Ulaanbaatar day 1

We arrived early this morning to Ulaanbaatar to a sunny day.  We gathered all of our belongings and boarded a bus to the hotel.  Fortunately we were able to check in early.  I really needed a shower after the hot box at the border on the train.

Once I was refreshed we headed to the center of town to the parlement building.  It is a beautiful imposing building with a sitting statue of Genghis Khan guarding the entrance.

Parlement building in Ulaanbaatar.

Genghis Khan is a national symbol for them.  He ruled over the Mongolian empire and was responsible for overtaking much of Asia and reaching into Europe.  He is on the money, on statues, on building, and just about everywhere you look.  Then we went to a Buddhist temple and learned a bit about their customs and beliefs.  Afterward we went to the natural history museum.  Ulaanbaatar has the second largest dinosaur fossil collection on display, following only Beijing.  Most dinosaur fossils you see on display in museums are fiber glass replicas.  The displays pushed the typical evolutionist agenda.  Yes, I do believe dinosaurs existed, just not pseudo-science that goes with it.  The stop was still well worth taking the time to see it.

Then for lunch we had Mongolian barbeque.  This is something I was looking forward to, and it did not disappoint.  It was a lot of show...with fire, flying food, noise and presentation to go with it.  I sampled as much as I could without overeating and it was scrumptious!  We were able to do a little shopping today.  Then we went to a overlook of the city, to a monument showing the countries history, and a large Buddha statue.

After a quick refresher back at the hotel we went to Mongolian theater.  There we were treated to traditional music, dance, and acrobatics.

Contortionists

The throat singing is quit spectacular.  The whole thing was very entertaining.  We capped off the evening by going to a Czech restaurant right in the heart of the city.  Overall Ulaanbaatar impressed me very much!

Train day 4 and early a.m. arrival to Ulaanbaatar on day 5

Yesterday was the first decent internet connection I've had since the start of this trip.  I was able to update the blog with some pictures and daily news, but I didn't want to spend all my time at the computer wasting time on the internet.  We went to bed early because we knew we had an early morning.

We got up at 2:45am for a 3:30 departure to the train station.  At the train station we switched back to Moscow time. We boarded our Mongolian train and started the second leg of the train trip.  We got settled in our cabin and went right back to sleep. I caught a needed additional 4 hours of sleep.  I woke up to see us running parallel to the shore of Lake Baikal.  The Mongolian train is 23 years old and was built in the former East Germany.  It is a lot more basic than our Russian train, but sufficient.  I can certainly envision it being much worse.  Our guide said that our Russian train was the best he's been on, and this is the 10th time he is making this trip.  The Russian train was electric-driven when this train is diesel-electric.  When you flush the toilet you can see the flap open and spill the contents on the track below.

Looking out the window the view is not that different from western slope in Colorado and the western US.  There are rolling plains surrounded by pine forests.  The further south we head the warmer it gets and the more it starts to look like Utah.  The Trans-Mongolian express follows an ancient tea-caravan route from China to Russia through Ulan Bataar and further on to Europe.  The country of Mongolia was established, with the help of Stalin, as a buffer between China and Russia.  He feared an invasion from China.

In one of my blog posts back in 2010, as I visited Uganda, I mentioned an organization located in Denver called Toys for God's kids.  Click here to see a video about this organization.  This trip they supplied me with 100 toy cars to give away to children while on the trip.  I was able to give a few more cars away today on the train to a couple of Buryat children.  They seemed very reluctant and hesitant to accept anything, even when I told them it was a gift.  I managed to capture a few shots before I was asked not to.

Little Buryat Girl with a toy car.

Our final stop in Russia is in the town of Naushkki.  We were fortunate to be able to leave the train for 90 minutes, but afterward we had to re-board the train and spend an additional 90 minutes on the train to complete immigration and customs.  Then we crossed to boarder into Mongolia and went through immigration and customs again in Sukhbaatar, there we were not allow to disembark.  This took approximately another 2 hours.  The time we were condemned to the train was like being in a sauna, but we made the transition.  Huzzah.

Today's stops include:

Ulan-Ude: 3485 miles (5609 km); 3d 12h 20min. - founded in 1666, is a capital of the Buryt Autonomous Republic, which in the 13 - 17th centuries was a part of the vast Mongolian Empire.

Ulaanbaatar:  3736 miles (6013 km) - This is the capital of Mongolia which was founded in 1639 and was often moved along the Selenga river through Orhon and Tuul until it gained its present location. The city is strategically located on the great tea route between China, Russia and Europe.

Baikal & Irkutsk Day 3

After another very restful night we prepared to say goodbye to Baikal.  Today is by far the nicest weather we've have.  The haziness around the lake started to lift and an the sky had a beautiful blue hue.  We boarded our bus and started to head back to Irkutsk.  On the way back we stopped at a historic reconstruction of a Cossack village, picture the movie “Dr. Zhivago”.  The Cossacks are of European descent.  Their religious beliefs are Orthodox Christianity.  The local people of Asian decent are the Buryat.  The Buryat religious beliefs stem from Buddhism and Shamanism.  So there is a mix of cultures here.  As we head south in our journey we will encounter more and more of the later religious beliefs.

