Random Thoughts Irkutsk

Random Thoughts Irkutsk, originally uploaded by ericdues.

Well, I begin this email at a small resturaunt in a small hotel in a
small valley in the small town of Listvyanka (population 2500), which
is 70km from the train station in Irkutsk and on the shores of the
most volumeous lake in the world... Lake Bailail. I will say that
getting here in the winter is in itself a small feat not to be
overlooked.

After walking around in the blizzard in Novosibirsk a few days ago, I
hopped on the main "Rossia" train across Russia from Moscow to
Vladivostock. I expected this to be an experience in itself, and it
did not fail me!

I was immediately greeted by some younger dude in my "kupe" a.k.a.
room in the train. He was followed by two younger women, one of whom
who did not mind flaunting her apparently fake but none the less very
nice breasts, which I of course did not mind at all! Then the train
ride got interesting after many beers and shots of the "Putkinkia"
vodka that I supplied.

Of course none of my kupe-mates spoke English, but yet we managed to
have what appeared to be a very lively and funny conversation until we
all went to sleep/passed out. The next day after everyone laying
around and sleeping off and on, the trip took a new turn... possibly
for the worse, but I don't think so.

I was showing some pictures to, and playing some music for, the girls
when I was invited to go drink some beer with Russian dudes, two of
whom spoke some English. So I went to the dining car and bought myself
some peeva. After having one I was pulled into my kupe by the girls
and urged to stay because they explained that the dudes I was drinking
with were Russian Mafia (including the younger dude that was in our
kyle).

Well, I will say that I was a bit creeped out the whole time while
drinking with them anyhow, and so those two girls (Svetlania and
Natalia I believe) telling me that just made my suspicions more valid.
I actually sat next to the door the while time with my foot "resting"
on it so that it could not be closed. I then went back to the dudes
kupe and explained that I needed to sleep before I arrived in Irkutsk
due to me needing to figure out the city when I got there, but they
continued to try to get me to stay. After a bit, I did take off and
drink with the girls for a bit before actually trying to sleep in the
500 degree kupe.

About every hour, I was urged to go smoke with the girls, and I of
course said yes (anything else would just be rude). Nearly every time
the mafia dudes were there smoking as well, and their hassling of me
got worse as the night continued (but I assumed that they were tapping
into my beers that I had left there and were therefore getting to
drunk to care). Also during one of those events I found out that the
older, movie-assasin look-alike guy (who appeared to be the "connected
guy") was also getting off at the same stop as me... so immediately
thoughts of robbing and raping were abound in my mind (thanks guys).

Well, long story short; after devising many clever plans to avoid
contact with this guy ever again that likely would have failed anyway,
I ended up leaving the train last after saying goodbye to the girls
(who were headed all the way to Vladivostok) and I watched the assasin
hop into a bus and leave.

Then, after walking around the station for a while I jumped in a "van-
bus" on the advice of the guidebok. After a failed attempt to explain
that I needed them to drop me off at whatever stop of theirs was
closest to the bus station, I just hopped out (while it was still dark
outside) on Karla Marksa street. From there my compus, map, and two
feet hauled my ass and backpack to the station.

More frustration ensued as I asked one lady for a ticket to Listvyanka
she said the bus left at 11:00 (3 hours) so I stepped outside to see
if a slighly more expensive van-bus was leaving sooner. 5 minutes
later I was at her window to buy my ticket for the 11:00 bus. She then
proceeded to inform me there was no more bus to Listvyanka (at any
time). Four options here: 1) she didn't like foreigners, 2) she forgot
earlier that buses stopped going there, 3) the weather was to bad for
the bushes to run today, or 4) they sold all of the tickets in the 5
minute window that I stepped outside. My bet is option #1.

So I proceeded to get in a cab to whom I ended up paying 1400 rubles,
something like $45, to go 45 miles on an icey road in a driving
snowstorm, which I documented with video. We almost got in 1 accident
(only avoided due to a nice maneuver by my driver... the other guy was
in the center if the road at the crest of a hill), stalled the car
once, and nearly ran over some people walking in the middle of the
road. Taking into account the "experience" of the taxi ride through
the wilderness, the scenery, the constant "sign of the cross" and
apparent prayers made by my driver coupled with chain smoking very
harsh cigarettes and what I believe to be some pretty foul language:
the ride was well worth the price of admission.

I proceeded to find my way to the house I am staying in, take a nap,
and walk 3-4 mile along the lake taking various picture in this
massive storm. It appears that this is also the first major freeze and
snow if the winter here, so I wonder if it is the same system I
experienced in Novosibirsk a few days ago.

The picture above is part if the meal I had at some hotel resturaunt
(chosen solely because the guide book said that they had an English
menu). This was only the third sit-down meal of my trip thus far. I
had a dish of one of the local fish that only lives in this lake
(omul), and this salad. The salad was: crab, cucumber, egg, boiled cow
tongue, and mayo... and it was spectacular (although the only other
thing I had eaten in the past 24 hours was a smoked omul fish from a
street vendor). I also paid some inflated price for a glass of scotch
(nearly half the bill), because I am tired of vodka and I felt I
deserved some of my favorite booze as a reward for trekking along a
lake in a blizzard.

I also finished off my first memory card... roughly 950 pictures and
15 minutes of video... since I am past the half way point of my trip,
my 8gb total storage should be about right... and if I run out it will
be in Beijing, where I should be able to get another card for wicked
cheap...that will also be when this is posted, as I will not have
wireless access until then.

Weather permitting, I plan to hike to the top of a hill along the
shore and take some pictures of the lake tommorow. I believe the lake
is like the Grand Canyon, in that you can not fully appreciate its
size unless you take a week to hike and drive some large portion of
it. The statistics on the biology and size of this thing are amazing.
My hope to jump in the lake will not happen, so I will have to settle
for the 5 years of extra life that comes with dipping a toe in... but
I did my whole foot, so that has to be at least 6. I also saw a few
scuba divers in the water... if I was certified I would be all over
that.

Ok, that us all for this installment of random thoughts.

- The Dues