USSR 1979

As part of a scientific exchange program with our employer, Fermi National Accelerabor Laboratory in Batavia, Illinois, we lived for almost 3 months in Academgorodok (Academic Town) in Novosibirsk, Siberia, USSR, working at the Institute of Nuclear Physics.

The terms of the exchange program spelled out certain things about the living environment as well as arranging trips to two other institutes. We chose Yerevan, Armenia, and Leningrad (now St. Petersburg again). We went to Bukhara and Samarkand on our own and Moscow was a stopping point. At the official locations we were accompanied by our Russian host, Tanya Vsevolovskaya.

This is a historical presentation and not only because of the passage of almost 30 years, but also, of course, after the fall of Communism, many changes occurred in Russia and the other former Soviet republics. The dates are only approximate.

In general, spelling in English is not fixed, since the origin is not from our alphabet, so if you want to look places up, you may have to find alternate spellings to get all of the information.

These photos are scans of slides performed on a Nikon Coolscan IV using vuescan. This scanner has an infrared beam that aids in the removal of mold and dust. The slides were rather degraded and somewhat moldy. Additional adjustments were made with Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop.
  • We spent a couple of nights in Vienna before our final leg to Moscow and Novosibirsk.

    Vienna

    We spent a couple of nights in Vienna before our final leg to Moscow and Novosibirsk.
  • We lived in a comfortable well-heated apartment and were provided with special food for special people (see the article below). The exchange programs…

    Novosibirsk 1

    We lived in a comfortable well-heated apartment and were provided with special food for special people (see the article below). The exchange programs…
  • Samarkand is one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world, located on the Asian Silk Road between China and the west. In 1370, Samarkand became the capital…

    Samarkand

    Samarkand is one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world, located on the Asian Silk Road between China and the west. In 1370, Samarkand became the capital…
  • Bukhara is one of the most ancient cities in Central Asia. It was long a major trade and crafts center on the Silk Road. For a long period a part of the Persian…

    Bukhara

    Bukhara is one of the most ancient cities in Central Asia. It was long a major trade and crafts center on the Silk Road. For a long period a part of the Persian…
  • Along with the Armenian alphabet and Mt. Ararat, the Armenian Church is one of the pillars of Armenian culture. Mt. Ararat, the traditional resting place of…

    Armenia

    Along with the Armenian alphabet and Mt. Ararat, the Armenian Church is one of the pillars of Armenian culture. Mt. Ararat, the traditional resting place of…
  • We only stayed for a night or so in Moscow awaiting our train to Leningrad, overnighting in the Academy of Science hotel. The weather was very dreary but not…

    Moscow

    We only stayed for a night or so in Moscow awaiting our train to Leningrad, overnighting in the Academy of Science hotel. The weather was very dreary but not…

  • Leningrad

    Yes, that was the name of St. Petersburg under communism. It was called Petrograd from 1914–1924 and Leningrad from 1924–1991. Founded by Tsar Peter the Great…

  • Novosibirsk 2

    We got back to Novosibirsk from our journeys just in time for the May Day parade and a going-away picnic. May Day in Soviet Russia was International…

  • Trains and boats

    We left Siberia by taking the Trans Siberian railroad from Novosibirsk to Nahodka and thence to Nahodka where we took a Russian ship to Yokohama (Tokyo), Japan.…

  • Japan

    The last leg of our around-the-world journey was to KEK, a Japanese high energy accelerator research organization. People at KEK work very closely with…