The UK based company GW Travel Limited is launching a new luxury train service on the Trans-Siberian railroad. With tickets ranging in price from $10,000 to $17,000, you’re unlikely to see many backpackers or traditional Trans-Siberian tourists on this train.

The Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express will accommodate guests in 12 new sleeping cars that are made up of Gold and Silver classes. The six Gold class feature modern en-suite amenities including power showers and under floor heating. Cabins are equipped with state-of the-art DVD/CD players, LCD TV screens, audio system, individual air conditioning, and wardrobe space.

You could choose to travel in a Silver class car, but they are equipped with smaller shower areas.

The Golden Eagle’s inaugural departure is on 6 May, 2007, and the 14 night journey will leave from Moscow, travelling more than 6,000 miles (10,000 kms) to its final destination, Vladivostok, on the Sea of Japan.

Link: GW Travel Limited – Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express
Link: New York Times – A New Luxury Train on Trans-Siberian Route
Link: Reuters – All aboard Russia’s luxury hotel on wheels
Link: Wikipedia – Trans-Siberian Railway

Last week in Russia, backers of a plan to build a massive transportation network connecting Siberia to North America once again floated an age old idea of building a tunnel under the Bering Strait. The plan was apparently first conceived more than 100 years ago by officials of Russian tsar Nicholas II. Supporters of the plan said it would cost about $65 billion to build the system.

Read More: Reuters – RPT-Russia-Alaska tunnel is far off, if not a pipe dream
Read More: Russia Blog – Bering Strait Tunnel – It’s Possible, but is it Affordable?

Here’s a commercial for one of our favorite cold war era movies – the 1966 American comedy “The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming.”

Link: The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming at Amazon

Link: The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming at IMDB

This Saturday, services where held at St. Sophia Cathedral marking the end of the week following Easter (known as Bright Week). During the service, believers walked around the church singing and proclaiming “Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!” The Cathedral of St. Sophia is one of the oldest churches in Russia, constructed from 1045 to 1052. Here’s a short video from the outdoor part of the service.

Link: Saint Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod
Link: Velikiy Novgorod

Landscape after the April snowfall. Moscow, Maryino district. Photo by Sergey at Flickr.

According to the Itar-Tass news agency, more than 6 million Russians took part in Easter celebrations this year. President Putin and other government officials marked the holiday by attending ceremonies in Moscow. Putin also used the occasion to return the long-lost icon “Our Lady of Vladimir” to the Russian Patriarch. Putin declared that the state is determined to return as many stolen relics to the Russian Orthodox Church as possible as well as help rebuild churches and monasteries.

Link: Easter in a Russian Town (Photos)
Link: Putin hands long-lost icon to Orthodox patriarch, pledges to return more
Link: Orthodox and western faiths mark Easter
Link: More than 6 mln Russians taken part in Easter celebrations

Vladaimir is one of the oldest cities in Russia. It has great historical significance and was once the capital of ancient Rus. The city is full of historical landmarks, cathedrals, museums, and concert halls. Vladimir is a must-see city for tourists visiting Russia. Here are some links to more information about Vladimir.

Link: City of Vladimir
Link: Official Vladimir Website
Link: Wikipedia – Vladimir

The Schusev State Museum of Architecture has some very nice online galleries featuring photos and drawings from the Stalin era. The first gallery features drawings of grandiose, yet unrealized, architectural projects. The second gallery, entitled “Life Became Better, Comrades, Life Became More Cheerful”, features photos of Moscow celebrations and construction projects from the same era.

Link: The Architecture of Moscow from the 1930s to the early 1950s. Unrealized projects
Link: Life Became Better, Comrades, Life Became More Cheerful

It seems that people smoke just about everywhere in Russia. The places where you can’t smoke are usually marked with a large sign (many times painted right on the wall) saying “No Smoking!” This is the first we’ve head of an outdoor smoking ban in Russia. Flickr user Fred found this no smoking sign in a field in Suzdal. It made us laugh.