22nd June is the day that the Soviet Union entered the eastern front of World War 2. According to Wikipedia "The battles on the Eastern Front constituted the largest military
confrontation in history. They were characterized by unprecedented
ferocity, wholesale destruction, mass deportations, and immense loss of
life variously due to combat, starvation, exposure, disease, and
massacres" I had just finished reading two novels on this part of the War prior to coming to Russia both by Paulina Simon "The Bronze Horseman" and "Tatiana and Alexander" that look at this part of the war from both a serviceman and a civilian's point of view and paint very vivid pictures of how it must have been, e.g., blockades around Leningrad (now St Petersburg) so that many civilians died of starvation.
Anyway enough about history - the reason I mention this is that today we visited The Verknyaya Pyshma Military Museum about 45 minutes outside of Ekiterinburg.
I wasn't that excited about visiting a Military Museum but as Stu, on of my fellow team members reminded me - it is part of the history of this Region. Ekaterinburg is an industrial city and manufacturing of heavy machinery and in the past was where a lot of military equipment was produced
Outside they had displays of all sort of military equipment - tanks, planes, submarines, etc
Inside they had other items related to the military - including the most amazing collection of cars and some great artwork and posters from the Soviet era.
The "boys" spent more time looking round the museum than the "girls"
and the "girls" waiting patiently for them.
Olga, from the Ekaterinburg City Administration and Katya the CSC contact for us in Ekaterinburg and Tanya the CSC Program Manager for Russia based in Washington were with us on this visit.
After the museum we went and had lunch at the food hall in a mall. I wish all food halls were like this. Instead of lots fast foods outlets the food hall was comprised of a number of individual outlets which served good quality food cafeteria style, i.e., you could choose what your wanted to have from salads, cold meats, pies, pasta, dumplings, grilled meats and fish, vegetarian option, etc. The food was very good quality and not too expensive.
Our next stop was to go to the observation deck on Level 51 of the highest building in Ekagterinburg. The view was magnificent.
It was so hot today around 35 degrees - by the time we got back to the hotel we were all very tired so we had an early dinner to farewell Tanya who was heading back to Washington early the next morning. The cafe we went to had a very good saxophonist playing and the food was great so we plan to head back there one night when we are feeling more energetic.
Anyway enough about history - the reason I mention this is that today we visited The Verknyaya Pyshma Military Museum about 45 minutes outside of Ekiterinburg.
I wasn't that excited about visiting a Military Museum but as Stu, on of my fellow team members reminded me - it is part of the history of this Region. Ekaterinburg is an industrial city and manufacturing of heavy machinery and in the past was where a lot of military equipment was produced
Outside they had displays of all sort of military equipment - tanks, planes, submarines, etc
Inside they had other items related to the military - including the most amazing collection of cars and some great artwork and posters from the Soviet era.
The "boys" spent more time looking round the museum than the "girls"
and the "girls" waiting patiently for them.
Olga, from the Ekaterinburg City Administration and Katya the CSC contact for us in Ekaterinburg and Tanya the CSC Program Manager for Russia based in Washington were with us on this visit.
After the museum we went and had lunch at the food hall in a mall. I wish all food halls were like this. Instead of lots fast foods outlets the food hall was comprised of a number of individual outlets which served good quality food cafeteria style, i.e., you could choose what your wanted to have from salads, cold meats, pies, pasta, dumplings, grilled meats and fish, vegetarian option, etc. The food was very good quality and not too expensive.
Our next stop was to go to the observation deck on Level 51 of the highest building in Ekagterinburg. The view was magnificent.
It was so hot today around 35 degrees - by the time we got back to the hotel we were all very tired so we had an early dinner to farewell Tanya who was heading back to Washington early the next morning. The cafe we went to had a very good saxophonist playing and the food was great so we plan to head back there one night when we are feeling more energetic.
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