MUSEUM PICTURES/UPDATED

Nikita explains where New Zealand is and "how we got to Magadan"

This is a perfectly preserved "baby" mammoth, found just a few years back when excavating for a building site

Examples of standard issue gulag clothing, these ones allegedly for "Summer" use, each item numbered

A bizarre object, note the crude wiring. There are pictures of this atop one of the camp buildings. Evidently, when the "daily production quota" had been met, the "star" was lit up - This meant you would then be fed

A typical example of crude camp signage, which says "Entry prohibited"

AN AFTERNOON AT THE MUSEUM

Alexei had had to check when an English-speaking guide was available, and "today was the day"

But, first we had to negotiate our way past the old lady guarding the cloakroom. She and the RP then engaged in protracted discussion about whether Nikita and I would surrender our hats and jackets. And we didn't

But wait, Alexei then had to put his head through the wall to negotiate the pricing for these foreigners, and, Oh Dear, they had 2 cameras as well (Separate charge, for each). At last, pricing of 1000 RUB (NZD$50-00)was agreed and our guide appeared

A nicely dressed middle-aged lady with quite good English, who was pleased to meet the RP and have long chats, but mystified as to why Nikita as a Muscovite could not speak Russian. She did enjoy a few minutes with him with a "globe" whilst he pointed out where we came from and showed the passage of our 5 flights. Much sighing from her, I don't think they get many NZ visitors...

It was worth it, we had no less than 3.5 hours. Different rooms on 2 floors, all nicely laid out, but all signs/labels in Russian. Every room had 2-3 women attendants half-asleep on their chairs. One roused herself to tell Nikita off for leaning on a barrier

The moving part was the section that dealt with the "repression/Gulag" period. The living conditions were terrible,the typical clothing and tools were unbelievably basic, and to make their misery worse, they were shot at random in their thousands

All were buried in crudely numbered mass graves, there was and is no way to trace who ended up where

Copies of "before and after" death certificates were on display too. "Before" had cause of death either "blank" or heart condition etc. The "after" began to be issued after Stalin's death when the gulags began to be wound down (for political prisoners at least) and had written "shot" or "shooting"

The first Regional Governor himself was not immune, Stalin recalling him to Moscow after allegations were made he was "too soft" on the prisoners. He then faced the firing squad

Sobering to know that the Families of those denounced and transported also suffered, at the least loss of all "privileges" and official shaming, plus in many cases being sent as well. Most never returned home, even if they survived

The rest of the museum also interesting for modern mining activities, (Picture of Al Gore as V-P signing a huge financing deal for a gold mine)and lots of maps of the huge region, mostly marked as "secret" in their day. Also,lots of USSR-era certificates of appreciation for those who worked in the Region in those harsh conditions, probably to retire worn-out and in poor health only to see their "benefits" and pensions wiped out in the "reform" period with the breakup of the USSR itself

There was just time for me to get scolded by the toilet attendant for entering the "Ladies" (She took time out from washing her lunch dishes in the sink) "Can you not read hat signs ?" asked the RP. "They were Russian hats" I quickly replied

To wind down, we departed for afternoon tea at an old style worker-type restaurant, a relic of the USSR we were told. 3 courses, of course

"MASK OF SORROWS" - PICS

The RP put wild flowers in the arms of the weeping woman, who recognises the suffering of the women and children, (an "odd number" of flowers to respect the dead)

"THE MASK OF SORROWS"

Yesterday was a nice day weather-wise, so time for a trip out of town to visit Magadan's most famous landmark

"The Mask of Sorrows" is to mark the period of "Stalin's repressions". It is the work of a Russian-American artist with some Russian help, and we were later surprised to learn that it is one of three identical sites, the other two in Siberian cities

Quite sobering to think that this is the most visible way of marking the murder and most inhumane treatment of hundreds of thousands of people. We were also reminded not all were Russians, there were Bulgarians, Poles, Romanians, and even Japanese POW

There was a Council cleaning crew of 2 young woman working with brooms, whilst the 2 guys looked on. They had collected a huge bin of mostly liquor bottles ; a couple of young guys sitting up on the hill were about to contribute some more

Nikita and the RP collected wild flowers for the Memorial

You can see all over Magadan itself and down the harbour too

OUR NEW FAMILY

Miroslav, Luba (Alexei's Parents), Larisa (Sister), her Husband Dima and lovely little Daughter Kristina, at our picnic at the 'Summerhouse' (Dacha)

A wonderful afternoon and evening, "Papa Miroslav" visibly enjoying his children and grandchildren

Did I mention the food and drink - There was enough............more than enough, as usual

Papa got Nikita to help him with the "BBQ" - We had wonderful "shashlik"

The garden all around the house was full of vegetables, even strawberries

THE RUSSIAN PRINCESS + I "AT THE BEACH"

Hard to believe that where we are standing is "iced up" for Winter
The water was clear, and a sea otter poked his head up from time to time
It was warm and sunny - At 7.30pm

LUCKILY I'VE GOT A DRINKING BUDDY

Notice how Alexei has cunningly tucked a 'spare' in his jacket for emergency use

A RUSSIAN STORY

We went to a large supermarket. Nicely laid out, good range of products, imported and "local". "Brands" everywhere, same names/packaging
At the checkout the unsmiling young Operator said to me (I assume) "Put your items on the counter". Which I did, Then I paid
Alexei was behind me and asked her a question, pointing above her head to his preference in the many packets of cigarettes on display
He then looked a little dejected, and we left
In the car, I said "What was that about ?"
"I asked her for cigarettes" he said, and she replied "We don't sell any, you should give up"

"MAGADAN WAS, IS, AND ALWAYS WILL BE"

GRANDMOTHER MEETS THE LITTLE PRINCE

One of the major reasons we came to Magadan...

