Niznhy Novgorod

Dennis is the leader of gang called G.O.P. as is evidenced by the tattoo of the letters that he and the other members have on their ankles. I'd taken a taxi up to Dennis' apartment outside of the town and apparently been overcharged but I'm just glad to get there after arriving just after 1 AM in Gorky, as the city is still known on the train timetables. Despite the late hour, we go to buy vodka and some food and when we arrive back at the flat his girlfriend Yana prepares a delicious potato dish and chops some salami. We stay up late talking about many things and drinking many glasses, despite my protesting eyelids that want only to close. Dennis says he is a patriot and has a Russian flag proudly taped to the door of the kitchen but despite this, his skinhead hair cut and big black boots he is not part of the growing facist movement in Russia. Music is his primary hobby and his knowledge is incredibly extensive, including of English and American bands, and he is full of information about everyone who comes onto the music channel, that is playing a mix of alternative Western and Russian tunes in the background.

Up the dirt track past mounds of rubbish we duck through a gap in the fence into the train yards. We've waited until a train on the track nearest has left, because Akts, as he is known in the world of graffiti, reckons there is probably a guard on board. I have seen some of Akts work in the incredibly professionally produced Russian train graffiti magazine: Iron Curtain. These controversial works of art represent quite a feat, especially when you consider that the Russian police takes a dim view of their decorative efforts and will shoot if they catch someone in the act. Personally, I disagree with the police and think that a beautifully decorated train is considerably more interesting. Tonight we're not going to paint anything, so we complete the interview with the trains passing by and the snow beginning to fall and then head for warmth.