Siberian Shuffle: Flying Around Eurasia With AF, KL, SU, RO and J2 in Biz
Apr 23, 2018, 8:20 am
#31
Join Date: Apr 2016
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Posts: 130
While that's absolutely true when flying in J, I still prefer AF or KL in Y when flying to Moscow (not least because the 2K/L lounges at CDG are a lot nicer). SU is still a very nice airline in Y, and it baffles me that I still have to convince friends & family that it is now completely safe, but the food/ drinks options are lacklustre compared to AF.
Apr 23, 2018, 1:25 pm
#32
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: OTP
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While that's absolutely true when flying in J, I still prefer AF or KL in Y when flying to Moscow (not least because the 2K/L lounges at CDG are a lot nicer). SU is still a very nice airline in Y, and it baffles me that I still have to convince friends & family that it is now completely safe, but the food/ drinks options are lacklustre compared to AF.
)Actually I do like the AF product, not only in C but also the few times I flew them in Y some years ago. Quality-wise, the best airline meal I actually had on this trip was an intra-European J meal when flying OTP-CDG with Air France..!
Apr 23, 2018, 3:42 pm
#33
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Part 12: Moscow Sheremetyevo (SVO) and Aeroflot's domestic lounge
We had our arrival gate at a jet bridge and I was one of the first to leave the plane. After a short walk I was already at passport control - which luckily had no queues whatsoever. Of course, just like in the supermarket I still managed to choose the wrong counter. I like Russia (as a tourist, not in a Donald Trump way) and I like Russians, counting many of them as good friends. Russians might have the reputation of being stern-faced cold people, but believe me, that is only so on the outside. Once you have befriended them, they can be the most warm and fantastic people you might meet. Unfortunately, that doesn't count for anyone working behind a glass window or counter of some sorts. Cashiers, ticket sellers at train stations, government officials - with very little exceptions Russians turn into the devil's own lackeys trying to make your life as miserable as possible. Compared to the Russians, the people at the TSA and CBP are like theme park entertainers in a Mickey Mouse costume.
Of course, my Russian boarder guard didn't speak a word of English. He did manage to shout the word "passport" and "visa" as well as "where" (no idea if it meant from where I came or where I would head to). Even though I didn't have that much stamps and visas in this relatively new passport it took him ages to inspect literally every single page. At one point he even took an old-fashioned magnifying glass to inspect it. After no shorter than 15 minutes did he finally decide to scan my passport (EU biometric passport) - which somehow did not work. After ten more minutes trying to scan it and looking downright angry he started to shout "njet" and "no". I'm not easily intimidated or scared, but at this moment I really didn't know what he meant. He refused me entry? My passport wasn't working for some reasons? Only five minutes later did some answer came when he closed down his entire passport booth! As I guess his scanner/software just malfunctioned I asked him where to go, after which he shrugged his shoulders. Given that the lines were huge at this time, I politely went in front of the next queue while apologising to the first persons in line that my booth closed and the officer sent me here. Fortunately, the lady manning this booth was a tiny bit more friendly and stamped me into Russia within two minutes after successfully scanning my passport.
I'm not sure if at that point I might have missed a sign, but following the signs to domestic connections I ended up in Sheremetyevo's arrival hall landside (international terminal D). From there I had to take up the elevator and still walk a fair bit to the domestic part of terminal D, only to go through security again. No idea if it's the normal way or if there is a shortcut, but it took me from arrival at the gate about an hour until I finally cleared security at the domestic terminal. As I still had about an hour left, I quickly headed for the domestic lounge.
Now in all fairness: I'm not so sure what to think of this lounge. My first impressions when I arrived where frankly very bad. Looking back at the few pictures I took I'm however thinking now: was it really that bad? It looks quite acceptable!
My first impressions were bad for three main reasons: the lounge was dark and grubby, it was super crowded, and the toilets were outright disgusting - looking like they weren't cleaned in a while. The fact that there were only two toilets (one broken) and an urinal for such a crowded lounge didn't help either.
As it was so crowded I didn't manage to snap any pics as I felt a bit uncomfortable doing so. I only snapped a few quick pictures later when the lounge started to get more quiet. Only at that moment did I manage to find an empty seat in the part of the lounge furthest away from the exit, which was a lot brighter than the dark and dank area around the lounge entrance.
Aeroflot domestic departures. Midnight seems to be a peak time for domestic flights with lots of red-eyes departing for destinations East across the vast landmass of Russia
Some seats in the brighter area of the lounge
Food wise there wasn't that much available. Some sweets, bread, cold cuts - that was about it at the time I was in the lounge. As I wasn't hungry I didn't taste anything whatsoever. Booze seemed to be OK enough - some wines, a sparkling wine (forgot to check which!), some hard alcohol and soft drinks. I was puzzled by the choice of beers on offer. Zhiguli is fair enough as a Russian brand which is also offered by Aeroflot on board. But the domestic lounge had 'quality' Hollandia beer as well - which is famous in Holland for being dirt cheap and a beloved brand among the homeless. Why on earth offer this in a lounge? For the sheer reason of another check-in to my Untappd account (and to send a picture to my Dutch friends to have a good laugh about it) I took a bottle - and it was as disgusting as I remember it was.
Disgusting beer in the Aeroflot lounge
As I didn't like the lounge that much, I decided to get out of it and head to my boarding gate, where they just started with boarding. Weirdly, no priority boarding was enforced and everyone had to get in the same few buses. The drive to our plane seemed to be eternal - the bus driver was not doing faster than 20 due to the snow and ice, and it seemed that the plane itself was parked all the way in Omsk instead of a far-flung Sheremetyevo corner. After half an hour (!) driving in a cramped bus we finally arrived at the aeroplane, where there was even a huge scrum to get on board first. Not a real business-class like experience here!
In short: I'm really conflicted about this bit of the trip and actually curious to hear the opinions from frequent flyers who traveled more times via SVO to domestic Russian destinations. Is the lounge always this bad? Am I exaggerating and might it be an OK lounge at less crowded times? In any case, the transfer at SVO from international to domestic wasn't the smoothest of ever transfers, but considering it's Russia it was fine enough. The lounge itself was dirty, dark, crowded and mediocre when it comes to F&B. The boarding madness and the crowded bus to the plane were a sheer hell and not really something to happily endure in the middle of the night shortly before a long red-eye flight. If one bit of my trip would be the most disappointing, it was this. Luckily, the upcoming domestic Aeroflot flight made me forget all of it in a positive way!.
