Ex-CCCP

Great trans-Siberian railway

From Moscow to Asia in one fell swoop! Well, since is the Transsibirskaya magistral is the longest continuous rail line on earth, you might want to put aside some time to complete this journey of 6000 miles.

If you want to extend your railway experience beyond Russia, the tracks can take you through Mongolia and China, and all the way to Tibet and even Vietnam - and you have a choice of picking the Trans-Mongolian railway (From Moscow to Peking via Ulan-Bator), or the Trans-Manchurian railway (To Peking via Siberia and Chinese Manchuria).

Don't bother to buy the tickets before arriving in Russia. Getting them when you arrive saves you money and hassle.

The big head

The town of Ulan-Ude is in many ways just a typical Russo-Asian crossing station, but being the proud owner of the biggest head of Lenin known to mankind must count for something. The former Soviet Union's most popular theme in monuments has gained a shade of megalomania here in deep Siberia and, unlike in the Baltic countries, the townspeople have decided not to tear down the statue.

This massive noggin can be found in the centre square of Ulan-Ude, crowning the typical Soviet architecture that spreads 360 degrees around it. Should your train take you to Buryatia, witness this big head and you'll never have to see another statue of Lenin again!

Buddist temple in orthodoxic Russia

For many, Russia's churches are the orthodox ones with distinctive, onion-shaped domes, but it's good to remember that the large part of the country is actually a part of Asia. That in mind, it's not that surprising that you can find Buddhist monasteries in Russia.

In Buryiatia, near Ulan-Ude, the most famous monastery or datsan is called Ivolginsky. The former monk of this monastery, Dasha-Dorje Itigelov's body was buried through the whole Soviet reign, but when it was exhumed on his written orders in the 1990s, it was still preserved, even with hair and fingernails still intact.

The monastery and its temples are an interesting mix of typical architecture of Asian temples and Russian brick barracks. For the pilgrims, the place has dormitory accommodation for a reasonable price.

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