There is always another land
There is a land where the ship will come from
The land where the ship will go
The ocean is deep
The ocean is wide
The first weekend of October marked the one-month anniversary of my arrival in Irkutsk. What better plan for celebration than to travel?
Last month, at the Irkutsk 350 Celebration, we met Vika Tsyrempilova. Vika is from Ulan-Ude (pronounced: oo-lawn, oo-day), the capital of the Autonomous Republic of Buryatiya. For this weekend, 14 of us decided to take the Transiberian train to Vika’s hometown. She was joyous to show us the city and planned the weekend.
There was:
-Dan (you remember the guy that ran after my mashrutka on the first day of school?)---Danya (roommate!)
-Sara, Katrien, Dries, Lara (Belgians!)
-Maria (from Slovakia, studying in the UK)
-Lara (newest to arrive on our floor, from France)
-Brit, Eline, Sanne. (newest Belgians to arrive that live on the floor above us)
-Emily (British, and doesn’t live in the dorms)
-Me
-and Vika to host!
It was quite the group on the road. Or, rails, that is.
Danya took care of buying tickets with Vika’s help, which involved collecting all of our passports and money for a grand purchase one day after school. The train is divided into a number of sections. There is kupe, which is a single room with four beds. Then, there is plotscart, which is supposed to be a long cart filled with beds. We found some photos online but had a hard time understanding because there were seats in the photo as well. Were some passengers given beds and others forced to spend the night in a seat? It was confusing. We were not sure what to expect in terms of beds, bedding, passengers, anything! All we knew was that we were taking an overnight train from Irkutsk to Ulan-Ude. We would leave town around 11pm and arrive in Ulan-Ude at 6am.
Before we left town, Vika invited us to her apartment for food and drinks. We all stuffed into a bus around 8:30pm. I strangely recall a lot of singing. Stop by stop, the bus filled until there was barely room to move. I also recall stepping on a woman’s foot. We eventually got to sit down, but we were nervous about making it off the bus for our stop. Once we arrived at the stop, I followed a trail created by another passenger that helped me swiftly exit. Once I jumped out, I turned around to see only Sara and the bus quickly driving off with the rest of the group. It was quite strange. I turned around to see Vika smiling until she realized what happened. All of the sudden, we were running and laughing. We ran to her apartment building and then, turned around to run back from where we came and onward to the next bus stop. All the while, we laughed. Eventually, we saw the group walking back from the next bus stop.
Vika’s apartment was quite nice. As usual, we all took off our shoes, making a mountain by the door. The living room had a table with arranged waffle cones filled with caramel pile high, plates of chocolate, boxes of juice, and a glass for everyone. We sat around the table and thanked her repeatedly. She told us she was happy to have her in her home and excited for the trip. We spent the next bit of time chatting away and enjoying the refreshments until it was time to rush to the train station.
The train station is lime green and at night, it glows from all the lights. We all followed Vika for direction and eventually, we were all settled in the plotscart. I was seated in a booth with two seats and a table between, nestled below a bed. These booths lined the right side of the cart. On the left, was an open compartment of four beds with a table. Dan was seated in the booth next to mine but others were further away. After a while, Dan and I realized that the table in our booths flipped over to form a bed. Now, we understood the photographs from online. It was quite efficient really.
I immediately heard English and discovered that a large group of travelers were seated in the open compartments next to Dan and me. It was strangely exciting to hear new people speaking English. We chatted a little and found out that they were travelling from Moscow to Beijing in 18 days. I ended up switching seats with another passenger to sit in the booth with Dan. This booth became the hub of the evening for chatting, drinks, and celebrating the Jewish New Year with apples dipped in honey.
After an hour of good cheer, we were hushed by a passenger and dispersed. I went to my bed for a while, the top bunk above Dan’s table-turned-bed, and knitted for a bit. Emily lured me out of bed , and I ended up squeezed on the top bed of an open compartment with her, Lara, and Katrien until another passenger hit my leg and said, “That’s dangerous! Get down!” in Russian. We dispersed again. This time, we ended up in the corridor, waiting for the toilet to open. Train toilets close for up to an hour after every stop. Of course, every time the train stops, you want to go to the toilet and end up having to desperately wait.
In the corridor, we met Timor, a Mongolian tour guide that was leading the English-speaking travelers across the Mongolian section of their journey. He was speaking Russian with Emily and Dan for a while and I zoned out, knitting all the while. Then, all of the sudden, I heard, “Let’s just say it, One Hundred Years of Solitude! That book is my bible!”
Iturned to Timor, stunned, and said, “What?”
“You like this book too?”
“I love this book! It is my bible too!”
He stuck out his hand with an expression I could never fully express and shook my hand. It was incredibly touching. He went on to explain how he reads the book daily and has probably made it through over 50 times. He also said that the translation of the book into Mongolian was the best, but that the translation into Russian was incredible as well. I had never thought of the book translated into other languages, how different things might be interpreted. I truly longed to know what he meant. We also shared other books and were delighted at the chance meeting.