In the early afternoon we made our way to our Hotel in Irkutsk.  It is nice to have a toilet again were you are allowed to flush the toilet paper rather than having to toss it into a bin.  But this will end soon.  We were warned that the Mongolian train may have squatty potties.  Taking care of business on a moving train might be kind of interesting.

After settling in we had a small second tour through town.  Then we were free to roam on our own.  We stumbled upon a group of Russian Folk singers at a ethnographic documentary film festival award presentation ceremony.  It was in a typical Russian style.  I will post a video later.

Traditional folk dancers.

We have a short night tonight.  We are going to bed early, because we have to wake up at 3:00am to get ready to leave for the train station.  Tomorrow is another train travel day.  We will leave Irkutsk and head towards Ulaan Ude, and the following morning we will arrive at the Mongolian border.

Baikal Day 2

We were awakened from our deep slumber at about 1:30 am by students celebrating their graduation from school.  There was a lot of noise, fireworks, and festivities.  It was a enjoyable to be able to see the local people enjoying themselves.  So often throughout this trip we have seem gloomy faces.

Today I learned the town down by Lake Baikal is called Listvyanka.  We started the day by walking up the hill from our hotel to a local ski resort.  Not very large at all compared to Colorado standards, they only have one lift.  We took the chairlift to the top of the hill and went to a spot that overlooks Listvyanka and Lake Baikal.  This was a very scenic location.  There are many trees that look very similar to Aspens.  Many of the trees branches were covered with hundreds of ribbons.  Shamanism and Buddhism are common beliefs here.  Each ribbon is a prayer, and the belief is that as the wind blows through the ribbons the people's prayers are carried heavenward.  These beliefs were carried here from Mongolia and from southern regions.

In the early afternoon we went to the port in town and boarded a ship for a three hour cruise...the weather started getting rough...the tiny ship was tossed...if not for the courage of the fearless crew the minnow would be lost...sorry about that I just got carried away in the moment.  We took the ship to the south and actually went ashore for a little walk.  The shoreline drops off almost like a cliff to several thousand feet so the boat can ride up all the way to the shoreline.  It was a pleasant little excursion.

We we got back to Listvyanka we stopped for lunch and I had pork-kabobs and something like naan bread.  The local people here look a lot more Asian than European.  We are actually pretty close to the Mongolian boarder.  The faces and religious practices here are starting to be more eastern in origin.

Since today is Saturday the town of Listvyanka was busy and full of commotion.  The locals from Irkutsk come here for a nice weekend away from town.  They can relax at the “beach” and have a picnic, because “warm” is relative.

Afterward we went to a local museum about Baikal.  We learned a lot about the region, the lake, and the local wildlife (above and below the water).  We are in a seismic hot spot.  That is the reason for the lakes great depth.  They had a couple live Baikal fresh water seals in an aquarium.

Today I found out that my mom will video tape anything...including a dead fly among other things.  In the evening my dad and I went out on the balcony overlooking the lake.  We had a couple ice cold cokes and talked for a long time.  We are having a wonderful time.

Irkutsk & Baikal Day 1

The entire time on the train we were living on Moscow time.  The train schedule across the entire country is always governed by Moscow time.  Our final night on the train we had to go to bed early to try to get 5 hours back.

Now that we are off the train we are running on local time and have a full day ahead of us.  We took a small tour of Irkutsk.  The city is located on the Angara River and was originally a tax collection outpost for local fur trappers.  It was founded by Russians in 1652 as a major fort beyond the Ural Mountains, it was populated by exiled political prisoners sent by the tsars and communists.  For many being sent to Irkutsk was as good as a death sentence.  Now I get to experience it without the fear associated with that name.  We took a tour of the old part of town and saw dilapidated homes that existed through these dark times.
Afterward we took a bus to Lake Baikal about 37 miles east of Irkutsk.  Lake Baikal is the largest single body of fresh water in the world.  It is about 400 miles long and at it's deepest it is about 1 mile deep.  During the winter the lake is frozen over with about 10-12 feet of ice.  The water, when it's not frozen, is quite cold .  Today was a hazy cool day but for the locals is was a beach day.  We took a walk through the old historic part of town

There is a particular type of fish that is only found in this lake and now where else in the world.  I was able to sample a smoked piece of it today.  Not to bad but a little too fishy tasting for me.  I did have a lamb-kabob for lunch that was fantastic!

The hotel we are staying at is having internet issues, so I don't know when I'll be able to make make first batch of postings.  I am hoping I can do this in the morning.  God bless & good night!

