Ulan Ude, the capital of the Buryat Republic, Russia, was founded by Cossacks in 1666 and became a major hub for trade between Russia and Mongolia and China. The Central Square (Ploshchad Sovetov) is famous for the largest head of Lenin in the world. We got some unique photos as it was raining and the head took on a particularly menacing look. It is here we start to see distinctly Asian faces and Ulan Ude once was a trading post between Irkutsk and China on the wealthy tea caravan route.

Buryats, of Mongol descent, are the largest Siberian minority group and they speak a Mongolian dialect. We also visited Village of Old Believers with their own special music and culture.
TARBAGATAY, Russia (a village south of Ulan Ude) - Old Believers, exiled here and refused the reforms of the Orthodox Church in the 17th Century, held on to their traditions after 2 centuries of exile. They have unqiue singing traditions and have been the focus of folklorists.