We arrived by air into Vladivostok. The city is perched on the
hillside overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
It was once a closed port and the home of the Russian Pacific Fleet, which now features prominently in their museums!! We were told that the city currently has 2 seasons – summer and reconstruction – they are preparing for a big international conference in 2012, so are tearing up the city and roads to rebuild everything. They are also building a massive bridge which will be one of the biggest in the world – WHEN completed
! Locals are
not sure if it will all be finished in time. And the city appears to be one large traffic jam!! And parking is a massive problem. Traffic drives on the right but vehicles can be either left or right hand drive as they import large numbers of second hand cars from Japan, and the Russians are NOT going to be depriv
ed off their cars!!! (L - Our train - the long blue one in the back ground)
(R - Our welcome glass of champagne in the meeting hall)
After a tour of Vladivostok we were taken to our train – the Golden Eagle – our luggage was already aboard in our cabins. We were welcomed with a glass of champagne and then taken to board our train.
There was a brass Band playing to welcome us. Our cabin stewards guided us to our car – we were car 10 – the last car, but for the start we were at the front of the train. It appears that when leaving Moscow trains 
run forward, but backwards when returning.
(L - Faye is welcomed aboard by our two carriage attendants)
The train has all facilities just like a large hotel - dining cars, lounge cars, kitchen and of course bedrooms, which convert to seats during the day.
Cars are interconnected, so you could walk from one 
(L - The corridor down the carriages)
(R - The cabin ready for day use)
(R - The cabin ready for sleeping - the upper bunk swings down)
(R - The dining car)
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