130 Kvartal and Lenin Street Coffee in Irkutsk
After having a surprisingly good lunch in an unexpected place and resting enough to recover our energy, we headed to 130 Kvartal (District), known as the trendiest street in Irkutsk. Upon arrival, this so-called trendy street didn't seem all that spectacular, apart from two or three groups of buskers and a few scattered restaurants that looked nice but expensive. I had really high expectations for this place before leaving Seoul, so I was a bit disappointed that it wasn't as great as I thought. However, the statue of the Babr, the animal symbol of Irkutsk located at the entrance, is a pretty good photo spot.
After walking a lap around 130 Kvartal without finding a place we wanted to go into, we moved on to Lenin Coffee, a place with a name that reeks of communism. It has a circular logo similar to Starbucks with "LENIN COFFEE" written on it. Because it was a coffee shop named after Lenin, I really wanted to try it ever since I was in Korea. I was so drawn to its intense name; I felt like if I drank it, I'd turn into a communist and shout, "All power to the Soviets!" Plus, my body was quite exhausted from carrying heavy luggage. A cup of Americano here the most American drink at a coffee shop named after the communist Lenin was truly like sweet rain after a drought. The coffee has a very communist taste to it. It tastes bad. The taste isn't that great, but if you're in Russia, try taking a commemorative photo of yourself drinking Lenin Coffee while reading Karl Marx's "Das Kapital."
Expenses (Per Person)
- Room change additional fee 50RUB
- Bus 150RUB
- Lunch 150RUB
Lenin Coffee 108RUB (My older brother bought it)- Water 61RUB, Bread 17RUB = 88RUB
Dinner unknown (My older brother bought it)- Train 6,922RUB
- Shower 100RUB
Total Expenses 7,460RUB
Total Trip Expenses 525,936KRW + 11,956RUB + $53.16