In Siberia

Ok again I've been a little slack in updating this. This is just going to be a quick one, rather than my usual verbose ramblings, due to time constraints.

Moscow is a great city (well obviously, in the sense that it's one of the great cities), but actually the first word that comes to mind is fun. It's also surprisingly easy going, on balance less stressful than Paris or London. And a lot of places are open 24 hours, which is a mixed blessing. I will return in the winter some time, which I think is really the best time to see Russia.

I've just arrived in this sprawling hotel in Yekaterinburg, and it feels like I'm right back in the Cold War. The staff are hilariously rude in a way that only Russians can be (but paradoxically incredibly helpful and friendly), and I had to go through a 4 stage check-in/security process before I even got to my room. Why have one person doing a simple job, when you can spin it out into bureaucratic employment for 6!

Any how, I'd better go and look at the city.