my last stop in russia of course it looks nothing like this photo, this time to the east of Baikal. my guide book tells me that Ulan means 'red' in the local Buryat language. i have no idea who would find that interesting, the only thing of interest in this place is that largest Lenin head in the world, although it must be said he does look slightly stoned. that said Ulan Ude is a very different city from any other i visited in Russia, although it is just a few hundred miles east of Irkutsk, the people are strikingly different they suddenly started looking much more mongolian, it is also a buddist stronghold and after numerous Russian autherdoxed churches a budist temple was a great pleasure. the place was actually probally my favourate place in Russia.ahh what a place oh well Mongolia here we come!