2024 - Trans-Siberian Train Adventure (Day18 Yekaterinburg, Russia)

A 30day 9,938km Trans-Siberian Train (21 Jun>21 Jul, 2024) Vladivostok in the east to St. Petersburg 


A group shot was taken at 'Ganina Yama', a 6-foot-deep pit at the Four Brothers mine near the town of Koptyaki, 15 kilometers north of Yekaterinburg, Russia. Monastery complex where bodies of the executed Romanov royal family were discovered.


The time difference between Yekaterinburg and Kuala Lumpur is minus three hours.

🇷🇺🚃Day 18 (July 08) Yekaterinburg – chartered bus tour.

Finally, we arrived in Yetaterinburg around 1.30pm. The city is Russia's fourth largest. Our primary purpose for stopping at the city during our Trans-Siberian adventure was to visit Ganina Yama, the monastery that presently stands on the place where the bodies of the last Russian king Nicholas II and his family were dropped into a mine shaft after being murdered by the Bolsheviks in 1918.

Secondly to visit The Europe/Asia Border (a border marker which looks like Eiffel Tower), here you can put 1 leg on the Europe  side and the other leg on the Asia side of Russia.


Our breakfast on the Trans-Siberian train.


Our breakfast on the Trans-Siberian train.


A little Russian girl looking out the window.

 
This morning, we celebrated Chow Leng Toong's birthday.


This morning, we celebrated Chow Leng Toong's birthday. Many happy returns to you....


We spend time admiring the sights while we travel by train.


We spend time admiring the sights while we travel by train.


On the train, we spend time admiring the scenery that passes by.


On the train, we spend time admiring the scenery that passes by.


On the train, we spend time admiring the scenery that passes by.
 
On the train, we spend time admiring the scenery that passes by.


Finally, we arrived in Yetaterinburg train station at around 1.30pm.


We arrived in Yekaterinburg railway station at around 1.30pm.


We arrived in Yekaterinburg railway station at around 1.30pm.


We arrived in Yekaterinburg railway station at around 1.30pm.


Yekaterinburg–Passazhirsky is the central passenger railway station in Yekaterinburg, a major transportation hub, located on the Trans-Siberian main line and Sverdlovsk Railway


Yekaterinburg railway station.


Yekaterinburg railway station.


Some employed porter services, while others carried their bags up and down the platforms and tunnels. It was a lovely 26 degrees Celsius with a cloudless sky. We loaded our baggage into the leased vehicle and headed straight for the local cafeteria for lunch. The cuisine was good....


Statues in Yekaterinburg, Russia.


Statues in Yekaterinburg, Russia.


We had lunch here in Yekaterinburg, Russia.


We had lunch here in Yekaterinburg, Russia.


We had lunch here in Yekaterinburg, Russia.


We had lunch here in Yekaterinburg, Russia.


We had lunch here in Yekaterinburg, Russia.


After lunch, the bus transported us to 'Ganina Yama', 15km north from Yekaterinburg.


Ganina Yama built to honour the Romanoff family, the murdered Tsar and Tsarina of Russia.


Ganina Yama: Monastery complex where bodies of the executed Romanov royal family were discovered. The story begins in 1917, during the Russian Civil War, when the royal family was banished to this region of the country by Bolsheviks. Tsar Nicholas II, his wife Alexandra, their five children, and four servants spent more than a year in Tobolsk before being shot in the basement of the Ipatiev House in Ekaterinburg on the night of July 17, 1918. Except for the youngest daughter Anastasia and son Alexei, all of their bodies were buried in Ganina Yama and not discovered until 1991. This was one of the primary reasons why, for decades, rumors circulated that some of the Romanovs had survived.


Ganina Yama built to honour the Romanoff family, the murdered Tsar and Tsarina of Russia.


Ganina Yama: Monastery complex where bodies of the executed Romanov royal family were discovered.


Ganina Yama: Monastery complex where bodies of the executed Romanov royal family were discovered. 
 
