28 May
Picked up for the drive to the Train Station by Victoria at 8am. Roundabout route. We waited about an hour for the train to arrive, then lugged our bags aboard after being checked in by the provenitza with sign language (our compartment is the 2nd one down). We have one other passenger in our 2nd Class compartment, a middle aged lady who spends much of the trip sleeping, snacking, or doing her beauty regime (tea bags over the eyes, or moistened pads, and a one hour makeup session just before arrival at Irkutsk). Occasionally she says something conversational in Russian, which of course, we do not understand, so we say something back in English, and all laugh about it. We do establish that we are both going to Irkutsk.
Outside the grubby window, the scene does not change much. Along a riverside, with small villages appear from time to time, then quickly pass. The trees will change from birch to pine and then back again. A farmer will be seen tilling a field. All of the foliage is an iridescent spring green, and blossom still clings to some of the trees.
In the carriage, men are stripping down to shorts and bare chests. It isn’t too hot in the carriage, so perhaps they are just doing it in in honour of Vladimir Putin.
After about 2 hours on the rails, Lake Baikal comes into view, like a vast limpid inland sea. The train track the lake for the next 3 hours, before climbing steeply up the hills toward Irkutsk after the one stop at sleepy Slyudanka. There are snow-capped mountains to the south, and on the stony lakeshore, folk are fishing or picnicking. Train 07HA rolls quietly into Irkutsk station on time at 15:36, after leaving Ulan-Ude a few minutes late. We struggle with our big bags down the steps to the underpasses, up again and out of the station. First taxi offer is crazy (1000 roubles). I say 250 rouble as advised by Maxim, and eventually one guy agrees. It only takes 15 minutes to reach Maxim’s roomy apartment, with assistance from Maxim by telephone. Russian SIM card is a great investment.
Maxim gives us a lesson on how to book a taxi by phone. Should be fun.
Minuk is very weary and sleepy, but we have to go out to find Baikaler Hostel, to book minibus tickets from Irkutsk to Olkhon Island and return. This is achieved without too much difficulty (1800 rouble each). The air in Irkutsk is cool and pleasant, and the streets wide and clean. There are many of the now familiar wooden buildings with elaborately carved and painted. In one open window we spy three kittens, peering out, whilst a lithe and lively ginger one hops in and out. There are other grander, more European buildings lining the main streets, Karl Marx and Lenin. It is easy to understand why the city is called ‘the Paris of Siberia’. Rattly old trams and trolley buses trundle at streets, which seem rather quiet on a Sunday afternoon.
We eat dinner at a smart place on ul. Karl Marx called ‘Entrecot’, where the drinks are interesting, and the food is OK. Minuk chose a potato waffle beef sandwich, whilst I chose pork and bacon shaslik, with sides (705 roubles, $17). Then to the 24 hour supermarket to buy some provisions before returning to the apartment. Minuk rested whilst I walked down ul Lenina to the attractive dining and bar area at 130 Kvartal, where also can be found a statue of the mythical babr, found on Irkutsk’s coat of arms, and the I (heart) Irkutsk sign in front of the big Modnyy Kvartal mall. The sun was just setting as I arrived. After a short visit, I walked back to apartment via an alternate route. Blogged until bedtime.
29 May
Bright in the bedroom before 5am. No blackout curtains. Eggs and toast with a coffee for breakfast. The morning was cool and sunny as we set out shortly after 10am. Walked to the Central Market, where flower stalls seemed to be a major thing, and decided to walk up to Tourist Office and Volkonsky House Museum before going on to Lystvyanka on the shores of Lake Baikal for lunch.
Turned out Volkonsky House Museum closed on Mondays, so went to bus station and caught a minibus (120 roubles, $3) down to the lake. The ride, on a bumpy road, took a bit more than an hour.
Much colder on the lakeshore than in Irkutsk. A strong chilly breeze blowing, and the blue water glittering. Snow-capped mountains on the other side of the lake.
Smoked lake fish (omul) for lunch. Bought the fish in the market (2 pieces, one hot smoked, the other dry smoked). Ate fish in a café in the market, buying salads and drinks.
Back on a minibus to the Baikal Museum. Entry a pretty steep 310 roubles ($8). Worth it for the thrillingly spherical balls of blubber that are the Baikal Seal (Nerpa), swimming endlessly around their small aquarium. The other aquaria have omul and other fish, and were well displayed. The rest of the Museum was devoted to Geology of the region, and a bit of speculative animation.
Back to Irkutsk on yet another minibus.
Got more roubles for ATM, then out for dinner at the food court at Modnyy Kvartal after deciding restaurants and bars in 130 Kvartal overpriced. Lunch specials are better value. We chose to eat blinis (370 roubles, $9) from a stall which stood out and said ‘eat me’ amid the sad International Chains such as KFC and Baskin Robbins. Later had an interesting layered biscuit cake, which tasted better the more of it we ate.