Next up: Aeroflot domestic business class from Moscow to Irkutsk
We had our arrival gate at a jet bridge and I was one of the first to leave the plane. After a short walk I was already at passport control - which luckily had no queues whatsoever. Of course, just like in the supermarket I still managed to choose the wrong counter. I like Russia (as a tourist, not in a Donald Trump way) and I like Russians, counting many of them as good friends. Russians might have the reputation of being stern-faced cold people, but believe me, that is only so on the outside. Once you have befriended them, they can be the most warm and fantastic people you might meet. Unfortunately, that doesn't count for anyone working behind a glass window or counter of some sorts. Cashiers, ticket sellers at train stations, government officials - with very little exceptions Russians turn into the devil's own lackeys trying to make your life as miserable as possible. Compared to the Russians, the people at the TSA and CBP are like theme park entertainers in a Mickey Mouse costume.
Of course, my Russian boarder guard didn't speak a word of English. He did manage to shout the word "passport" and "visa" as well as "where" (no idea if it meant from where I came or where I would head to). Even though I didn't have that much stamps and visas in this relatively new passport it took him ages to inspect literally every single page. At one point he even took an old-fashioned magnifying glass to inspect it. After no shorter than 15 minutes did he finally decide to scan my passport (EU biometric passport) - which somehow did not work. After ten more minutes trying to scan it and looking downright angry he started to shout "njet" and "no". I'm not easily intimidated or scared, but at this moment I really didn't know what he meant. He refused me entry? My passport wasn't working for some reasons? Only five minutes later did some answer came when he closed down his entire passport booth! As I guess his scanner/software just malfunctioned I asked him where to go, after which he shrugged his shoulders. Given that the lines were huge at this time, I politely went in front of the next queue while apologising to the first persons in line that my booth closed and the officer sent me here. Fortunately, the lady manning this booth was a tiny bit more friendly and stamped me into Russia within two minutes after successfully scanning my passport.
I'm not sure if at that point I might have missed a sign, but following the signs to domestic connections I ended up in Sheremetyevo's arrival hall landside (international terminal D). From there I had to take up the elevator and still walk a fair bit to the domestic part of terminal D, only to go through security again. No idea if it's the normal way or if there is a shortcut, but it took me from arrival at the gate about an hour until I finally cleared security at the domestic terminal. As I still had about an hour left, I quickly headed for the domestic lounge.
Now in all fairness: I'm not so sure what to think of this lounge. My first impressions when I arrived where frankly very bad. Looking back at the few pictures I took I'm however thinking now: was it really that bad? It looks quite acceptable!
My first impressions were bad for three main reasons: the lounge was dark and grubby, it was super crowded, and the toilets were outright disgusting - looking like they weren't cleaned in a while. The fact that there were only two toilets (one broken) and an urinal for such a crowded lounge didn't help either.
As it was so crowded I didn't manage to snap any pics as I felt a bit uncomfortable doing so. I only snapped a few quick pictures later when the lounge started to get more quiet. Only at that moment did I manage to find an empty seat in the part of the lounge furthest away from the exit, which was a lot brighter than the dark and dank area around the lounge entrance.
Aeroflot domestic departures. Midnight seems to be a peak time for domestic flights with lots of red-eyes departing for destinations East across the vast landmass of Russia
Some seats in the brighter area of the lounge
Food wise there wasn't that much available. Some sweets, bread, cold cuts - that was about it at the time I was in the lounge. As I wasn't hungry I didn't taste anything whatsoever. Booze seemed to be OK enough - some wines, a sparkling wine (forgot to check which!), some hard alcohol and soft drinks. I was puzzled by the choice of beers on offer. Zhiguli is fair enough as a Russian brand which is also offered by Aeroflot on board. But the domestic lounge had 'quality' Hollandia beer as well - which is famous in Holland for being dirt cheap and a beloved brand among the homeless. Why on earth offer this in a lounge? For the sheer reason of another check-in to my Untappd account (and to send a picture to my Dutch friends to have a good laugh about it) I took a bottle - and it was as disgusting as I remember it was.
Disgusting beer in the Aeroflot lounge
As I didn't like the lounge that much, I decided to get out of it and head to my boarding gate, where they just started with boarding. Weirdly, no priority boarding was enforced and everyone had to get in the same few buses. The drive to our plane seemed to be eternal - the bus driver was not doing faster than 20 due to the snow and ice, and it seemed that the plane itself was parked all the way in Omsk instead of a far-flung Sheremetyevo corner. After half an hour (!) driving in a cramped bus we finally arrived at the aeroplane, where there was even a huge scrum to get on board first. Not a real business-class like experience here!
In short: I'm really conflicted about this bit of the trip and actually curious to hear the opinions from frequent flyers who traveled more times via SVO to domestic Russian destinations. Is the lounge always this bad? Am I exaggerating and might it be an OK lounge at less crowded times? In any case, the transfer at SVO from international to domestic wasn't the smoothest of ever transfers, but considering it's Russia it was fine enough. The lounge itself was dirty, dark, crowded and mediocre when it comes to F&B. The boarding madness and the crowded bus to the plane were a sheer hell and not really something to happily endure in the middle of the night shortly before a long red-eye flight. If one bit of my trip would be the most disappointing, it was this. Luckily, the upcoming domestic Aeroflot flight made me forget all of it in a positive way!.
Next up: Aeroflot domestic business class from Moscow to Irkutsk
Apr 27, 2018, 1:13 pm
#34
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Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: OTP
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Part 13: Moscow Sheremetyevo (SVO) to Irkutsk (IKT) in Aeroflot business class
SU1562 (booked as AF4616)- Boeing 737-800 - Seat 3F
STD 01:05am - STA 11:45am (flight time 5h40m)
It was a mad scrum to board the flight on the freezing tarmac of some faraway corner of Sheremetyevo Airport. I was about the 30th or so person to board the flight, and quickly took my quiet seat on board happy that I was inside a warm aeroplane and out of the masses standing in the aisle.
The plane, a Boeing 737-800, seemed brand new - even having beautiful mood lighting. It had the same comfy business class seats as on board my previous Aeroflot flight, with the extra addition that it has TV screens in each chair. Service was again excellent on this flight, with a lovely FA introducing herself, handing out menu cards, and asking if I would like a PDB. Naturally, a glass of champagne seemed to be the right option after the boarding madness. Headphones were distributed as well on this flight. Business class was about 75% full but I was lucky again and did not have a seatmate.
