Our cabin mate, Wasi, a teacher from just outside Irkutsk.

Our other cabin mate, Nina, who yelled at us all the time.

Yekaterinburg Station, also known as Sverdlov, about 2:00 am

Yekaterinburg Station, also known as Sverdlov, about 2:00 am

The Baikal Express, Moscow to Irkustsk

Wasi and Nina chatting in the hallway

A typical view of a village from the train

Reading up on Lake Baikal from the Lonely Planet

A typical stop

The provodnitsa hard at work knocking ice off the train - every stop

The restaurant car

The trains would stop from 3 to 20 minutes. We would get out, walk around, and maybe stock up on supplies.