Speaker Martin Ross - London to Vladivostok

Rotary club of Stirling, meeting of 22/1/16

President Peter Mehta welcomed members and our visitors, Jan Anderson, Jessie Atkinson guest of Elspeth King, and Rotarian Harry Cockburn from the Bathgate club.
Our speaker Martin Ross talked about his most recent adventurous holiday, crossing Russia in Winter on the Trans Siberian railway.
Nineteen days by train from London to Vladivostok. The railway was started in 1893 by Tsar Alexander the third at a time when European states were expanding their empires, partly for political and partly for strategic reasons. It was an immense project for a country most of whose inhabitants were peasants, and whose industrial skills were poorly developed. At 9290 Kilometers it was twice as long as the Union Pacific and over more difficult ground. All building materials had to be brought in along the railway in the most severe climatic conditions. The journey from Moscow to Vladivostok took 12 days, by" Golden Eagle" , a private company whose coaches were hooked onto the regular train as required.
Via Ekaterinburg to lake Baikal and then into Mongolia ,moving from an area of Christian tradition to a Buddhist society.  Amongst the many excellent activities they visited the site of the assassination of the last Tsar and a day on the ice at Lake Baikal. Despite a slight excess on folk music and dancing, Vodka was always freely available. Food on the train was excellent and the natives friendly, although it was evident that they regard the West with some suspicion at present. From Vladivostok ,only 20 miles from North Korea , they flew by  Aeroflot back to London.
The vote of thanks was given by Stewart Wilson.
Next week's speaker's host Alan Skilling, visitors host Gordon Murphy.
For more information about the club www.stirling.rotary1010.org

Ian Richardson