The comfy business class seats on the Boeing 737-800
PDB champagne - which on domestic Russian flights is Lanson black label brut
Headphones being distributed
The menu for the flight
No pictures of the drinks list - as besides the champagne (Lanson black label instead of Ayala) it was the same as on my Paris to Moscow flight. The menu however puzzled me. With a red-eye departure this late, it seems like most passengers want to go to sleep straight away. I would rather suspect a breakfast being served before arrival. When the FA came by to write down food choices, I asked her when the meal would be served, to which she replied they would immediately start after take-off. As I wasn't hungry at all, I asked if they could keep my choice for meal and serve it about one-and-a-half hours before landing in Irkutsk. The lovely FA gladly obliged. It seemed however that almost every other passenger did eat their meal straight away - not many people went straight to sleep!
Safety briefing
737 mood lighting
Russia surely is a gigantic country!
Take-off was smooth and I immediately went to sleep once on cruising altitude. I woke up again some two hours out of Irkutsk - and boy, did the scenery look different already! There were some absolutely amazing sunrise colours over the frozen wastelands of Siberia - which looked truly spectacular from the air with its rivers, mountains and endless taiga.
As the FA spotted I was awake, she inquired if I indeed wanted to have my meal right now and asked me if I wanted to have a drink. I opted for a glass of orange juice. Before the meal was served I quickly went to the toilet to fresh up a bit. The only toilet (in business class) was kept clean throughout the flight, with FAs regularly checking it.
If I press this button, would a flight attendant come to bring me a glass of champers on the toilet?
Dawn somewhere over Siberia
Flying somewhere halfway between Tomsk and Krasnoyarsk in Western Siberia. I just love to stare at maps and fantasise about exotic destinations!
My meal was served soon afterwards. The menu also read that there would be an appetiser (beef dim sum) - but I never received this and didn't bother to inquire about it. What came instead was the starter which I ordered, the baked beef with white bean hummus, served with cream cheese with honey and mint. The FA passed by with a bread basket for me to choose some buns. The starter was quite good, a bit rich and heavy in taste - but I liked it.
Baked beef with white bean hummus, served with cream cheese with honey and mint.
For the main, I had the pastrami beef with cabbage stew in a port wine jus sauce. Again a hearty meal (and a big portion!) - but it was a great choice. The beef was very tender and not cooked to death, while the port wine sauce was great. Not your typical breakfast meal - but again kudos to Aeroflot for so far coming up with consistently good food.
Pastrami beef with cabbage stew in a port wine jus sauce
Views were again fantastic during meal service, and even though I was still tired I did not regret at all not getting any more sleep. Only now did the excitement of visiting Siberia really start to hit me.
After the meal, the FA asked me if I wanted to have coffee or tea. She did not offer the dessert which was listed on the menu, but frankly I wasn't feeling like eating ice cream right now in the first place! I took up her offer for a coffee and asked if I could have a bottle of still water as well, which was promptly delivered.
Coffee with a small chocolate
Again, I was glued to my window snapping some great shots of the Siberian winter wonderland. Boy did it seem cold out there!
About half an hour later, the FA made a round through the cabin with a tray full of glasses of some red berries juice - which was quite refreshing.
Soon after, the fasten seatbelts sign went on and the captain announced our descend into Irkutsk. Like my CDG-SVO flight, the friendly crew came buy to distribute packages of tea again and thanked us for flying Aeroflot. Views on approach to IKT were getting better by the minute - everything was covered in snow, and apart from the odd small town, road or railway line, the lands were completely empty. Just snow-covered fields and endless taiga.
At one point, I could even imagine white walkers coming out of the forest - so cold and Game of Thrones-like did the snowy landscapes look like. It reminded me again why I so much prefer a window seat above an aisle seat!
Landing in Irkutsk was on time and smooth. After a short taxi ride, we arrived at our parking spot on the tarmac. The FAs made sure that only business class passengers could go out first and held back the economy section of the plane until all of us in J had boarded the dedicated business class bus for us.
Old Soviet bus for J passengers
Our 737-800 as seen from the bus
The bus ride through IKT airport was interesting as it gave some quick peeks at old Soviet birds!
Lots. of. snow.
The bus dropped us off at the baggage reclaim hall. As I had no luggage to collect, I went straight to the arrivals hall. After withdrawing some Rubles from an ATM I quickly found a driver willing to take me to my hotel for a couple of Euros (IKT airport is only a few kilometres away from the town centre). I was super excited to finally having arrived in Siberia and ready to discover the place!
In short: Overall, it was a fantastic flight which I thoroughly enjoyed. There are not many better moments in flying than eating a great meal while watching some truly amazing scenery down below. The plane itself was good too - comfy business class seats, entertainment systems in the chair, and a brand new and clean bird overall. There are however some minor negative points worth addressing. I don't get the meal service as I would have preferred a more suitable meal before arrival. In my opinion, such a late red-eye departure is all about maximising sleep. And even though the crew was very friendly and pro-active, there were some minor inconsistencies in the service (no appetiser or desert offered). All in, it kinda confirmed my thoughts I had on my previous flight: great hard product, friendly and helpful crew which is eager to please, great food, but there are some inconsistencies the airline/staff can work on to deliver an even better product.
Next up: 2 days in freezing cold Irkutsk
SU1562 (booked as AF4616)- Boeing 737-800 - Seat 3F
STD 01:05am - STA 11:45am (flight time 5h40m)
It was a mad scrum to board the flight on the freezing tarmac of some faraway corner of Sheremetyevo Airport. I was about the 30th or so person to board the flight, and quickly took my quiet seat on board happy that I was inside a warm aeroplane and out of the masses standing in the aisle.
The plane, a Boeing 737-800, seemed brand new - even having beautiful mood lighting. It had the same comfy business class seats as on board my previous Aeroflot flight, with the extra addition that it has TV screens in each chair. Service was again excellent on this flight, with a lovely FA introducing herself, handing out menu cards, and asking if I would like a PDB. Naturally, a glass of champagne seemed to be the right option after the boarding madness. Headphones were distributed as well on this flight. Business class was about 75% full but I was lucky again and did not have a seatmate.
