Vladimir Lenin

More bike riding and exploring the city this morning and then in the afternoon we went on a search through some of the less up-market parts of Kazan to find Lenin's house and museum. We had not realised but Kazan was truly the foundation of the formation of Lenin's revolutionary thinking and action.
Gillian can't pass up a photo opportunity with someone famous.

He stayed in many houses as he was kept on the move by the authorities but this is a house where he stayed with his family (mother & siblings) for a descent time. It is filled with all the paraphernalia of daily life of a middle class family including things like his chess set, writing desk and books. The museum also covers the lives of both his grandfather a doctor and his father a leading educator and that of his 5 other siblings, An older brother was executed for revolutionary activity whilst his sister was imprisoned for 5 years when Lenin was 17. The museum was really well set out and definitely worth the walk to discover it.
The first picture in this series is Vlad's room.

Off to the railway station to get on our train for the penultimate leg of the trans- Siberian to Moscow. After compartments which had been less than luxurious we found ourselves being treated almost like royalty in our self contained luxury compartment we were like little kids in a 'lolly shop'.

Time for breakfast.