'''Yakutsk''' (Russian phrasebook: _`_{_______{) is the capital city of Yakutia (an ethnic autonomous republic the size of ''India'') and one of the oldest cities of Siberia.

Yakutsk has gained attention as potentially the coldest city in the world, but is worth a visit more for the great natural beauty of its surrounding countryside, unique cryogenic museums, and just for the spirit of adventure in the most remote lands of the world.

Understand

History

Yakutsk was founded by Pyotr Beketov in 1632. A detachment of cossacks under his command founded the city as the Lenskii fort, on the right bank of the Lena River (the tenth longest river in the world), which grew into (and changed its name to) Yakustk in 1647.

As one of the most important Russian outposts in eastern Siberia, Yakutsk became the economic and administrative center of the region—a base for probes (and later scientific expeditions) into the Far East and the extreme North.

In 1822, Yakutsk was officially designated a city, and in 1851 became the official administrative capital of the Autonomous Republic of Yakutia. Today Yakutsk is a major administrative, industrial, cultural, and research center—standing out as one of the most dynamic and fast-developing cities in the Russian Far East.

Climate

Yakutsk is situated at the extreme latitude of 62__N. Its climate is definitively continental, leading to summer highs in the 90s (+38__ Celsius), and extreme winter lows ''in the negative 80s'' (-64__ Celsius)—that's a range of over 100__ Celsius! The average temperature in January is around -45__(-42__C); in July—+66__ (19__C). The ideal time to visit (unless you're traveling here purposely to experience the extreme cold) is from March to July. The sunny spring months will allow you to enjoy winter sports like skiing, ice-skating, dog sledding, ice sculptures, etc., under temperatures permitting outdoor human life. The average March temperatures, of course, are still cold at an average of -8.5__ (-22.5__C). The summer months of June-July are great for the opportunities to see the Northern wilderness in its full glory, to enjoy the White Nights when the sun never sets, to set off on adventures along the Yakut rivers, and to experience the Yakut national holiday "Ysyakh."

Get in

By plane

There are two airports. The international airport, "Tuimaada," gets regular direct flights from Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk, Irkutsk, Khabarovsk, and a few other major cities in Russia. It also gets direct flights in once a day from Harbin, China. The domestic airport, "Magan," mostly serves flights within Yakutia, as well as private flights.

To get from the international airport to the city center, you can take a taxi (15-20 min), or one of the buses #4, 5, & 20 (30-40 min). Magan is a bit further out, and a taxi ride to the city center will take 30-40 min; the bus "Yakutsk-Magan" will take a little over an hour.

By train

Yakutsk has no connections to the Russian rail network. The nearest train station is in Tommot (453 kilometers away). A train station is planned for completion in 2012, which probably won't be connected to the rail network until 2020. You can buy train tickets leading from Tommot or Neryungri in advance at Yakutsk's main travel agency at 8 Ordzhonikidze St (___|. _O___t_w___~_y_{_y_t_x_u, 8).

By car

The only road that is passable year-round, connecting Yakutsk to the rest of the world, is the M-56 "Lena" from Never to Yakutsk. The road is in a dilapidated condition, and not entirely paved. That dilapidation, of course, is owed mainly to the nearly year-round extreme temperatures, ice, and snow. There are many small rivers and ponds along the road, and most of the "bridges" lie beneath the water. In 2006, the road won the dubious distinction of "worst road in the world."

In the past couple years the condition of the road is improving, with serious reconstruction work ongoing. But regardless, in the rain, many sections of the road are extremely difficult to get through (especially the section between Uluu to Kachikatsy). The last stretch, from Nizhny Bestyakh to Yakutsk requires a ferry in the summer across the Lena River; in the winter you can just drive across the ice! In the months in between (May and October) there really isn't a way to make the crossing.

The ''other road'' is to Magadan. Heaven help anyone who foolishly sets out in this direction. Unimproved dirt roads(/paths) wandering off through Siberian taiga for approximately the length of the United States. Reports (presumably from people crazy enough to go this way) suggest that a 30 km section of the trip is prone to natural gas seepages, which can cause drivers to fall asleep and, well, not wake up. It was confirmed that this has actually happened to several people in past years, although most reports say the drivers just "fell asleep at the wheel" and not that it was directly linked to the gas exposure.