The comfy business class seats on the Boeing 737-800
PDB champagne - which on domestic Russian flights is Lanson black label brut
Headphones being distributed
The menu for the flight
No pictures of the drinks list - as besides the champagne (Lanson black label instead of Ayala) it was the same as on my Paris to Moscow flight. The menu however puzzled me. With a red-eye departure this late, it seems like most passengers want to go to sleep straight away. I would rather suspect a breakfast being served before arrival. When the FA came by to write down food choices, I asked her when the meal would be served, to which she replied they would immediately start after take-off. As I wasn't hungry at all, I asked if they could keep my choice for meal and serve it about one-and-a-half hours before landing in Irkutsk. The lovely FA gladly obliged. It seemed however that almost every other passenger did eat their meal straight away - not many people went straight to sleep!
Safety briefing
737 mood lighting
Russia surely is a gigantic country!
Take-off was smooth and I immediately went to sleep once on cruising altitude. I woke up again some two hours out of Irkutsk - and boy, did the scenery look different already! There were some absolutely amazing sunrise colours over the frozen wastelands of Siberia - which looked truly spectacular from the air with its rivers, mountains and endless taiga.
As the FA spotted I was awake, she inquired if I indeed wanted to have my meal right now and asked me if I wanted to have a drink. I opted for a glass of orange juice. Before the meal was served I quickly went to the toilet to fresh up a bit. The only toilet (in business class) was kept clean throughout the flight, with FAs regularly checking it.
If I press this button, would a flight attendant come to bring me a glass of champers on the toilet?
Dawn somewhere over Siberia
Flying somewhere halfway between Tomsk and Krasnoyarsk in Western Siberia. I just love to stare at maps and fantasise about exotic destinations!
My meal was served soon afterwards. The menu also read that there would be an appetiser (beef dim sum) - but I never received this and didn't bother to inquire about it. What came instead was the starter which I ordered, the baked beef with white bean hummus, served with cream cheese with honey and mint. The FA passed by with a bread basket for me to choose some buns. The starter was quite good, a bit rich and heavy in taste - but I liked it.
Baked beef with white bean hummus, served with cream cheese with honey and mint.
For the main, I had the pastrami beef with cabbage stew in a port wine jus sauce. Again a hearty meal (and a big portion!) - but it was a great choice. The beef was very tender and not cooked to death, while the port wine sauce was great. Not your typical breakfast meal - but again kudos to Aeroflot for so far coming up with consistently good food.
Pastrami beef with cabbage stew in a port wine jus sauce
Views were again fantastic during meal service, and even though I was still tired I did not regret at all not getting any more sleep. Only now did the excitement of visiting Siberia really start to hit me.
After the meal, the FA asked me if I wanted to have coffee or tea. She did not offer the dessert which was listed on the menu, but frankly I wasn't feeling like eating ice cream right now in the first place! I took up her offer for a coffee and asked if I could have a bottle of still water as well, which was promptly delivered.
Coffee with a small chocolate
Again, I was glued to my window snapping some great shots of the Siberian winter wonderland. Boy did it seem cold out there!
About half an hour later, the FA made a round through the cabin with a tray full of glasses of some red berries juice - which was quite refreshing.
Soon after, the fasten seatbelts sign went on and the captain announced our descend into Irkutsk. Like my CDG-SVO flight, the friendly crew came buy to distribute packages of tea again and thanked us for flying Aeroflot. Views on approach to IKT were getting better by the minute - everything was covered in snow, and apart from the odd small town, road or railway line, the lands were completely empty. Just snow-covered fields and endless taiga.
At one point, I could even imagine white walkers coming out of the forest - so cold and Game of Thrones-like did the snowy landscapes look like. It reminded me again why I so much prefer a window seat above an aisle seat!
Landing in Irkutsk was on time and smooth. After a short taxi ride, we arrived at our parking spot on the tarmac. The FAs made sure that only business class passengers could go out first and held back the economy section of the plane until all of us in J had boarded the dedicated business class bus for us.
Old Soviet bus for J passengers
Our 737-800 as seen from the bus
The bus ride through IKT airport was interesting as it gave some quick peeks at old Soviet birds!
Lots. of. snow.
The bus dropped us off at the baggage reclaim hall. As I had no luggage to collect, I went straight to the arrivals hall. After withdrawing some Rubles from an ATM I quickly found a driver willing to take me to my hotel for a couple of Euros (IKT airport is only a few kilometres away from the town centre). I was super excited to finally having arrived in Siberia and ready to discover the place!
In short: Overall, it was a fantastic flight which I thoroughly enjoyed. There are not many better moments in flying than eating a great meal while watching some truly amazing scenery down below. The plane itself was good too - comfy business class seats, entertainment systems in the chair, and a brand new and clean bird overall. There are however some minor negative points worth addressing. I don't get the meal service as I would have preferred a more suitable meal before arrival. In my opinion, such a late red-eye departure is all about maximising sleep. And even though the crew was very friendly and pro-active, there were some minor inconsistencies in the service (no appetiser or desert offered). All in, it kinda confirmed my thoughts I had on my previous flight: great hard product, friendly and helpful crew which is eager to please, great food, but there are some inconsistencies the airline/staff can work on to deliver an even better product.
Next up: 2 days in freezing cold Irkutsk
Apr 28, 2018, 2:18 am
#35
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: SYD
Programs: Too many golds, no plat: OZ*G, AC*G, NZ*G, VA Gold, QF Gold, HH Gold, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 5,350
Just discovered this fantastic trip report - what an interesting adventure. Can't wait to read about your exploration of Lake Baikal. The small amount of Siberia I've seen (from Barnaul through the Altai mountains to the Mongolian border) was so surprisingly friendly and beautiful that I'd love to go and see some more. Mind you, we were there in summer...
May 4, 2018, 10:17 am
#37
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: OTP
Programs: AF/KL platinum, Turkish gold, QR gold
Posts: 1,572
Originally Posted by mad_atta
Just discovered this fantastic trip report - what an interesting adventure. Can't wait to read about your exploration of Lake Baikal. The small amount of Siberia I've seen (from Barnaul through the Altai mountains to the Mongolian border) was so surprisingly friendly and beautiful that I'd love to go and see some more. Mind you, we were there in summer...
Thanks! I hope to have more installments up this weekend. I'm a bit behind given that the trip took place in February... been way too busy unfortunately the last months in renovating my new apartment/moving that I don't have too much time to go through the thousands of pictures and write out my notes in a proper story..!