Train Day 3 and early a.m. arrival on day 4

Guess what...more trees!  We are Tiaga wilderness.  I know I am witnessing all Siberia has to offer.  I am here in late June, the sunny days are long and it is beautiful.  The wilderness is seemingly unending, it is green an lush.  It looks so appealing.  To the north of us there is very little in terms of habitation and then you reach the polar circle.  I fully realize this season is short lived.  Soon the reality of short summer and the brutally long winter be realized.  This region will soon fall into a deep freeze for 8 months until next years summer.
This reminds me of a joke my boss told me...There is a man in the mid-western US while the region is in the middle of a cold spell.  This streak of cold weather has hit the US hard and lingered around for a several weeks.  He is talking to a business associate on the phone in Siberia.  The Russian inquires about the weather.  The American informs him about the cold spell and the -30 degree weather.  The Russian agree that it is brutally cold and shares him sympathy with his associate.  He says that sometimes it gets that cold in Siberia too. The American reassures him that his house has good insulation and that they have plenty of firewood to keep warm in the cold weather.  The Russian says, "Oh...you're referring to the temperature outside, I was referring to the temperature inside.".

View of the plains from the train.

Today I estimate I am on the opposite side of the world from my home.  It just reminds me that there is an entire world of people here I don't often even consider their existence.  They are also created in God's image and just as valuable to Him as I am.  Today also mark the half way to Vladivostok, but we will get off of the train in Irkutsk.

In the afternoon the scenery is starting to give way to rollings hills.  There are humble little shacks, in various stages of upkeep, nestled into the hillside.  The plains are sprinkled with little purple and yellow flowers.  It is truly picturesque.  Krasnoyarsk is certainly not what I was expecting when I thought of Siberia.

Cottages on a hillside.

Today’s trains stops include:

Krasnoyarsk: 2526 miles (4065 km); 2d 9h 20 min. - Krasnoyarsk is turning into one of the most attractive regions in Russia for both Russian and foreign tourists. The region offers a unique combination of beautiful rivers and mountains, clean air, hunting and fishing, architectural sites and the ethnic culture of a unique northern nation.

Ilanskaya – This 20 minute stop allowed us to sample local cuisine...Piroshki.  They are similar to a hot pocket.  Bread stuffed with with either veggies or meat.  And of course I had to top that off with ice cream.
Angarsk: 3177 miles (5113 km); 3d 2h 20min. - A hazardous city with unsightly landscapes. Recently the construction of an oil pipeline between Russia and China, which would begin in Angarsk, has been discussed.

IRKUTS: 3202 miles (5153 km); 3d 3h 20min. - Irkutsk has over 600,000 people and is located on the Angara River. It is the starting point for many who adventure to the Lake Baikal area because it is a major point on the Trans-Siberian/Trans-Mongolian train route. Founded by Russians in 1652 as a major fort beyond the Ural Mountains, it was populated by exiled political prisoners sent by the tsars and communists. Today, the city has become a college town with many young people attending universities there.

Train Day 2

We crossed the Ural mountains in the middle of the night.  The Ural mountain marks the end of continental Europe and the start of the Asian continent.  I am now in Asia.  This is the first time I've crossed continents while on land.

Local village at a station stop.

The view out the train window is unchanging.  I have seen mile after mile of unending wilderness.  The forest are birch and pine.  The vast wilderness is broken by fairly frequent signs of life.  The signs range from shacks that appear barely habitable to quite large cities.  Novosibirsk, the capital of Siberia, appears to be a quite large and modern city.  We were at the train station long enough for me to purchase an ice cream cone for desert.  I have a plentiful supply of Coca Cola to keep me going (the only thing better would be if it were cold).

I am busy taking as many photographs as possible from our station stops and from the moving train.  There are certain obstacles to taking the perfect snap shot from the train, and I mean that literally.  Every time I take a picture I am virtually guaranteed to capture either a passing pole, a passing train, my lens cap, a window reflection, or I was just too slow in reacting.

Today’s trains stops include:

Yekaterinburg (Sverdlovsk): 1005 miles (1778 km); 1d 2h 20min. (we slept through the stop) - Russia’s third largest city and the capital of the Urals. Sverdlovsk oblast is one of the most developed and advanced regions in Russia. It is very rich in minerals and raw materials and is a heavily industrialized area. It is located far from ethnic conflict areas and is politically stable.

Tyumen: 1307 miles (2104 km); 1d 6h 30min. - Tyumen was the first Russian town in Siberia and has always been famous for rich trade fairs and skilled craftsman. The city was considered the richest Russian town in the pre-Soviet era. Today it’s an oil and gas capital.

Omsk: 1663 miles (2676 km); 1d 13h 50min. - Originally built as a fortification for Russia’s southern border by Peter the Great's guardsman Ivan Buchholz; when in spring of 1716 he and his detachment made a landing on the shore of the Irtysh, at the place where this powerful Siberian river joins the quiet Om. Thus, was founded the town of Omsk, which in our day has become the largest industrial and cultural center in Siberia.

Barabinsk: - I could not find this in our guide book.  This was our longest stop, just over 30 minutes.

Novosibirsk: 2052 miles (3303 km); 1d 21h 30min. - The Siberia region’s largest city was founded in 1893. Novosibirsk is the third main cultural and scientific center in Russia (after Moscow and St. Petersburg) and also is home to the famous University of Novosibirsk. The city is developing quite rapidly, and is considered to be the capital of Siberia. The area around Novosibirsk and the Altai Mountains hold some incredible nature for the outdoors men.

Novosibirsk train station at night.