Then, we were hushed by train workers, who told us not to loiter and just go to bed. Emily, Dan, and I tried to chat in our bed for a bit, sharing vodka, but were hushed. Emily and I decided to move onto the smoking corridor between the carts. On the way back into the train, we stopped at the only couple that was awake and offered them vodka. We sat down and were offered glasses of rich, red wine.
This was Natalia and Yuri. This couple was, hands-down, the most affectionate couple I have come across yet. At times, they would stop talking and kiss for a while, leaving Emily and I awkwardly seated next to them in their bed. We went to the smoking corridor almost every five minutes. After a few times, I was nauseated by the smoke. Natalia and Yuri were going to Ulan-Ude to visit a Buddhist Datsun and learn about Buddhism. Both Catholics, they believed it was their duty to learn all they could about all things, all life, all beliefs. It was touching. She had beautiful thoughts about life. Momentarily, I looked out the window and saw the constellation Orion’s gleaming flames blaring from the thick blackness of the night. I almost felt like I was no longer in the train, but running.
We asked her what she did for a living and she said, “Don’t ask me what I do. Ask me what I love.”
We ended up staying up until 3:30am. About an hour before the train got to Ulan-Ude, we were motioned to wake up by lighting and announcements. The train arrived on time. We shuffled out into the dark morning where the air was icy cold and below-freezing. We walked to a couple bus stops and waited quite a while before we were able to get on a mashrutka to the center of town. Emily and Danya immediately ran to the largest sculpture of Lenin’s head in the world. I couldn’t see it at first, the dimensions are so intense. It was a large black spot in my view, a dome. Emily told her friends later, “I was drink when I ran to Lenin, but I returned sober.” Love that.
We spent the entire morning at a Subway Sandwich shop, of all places. We ate sandwiches with tea and coffee, listening to a flat-screen television blare out popular pop music from Katy Perry, Adele, and Rhianna. It was surprising to me to see.
After the sun rose a fair bit, we wandered. Ulan-Ude is a wonderful, beautiful city. Vika was a great guide and planned a wonderful trip. We were all very grateful :D
I am returning there at a later date with a tour guide. At that time, I will relish in the more historical details of this place. For now, here are some photos:
-Dan (you remember the guy that ran after my mashrutka on the first day of school?)---Danya (roommate!)
-Sara, Katrien, Dries, Lara (Belgians!)
-Maria (from Slovakia, studying in the UK)
-Lara (newest to arrive on our floor, from France)
-Brit, Eline, Sanne. (newest Belgians to arrive that live on the floor above us)
-Emily (British, and doesn’t live in the dorms)
-Me
-and Vika to host!
It was quite the group on the road. Or, rails, that is.
Danya took care of buying tickets with Vika’s help, which involved collecting all of our passports and money for a grand purchase one day after school. The train is divided into a number of sections. There is kupe, which is a single room with four beds. Then, there is plotscart, which is supposed to be a long cart filled with beds. We found some photos online but had a hard time understanding because there were seats in the photo as well. Were some passengers given beds and others forced to spend the night in a seat? It was confusing. We were not sure what to expect in terms of beds, bedding, passengers, anything! All we knew was that we were taking an overnight train from Irkutsk to Ulan-Ude. We would leave town around 11pm and arrive in Ulan-Ude at 6am.
Before we left town, Vika invited us to her apartment for food and drinks. We all stuffed into a bus around 8:30pm. I strangely recall a lot of singing. Stop by stop, the bus filled until there was barely room to move. I also recall stepping on a woman’s foot. We eventually got to sit down, but we were nervous about making it off the bus for our stop. Once we arrived at the stop, I followed a trail created by another passenger that helped me swiftly exit. Once I jumped out, I turned around to see only Sara and the bus quickly driving off with the rest of the group. It was quite strange. I turned around to see Vika smiling until she realized what happened. All of the sudden, we were running and laughing. We ran to her apartment building and then, turned around to run back from where we came and onward to the next bus stop. All the while, we laughed. Eventually, we saw the group walking back from the next bus stop.
Vika’s apartment was quite nice. As usual, we all took off our shoes, making a mountain by the door. The living room had a table with arranged waffle cones filled with caramel pile high, plates of chocolate, boxes of juice, and a glass for everyone. We sat around the table and thanked her repeatedly. She told us she was happy to have her in her home and excited for the trip. We spent the next bit of time chatting away and enjoying the refreshments until it was time to rush to the train station.
The train station is lime green and at night, it glows from all the lights. We all followed Vika for direction and eventually, we were all settled in the plotscart. I was seated in a booth with two seats and a table between, nestled below a bed. These booths lined the right side of the cart. On the left, was an open compartment of four beds with a table. Dan was seated in the booth next to mine but others were further away. After a while, Dan and I realized that the table in our booths flipped over to form a bed. Now, we understood the photographs from online. It was quite efficient really.
I immediately heard English and discovered that a large group of travelers were seated in the open compartments next to Dan and me. It was strangely exciting to hear new people speaking English. We chatted a little and found out that they were travelling from Moscow to Beijing in 18 days. I ended up switching seats with another passenger to sit in the booth with Dan. This booth became the hub of the evening for chatting, drinks, and celebrating the Jewish New Year with apples dipped in honey.
