Yesterday again 1000 km on the road! Arrival late in the night in Ekaterinburg, where the family of the Zar and he himself was murdered by more progressive powers; But not to late to have some hering, mayonnaise – salad, schaschlik and Baltic beer.

Today we had a great excursion to Nevjansk, 80k north of Ekaterinburg. Here a tycoon from the early 18  century had founded a kind of independent mining state in Sibiria. Due to the facts, that the iron deposits of that region were extremly rich, that his workmen used to work 70 hours a week, and that Zar Peter was far away in St. Petersburg, he made one million after the other, exporting iron to the west. To show his success to his workmen, he constructed a tower (another one, and again declining, seems to be the way to show of in Russia!) out of bricks and iron and imported from England, Richard Phelps in London, the biggest bell instrument ever produced. It’s still working, playing centuries old songs every three hour. The attached small building is, by the way, covered with titan plates…

Oxana from the Ekateinburg Guide Center guided us professionally, so we had good inside - sights from new Russia. Why not to copy that in Europe to, as a revenue for he treasuries: You buy for 20.000 Rubel a paper, saying that you are a member of the police, and you have free driving, no more fears of caught for speed, parking or alcohol. Barbara did not have this paper and had to do the other way, when caught for crossing a white uninterrupted line: Having the choice between some days in prison or 20 Euro in cash she started the corruption lane…

Tomorrow we have to drive again a bit to Kasachstan.

GA (Gerd Albrecht)