Lost in webSpace: Irkutsk

We drove down from Listvyanka to Irkutsk today.

We woke up to a grey morning.

We got ready, packed everything, had breakfast, and look out of the window. And it was snowing.

Had to. We're in Siberia after all. How can it not snow?

I dressed in as many layers as I had and stepped out hoping to catch a flake or two, but the cold was intense. Just gave up and got back to the hotel.

Our pick up had arrived and we decided to get moving.

Driving back to Irkutsk through the Taiga was quite smooth. Entering the city, we faced the joy of weekday rush hour.

Our first stop was the 'Lace House'

No, it's got nothing to do with lace. It's called Lace house because of the gorgeous woodwork detailing all over the house.

Irkutsk has 'sister city' treaties with cities around the world. Ulan Batar in Mongolia, Kanazawa in Japan, Eugene USA and others cities in Korea, China, Slovenia, Italy etc.

There's a small park near the Lace house dedicated to that, showcasing emblems from these cities.

A good portion of Irkutsk was destroyed in a fire in the 1800s. Very few of the old wooden houses remain, and those that do, are a visual treat. The decorative woodwork in the exteriors is quite beautiful.

Natalia pointed out to ornate houses we passed. All of them belonged to prosperous merchants.

We made our way to the City Centre. We must have circled the central Square area thrice before we found parking.

The first stop was at the War Memorial Eternal Flame.

This memorial is dedicated to the fallen soldiers of the Great Patriotic War, or what the rest of the world calls it, World War II.

The memorial has the names of the fallen from the region inscribed on the wall.

School children from Irkutsk stand as guard of honour to the eternal flame.

The river bank.

Irkutsk is really really cold. The closer one gets to the Angara river, the temperature seems to drop drastically.

One of the early Cossack commanders who was sent to Siberia to start settlements here.

A view of the Angara on a rainy day,.

The Church of the Epiphany.

Beautiful frescoes and icons.

The church of the Saviour.

This church is famous for having frescoes on the outer wall.

A statue of the patron saints of Irkutsk, who are holding a dove and there's a rabbit behind them.

This is to symbolise peace and prosperity.

Our friend standing in Vladimir Iliyich Ulyanov's classic pose.

Please note how I use his traditional Russian name and not his pen name.

The Gandaberunda on the state house.

This fountain and park were built in the early 60s.

According to Natalia, this was supposed to commemorate the visit of the American president, Dwight D Esienhover to Irkutsk as a part of his tour to Russia.

Then the U2 spy plane scandal happened and Francis Gary Powers was shot down over Russia and captured. And the recovered plane and surveillance footage threw any claims of plausible deniability out the proverbial window.

And I guess this is why Khrushchev said Nyet to Eisenhower's visit.

So, a fountain for an event that never happened.

A 3D photo booth, I think, to commemorate the war.

A lead map of Irkutsk.

Walking along the River Natalia pointed out to this gentleman asked if we had heard of him.

We read the Cyrillic.

Yu A Gagarin.

'Yuri Alexieyvich Gagarin' we yelled, very pleased with ourselves.

She was surprised we knew the name.

And even more surprised when I asked her whether there were statues or memorials of Valentina Tereshkova, or even Lyka.

I told her how, in my generation at least, bachcha bachcha knows these names.

Further down the road, was the statue of Tsar Alexander III. His title of Imperator, came from Rome, as a potential successor to the Holy Roman Empire.

And for no reason, someone had put a little mitten on one of the wrought iron curlicues. It's Siberia. Entitled to feel cold.

There was this lovely wooden carving of an owl holding some books, right behind that Imperator.

We made our way down to District 130, the Wooden district.

There are many old fashioned wooden buildings here. Some restored, some replicated.

Later in the evening, while the OH was taking some work calls, I went exploring on my own.

Walked into this pretty church.

Also managed to impress the caretaker by covering my head before I was asked.

Another war memorial to the fallen soldiers of the Great Patriotic War.

The OH finished work, and after some confusion with Google Maps, and even more confusing directions, we met up and made it to the square in time, to watch the rehearsals of the Den Pobedy, or Victory Day Parade.

We did see one gentleman, in what looked to the veterans platoon, who we thought could be Vladimir Brusillof. (Ref: The Clicking of Cuthbert by PG Wodehouse)