plant, now once again in the news.

INTERLUDE ON LAKE BAIKAL

LATE AFTERNOON 

ON LAKE BAIKAL 

TWO WOMEN & THEIR KNITTING 

Listvyanka (Russia), USSR, 1984

Lake Baikal is famous as the "Gem of Siberia." I had been so keen to see it that I flew straight from Moscow to Irkutsk, the nearest big city, on my first trip to the USSR. 

NASA has posted two striking images of Baikal from space, iced over, here. 

More to come in RUSSIA REDUX

A SUMMER DAY ON THE RIVER (NOVOSIBIRSK)

A SUMMER DAY ON THE RIVER

THE RIVER OB' 

NOVOSIBIRSK (RUSSIA), USSR 1984 

On a Sunday two-thirds of the way between Mother's Day and the Summer Solstice, a treat from a boat on the River Ob'. We have taken off from the city of Novosibirsk, the largest in Siberia, and a major node on the Trans-Siberian Express. 

OTHER WEDDINGS I

AT LENIN'S FEET 

OTHER WEDDINGS I 

BACK IN THE USSR 

As June is almost here, and with it the wedding season in the USA, two weddings from other countries, other cultures: In today's photograph a newly married couple in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk comes in 1984 to be photographed at the foot of the Lenin statue in the heart of town.