Barguzin mountain range. (14.08.2019)

asweere posted a video:

Hard trekking in Barguzin mountains. Russia, Buryatia. August, 2019.

China (11.08.2019)

802701 posted a photo:

The journey from Ulaanbaatar to Beijing involves a fairly long border crossing. The track gauge is different which means the train carriages need to go through a massive automated warehouse where they're lifted up and altered for China tracks.

After a snooze overnight, I woke up to this view from the train. The scenery north of Beijing is truly stunning.

Trans-Mongolian railway (09.08.2019)

802701 posted a photo:

The journey through Mongolia is incredible, if only for seeing how desolate so much of the country is. It's mile after mile of desert, and then suddenly a little dusty town pops up in the middle of nowhere. The isolation out here must be challenging at times.

It's actually quite mesmerising to watch endless, empty-looking desert pass by the window for hours.

Trans-Mongolian railway (09.08.2019)

802701 posted a photo:

After travelling from Moscow to Ulan-Ude, that ended up being the end of the journey in Russia. It was time to head south, and I was on the Trans-Mongolian railway.

This was the most basic train so far, with a typical kupe which sleeps four. I had this one to myself for the first leg of this trip, and ended up spending most of the journey chatting with a lovely Canadian family in the cabin next door.

Trans-Mongolian railway (09.08.2019)

802701 posted a photo:

There were two stops at the border crossing from Russia into Mongolia. On the Russian side it was a few hours in Naushki, where cows had free roam of the streets, and where the only "cafe" turned out to be an abandoned building next to a stagnant swamp.

The Mongolian side of the border was far better: Sukhbaatar had some shops to buy snacks and drinks, more people hanging around.

The border checks felt pretty standard by now. The police do a sweep of the train (the Russians were thorough, even taking posters off the wall to check behind them), and after the sweep the passports are taken away for checking before the train slowly makes its way into the next country.

Ulan-Ude, Russia (07.08.2019)

802701 posted a photo:

My last stop in Russia was Ulan-Ude. This is where Russia stopped feeling Russian and had far more of an East Asian feel to it.

This was a relatively short trip (only eight hours on the train) from Irkutsk

Ulan-Ude, Russia (07.08.2019)

802701 posted a photo:

Unfortunately I had somehow put my back out so my plans for the only evening I'd spend in Ulan-Ude were entirely scuppered. Instead of the many miles of walking around the city, I spent most of my time in and around the hotel, at the musical fountains and at a main square, which featured this enormous bust of Lenin.

Trans-Siberian railway (04.08.2019)

802701 posted a photo:

The journey across the Trans-Siberian route is the longest and one of the most epic trips you can take. It's seven days in total (if you don't leave the train) and covers thousands of miles.

This is a four-person kupe. Pretty standard for the old-style trains. I ended up with several overnight, 24-hour trips on the route. People would come and go as their journeys started and ended.

Trans-Siberian railway (04.08.2019)

802701 posted a photo:

In all it was quite sociable. Even at times when I was in a kupe with people who didn't speak English, there was still some chat. I spoke with a family through Google Translate about football, travel, family.

Every so often the train stops for half an hour or so and it's a chance to nip out to the platform for some supplies. If you're unfortunate, someone in your carriage might pick up some of the smoked fish.

Performer from Buryatia (01.08.2019)

Joao de Barros posted a photo:

Shot during an international folklore festival held near by my place.

Giant Lenin Head (28.07.2019)

Nick_Leonard posted a photo:

The world’s largest Lenin head - Ulan-Ude, Russia.

Supreme Healer (28.07.2019)

Nick_Leonard posted a photo:

This is the first of 76 Buddhist painting scrolls dating from 1687-88 at the Buryatia Historical Museum in Ulan-Ude that make up the ‘Atlas of Tibetan Medicine’, originally composed in the 12th century. This painting shows Buddha as the Supreme Healer in the City of Remedies of Irresistible Beauty.

Barguzin mountains. (14.08.2019)

asweere posted a photo:

Баргузинский хребет. Ущелье Горделан, гора Лопата. Вид с перевала.

Boryatian performers (28.07.2019)

Joao de Barros posted a photo:

Shot during an international folklore festival held near by my place.

Buryatian folklore (28.07.2019)

Joao de Barros posted a photo:

Shot during an international folklore festival held near by my place.

Buryatian folklore (28.07.2019)

Joao de Barros posted a photo:

Shot during an international folklore festival held near by my place.

Buryatian folklore (28.07.2019)

Joao de Barros posted a photo:

Shot during an international folklore festival held near by my place.

Buryatian folklore (28.07.2019)

Joao de Barros posted a photo:

Shot during an international folklore festival held near by my place.

Buryatian folklore (28.07.2019)

Joao de Barros posted a photo:

Shot during an international folklore festival held near by my place.

Buryatian folklore (28.07.2019)

Joao de Barros posted a photo:

Shot during an international folklore festival held near by my place.