INNER MONGOLIA (CHINA) — After 12 hours on the train, we’ re still less than halfway to Ulaanbaatar. To be honest, not much has happened so far — we won’t even cross the border until midnight. In between reading, napping, and gazing out the window, I’ve had plenty of time to think about why I wanted to take a Trans-Siberian trip in the first place.
We spent today aboard train K23 from Beijing to Ulaanbaatar.
I think it has something to do with the names: Ekaterinburg, Vladivostok, Ulaanbaatar. Siberia. After months of planning this trip, the names roll easily off my tongue, yet I have no clear impression of what the places will be like. The long names seem to conceal mysteries that only a visit can reveal.
Russia and Mongolia don’t have a monopoly on this particular romance. Name a string of random cities from around the world, and they immediately fall into two camps: “Jakarta” sends shivers up my spine in a way that “Manila” never can. Havana, Kyoto and Vienna all have “it;” Mexico City, Seoul and Frankfurt do not. (The Austrian-German divide seems to be particularly acute, with Austria getting all the romance and Germany none.) Travelers who would never have visited Zhongdian flock to Shangri-La.
But the Trans-Siberian collects a high volume of linguistic romance into a relatively compact journey. The historic inaccessibility of Siberia — its status as a metaphor for remoteness — only heightens the drama. Can these places possibly live up to their magnificent names? I’ll soon find out.
Which cities do you think have the most enticing names?
I’m posting every day during my journey along the Trans-Mongolian Railway! See previous posts in my Trans-Mongolian Diary or subscribe to my RSS feed to follow along.
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
“Which cities do you think have the most enticing names?”
I’ve always had a thing for Kathmandu.
oh, kathmandu! what a name. i have to agree. and for countries i always liked azerbaijan ( i think i spelled that right)