I watched it mainly for the scenery which was good as I would never see these places in reality it is like the Tour de France the scenery there was fantastic .Which I mainly watched just for the scenery then got quite involved in it .
Yes, loved it - have been to (the then) USSR four times, three times in winter. Brought it all back...although I did go in the depths of winter. Experiencing Lake Baikal and the Trans-Siberian Railway at minus 40 (C and F) is unforgettable.