Russia

Should we go to Russia or not? It was a dream of ours to ride on the Trans-Siberian and it was something we had always planned to do on our trip. However, we were hesitant when the time came to apply for our...

Piterstay Hostel is the place to be for a budget stay in the tourist-crowded city of Saint Petersburg. Just around the block from main sights such as the Hermitage and the Church of Savior on Spilled Blood,...

We arrived at the Bananas Hostel tired and weary after canceling our other disappointing accommodation in Moscow. Right on our arrival we were happy to be there and glad to have made the switch. This place...

Well it sure sounded nice, but our stay at the Russian Dream Hotel in Moscow turned into a nightmare that we're still trying to sort out. Certain necessities, (like air conditioning when it's crazy hot...

On the way to Moscow along the Trans-Mongolian we made a short stop to Vladimir, which at one time was the ancient capital of Russia. The small city didn't seem to have many hostel options, so we booked with...

While passing through Russia it's hard to not notice the many spires of Russian Orthodox Cathedrals scattered throughout the country. Each one is unique with richly decorated interior walls and iconic onion...

During our short stay in Saint Petersburg, Russia, we visited the Hermitage, (Winter Palace), Peter and Paul Fortress, Church of Our Savior on Spilled Blood, the flea market at Udelnaya and took a lovely,...

Being an 80s baby that grew up in the west, my perception of Red Square was always a rather gloomy one: a dark, cloudy sky over dingy brick buildings with maybe a military parade filling the cobblestone...

Stepping off the train in Moscow, we officially ended our journey on the Trans-Mongolian Railway. What started in daydreams — staring at maps and imagining what lay in the vast expanse between Beijing and...

We arrived in Yekaterinburg after a 56 hour long ride from Irkutsk along the Trans-Mongolian. As you could imagine, we needed a nice break from the train. We should have booked a private room for that very...

On Olkhon Island, there are few choices of where to stay in the small town of Khuzhir. We chose Solnechnaya, also known as Sunny Hostel, for its location near the beaches and Shaman Rock at Lake Baikal. We...

Images from our first stop along the Trans-Mongolian Railway in eastern Russia-- Irkutsk and Lake Baikal. After one night in the city, we spent three nights on Olkhon Island; if it looks like we sat around in...

The Trans-Sib Hostel in Irkutsk was our first hostel stop in Russia. We only stayed for a single night as the very next day we set out for Lake Baikal, but it was a comfortable stay. Close to the train...