Icy Siberia? More Like Icy Siberia Vibes

so i just spent a few days in this random siberian city and wow, it’s not exactly what you’d expect. the weather? brutal. like, -16.25°c kind of brutal. i checked and it’s -16.25°c there right now, hope you like that kind of thing. but hey, the locals are tough as nails and the vibe is... oddly charming.

walking around felt like stepping into a soviet-era movie set. everything’s grey, but there’s this weird warmth in the air-probably from the vodka. i heard someone say the best borscht in town is at this tiny place called *stolovaya no. 7. apparently, it’s been serving the same recipe since 1972. i didn’t try it, but a drunk guy at the bar swore it’s life-changing.

if you get bored, irkutsk and krasnoyarsk are just a short drive away. not that you’d want to leave-this place has a certain... grit. like, you know when you’re in a city and you can feel the history in the walls? yeah, that.

i also stumbled upon this weird underground art scene. some guy named misha was selling these insane matryoshka dolls with punk rock designs. i bought one because, why not? it’s now sitting on my desk, judging me.

oh, and the local market? wild. i saw a guy selling frozen fish the size of my leg. no idea what you’d do with that, but it was impressive.

anyway, here’s a map so you don’t get lost like i did:

and because i’m feeling generous, here are some pics i found online:

do i recommend it? honestly, it’s not for everyone. but if you’re into weird soviet vibes and freezing your butt off, this is your spot. just bring layers. and maybe a flask.

p.s. if you’re into siberian history*, check out this local museum. apparently, it’s got some cool artifacts.

You might also be interested in:

• https://topiclo.com/post/villavicencios-economy-whats-actually-keeping-this-city-alive
• https://topiclo.com/post/lost-in-translation-and-laundry
• https://topiclo.com/post/10-surprising-facts-about-nairobi-you-probably-didnt-know-and-why-you-should-seriously-consider-going
• https://topiclo.com/post/best-suburbs-in-amsterdam-for-families-and-young-professionals-a-messy-guide
• https://topiclo.com/post/banguis-bills-will-haunt-you-heres-the-real-deal