Eastern Siberia – Ulan Ude

Day 5-6

Ulan-Ude - the first stop

I woke up today to the first time zone change since the start of this journey. In fact, due to the enormous distances covered while traveling west towards Moscow, time zones will change at least once at every leg of the Trans-Siberian trip.

The weather was pretty bad in the morning but Dostoevsky Hostel was just a 100m walk from the central railway station. It's a typical Siberian Summer day today. While raining and windy in the morning, the sun is out by mid-afternoon and the evening nice and mild.

The staff at Dostoevsky Hostel were very helpful in pointing out the highlights of the town, the best places for lunch and dinner and so on. They don't speak any English but my straightforward Russian was more than enough. There are plenty of hostels like Dostoevsky Hostel in Ulan Ude, and very cheap for Western European standards. You can find one at Booking.com.

The Buryats and the capital of Buryatia

Related to the Mongolian people, the Buryat are the original inhabitants of the Baikal region as well as a large swathe of eastern Siberia. They speak Buryat a Mongolian dialect, however, it is becoming increasingly rare amongst locals and is gradually replaced by Russian as a first language.

Ulan Ude is a fusion of Russian and Mongolian influences, with Asian and colonial Russian architecture, and a blend of Soviet and East Asian monuments, as well as the largest head of V.L. Lenin in the world. There are colourful Buddhist temples around the region and religion plays a significant role in the culture and behavior of the Buryat. The majority of Ulan Ude locals are Buryat though there is a sizeable number of Eurasian Russians.

As a result of its remote location, English is almost non-existent here. Signs are typically dual lingual Russian and Buryat.

I went out for a stroll around this Eastern Siberian town. It is the capital city of the Buryat Republic and a major stop along both the Trans-Siberian and Trans-Mongolian railways. While less of a major tourist destination in the Siberian region than Lake Baikal and surrounds, it is still definitely worth stopping by and checking out.

The giant head of Lenin.

Vladimir Lenin was certainly one of the most important and influential figures in Russian history and thus is forever immortalized through this almost comically extravagant homage to him.

Ivolginsky Datsan

This Buddhist temple is worth a brief trip outside of town for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it is regarded as the headquarters of Buddhism in the Russian Federation. Secondly, it is a significant pilgrimage destination, garnering tourists by the busload from nearby Mongolia.

The temples were full of many colors and ornaments. This gave a far eastern or oriental feeling, which set them apart from the mosques of the Middle East or Kazakhstan. The majority of Buryats are also Buddhists. Saw each of the temples but photography was banned. The Buddhist prayers were very ritual and I was told it is a trait of Tibetan Buddhism. The Dalai Lama himself visited this Datsan and Stalin gave his approval for it to be the head of Buddhism in the Soviet Union, significant given his strong stance against religion.

Regional dishes

For dinner, I decided to try something regional rather than just Russian. I found this cosy Mongolian Restaurant and had this soup with lamb and onion slices covered with a layer of pastry on the bowl. While not too big a meal, it was certainly a fantastic entree. The restaurant had traditional Mongolian music playing and set a somewhat traditional vibe

Aside from Buryat and Mongolian cuisine, there are plenty of Russian style restaurants around, as well as stolovayas dotted around town.

Next: Lake Baikal