May 21, 2018, 11:03 am
#39
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Join Date: Feb 2014
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Posts: 1,572
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
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
May 23, 2018, 1:21 pm
#40
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Part 15: Second Day in Irkutsk
Due to still being jetlagged I slept much longer than I actually planned, which resulted in missing out on the hotel breakfast. There was thus only one option: dress up against the cold and start my city tour, hoping to find something along the way to eat and grab a decent coffee. It was a gorgeous day outside with mostly clear blue skies. But even though the sun was shining it was still quite cold and you definitely could not take your gloves off for longer than a minute.
My first stop was a market close to my hotel which I already spotted the day before. Unfortunately, there was no real food available besides frozen fish - although it was fun to walk along some of the stalls and see what is on sale. That I spotted two minibuses waiting with a sign in Cyrillic reading Листвя́нка (Listvyanka) was another big plus as I already found out where to take my transport to Lake Baikal the next day (bizarrely, the hotel staffers said I had to go to the faraway bus station for a Listvyanka minibus - but after double checking this later in Listvyanka I heard that none of the very frequent minibuses actually go there).
The outdoor market
A lot of frozen fish from Lake Baikal on sale
Lots of clothes on sale..
My walk continued along a street with lovely wooden houses in all kinds of states of repair. Although this typically Siberian architecture can be found in many more cities (Tomsk is very famous for it), there is plenty of it to see in Irkutsk as well. It gives a lovely impression of how the city once must have looked like in the days of the first Russian explorers and the Czars - although nowadays it is not uncommon to see big BMWs parked next to the houses.
Traditional Siberian wooden houses
On Karl Marx street I found a nice French bakery - which turned out to make decent coffee and pastries. I opted for a cappuccino and a croissant with cheese and ham as a light breakfast to get the day started.
Walking closer to the city centre, the buildings became more ornate in this typical Czarist Russian style of pastel-coloured, ornate houses along leafy boulevards. It definitely gives the city a bit of an European vibe, although the actual street scenes with lots of Asians on the street (ethnic Buryats or tourists/businessmen from relatively nearby China or Mongolia) sets it all apart. The many luxurious cars and shops coupled with derelict buildings and old Lada cars are also always an interesting side when venturing into provincial Russia (read: anywhere out of St Petersburg and Moscow).
Right in the heart of the city is Kirov Square – a nice park which had a couple of ice sculptures and even a slide made of ice, which was used quite intensively by playing kids on this gorgeous day.
Kirov Square and the ice slide
There were quite many ice sculptures, including a giant ice throne which seemed popular with Asian tourists for selfies, and quite a few sculptures of figures who I had no clue about who they are. One statue I did recognise however: Father Frost (Ded Moroz) and his granddaughter and helper Snegurochka (Snow Maiden) – which basically is the Russian Santa! (although dressed in Blue, and not in Coca Cola red).
Father Frost (Ded Moroz) and his granddaughter and helper Snegurochka (Snow Maiden)
At the far end of Kirov Square was some giant Soviet building – which seemed like the typical administrative headquarters or something similar. Behind it is however one of the nicer parts of the city, which include a war monument with eternal flame, a couple of Orthodox churches and a lovely riverside boardwalk along the Angara River. The riverside promenade made for a nice stroll as it gave gorgeous views over the river and the other side of the city, of the churches, and mostly of the actual river itself. Somehow I was fascinated just looking at it, as it was so cold that there was smoke coming from the water. With the wind blowing full in my face from the river it was icy cold, but it made for some gorgeous pics and I really had the feeling now that I indeed was in icy, wintery Siberia!
Fun detail: the Angara River never freezes, in sharp contrast to Lake Baikal where it originates.
Ugly Soviet-style building
War monument/eternal flame
The riverside promenade along the Angara River, just behind Kirov Square
An Orthodox church near Kirov Square
As I was freezing my *** off it was time to head back inland to continue the city tour. The rest of the city was pretty much the same: ornate Czarist buildings, wooden houses, churches and a few ugly Soviet constructions or nondescript buildings. Not complaining here, as it's actually my favourite activity inside a city. I rather stroll randomly through a city and sit down for a meal/drink to soak up the vibe than ticking off major landmarks, sights or museums.
Surprisingly, most street signs were bilingual Russian-English!
Yet more ice sculptures at another small square!
The Irkutsk State University building
Czar Alexander III
And while Czar Alexander III was obviously only placed at the waterfront after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov (better known as Lenin) has survived the times since the USSR and is still standing a block away from the statue of one of his old Czarist enemies. Fun contrast!
The city opera/theatre
Walking a bit more in a park along the Angara River
Halfway along Ulitsa Lenina (Lenin Street) stands a statue of Babr, a kind of bizarre mix between a beaver and a tiger which is the symbol of the city. It marks the beginning of the Irkutsk Arbat, the Siberian answer to Moscow's famous pedestrianised street full of restaurants and bars. The Irkutsk Arbat feels brand new and does have very nice-looking restaurants. At the end of the street is also a brand new shopping mall.
On recommendation of a friend, I stopped for lunch at Rassol'nik, a basement restaurant which was cutely decorated and had good food.
Babr, half beaver/half tiger, and the symbol of the city of Irkutsk
Irkutsk Arbat
Rassol'nik restaurant
As a starter, I had a fish soup – which was excellent.
As a main, I had some Russian dumplings (pelmeni) which were decidedly average. A Russian store in my own neighbourhood in Bucharest sells much tastier ones frozen.
The highlight of the meal were however the waitresses – whom both seemed delighted (although initially a bit shy) to talk to a western tourist in the middle of winter. While we were talking about traditional soups, I mentioned that I grew up eating traditional Dutch pea soup (which I intensely dislike). One of the waitresses said that they also have some traditional pea soup in Russia, and later came back with a plate of it for me to taste complimentary. Of course, I could not refuse such a nice offer even if I was not really hungry anymore after the pelmeni. Luckily, I found Russian pea soup to be very tasty and I had no problems eating the entire soup.
The only thing I hate about Russian cuisine: the overuse of dill, which in my opinion is a demonic weed which overpowers and ruins all other tastes. For any frequent traveler to Russia, the examples in the link below are VERY recognisable (warning: might upset some foodies and traditionalists among us). Dill popcorn and dill cappuccino? OMG the horror!
https://www.buzzfeed.com/ellievhall/...dill-addiction
To finish the meal, I had some tea as well.
