How I Explored the Largest Country in the World (Russia) Solo, by Train, in 30 Days – Irkutsk (11）

15/8/2019. About eighteen hours after departing Krasnoyarsk, I arrived in Irkutsk early the next morning. This part of Russia was well and truly in Asia. Although the majority of the people were still Caucasian-looking, I was seeing more Asian faces with exotic features like mine.

Suited me well. I could now infiltrate without being conspicuous. I don’t like to stand out.

Old wooden bungalow houses and Russian-style concrete buildings dotted the streets. These wooden houses were built out of logs and wood still breathing and living, very much still lived in, each displaying their own individuality. The suppleness was gone, the wrinkles showed, but the old charm remained. I have seen some of these houses in Ukraine, but not as many. A bit of restoration with love, these beauties would flourish and have tourists flocking here in droves.

The main busy streets included Karl Marx Street and Lenin Street, street names often repeated in other Russian cities. The statue of Lenin was omnipresent in many Russian city squares, including this city. They had kept that part of the history visible. As if nostalgic of the past, many of the old, vintage-looking heavy buses and trucks still plied the streets, puffing out fumes saturated with carbon. I felt my nose sucking up the soot-like heavy-duty vacuum cleaner.

A spectacular river, wide and surging, mothered Irkutsk. The large Lake Baikal was also not far away. This was a city lively and more energized thanks to the significant tourist presence. Irkutsk was distinctly and subtly different, but unmistakably Russian.

15/8/2019 两点下午离开克拉斯诺亚尔斯克（Krasnoyarsk），第二天凌晨低达伊尔库茨克 (Irkutsk)。 这里已深在亚洲俄罗斯，开始看到更多亚洲面孔的俄罗斯人，但还是白人占多。

市里古木质洋楼和老俄式水泥楼房随处可见。这些木楼更是引人注目，以原木为墙身，如结实六块腹肌，都各具风格。房子还住有人，肌肤弹性尽失，皱纹累累，但韵味未失，人气灵气犹在。在乌克兰也见过这类古楼房，但这里更多，状态更好，如能给于溺爱，焕然一新，适当改用，将吸引内外游客蜂拥而来。

这里中心区主要街道也包括卡尔马克思路，列宁路，这街名在其他城市也常见，俄罗人还挺怀旧的。这些市中心内也摆着高大列宁雕像。在街上老巴老卡还在大街上怒气冲冲， 黑烟滚滚热心为民服务。这些旧年代重工重铁打造出来的，还自豪的喷出呛人油烟味，我鼻子像吸尘器把烟尘都吸入囊中。这是以前的俄罗斯， 也是今天的俄罗斯。

伊尔库茨克如其他许多俄罗斯城市也受母亲河滋养， 市内这河宽阔，水量大，不停大面积涌动，夕阳下静中带动。俄罗斯时会感觉止步不前， 却凡事在动。伊尔库茨克， 一样的俄罗斯， 不同的特征。