Introduction to today's journey
Today's journey takes me along the Trans-Siberian Railway around Lake Baikal arriving in Irkutsk in the early morning. I settle in Siberia's capital city and spend the day following the historical walkway through the city.
Today's Journey
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I awake to a cold misty sunrise travelling along the forested plains following the Irkut River. |
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Arriving at Irkutsk Station where I disembark for a couple of days, having now officially finished the Trans-Mongolian leg of this train journey between Pyongyang and St Petersburg. |
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Crossing the Glazkovskiy Bridge across the Angara River, I head to the Skver Im Kirova Park with its beautiful fountain in the middle. |
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The Yustitsii Irkuskoy Oblasti government office at the end of the park - Very Soviet looking. |
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I reach a platform overlooking the Angara River draining Lake Baikal and heading another 1800 kilometres north from here into the Yenisey River, which flows into the Arctic Ocean. I have been following this river system from one of its sources in Terelj National Park. This is now an enormous river, to become the largest to flow into the Arctic Ocean. |
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The Triumphal Arch built in 1811 in honour of the 10th anniversary of the ascession of Alexander 1 to the throne, marking the end of the recently opened highway to Moscow 5212 kilometres away. |
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Passing an old Soviet building boarded up as they usually are for the winter, but this has been abandoned. |
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Statues of early settlers on the mall of Ulitsa Uritskogo. |
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Large statue of a Babr, the coat of arms symbol of Irkutsk. It was mythological steppe tiger which represents the power, uniqueness and richness of this area. |
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Returning to the Angara River to watch the sunset as the water swiftly passes heading downstream towards the Arctic Ocean. |
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