After the fun meal, I decided to walk a bit more on Arbat and head into a nearby park, which offered some nice vistas over the city as it was located on a small hill.
Irkutsk Arbat street
As the sun was setting, I decided to call it a day. On the way back to the hotel I headed to a local shopping mall to stock up on some snacks and a bottle of Chilean wine to eat/drink in the hotel as I had a bit of work to do and did not feel like going out again after the long, long walk. Just like the day before, Irkutsk gave me a beautiful sunset shortly before I arrived in my hotel.
Irkutsk definitely turned out to be a beautiful and fun city – and it did not disappoint at all.
Next up: Two days in Listvyanka at the frozen wonderland of Lake Baikal
Due to still being jetlagged I slept much longer than I actually planned, which resulted in missing out on the hotel breakfast. There was thus only one option: dress up against the cold and start my city tour, hoping to find something along the way to eat and grab a decent coffee. It was a gorgeous day outside with mostly clear blue skies. But even though the sun was shining it was still quite cold and you definitely could not take your gloves off for longer than a minute.
My first stop was a market close to my hotel which I already spotted the day before. Unfortunately, there was no real food available besides frozen fish - although it was fun to walk along some of the stalls and see what is on sale. That I spotted two minibuses waiting with a sign in Cyrillic reading Листвя́нка (Listvyanka) was another big plus as I already found out where to take my transport to Lake Baikal the next day (bizarrely, the hotel staffers said I had to go to the faraway bus station for a Listvyanka minibus - but after double checking this later in Listvyanka I heard that none of the very frequent minibuses actually go there).
The outdoor market
A lot of frozen fish from Lake Baikal on sale
Lots of clothes on sale..
My walk continued along a street with lovely wooden houses in all kinds of states of repair. Although this typically Siberian architecture can be found in many more cities (Tomsk is very famous for it), there is plenty of it to see in Irkutsk as well. It gives a lovely impression of how the city once must have looked like in the days of the first Russian explorers and the Czars - although nowadays it is not uncommon to see big BMWs parked next to the houses.
Traditional Siberian wooden houses
On Karl Marx street I found a nice French bakery - which turned out to make decent coffee and pastries. I opted for a cappuccino and a croissant with cheese and ham as a light breakfast to get the day started.
Walking closer to the city centre, the buildings became more ornate in this typical Czarist Russian style of pastel-coloured, ornate houses along leafy boulevards. It definitely gives the city a bit of an European vibe, although the actual street scenes with lots of Asians on the street (ethnic Buryats or tourists/businessmen from relatively nearby China or Mongolia) sets it all apart. The many luxurious cars and shops coupled with derelict buildings and old Lada cars are also always an interesting side when venturing into provincial Russia (read: anywhere out of St Petersburg and Moscow).
Right in the heart of the city is Kirov Square – a nice park which had a couple of ice sculptures and even a slide made of ice, which was used quite intensively by playing kids on this gorgeous day.
Kirov Square and the ice slide
There were quite many ice sculptures, including a giant ice throne which seemed popular with Asian tourists for selfies, and quite a few sculptures of figures who I had no clue about who they are. One statue I did recognise however: Father Frost (Ded Moroz) and his granddaughter and helper Snegurochka (Snow Maiden) – which basically is the Russian Santa! (although dressed in Blue, and not in Coca Cola red).
Father Frost (Ded Moroz) and his granddaughter and helper Snegurochka (Snow Maiden)
At the far end of Kirov Square was some giant Soviet building – which seemed like the typical administrative headquarters or something similar. Behind it is however one of the nicer parts of the city, which include a war monument with eternal flame, a couple of Orthodox churches and a lovely riverside boardwalk along the Angara River. The riverside promenade made for a nice stroll as it gave gorgeous views over the river and the other side of the city, of the churches, and mostly of the actual river itself. Somehow I was fascinated just looking at it, as it was so cold that there was smoke coming from the water. With the wind blowing full in my face from the river it was icy cold, but it made for some gorgeous pics and I really had the feeling now that I indeed was in icy, wintery Siberia!
Fun detail: the Angara River never freezes, in sharp contrast to Lake Baikal where it originates.
Ugly Soviet-style building
War monument/eternal flame
The riverside promenade along the Angara River, just behind Kirov Square
An Orthodox church near Kirov Square
As I was freezing my *** off it was time to head back inland to continue the city tour. The rest of the city was pretty much the same: ornate Czarist buildings, wooden houses, churches and a few ugly Soviet constructions or nondescript buildings. Not complaining here, as it's actually my favourite activity inside a city. I rather stroll randomly through a city and sit down for a meal/drink to soak up the vibe than ticking off major landmarks, sights or museums.
Surprisingly, most street signs were bilingual Russian-English!
Yet more ice sculptures at another small square!
The Irkutsk State University building
Czar Alexander III
And while Czar Alexander III was obviously only placed at the waterfront after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov (better known as Lenin) has survived the times since the USSR and is still standing a block away from the statue of one of his old Czarist enemies. Fun contrast!
The city opera/theatre
Walking a bit more in a park along the Angara River
Halfway along Ulitsa Lenina (Lenin Street) stands a statue of Babr, a kind of bizarre mix between a beaver and a tiger which is the symbol of the city. It marks the beginning of the Irkutsk Arbat, the Siberian answer to Moscow's famous pedestrianised street full of restaurants and bars. The Irkutsk Arbat feels brand new and does have very nice-looking restaurants. At the end of the street is also a brand new shopping mall.
On recommendation of a friend, I stopped for lunch at Rassol'nik, a basement restaurant which was cutely decorated and had good food.
Babr, half beaver/half tiger, and the symbol of the city of Irkutsk
Irkutsk Arbat
Rassol'nik restaurant
As a starter, I had a fish soup – which was excellent.
As a main, I had some Russian dumplings (pelmeni) which were decidedly average. A Russian store in my own neighbourhood in Bucharest sells much tastier ones frozen.
The highlight of the meal were however the waitresses – whom both seemed delighted (although initially a bit shy) to talk to a western tourist in the middle of winter. While we were talking about traditional soups, I mentioned that I grew up eating traditional Dutch pea soup (which I intensely dislike). One of the waitresses said that they also have some traditional pea soup in Russia, and later came back with a plate of it for me to taste complimentary. Of course, I could not refuse such a nice offer even if I was not really hungry anymore after the pelmeni. Luckily, I found Russian pea soup to be very tasty and I had no problems eating the entire soup.
