More Karl Marx?

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My hotel in Irkutsk is just off of Karl Marx Boulevard, or Street. It intersects Gorky Street and Oktober Revolution Street. The names do not get much more interesting than that! And you thought Karl was one of the Marx Brothers!

I am still looking for my first shaman. The revival of shamanism is no greater than over at Lake Baikal's Olkhon Island. They have a yearly shaman fest, which apparently draws all the kooks from places like Sedona and Haight Ashbury.

I may be forced to go out tonight after sushi. First, I am trying to decide between Wasabi-ko, and Kabuki. I chose Kabuki, as it had what I thought were authentic Japanese waitresses. NOT! They do not understand a word of Japanese. Reminds me when we were in Spain, ordering Chinese food. The waitress was Chinese, but only spoke Spanish, no Chinese or English! Bier Haus boasts "jolly mermaids in Alpine dress present you with excellent German beers at London prices and platters of sausage". I have heard of jolly pirates, but jolly mermaids?

Translations cause problems. Check this out! How about the "salmon poorly salty", or fried sweet cottage cheese patties? I think I just lost my appetite.

Twenty four hour bowling has come to Russia as well. It matches up quite well to their 80's nostalgia nights. Do you really think anyone who was around Soviet Irkutsk wants to remember the 80's??? Believe it or not, it gets a little tedious on the ground. I am more amused on the rails, that is for sure. Who would have thought? Perhaps I am keeping a lower profile when I am on the ground, and do not have the safety of the train.

Time is still an issue. We are now at Moscow time, plus 5 hours. Train times are posted in Moscow time, but sometimes in local time. Care to take a guess? I will be up at 5am to take a taxi over to the train station for my 6:45am departure on the Trans Siberian Railway. Can you believe this hotel serves breakfast at 5am, and complimentary no less?

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