In Transbaikalia was many times - both in winter and summer. Seemed to see all the main sights... But when in the early autumn of last year again passed through Buryatia (we were ferried cars for mileage on the highway "Amur"), discovered anew the ancient land.
This is the sacred Baikal! What is the beginning of knowing this land, more often than ever, when they pronounce the names of the places here? Of course, Lake Baikal is the deepest and perhaps the most beautiful in the world. In an antiquity he was worshied as a living creature ... And now, when a car dribbling a hundred kilometers along the mountain road from Irkutsk, unexpectedly pop out onto an open platform near the village of Kultuk and opens the sea to the eye of the sea-the heart simply freezes with delight. God, is there somewhere in the world such beauty as Baikal? To see it's a miracle, it's about driving thousands of miles! Only then, at least for a few hours on the shore-just sit down, look in the distance (in good weather you can see 100 kilometers, or more), plunders into the water of a sacred lake ... She's so cold! There are, of course, a few of them (they are called "cursors"), where the water is warm in summer (there are plenty of vacationers there), but usually the temperature rarely rises above + 12oC. It's a hot summer! But it's worth it. They're going to laugh, comrades: " In Baikal? Not swimming? ". However, this great lake can be told infinitely. On the M55 highway (of course, it is also called Baikal), crossing the countless streams, creeks and streams, which fall into the "glorious sea". And the names are not easy: Abramiha, Baryshiha, Kultushhaha ... Selenga is the main water supplier for the lake. Here the road turns and goes through the mountains to the Ulan-Ude, the bouryat capital. The city is a standard Soviet regional center; from the former Cossack prison, which stood there 350 years ago, of course, there was nothing left. The main official landmark is Lenin's monument, which is located on the central square. But he does make an impression: a huge, high 13.5 m head of Vladimir Ilyich out of black marble! But this is an optional program, which is mandatory in the vicinity of the city. First of all, the guest of the republic's capital is simply obliged to visit the Yolgyn Dacan. The Iwolginsky date is two dozen temples, hundreds of monks and hundreds of novices. This is the center of Russian Buddhism, but it doesn't matter what religion is a person. It is not just a place where there are many picturesque Buddhist temples and monuments on a small territory; here, in just a few minutes, you are comforting under the rustle of the wind and the creak of colorful drums. The wind stirled the hatchway with the tangled mantra-the air flew up to the sky. The man circled the drum, whispered in the notes, and thousands of mantras read per second. It doesn't matter if you believe in it or not, it just feels like an internal balance. There is one relic that is drawn by everyone, regardless of religion, is the untenable body of the khumbo-lama Ithegalov, the main Russian Buddhist. In life, he was a reader in these lands, performed miracles. He was buried in 1927, but 75 years later, in 2002, his own death request was removed, opened-and saw that the monk's body had been spared. Moreover, the Buddhists believe that the hambo-lama is alive, just temporarily in a different state. The modern science cannot say anything: the body is perfectly preserved and has a constant temperature-about 11ºC. The right prayer for a buddhist is hard work: you have to fall, go back and get up there. And hundreds of times a day! It is possible to see the hammbo only four times a year, when during the main local holidays he is taken out of the temple for a short time. But we were thrown into the room in an exceptional way. By the way, local monks daily in the astral intermingle with the hambo-lama and then tell about the images he gave them. Every day a new sheet of storytelling and pictures is posted in front of the temple. What is surprising is that, on the day we were in the dacan, Itigela "told" the parable of two roads, light and difficult, and about the choice that always stands in front of the man. Is that a coincidence? I cannot say that the sight of the old man sitting behind the glass in the bright clothes that bent his head on his chest shook. But I'm impressed, no doubt. And, like everyone else, I wished to know something innermost: it was like the hambo-lama was fulfilling the wishes, but only those of the soul, with no faith in that religion. I don't know whether it is or not, but when I was here for the first time twenty years ago, the simple lama who volunteered to walk me over the territory of the danboy, after ten minutes of the general conversation, said suddenly, "You'll quit smoking!". But I didn' t smoke in it, the subject didn' t raise the subject, although, frankly, it was a wish. However, he could not give up his addiction ... He left in two weeks, and it's not even a drag ever since. There's the trust after that-or don't believe ... There is another stunning place-the mountain plateau, where the Hun town is located. Two and a half thousand years ago there was a large city: archaeologists discovered the remnants of the palace of the ruler, houses, blacksmith workshops ... Who destroyed this city two thousand years ago, where the civilisation of the guon disappeared? No response ... But eight centuries ago, under the legend, the next plateau chose the great conqueror of Genghis Khan. Here he stopped several times after the hikes. The traveler will show the place where the great Khan's tent was standing, where his wives, children, the generals, where the devoted guard lived, lived. And he will appreciate the stunning beauty of the plateau on the surrounding mountains and the plains. This place used to be Genghis Khan's parking lot. And now they're hosting theatrical performances for tourists. But if there was a place where Genghis Khan was standing, the historians were identified, then the parking lot of Gasier's (Gaseray buoy) was found twenty years ago by the then chief architect Ulan-Ude P. Silberman. This is Shaman Mountain on the left bank of the Selengi, upstream. It is adorned with three carved post-pillars for the horses of the wealthy and his piles. Here they land when they return to the people. All guests of the city must be photographing this place. Why? The legendary hero of the Mayor of Gessir (please not to be confused with the writer of the writer Lukyanenko!)-the figure is more than worthy. The son of a heavenly deity sent to the world to fight the forces of evil, he committed countless exploits. "Do not allow the enemy to the native land, do not wait for it, but come out to meet it, and it will be defeated" is one of the slogans of the main hero of the great epic. So the picture in this really beautiful place is much nicer than the big black head ...But, honestly, in three days, you can see only a small fraction of the beauty and miracles of this land. We have not been in the most accessible reserve-Baikal, not in the village of the old-overs, saw the shamans of the shamans ... So I'm gonna have to come here, too.
Fast train Moscow - Ulan Bator - Beijing sent from the second path!Station in Listvyanka - apparently the only one in the world built entirely of marble. And what is more, if the quarry is near? Here, even in the asphalt add crumbs. Ivolginsky datsan - two dozen temples, hundreds of monks and a few hundred novices. The correct prayer for a Buddhist is hard work: you have to fall, to go back on the blackboard. And so hundreds of times a day!This place was once the Parking lot of Genghis Khan. Now arrange theatrical performances for tourists. Here, according to legend, the great conqueror was planning future trips. Road Buryatia. Beauty - takes breath away!Here it is, sacred Baikal!. .