Day 24: Lazy Day in Ulan Ude, Russia

Monday, October 10, 2016

Cold weather plus a cozy hostel with good wifi equals Lazy Day. Other than the International Alley Youth Hostel in Beijing where I stayed for a week, the Ulan Ude Travelers House Hostel has been my favorite so far regarding the great people I met. If you judge a hostel by how many Facebook friends you make, it's 3 for Beijing (Chinese, Ukrainian and Indian) and 4 for UU (Russian, Austrian, British and Malaysian). My one big project for the day was buying my train ticket for an overnighter to Urkutsk that night. It was the last time I will try to do it all on my own, without a note written in Russian explaining exactly what I want, or at least not without a Russian SIM card in my phone and Google Translate. Not only did the relatively short line take an hour (Russians may be used to standing in lines, but I am not), it required both hands and both feet plus pen and paper for me to finally get what I needed. That accomplished, time to walk back to the hostel and enjoy the warmth, fast wifi, and the company of new friends.

Every hostel kitchen should look like this. Clean and organized. Notice the Free Food cabinet? There was also a bigger cabinet in the living room for freebies. Miraculously I found a warm pink coat that fit, some warm fuzzy-lined black boots only 1/2 size too small, and a ridiculous camouflage hat which straps around my chin, just in case of extreme cold.

Cheng from Malaysia is an amazing traveler who speaks fluent Russian. Notice the autographs on the wall. Always fun to leave your mark without destroying the walls.

Valentin from Germany doesn't do Facebook. Otherwise, I would have had five new friends. He was a bit sick, so he rested rather than braving the cold. Valentin gave me the business card of Admiral Hostel in Irkutsk and recommended the three-day trip to Lake Baikal, just what I was looking for after missing out on visiting a nomad family in Mongolia and the Old Believer's village in Siberia. Florian from Austria loaned me his phone with a Russian SIM card in it to call the Admiral for a reservation. I told you they were all so nice.

My heroes, Ana and Anastasia, who speak perfect English and are so helpful and sweet.

Irkutsk is proud of its past and displays some nice photos near the Big Lenin Head.

Russian Orthodox priests in the middle row. I'm not familiar with all the differences between Russian Orthodox and Catholics, although they were one religion until 1054. They seem very similar to me, however in Russian Orthodox, like Greek Orthodox, the priests can marry, and they don't believe that the Pope is the spiritual leader of the church.

One block from my hostel and facing the Big Lenin Head. Beautiful architecture, especially in the historic center.

Walking to the train station I spotted so many cargo trains full of lumber. It seems like Siberian forests have unlimited wood for building, but I know it can't be true.



Most Russians train stations display an old steam engine outside. This one was across the street from the station.

One of many typical Russian Orthodox churches.

A quick shot of the inside before a guard came to tell me no photos, at least that's what I assume he was saying.

Smaller representation of Lenin. Notice his name written in cyrillic letters. The "E" is the same. What looks like "H"s are really "N"s.

Coal is a popular heating source in Russia. Makes me wonder if coal mining is any safer than it was in the past.

I couldn't resist buying this jar (Left) of homemade raspberry jam, which I left at the hostel after sampling. I really should have gotten the pickles too. I've had some wonderful homemade pickles in Russia. Mostly, I just wanted to support the older peasant-looking woman who was selling her goods.

These cookies are like the German Lebkuchen, which taste something like gingerbread. I hadn't seen them with postcard photos on them before.

If you're looking for Ulan Ude Travelers House Hostel, look for this scene off the Lenin Square and turn right.

Despite not feeling well, Valentin got volunteered to prepare the pasta and horse meat sauce. Cheng brought the meat from Mongolia. People were surprised to hear that we only use horse meat for pet food in the U.S. I'd eaten horse meat sausage at a friend's in northern Italy before too. I'm not going to lie and say I loved it. I prefer not to eat any meat at all, but Valentin is a decent cook. That's Anastasia smiling in front, and a Russian guest sitting next to Cheng.

There's my raspberry jam, next to Anastasia's homemade strawberry,  and a traditional Russian Red October chocolate bar and a drink called Kvas and described to me as "fermented bread juice," both contributed by Cheng.

By the way, American and European friends, if you didn't get a Russian postcard from me, this might be the explanation. LOL