train tales

Lee la versión española Thursday 4 June, past midday. Leaving Omsk Alla, without an accent, is not a grammatical mistake in Spanish but Liza’s mom our host. Upon entering, she asks us to take off our shoes and put on the two pairs of carefully prepared slippers. After settling into our room, we make our…

Monday 15 June, 5 AM. Black birds. Small black birds swooping in and out of holes in the walls, through antennas, cables and metal structures that extend from the buildings. Below, dirt streets, potholes, overflowing bins, cars squeezed into the limited space. I raise my eyes and look at the compound; a calm and central…

Read the English version Jueves 4 de junio, pasado el mediodía. Saliendo de Omsk Alla sin acento, no es un error de ortografía en castellano sino la mamá de Liza, nuestra anfitriona. La vieja nos pide que nos saquemos las zapatillas y nos pongamos las pantuflas que están en la entrada. Después de ver nuestro…

Lee la versión española Wednesday 3 June. Past Perm, on the way to Yekaterinburg Arms resting on the frame of the corridor window, I see it pass. Bright, gigantic sphere, it shines through the branches. In vain, porous clouds try to conceal its splendour but its light seeps through their cloak, bathing the forest in…

Read the English version Miércoles 3 de junio. Pasando por Perm, camino a Yekaterinburg Apoyado con mis brazos sobre la ventana del pasillo que da al sur, la veo pasar. Brillante, gigante esférica, se manifiesta a través de las ramas de los árboles. Un manto de nubes intenta disimular su esplendor, pero la luz logra…