The only thing I hate about Russian cuisine: the overuse of dill, which in my opinion is a demonic weed which overpowers and ruins all other tastes. For any frequent traveler to Russia, the examples in the link below are VERY recognisable (warning: might upset some foodies and traditionalists among us). Dill popcorn and dill cappuccino? OMG the horror!
https://www.buzzfeed.com/ellievhall/...dill-addiction
To finish the meal, I had some tea as well.
After the fun meal, I decided to walk a bit more on Arbat and head into a nearby park, which offered some nice vistas over the city as it was located on a small hill.
Irkutsk Arbat street
As the sun was setting, I decided to call it a day. On the way back to the hotel I headed to a local shopping mall to stock up on some snacks and a bottle of Chilean wine to eat/drink in the hotel as I had a bit of work to do and did not feel like going out again after the long, long walk. Just like the day before, Irkutsk gave me a beautiful sunset shortly before I arrived in my hotel.
Irkutsk definitely turned out to be a beautiful and fun city – and it did not disappoint at all.
Next up: Two days in Listvyanka at the frozen wonderland of Lake Baikal
Last edited by Romanianflyer; May 23, 2018 at 1:39 pm
May 24, 2018, 2:51 am
#42
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: AMS/LYS
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Posts: 130
May 24, 2018, 5:55 am
#43
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: SYD
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Posts: 5,350
Loving the updates on Irkutsk! Looking forward to frozen Lake Baikal.
We saw similar ornate Siberian wooden houses (I believe the style of decoration is known as 'wooden lace'?) in Barnaul and the Altai. It's a very appealing style and unlike anything I've seen elsewhere in the world.
We saw similar ornate Siberian wooden houses (I believe the style of decoration is known as 'wooden lace'?) in Barnaul and the Altai. It's a very appealing style and unlike anything I've seen elsewhere in the world.
May 30, 2018, 1:19 pm
#44
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Join Date: Feb 2014
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Part 16: First Day in Listvyanka (Lake Baikal)
Hotel: Mayak Hotel, 29 EUR/night incl. Breakfast
When I arrived at the open-air market in Irkutsk for the marshrutka (minibus) service to Listvyanka I already saw one vehicle parked on the pavement waiting for it to fill up with passengers. Within minutes after taking a seat, the minibus filled up and off we were for the approximately 65 kilometres to Irkutsk, which would take a little over an hour. Just about the perfect distance in these cramped vehicles frequented mostly by babushkas on a shopping spree returning to their villages with tons of goods. The scenery along the way consisted of eternal Russian taiga forests – if I could look out of the window that is as you had to wipe off the condensation every five seconds to look out.
Half of the minibus emptied out along villages along the way, and when the vehicle arrived at its terminus in Listvyanka it was only me, four or so Russian women and a Chinese tourist on the bus. Luckily, the terminus happened to be right outside my hotel for the next two days: the Mayak Hotel, which means lighthouse in Russian. It's quite obvious why from the looks of the building.
The gaudy Mayak Hotel
Listvyanka is basically a 3-4 kilometre-strip along Lake Baikal, with most of the townfolk however not living directly at the lakeside road but living in wooden houses in a valley that runs inland. The town is fairly low-key with mostly wooden houses so the gaudy Mayak stands out completely. It's the only hotel that is somewhat of a luxurious option among an otherwise OK-looking selection of wooden B&Bs and small hotels (which I didn't want to risk as I needed reliable internet).
I had the smallest and cheapest room at the Mayak, a small-ish single room which at 29 EUR per night including breakfast was very well priced. Internet was very fast and hotel facilities were good (especially the bathtub proved to be very welcome after a long day in the cold outside!).
My room at the Mayak Hotel
Bathroom
The view from my window. Part of the rooms face Lake Baikal, while those in the back face the hill located directly behind the short strip
After settling into my room it was time for a walk. There isn't really much to see at all in Listvyanka, it being a small town, but what a feeling it was just walking around! The sheer emptiness and massive ice cover of Lake Baikal, the snow, the freezing temperatures, it almost felt like I was walking at some Antarctic research centre. As it was a lovely sunny day even the temperatures were quite good! Sure, it was still -20 degrees Celsius (-4 Fahrenheit for those in the Colonies) and the wind at the lake was strong. Take your gloves off and your hands will freeze off. But when walking a bit inland into the more sheltered valley away from the lakeside strip, it was wonderful.
The coastal strip along the lakeside. Listvyanka basically is just one coastal road – with the exception of a valley running inland where most of the old wooden houses are located.
The biggest draws of coming to Listvyanka in winter are its outdoor activities it being the easiest place along Lake Baikal to reach in winter. One of the activities really high on my to-do list has always been dog sledding. According to my guidebook and Google Maps, there was indeed such a place in the valley. It was a lovely walk through the old town towards the place, with many beautiful wooden houses and churches.
The dog sledding centre was run by a very welcoming father and son. Dog sledding turned out to be as much fun as I thought. It might not seem very fast if you look at it from away, but believe me, once you sit down on the sled and the dogs speed up it is fast – and freezing cold as obviously you feel the wind at these speeds! At our halfway point inside the taiga, we switched places and I could steer the sleigh while standing – yet another amazing experience. Highly recommended!
After the ride, the father invited me to have a look inside his shed. It turned out that he has his own armoury making weapons in the same way as they did in Medieval times. It was fascinating to hear his stories and to see his homemade objects, which ranged from Russian swords to Mongolian-style helmets.
Next up, my plan was to walk back to the lakeside and walk alongside the road for a few kilometres in the direction back of Irkutsk. Just shortly before the town of Listvyanka (where the road ends), is the start of the Angara River. As the river never freezes, I though it might be a scenic spot to see the contrast between frozen Lake Baikal and the blue river.
The scenery was indeed fantastic at the place where Lake Baikal drains into the Angara River, but as it was getting cold and I was getting hungry, I didn't venture for too long. As walking to the place was a fairly slow affair on the snow-covered pavement, I opted to walk back to Listvyanka over the lake itself – which obviously turned to be out much faster!