By bus

Two buses per week travel Yakutsk–Neryungi (18–20 hours) from the train station, and Yakutsk–Aldana (12-14 hours). There are also a mini-buses, which run between local towns and Yakutsk, provided they can fill enough seats to make the trip profitable.

By boat

Regular passenger travel by boat along the Lena River to/from Yakutsk is possible to/from Olekminsk, Lensk, Zhigansk, Khadygu, and several other other small localities in central Yakutia. There are no regular passenger connections beyond the boundaries of Yakutia, but there are occasional passenger boats coming in from Ust-Kut (Irkutsk Oblast), where there is a train station along the Trans-Siberian railway. There is also regular freight traffic through the North Sea from the ports of Northwestern Russia (Murmansk, Arkhangelsk), by the name "Northern Delivery" (_R_u_r_u___~___z _x_p_r___x).

Get around

By bus

Bus is the basic mode (and really the only mode) of public transport within Yakutsk. A well developed network of marshrutkas can take you to practically anywhere in the city. A few suburban routes to the nearest inhabited localities also run from the main bus station. All routes cost 14 rubles, although kids less than seven years old ride free.

By taxi

There are several taxi companies in Yakutsk, which you can call for service. The prices are not fixed, and depend on the length of the trip (and likely how much they think they can take this foreigner for). The average price for a cross-town trip is about 100-120 rubles. You can also hire a cab for the day, which will cost you about 350 rubles per hour.

See

Museums

Take note: Yakutsk is far off the beaten path in Russia for international tourism. Consequently, you should expect all museums exhibits to be explained only in Russian. Fortunately some exhibits (like the cryogenically preserved mammoth head) don't require too much explanation!

  • Yakutsk Historical and Cultural Museum of the Northern peoples, Em. Yaroslavskovo. `_{_______{_y_z _s_______t_p_______r_u_~_~___z _}___x_u_z _y_________y_y _y _{___|__________ _~_p_____t___r _R_u_r_u___p _y_}. _E_}. _`_______|_p_r___{___s__. ___. _L_u_~_y_~_p, 5/2, 42-51-74.. 0AM-5PM daily. ree. The main museum in the city, with an impressive collection of artifacts from various periods in the history of Yakutsk—beginning with the prehistoric and ending with the events of the 1990s. Of especial interest is the rich collection of stuffed wildlife from the North, and one of the world's few complete wooly mammoth skeletons.
  • Mammoth Museum. M___x_u_z _}_p_}___~___p. __|. _K___|_p_{___r___{___s__, 48, 4 _____p_w. 6-16-47. 0AM-6PM daily. This museum has one of the world's most diverse collections of exhibits from the Ice Age. The centerpiece of the collection is the cryogenically (and completely) preserved head of a wooly mammoth. The mammoth head often travels to museums outside of Yakutsk, so check ahead to make sure it's on display.
  • Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography of the Yakutsk University. M___x_u_z _p_____u___|___s_y_y _y _____~___s___p___y_y _`_C_T. __|. _K___|_p_{___r___{___s__, 48. 9-68-41. -F 10AM-5PM, Sa 11AM-4PM. The exhibits here show the history of the peoples of Yakutsk, exhibited in an interesting exposition of objects of everyday life and the mythology of the Sakha, Eveny, Evenki, Yukagiry, and other Yakutian ethnic groups since ancient times.
  • The Underground Laboratory of the Institute of Cryogenics. P___t_x_u_}_~_p__ _|_p_q_____p_______y__ _I_~_____y_______p _M_u___x_|_______r_u_t_u_~_y__. __|. _M_u___x_|_____~_p__, 36. 3-44-76, 33-43-38. all in advance to schedule a tour. The only museum in the world of natural cryonics. The trip underground is accompanied by detailed lectures (in Russian, naturally) about the essence of this natural phenomenon, and also displays of the preserved exhibits within the natural "freezer." ''Do not forget to wear very warm clothes!''
  • National Art Musem. N_p___y___~_p_|___~___z _____t___w_u_____r_u_~_~___z _}___x_u_z _Q_R(_`). __|. _K_y_____r_p, 12. 0AM-6PM daily. A huge collection of artwork, including works by Yakuts, Russians, international artists from the 16th century through today. The expositions also include a rich collection of traditional Yakut folk arts and crafts.

    There are a bunch of smaller museums, which don't have the broad appeal of those listed above, but you might nonetheless be interested. Addresses aren't really necessary, since the city center is pretty small. Just tell the taxi driver where you want to go.

