Part 14: First Day in Irkutsk
Hotel: Matreshka Hotel, 26 EUR/night incl. breakfast
The ride from the airport to my hotel was a short one – as Irkutsk Airport is located right into the city's outskirts. For the first two days in Irkutsk I had booked a local cheap hotel which had good ratings and a central location, even though it looked a bit basic (which for me is perfectly fine when I'm travelling alone as my backpacking years have not been so long ago and I cannot always afford to stay in top rate hotels).
The reception staff was very welcoming and I quickly settled in my room for a short nap as I was completely destroyed after three flights – including a nasty red eye. The bed was comfortable and I had a good sleep. My only real drawback to the hotel is the tiny bathroom which has no separate shower, so when you take a shower you basically put the entire bathroom floor and toilet under water.
The Matreshka hotel from outside
Room view
The very small bathroom – the only big drawback of my otherwise fine stay in the hotel.
I don't think I ever saw a crayon on a hotel room desk? No clue why they put it instead of a pen!
A decidedly Soviet-looking hotel corridor :-)
When I woke up again after my nap I was treated to gorgeous sunset views out of my window which overlooked a snowy courtyard and part of the city.
For the first time it really began to kick in that I was now really in an exotic faraway place which I long wanted to visit before. I put on a thermo shirt, a sweater, my winter jacket and some gloves and hat and I was all set for my first walk around in the Siberian snow. As I was still tired and jetlagged, I decided that a short 30 minute walk to a restaurant for some good food would definitely help my body to feel better. And to my surprise, it wasn't actually that cold outside if you dress up well. The only cold moments that evening where those when I put off my gloves to make a picture. Better be quick doing that!
For dinner I picked a Mongolian restaurant (called “Kochevnik”, which means “nomad”). It had raving reviews and great ratings online, and would make a nice walk through bits of the historic city which is famous for its many wooden houses. The walk to the restaurant at dusk was indeed lovely – I will let the pictures do the talking here.
The restaurant itself is also located in an old building and has a lovely décor from the inside. As is very customary in Russia, it has a wardrobe where you can leave your jacket – with a waiter escorting you to your table. I know you won't often hear the words “customer service” and “Russia” in the same sentence – but in restaurants and pubs I only had great experiences on this trip (as on prior two visits to Russia). Service was smooth, fast and very friendly.
The clientele in the restaurant was interesting – some Russians, some Chinese tourists, and a big group of Asian-looking businessmen drinking huge quantities of vodka and other alcoholic beverages. I later found out they were Buryats – the largest indigenous ethnic group in Siberia akin to Mongolians. The region surely is an interesting ethnic mix both in its people and heritage, half European and half Asian.
For food I ordered some Mongolian dumplings as a starter and some beef as a main. While the dumplings were a bit standard, I found the main course to be great, with just the exact amount of exotic spices (lots of lemongrass) to give it an unique and distinct taste. I washed the meal away with two different Mongolian beers (decidedly average). The whole bill was perhaps 15 EUR or so.
Mongolian restaurant Kochevnik (Nomad)
I walked home after the meal and called it an early night, so I would be ready the next day to explore Irkutsk!
Next up: A full day exploring the sights of Irkutsk