How I Explored the Largest Country in the World (Russia) Solo, by Train, in 30 Days – Ulan-Ude (14)

19/8/2019. I enjoyed walking to the end of the world, living on the edge without spilling over, testing the limit without crossing the line, then withdrawing to my comfort zone to relish it, and do it once more over and over again. All the while surrounded by beauty. That was Baikal for me.

The next morning I headed straight back to Irkutsk, then took the night train to Ulan-Ude that same night, boarding the train at about 9 p.m. to arrive there at 5:30 a.m. the next morning. This was more of a transit point to break up the long journey eastward.

Ulan-Ude was definitely more Asian-looking than the cities visited. Round Asian faces intermingled with Caucasian-looking Russians. I had not been in a city with such a balanced mix of two very distinct ethnic groups. I saw no strife, no tension. Lenin was very much present here. This time, his head instead of the whole body perched on a pedestal in the city square. Appropriately so: He was their head of state. I had two days to reinvigorate after the constant gallop on the Siberia plain, strolling on the streets, sitting in the cafes, measuring the pulse of this city, smelling the fumes from the heavy trucks, buses, and old cars still panting on the streets.

19/8/2019 – 我追求美丽和刺激，好奇，活得不耐烦，无法自控走到边缘一探究竟，好奇在另一方的感觉，但不想试探坠落的感觉。一路美景牵引，我欣然被带动。这就是我心目中的贝尔加尔湖。

第二早又回到伊尔库茨克， 当晚就上夜车到乌兰乌德 （Ulan-Ude)，晚上九点上车，第二天五点半早上抵达。这只是往东长途跋涉给自己一个洗脚点，总不能连续几天不洗不换，面包泡面，长期面壁，把天才也逼疯。

一落地感觉像回到熟悉的亚洲。这里圆脸型亚洲人是我所路经的俄罗斯城市最多的。白俄人也不少，基本就是两族混合城市，感觉好像合谐共处。列宁还是这里不可磨灭的历史，这次中心广场雕像是他的头部，不是全身。很合适，他曾是俄人的首领。我在这城市呆两天， 除了看列宁的头，没太多刺激看头。在这里把身上灰尘拍掉，静坐咖啡巴，吃暖饭，洗热澡，也让古董的大巴大卡车喷了满身油烟，感受这城市脉搏，然后继续快马加鞭东奔西伯利亚平原。