  • Memorial House-Museum of Maksim Ammosov (_M_u_}_____y_p_|___~___z _t___}-_}___x_u_z _M_p_{___y_}_p _@_}_}_______r_p)
  • The Government Literature Museum, P.A. Oiunskovo (_K_______t_p_______r_u_~_~___z _|_y___u___p_______~___z _}___x_u_z _y__. _P._@. _O_z___~___{___s__)
  • International Museum of Khomus Music (the Khomus is a traditional Yakut mouth harp) (_M_u_w_t___~_p_____t_~___z _}___x_u_z ___p_}_____~___z (_r_p___s_p_~_~___z) _}___x___{_y
  • Museum of Music and Folklore of the People of Yakutia (_M___x_u_z _____|___{_|_____p _~_p_____t___r _`_{_____y_y)
  • House-Museum of the Political History of Yakutia (_D___}-_}___x_u_z "_I_________y__ _____|_y___y___u___{___z _______|_{_y _r _`_{_____y_y")
  • Art Gallery "Simekh" (_@____-_s_p_|_u___u__ "_R_y_}____")
  • Art Gallery "Urgel" (_@____-_s_p_|_u___u__ "_T___s___|")
  • Numismatic Museum of the Yakutsk State University (_N___}_y_x_}_p___y___u___{_y_z _}___x_u_z _`_C_T)
  • Architecture and monuments

  • The Old City. R___p_____z _s_______t. The Old City, reconstructed in the architectural style of the 19th century, is located at the very center of Yakutsk, and is bordered by the streets Ammosov, Arzhakov, and the Plaza of the Fallen Soldiers (_@_}_}_______r_p, _@___w_p_{___r_p, ___|_____p_t__ _P_p_r___y__ _q___z_____r). The streets are off limits to traffic, paved as they are with wooden billets, and there are cafeterias, markets, all in the city's favorite place to relax. Here you'll find the restored Preobrazhenskaya Church, the founders monument, the memorial to fallen soldiers, a stone column dedicated to the 375th year anniversary of Yakutia joining the Russian Empire, and the M.K. Ammosov museum (Ammosov was a prominent Yakut political activist who led an active role in bringing Soviet power to Siberia).
  • Victory Stele. R___u_|_|_p _P___q_u_t__. A large stele located on Victory Square (_P_|_____p_t__ _P___q_u_t__) dedicated to the Soviet victory in WWII, topped with a statue of the hero (N'urguna Bootura) of the Yakut national epic "Olonkho."
  • Abakayade Memorial. P_p_}_____~_y_{ _@_q_p_{_p___t_u. At the intersection of Kirova and Poyarkova streets (_K_y_____r_p, _P_______{___r_p). The statue represents the first interethnic marriage between a Russian settler and his Yakut wife, and also their child—the symbol of the coming together of the two peoples.
  • Oyunsky Memorial. P_p_}_____~_y_{ _P. _O_z___~___{___}__. On Oyunskomu Square (which also goes by the Soviet name, Ordzhonikidze Square). The sculpture is of P. A. Oyunsky, a writer and prominent communist, who stands as a symbol of the fertile beginnings of reason, and a metal ark in the form of the Russian letter "_P," engraved with Oyunsky quotes.
  • The Lena-Friendship Historical-Architectural Museum-preserve. L_u_~___{_y_z _y_________y_{__-_p_____y___u_{_______~___z _}___x_u_z-_x_p_____r_u_t_~_y_{ "_D_____w_q_p". T______-_@_|_t_p_~___{_y_z ___|____, __. _R_______y_~____. hours from the city center by bus/marshrutka. The museum is located on the right bank of the Lena River, right on the spot of the initial fort that led to the creation of Yakutsk. The principal attractions in the museum are outside — reproductions of the Spassky Church of the Zashiversky Fort and the boat of Peter Beketov (the founder of the fort). No less impressive are the old examples of the architecture of the peoples of Yakutia. Inside the exhibited buildings you'll find expositions dedicated to the cultures and daily life of the peoples of Yakutia: clothing, worship, weapons, burial complexes, arts, etc. In the museum you can also try the food at a restaurant specializing in Yakut cuisine. In the spring there are folk festivals. One of the most memorable sights of the preserve is the observation on top of the nearest hill, from which opens a breathtaking view of the Lena River.