After an hour of good cheer, we were hushed by a passenger and dispersed. I went to my bed for a while, the top bunk above Dan’s table-turned-bed, and knitted for a bit. Emily lured me out of bed , and I ended up squeezed on the top bed of an open compartment with her, Lara, and Katrien until another passenger hit my leg and said, “That’s dangerous! Get down!” in Russian. We dispersed again. This time, we ended up in the corridor, waiting for the toilet to open. Train toilets close for up to an hour after every stop. Of course, every time the train stops, you want to go to the toilet and end up having to desperately wait.
In the corridor, we met Timor, a Mongolian tour guide that was leading the English-speaking travelers across the Mongolian section of their journey. He was speaking Russian with Emily and Dan for a while and I zoned out, knitting all the while. Then, all of the sudden, I heard, “Let’s just say it, One Hundred Years of Solitude! That book is my bible!”
Iturned to Timor, stunned, and said, “What?”
“You like this book too?”
“I love this book! It is my bible too!”
He stuck out his hand with an expression I could never fully express and shook my hand. It was incredibly touching. He went on to explain how he reads the book daily and has probably made it through over 50 times. He also said that the translation of the book into Mongolian was the best, but that the translation into Russian was incredible as well. I had never thought of the book translated into other languages, how different things might be interpreted. I truly longed to know what he meant. We also shared other books and were delighted at the chance meeting.
Then, we were hushed by train workers, who told us not to loiter and just go to bed. Emily, Dan, and I tried to chat in our bed for a bit, sharing vodka, but were hushed. Emily and I decided to move onto the smoking corridor between the carts. On the way back into the train, we stopped at the only couple that was awake and offered them vodka. We sat down and were offered glasses of rich, red wine.
This was Natalia and Yuri. This couple was, hands-down, the most affectionate couple I have come across yet. At times, they would stop talking and kiss for a while, leaving Emily and I awkwardly seated next to them in their bed. We went to the smoking corridor almost every five minutes. After a few times, I was nauseated by the smoke. Natalia and Yuri were going to Ulan-Ude to visit a Buddhist Datsun and learn about Buddhism. Both Catholics, they believed it was their duty to learn all they could about all things, all life, all beliefs. It was touching. She had beautiful thoughts about life. Momentarily, I looked out the window and saw the constellation Orion’s gleaming flames blaring from the thick blackness of the night. I almost felt like I was no longer in the train, but running.
We asked her what she did for a living and she said, “Don’t ask me what I do. Ask me what I love.”
We ended up staying up until 3:30am. About an hour before the train got to Ulan-Ude, we were motioned to wake up by lighting and announcements. The train arrived on time. We shuffled out into the dark morning where the air was icy cold and below-freezing. We walked to a couple bus stops and waited quite a while before we were able to get on a mashrutka to the center of town. Emily and Danya immediately ran to the largest sculpture of Lenin’s head in the world. I couldn’t see it at first, the dimensions are so intense. It was a large black spot in my view, a dome. Emily told her friends later, “I was drink when I ran to Lenin, but I returned sober.” Love that.
We spent the entire morning at a Subway Sandwich shop, of all places. We ate sandwiches with tea and coffee, listening to a flat-screen television blare out popular pop music from Katy Perry, Adele, and Rhianna. It was surprising to me to see.
After the sun rose a fair bit, we wandered. Ulan-Ude is a wonderful, beautiful city. Vika was a great guide and planned a wonderful trip. We were all very grateful :D
I am returning there at a later date with a tour guide. At that time, I will relish in the more historical details of this place. For now, here are some photos:
The fountains were so stunning and complex!
Danya and I trying to seriously pose as ballerinas :)
Perfect!
Triumphal Arch! Originally built in 1891 to honor the imperial heir, Nicholas II (who was travelling across Eurasia at the time), this replica was rebuilt in 2006.
Emily. She has a rosary around her wrist--a gift from Natalia on the train.
Looking back at the Triumphal Arch along the wide Lenin Street.
There was a slot at the top for coins, which would make the most delightful metallic echoes all along their fall.
Still Lenin Street, but a pedestrian section.
At the center of Revolution Square.
Not sure what to make of him, but I love him.
A tree of love locks! On the day of a wedding, the bride and groom come to this tree with a padlock to lock on the tree. The key is then usually thrown into a river.
HOPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Merchants at the Ivolginsky Datsun with all kinds of Mongolian goods.
In 1956, a cutting of the Bodhi Tree that Buddha attained enlightenment beneath was brought to the temple and encouraged to take root in the grounds. It is enclosed to keep overzealous pilgrims fom taking their own cuttings.
The main temple, built in 1972...stunning.
The main temple in all its glory. Rice, coins, and coloured silks were left as offerings.
A massive crowd waited to see the body of the Lama, who was inside.
One last look at the Soviet Square...
Birch!The train ride home was absolutely quiet. I slept slept slept.
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