KHABAROVSK TO MAGADAN

Our transfer guides chatted all the way and we went through what we assumed was "the" security check. Wrong. Three in all, take off shoes etc too. At the last, the two women had a discussion about whether to confiscate our duty free liquor from the RP. Luckily, (For Alexei and his Dad), the RP talked her way out of it
Then, we boarded the (second) bus to drive a mere 100 metres to our IL62 aircraft
I got told off by a woman on the tarmac for "filming" (why I don't know)I just said I was a stupid tourist and pointed to the (Russian) guy next to me doing the same
No airconditioning until after takeoff...............No safety checks, bags on seats and all over the floor, luckily not totally full. The 32 year old aircraft was in suprisingly good order inside, and clean. Tne FA's did a soft drink then snack service and disappeared
"I've been all over the world on this plane" said our RP
Then a little over 2 hours later, down through many clouds to noisy landing
The "tarmac" looked like a goat track and after a hair-raising ride in a old bus-type vehicle, we were "in"
And, then the key part of our trip - Our Family was waiting
I just got the video camera going intime to capture a very emotional "Mother & Daughter reunion"
Alexei has a Toyota Prado, which was useful for getting all the bags in and the fast, bumpy ride along "The Road of Bones" into town, about 60kms
Of course, up late, and of course, much food and drink

WELCOME TO MAGADAN

THIS IS NOW A BANK

Perhaps Joe Blake can work his magic and remove the signs on this nicely restored building in Khabarovsk

KHABAROVSK

ONE OF THE BETTER LOOKING BUILDINGS, ALSO NEAR OUR HOTEL

KHABAROVSK

ANOTHER RUSSIAN HERO

FIRST POST FROM RUSSIA

Had a nice flight on Asiana into Khabarovsk. Not full, mainly Russians returning. Two of the FAs were from the Ukraine, all announcements were in Korean/Russian....then English
We landed and stopped about 100m from the Terminal. The Customs official on the tarmac was a young blonde woman in an impossibly short mini-skirt and huge heels. The unsmiling woman Immigration official asked her colleague a couple questions and then stamped my Passport. The RP had been worried about how she would be received on a pristine Russian Passport issued in New Zealand, but no problems
We then watched as the “ground crew” drove a truck to the rear hold, and threw the bags on board. No “cans” here. They then, with due ceremony, drove to the terminal and tossed the bags on a “belt”
Nice to meet our transfer guides, Svetlana and Alexander, our name on a board, got our HUGE amount of luggage into their SUV. (Did I mention the RP got the wine confiscated at SYD on departure, by packing it in my wheelie bag, without telling me)
We then went to find the Dalavia office to buy the tickets for Magadan. I found it myself in the end, upstairs in the virtually empty Terminal. The two woman took 10 minutes to issue the tickets off the File I had alreday created. Then, we were off
A beatiful, hot sunny afternoon. "Sacha" demonstrated his driving skills every 5 minutes by overtaking whatever/whenever, but Sveta devoured all the info she could from the RP about "New Zealand"
Everyone was "outside". We checked in (on 2 floors) at the Intourist Hotel and our room was on the 10th floor, overlooking the River. Two rooms, lounge with bilious green leather suite (sofa bed for Nikita) and big TV and huge a/c unit busy doing.....Nothing. Very hot....all night
(We got tired of telling them....And also the electrician we had to call to get the power points working. "I'm not sure" he told the RP, "But think of me as a magician from the circus")
We walked around the town for 2-3 hours, had a few beers in the only place we could sit outside, the RP and Nikita ordered their favourite salted dry fish to go with beer. "Are you going to comment on the miniskirts for all of the trip ?" I was asked
Then, late Dinner in the Hotel. All older Russian couples requesting songs from the band. The RP suddenly said "I've been here before.....Nothing has changed, We used to laugh then !" (AEROFLOT crew hotel.....) The waitresses were all in uniform, the wine was warm, ("What is ice bucket, you want ice for drinks ?") and the food very average
Next day, we were privileged to meet Alexander and Nina, Parents of Polina in Auckland. Wonderful people, Nina walked us around, then took us home for "tea". I should have guessed....Russian tea......Alexander had come home from work to cook. Huge amounts of food, and cognac, with many toasts…At lunchtime

MAKING A START

Thanks for the many messages !
Hopefully we can get some photos + video up as we go to keep you entertained
To answer some immediate questions, It is "Summer" and quite warm, 20-40c
It is also the "White Nights" period with very little darkness

UPDATE

First glitch already, Lost the first setup somehow
So, have had to tell you all of the "new address"

Meantime, here are some pics of Magadan itself