Back to apartment to pack, ready for the trip to Olkhon Island tomorrow
Picked up for the drive to the Train Station by Victoria at 8am. Roundabout route. We waited about an hour for the train to arrive, then lugged our bags aboard after being checked in by the provenitza with sign language (our compartment is the 2nd one down). We have one other passenger in our 2nd Class compartment, a middle aged lady who spends much of the trip sleeping, snacking, or doing her beauty regime (tea bags over the eyes, or moistened pads, and a one hour makeup session just before arrival at Irkutsk). Occasionally she says something conversational in Russian, which of course, we do not understand, so we say something back in English, and all laugh about it. We do establish that we are both going to Irkutsk.
Outside the grubby window, the scene does not change much. Along a riverside, with small villages appear from time to time, then quickly pass. The trees will change from birch to pine and then back again. A farmer will be seen tilling a field. All of the foliage is an iridescent spring green, and blossom still clings to some of the trees.
In the carriage, men are stripping down to shorts and bare chests. It isn’t too hot in the carriage, so perhaps they are just doing it in in honour of Vladimir Putin.
After about 2 hours on the rails, Lake Baikal comes into view, like a vast limpid inland sea. The train track the lake for the next 3 hours, before climbing steeply up the hills toward Irkutsk after the one stop at sleepy Slyudanka. There are snow-capped mountains to the south, and on the stony lakeshore, folk are fishing or picnicking. Train 07HA rolls quietly into Irkutsk station on time at 15:36, after leaving Ulan-Ude a few minutes late. We struggle with our big bags down the steps to the underpasses, up again and out of the station. First taxi offer is crazy (1000 roubles). I say 250 rouble as advised by Maxim, and eventually one guy agrees. It only takes 15 minutes to reach Maxim’s roomy apartment, with assistance from Maxim by telephone. Russian SIM card is a great investment.
Maxim gives us a lesson on how to book a taxi by phone. Should be fun.
Minuk is very weary and sleepy, but we have to go out to find Baikaler Hostel, to book minibus tickets from Irkutsk to Olkhon Island and return. This is achieved without too much difficulty (1800 rouble each). The air in Irkutsk is cool and pleasant, and the streets wide and clean. There are many of the now familiar wooden buildings with elaborately carved and painted. In one open window we spy three kittens, peering out, whilst a lithe and lively ginger one hops in and out. There are other grander, more European buildings lining the main streets, Karl Marx and Lenin. It is easy to understand why the city is called ‘the Paris of Siberia’. Rattly old trams and trolley buses trundle at streets, which seem rather quiet on a Sunday afternoon.
We eat dinner at a smart place on ul. Karl Marx called ‘Entrecot’, where the drinks are interesting, and the food is OK. Minuk chose a potato waffle beef sandwich, whilst I chose pork and bacon shaslik, with sides (705 roubles, $17). Then to the 24 hour supermarket to buy some provisions before returning to the apartment. Minuk rested whilst I walked down ul Lenina to the attractive dining and bar area at 130 Kvartal, where also can be found a statue of the mythical babr, found on Irkutsk’s coat of arms, and the I (heart) Irkutsk sign in front of the big Modnyy Kvartal mall. The sun was just setting as I arrived. After a short visit, I walked back to apartment via an alternate route. Blogged until bedtime.
29 May
Bright in the bedroom before 5am. No blackout curtains. Eggs and toast with a coffee for breakfast. The morning was cool and sunny as we set out shortly after 10am. Walked to the Central Market, where flower stalls seemed to be a major thing, and decided to walk up to Tourist Office and Volkonsky House Museum before going on to Lystvyanka on the shores of Lake Baikal for lunch.
Turned out Volkonsky House Museum closed on Mondays, so went to bus station and caught a minibus (120 roubles, $3) down to the lake. The ride, on a bumpy road, took a bit more than an hour.
Much colder on the lakeshore than in Irkutsk. A strong chilly breeze blowing, and the blue water glittering. Snow-capped mountains on the other side of the lake.
Smoked lake fish (omul) for lunch. Bought the fish in the market (2 pieces, one hot smoked, the other dry smoked). Ate fish in a café in the market, buying salads and drinks.
Back on a minibus to the Baikal Museum. Entry a pretty steep 310 roubles ($8). Worth it for the thrillingly spherical balls of blubber that are the Baikal Seal (Nerpa), swimming endlessly around their small aquarium. The other aquaria have omul and other fish, and were well displayed. The rest of the Museum was devoted to Geology of the region, and a bit of speculative animation.
Back to Irkutsk on yet another minibus.
Got more roubles for ATM, then out for dinner at the food court at Modnyy Kvartal after deciding restaurants and bars in 130 Kvartal overpriced. Lunch specials are better value. We chose to eat blinis (370 roubles, $9) from a stall which stood out and said ‘eat me’ amid the sad International Chains such as KFC and Baskin Robbins. Later had an interesting layered biscuit cake, which tasted better the more of it we ate.
Back to apartment to pack, ready for the trip to Olkhon Island tomorrow