Anastasia's Romanov Story - Anastasia is a key character in this novel. People held out hope that the children had escaped the massacre, especially when a woman named Anna Anderson came. She was rescued from a Berlin canal in 1920 and claimed to be the genuine Princess. Charming Anna Anderson, like Anastasia, was a humorous and bright woman! Her beautiful princess story inspired people to believe in miracles, cheering up the entire country. 
 
But after some time, Anastasia's true body was discovered. Anna Anderson was determined to be a German woman suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, rather than a real Romanov. Have you ever seen the Disney film 'Anastasia'? The story of the Russian tsarina served as inspiration for the filmmakers. 
 
The Ganina Yama Monastery was founded as a memorial to the royal family, whose mortal remains were reburied alongside previous Russian tsars in St. Petersburg's Peter and Paul Cathedral in 1998. The property also houses a Russian Orthodox Church, with seven chapels for each family member. 
 
Although the timber monastery appears to be quite plain, with contrasting brilliant green roofs and golden domes, you will find icons of the family members as well as many black and white personal photos of them smiling, just like any other family.


David Wee is a man with a childlike heart. Wherever he goes, he enjoys engaging with children.


Ganina Yama Monastery entrance building in Yekaterinburg.


Ganina Yama Monastery entrance building in Yekaterinburg. 


Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg.


Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg.


Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg.


Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg.


Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg.


Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg.


Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg. We went to the Church on the Blood, which was built in 2003 on the site of the former Ipatiev House, where Nicolas II, his wife, four children (Grand Duchess Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia, and baby tsarevitch Aleksey) were slain in the basement in summer 1918. 


Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg.


Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg.


Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg.


Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg.


Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg.


Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg.
 

Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg.
 

Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg.


Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg.


Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg.


Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg.

Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg.

Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg.


David Wee at Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg.


Ching Neng Bin at Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg.


Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg. We learn about the last days of the Tsar's family. The Romanovs spent their final 78 days at Yekaterinburg. 


Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg. From the chapel, we were able to trace the Bolsheviks' route to the buried mine Ganina Yama. In the year 2000, a lovely monastery was created in Ganina Yama. It features seven wooden churches (based on the number of family members).


Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg.


Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg.


Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg.


Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg.


Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg.


Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg.


Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg.


Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg.


Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg.


Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg.


Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg.


Temple of St. Seraphim of Sarov in the Monastery in Honor of the Holy Royal Martyrs `Ganina Yama'.


The monastery of the Saint Regal Martyrs in Ganina Yama tract, Yekaterinburg.


Temple of St. Seraphim of Sarov in the Monastery in Honor of the Holy Royal Martyrs `Ganina Yama'.


Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg.


Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg.


Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg.


Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg.


Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg.


Ganina Yama Monastery Complex in Yekaterinburg.


Yekaterinburg, where Europe and Asia come together.


Europe-Asia border in Yekaterinburg.


Europe-Asia border in Yekaterinburg.


Europe-Asia border in Yekaterinburg.


Yekaterinburg, where Europe and Asia come together.


Yekaterinburg, where Europe and Asia come together.


The Europe-Asia Monument, Yekaterinburg. This rock is from the West.


The Europe-Asia Monument, Yekaterinburg. This rock is from the West.


The Europe-Asia Monument, Yekaterinburg. This rock is from the East.


The Europe-Asia Monument, Yekaterinburg. This rock is from the East.


Chew Leng Soon and Ching Neng Bin at The Europe-Asia Monument, Yekaterinburg.


The Europe-Asia Monument is situated in the center of the Verkh-Isetsky district's forest.


The Europe-Asia Monument is situated in the center of the Verkh-Isetsky district's forest.


It is a place where you may capture photos of the border or continental divide between Europe and Asia. The monument is a 30-meter-high column or obelisk on top of a podium built of red marble. It is approached via a stone stairway with two wings: Europe on one side and Asia on the other. A double-headed Russian bronze eagle tops the column.


The border was set between Europe and Asia and Ching Neng Bin was able to stand with one foot in Europe and the other in Asia.


