Rest of Russia

Actually, we had recorded a nice video about the past few days in Russia, but unfortunately it's too big to post (almost 2 GB :D). So here's the summary:

Omsk: The best thing about Omsk was the hostel. In comparison, even Geislingen is a beauty. Lots of industry and relatively heavy traffic.

Novosibirsk: Novosibirsk is the capital of Siberia. We immediately noticed that when we got off. The first stop after the hostel led us to a shopping center (-26 degrees). Equipped with warm clothes, we were able to stay outside for half an hour at a time. We warmed up in the art museum and in the evening, the view over the frozen river was beautiful.

Irkutsk: In Irkutsk, it was even colder in the morning at -30 degrees. Luckily, we had a rental car for that day. So we drove to Lake Baikal. But it was not frozen yet, contrary to our expectations. We went for a little hike along the lake. Unfortunately, there wasn't much else to do since winter tourism with the frozen lake starts in January. Something remarkable about cars in Russia: Firstly, cars don't freeze overnight even at -30 degrees because the air is incredibly dry. It burns in the lungs, but at least you never have to scrape :D Secondly, car tires in Russia have spikes, so you don't get stuck in deep snow and don't slip on thick ice. In the evening, we got to know the Russian mafia while going out :D After finally finding a table in the American bar that was not occupied by a jacket, we noticed the men in black suits a few tables away. We initially misinterpreted their constant glances at us until we realized they all had an earpiece. Apparently, they were guarding someone important. Ultimately, they left the restaurant with guns on, and their jackets scattered around.

The next day, we explored Irkutsk. A beautiful town.

Ulan-Ude: The small town immediately enchanted us with its charm. There was quite a bit of snow, and the people were very warm-hearted, and surprisingly many could speak English (communication in Russia was otherwise difficult). Also, Ulan-Ude has the largest Lenin head in Russia (every other city only had a life-sized statue). The head was as big as a double-decker apartment.

Conclusion Russia: Despite the cold and communication difficulties, Russia has won our hearts. The landscapes are simply beautiful, and there is still a lot of architectural remnants from the Tsar era in the cities. The mix of Soviet panel buildings and ornate buildings is also unique.