Back in Listvyanka I waited a bit more on the ice to wait for the sun to set. Even if by this time I was freezing – it was absolutely worth it. Seeing the sun set on the lake definitely would make my top five travel experiences to date in well over 65 countries visited so far. It was just spectacular. Even though I managed to take some good shots, the pictures don't do it justice as it's the sheer remoteness and vastness of the place which is so amazing.
Really one of those moments in nature that truly make you speechless!
I opted for dinner out of the hotel and found a local restaurant nearby (Berg House Cafe Bar), which was completely empty. The host was very welcoming and provided me with an English-language menu. My dinner, which consisted of some caviar as a starter, some borscht, and grilled omul (a Lake Baikal fish). Even though by no means haute cuisine it was all very tasty – the kind of grandma style cooking.
There not being anything to do at night in Listvyanka – I just bought a few beers at a local shop and retreated back into my hotel room. After an entire day out in freezing temperatures, nothing really beats a warm bath while downing a cold one!
Hotel: Mayak Hotel, 29 EUR/night incl. Breakfast
When I arrived at the open-air market in Irkutsk for the marshrutka (minibus) service to Listvyanka I already saw one vehicle parked on the pavement waiting for it to fill up with passengers. Within minutes after taking a seat, the minibus filled up and off we were for the approximately 65 kilometres to Irkutsk, which would take a little over an hour. Just about the perfect distance in these cramped vehicles frequented mostly by babushkas on a shopping spree returning to their villages with tons of goods. The scenery along the way consisted of eternal Russian taiga forests – if I could look out of the window that is as you had to wipe off the condensation every five seconds to look out.
Half of the minibus emptied out along villages along the way, and when the vehicle arrived at its terminus in Listvyanka it was only me, four or so Russian women and a Chinese tourist on the bus. Luckily, the terminus happened to be right outside my hotel for the next two days: the Mayak Hotel, which means lighthouse in Russian. It's quite obvious why from the looks of the building.
The gaudy Mayak Hotel
Listvyanka is basically a 3-4 kilometre-strip along Lake Baikal, with most of the townfolk however not living directly at the lakeside road but living in wooden houses in a valley that runs inland. The town is fairly low-key with mostly wooden houses so the gaudy Mayak stands out completely. It's the only hotel that is somewhat of a luxurious option among an otherwise OK-looking selection of wooden B&Bs and small hotels (which I didn't want to risk as I needed reliable internet).
I had the smallest and cheapest room at the Mayak, a small-ish single room which at 29 EUR per night including breakfast was very well priced. Internet was very fast and hotel facilities were good (especially the bathtub proved to be very welcome after a long day in the cold outside!).
My room at the Mayak Hotel
Bathroom
The view from my window. Part of the rooms face Lake Baikal, while those in the back face the hill located directly behind the short strip
After settling into my room it was time for a walk. There isn't really much to see at all in Listvyanka, it being a small town, but what a feeling it was just walking around! The sheer emptiness and massive ice cover of Lake Baikal, the snow, the freezing temperatures, it almost felt like I was walking at some Antarctic research centre. As it was a lovely sunny day even the temperatures were quite good! Sure, it was still -20 degrees Celsius (-4 Fahrenheit for those in the Colonies) and the wind at the lake was strong. Take your gloves off and your hands will freeze off. But when walking a bit inland into the more sheltered valley away from the lakeside strip, it was wonderful.
The coastal strip along the lakeside. Listvyanka basically is just one coastal road – with the exception of a valley running inland where most of the old wooden houses are located.
The biggest draws of coming to Listvyanka in winter are its outdoor activities it being the easiest place along Lake Baikal to reach in winter. One of the activities really high on my to-do list has always been dog sledding. According to my guidebook and Google Maps, there was indeed such a place in the valley. It was a lovely walk through the old town towards the place, with many beautiful wooden houses and churches.
The dog sledding centre was run by a very welcoming father and son. Dog sledding turned out to be as much fun as I thought. It might not seem very fast if you look at it from away, but believe me, once you sit down on the sled and the dogs speed up it is fast – and freezing cold as obviously you feel the wind at these speeds! At our halfway point inside the taiga, we switched places and I could steer the sleigh while standing – yet another amazing experience. Highly recommended!
After the ride, the father invited me to have a look inside his shed. It turned out that he has his own armoury making weapons in the same way as they did in Medieval times. It was fascinating to hear his stories and to see his homemade objects, which ranged from Russian swords to Mongolian-style helmets.
Next up, my plan was to walk back to the lakeside and walk alongside the road for a few kilometres in the direction back of Irkutsk. Just shortly before the town of Listvyanka (where the road ends), is the start of the Angara River. As the river never freezes, I though it might be a scenic spot to see the contrast between frozen Lake Baikal and the blue river.
The scenery was indeed fantastic at the place where Lake Baikal drains into the Angara River, but as it was getting cold and I was getting hungry, I didn't venture for too long. As walking to the place was a fairly slow affair on the snow-covered pavement, I opted to walk back to Listvyanka over the lake itself – which obviously turned to be out much faster!
Back in Listvyanka I waited a bit more on the ice to wait for the sun to set. Even if by this time I was freezing – it was absolutely worth it. Seeing the sun set on the lake definitely would make my top five travel experiences to date in well over 65 countries visited so far. It was just spectacular. Even though I managed to take some good shots, the pictures don't do it justice as it's the sheer remoteness and vastness of the place which is so amazing.
Really one of those moments in nature that truly make you speechless!
I opted for dinner out of the hotel and found a local restaurant nearby (Berg House Cafe Bar), which was completely empty. The host was very welcoming and provided me with an English-language menu. My dinner, which consisted of some caviar as a starter, some borscht, and grilled omul (a Lake Baikal fish). Even though by no means haute cuisine it was all very tasty – the kind of grandma style cooking.
There not being anything to do at night in Listvyanka – I just bought a few beers at a local shop and retreated back into my hotel room. After an entire day out in freezing temperatures, nothing really beats a warm bath while downing a cold one!
Last edited by Romanianflyer; Jun 27, 2018 at 12:05 pm
May 30, 2018, 3:04 pm
#45
Join Date: Mar 2003
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What an amazing report - I'm glad I finally stumbled on it! Can't wait to see your visit to Baikal. My first visit to Russia was in the Soviet times, when I spent a winter in Novosibirsk...complete with -30 to -40 temperatures. There's a certain magic to Siberia in winter, however!