Days 5-7: Ekaterinburg and Novosibirsk

Helge and Karen have now traveled over 2,000 miles in their journey across Russia. The photos and slideshows from Day 4 and Day 5 have been posted and the train has crossed from Europe into Asia. In between enjoying their luxurious accommodation, MIR's Trans-Siberian live blogging team has been exploring Russia's long and storied history with lectures from MIR guides and excursions to historically important sites. Karen weighs in on one such site:

With his thick Russian accent, our guide Alexander came to life as we toured at the Cathedral on the Blood and Czar murder site. A merchant's house used to stand there... the cellar was the place where the family took their last breaths. The house has long been torn down, and now a gorgeous church stands in its place, marking the historical legacy of Ekaterinburg.

In Novosibirsk, Helge snapped shots of the many locomotive cars produced throughout Russia's history, and Karen mused about what heroics must have gone on in the medical cars of the Russian trains.

Stayed tuned as Karen and Helge wind their way around Lake Baikal and enjoy a lakeside barbecue.

For more information on this or any other tour, visit MIR's website.