In a land not known for smiles, we were bowled over by the friendliness of the local Buryat people. Though the biggest face in town was rather more austere - the world's largest bust of Lenin - which loomed over the main square.
More lively than Lenin, lucky coincidence meant that we met up with our Olkhon friends Nir, Vania and Leon. Thanks to Vania's language ability we found our way by various 'mashrutka' or 'all-pile-in' minibuses to the centre of Russian Buddhism; The Ivoglinsky Datsan of Ulan-Ude.
This last taste of Russia felt unmistakably Asian, in perfect preparation for our next stop (barring the 10 hour border crossing): Mongolia.
More lively than Lenin, lucky coincidence meant that we met up with our Olkhon friends Nir, Vania and Leon. Thanks to Vania's language ability we found our way by various 'mashrutka' or 'all-pile-in' minibuses to the centre of Russian Buddhism; The Ivoglinsky Datsan of Ulan-Ude.
This last taste of Russia felt unmistakably Asian, in perfect preparation for our next stop (barring the 10 hour border crossing): Mongolia.
Hi Phil and Sam,
ReplyDeleteIts SO cool to be able to read about your travels - thanks for blogging it all for us. Me and Neil have just done the last entry on our blog since. We thought that not many people were reading it but then were invited to the queens birthday tea party in Minsk(I admit that is a strange start to a sentence)but then people kept coming up to us saying "you are the bird guys, nice blog"... so be careful what you write!!
Anyway, keep writing, I'll be keeping an eye out for updates.
Have fun wandering x
Ellie
Thanks for the advice Allie and Neil! We'd better remain tight-lipped about our ghastly Italian travel companions then. Oops.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the job..?? Not with the Belarussian royal family no?