Ching Neng Bin with the Malaysian flag was standing with one foot in Europe and the other in Asia.


The Europe-Asia Monument, Yekaterinburg. A line divided the monument, with half on each side of the border. Furthermore, in the bottom of the monument are two boulders, one from the far west of Europe and the other from the far east of Asia. They symbolically meet on both sides of this monument.


The Europe-Asia Monument, Yekaterinburg.


We had dinner here, an Armenian & Georgia Restaurant.


We had dinner here, an Armenian & Georgia Restaurant.


We had dinner here, an Armenian/Georgia Restaurant.


We had dinner here, an Armenian/Georgia Restaurant.


We had dinner here, an Armenian/Georgia Restaurant.


We had dinner here, an Armenian/Georgia Restaurant.


We had dinner here, an Armenian/Georgia Restaurant.


State Circus named after Valentin Filatov in Yekaterinburg.


Yekaterinburg city buildings.


Our accommodations are at the three-star Protex Hotel in Yekaterinburg.


The Trans-Siberian Railway holds the title of the longest train journey in the world. Over the course of our 11-day train trip (9,938 km), we have witnessed the vast pine forests, impressive rivers, and undulating plains of the Russian landscape.

Traveling from Vladivostok to Moscow, we pass through enchanting cities such as Khabarovsk, Chita, Ulan Ude, Irkutsk, Krasnoyarsk, Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg, Kazan, Moscow, and Saint Petersburg; each destination offers a blend of breathtaking scenery, vibrant cultures, and deep-rooted history. We are always prepared for the remarkable adventure across Russia's vast and varied landscape, aiming to forge memories that will last a lifetime!

click below to view

Day01 Bangkok to Irkutsk, Russia
Day02 Irkutsk to Vladivostok, Russia
Day03 Vladivostok to Khabarovsk
(1st overnight train)
Day04 Khabarovsk
Day05 Khabarovsk to Chita overnight train 1 (2nd overnight train)

Day06 Khabarovsk to Chita overnight train 2
(3rd overnight train)
Day07 Chita
Day08 Chita to Ulan Ude (4th overnight train)
Day09 Ulan Ude
Day10 Ulan-Ude to Irkutsk
(5th overnight train)

Day11 Irkutsk to Olkhon Island
Day12 Olkhon Island
Day13 Olkhon Island to Irkutsk to Krasnoyarsk 
(6th overnight train)
Day14 Krasnoyarsk
Day15 Krasnoyarsk to Novosibirsk
(7th overnight train)

Day16 Novosibirsk
Day17 Novosibirsk to Yekaterinburg (8th overnight train)
Day18 Yekaterinburg
Day19 Yekaterinburg to Kazan (9th overnight train)
Day20 Kazan 

Day21 Kazan to Moscow (10th overnight train)
Day22 Moscow
Day23 Moscow 
Day24 Moscow to St Petersburg (11th overnight train)
Day25 St Petersburg

Day26 St Petersburg
Day27 St Petersburg
Day28 St Petersburg
Day29 St Petersburg
Day30 St Petersburg to
KLIA

From Russia with Love:
1 Ann Kuah Beang Yen, 2 Chai Kin Sang, 3 Chew Leng Soon, 4 Chew Siang Peng, 5 Chew Yoon Lian, 6 Chin Tai Tat, 7 Ching Neng Bin, 8 Chong Ee Ee, 9 Choo Yon Kit, 10 Chow Leng Toong, 11 Datin Chelsy Tay, 12 Dato Sharon Tan, 13 Dato Steven Oon Hoon Nam, 14 David Wee Kim Peng, 15 Gan Choi Geok, 16 Goh Ching Chee, 17 Joyce Ho Chai Yoong, 18 Ng Sock Ee, 19 Tan Sin Su, 20 Wong Lai Chee, 21 Dr. Ko Wen Wu (Tour guide), 22 Adam Teo (Tour guide assistant).

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