    '''You might also come across:'''

  • The restored towers of Yakutsk's 17th century palisades.
  • The 18th century treasury building.
  • Shergin's Mine — an extremely deep, private, hand-dug mine suspended in eternal frost
  • A. E. Kulakovsky Memorial — a writer and public activist (i.e., communist).
  • Various other memorials to standard Soviet and Imperial personae (Lenin, Dzerzhinsky, Marks, Kraft, Yaroslavsky, etc.).
  • Two Mammoth monuments, at the Institute of Criogenics, and at the circus.
  • Various architectural monuments to traditional Siberian architecture from the first half of the 20th century, particularly in the neighborhoods of Zalog and Saisar (_H_p_|___s, _R_p_z___p__).
  • Itineraries

    '''One day in Yakutsk'''

    In the morning, it's best to try to see the sights at the main museums: the Mammoth Museum and the Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography. From there, weather permitting, stroll along the bank of Warm Lake (_S_v___|___u ___x_u____), a favorite among young locals (and locals in love). Bridges unite the two sides of the lake — on one side the University town, on the other an old neighborhood with old wooden architecture. In the summer dancing fountains run within the lake, in the winter locals ice-skate.

    Having turned back to the north west onto the intersection of Lenin and Kulakovskaya streets (____. _L_u_~_y_~_p, ___|. _K___|_p_{___r___{_p__), you'll find yourself at Friendship Square (___|_____p_t__ _D_____w_q__) by the Kulyakovsky Monument, the Opera House, and the 18th century Treasury building. One of the newer buildings there is a branch of the National Art Museum. Go further northwest along Lenin Prospect until you reach Lenin Square, from which, walking along Kirova St to the southeast, heading towards the cupola of the Preobrazhensky Church, you'll find the "Old City." After looking around at the architectural sights here, try Yakut cuisine at the hotel restaurant "Tygyn Darkhan" (_S___s___~ _D_p_____p_~).

    Not far from the restaurant, in the store "Kudai Bakhsy" (_K___t_p_z _A_p______), there's a wide selection of Yakutsk souvenirs. After the fleshly pleasures of lunch, set off for a dessert of the soul with a trip to the National Art Museum (_N_p___y___~_p_|___~___z _____t___w_u_____r_u_~_~___z _}___x_u_z _Q_R), which stands right there on Lenin Square. But it's worth bearing in mind that even a "running tour" of the expositions would require one-two hours. To fill the rest of the day you could visit the museum of local lore (_K___p_u_r_u_t___u___{_y_z _}___x_u_z), which is just 10 minutes on foot from Lenin Square to the northeast. If you want a really great dinner before ending your day, head to the Yakut-Russian restaurant "Chochur Muran" (_X________ _M_____p_~), which is located in a picturesque setting, and which contains its own museum's worth of various 19th century curiosities.

    '''Day two'''

    In the first half of your second day in Yakutsk, it's best to head down into the Underground Laboratory of the Institute of Cryogenics, and for the second half check out the very interesting museums of local folk music and folklore. Then finish off the day with a dinner at "Tamerlan" (_S_p_}_u___|_p_~), and a visit to a show at the Sakha Theater (in Yakut!).

    '''Day three'''

    Time to get out of the city—spend the day at one of the sights in the surrounding areas. Pick one of the ethnographic complexes, either "Orto Doidu" (_O______ _D___z_t__) for its zoo and restaurant, or Friendship (_D_____w_q_p) for its open-air architectural museum.

    '''Day four'''

    If it's a Saturday or Sunday, you can get on a swift boat (_B_________t or _Q_p_{_u__) for a one day trip to the Lena Pillars Nature Park (_L_u_~___{_y_u _R_____|_q__), an impressive set of stone pillars along the rocky coast of the Lena River. The boat will set out from the river station pretty early in the morning and will return around 10PM-11PM in the night. It's probably better, though, to set up the trip in advance with a Yakutsk tour agency (probably through your hotel, unless you've got a good command of the Russian language), since the riverboat cruises only go out if they get enough passengers, and it's possible that they might not have enough on one day to make the cruise profitable.

    Do

  • Oyunskovo Sakha Academic Theater. R_p___p _p_{_p_t_u_}_y___u___{_y_z ___u_p____ _y_}. _P. _@. _O_z___~___{___s__. __|. _O___t_w___~_y_{_y_t_x_u, 1. 4-13-31, 23-28-21. Dramatic theater in the Yakut language. There is a simultaneous translation in Russian.
  • The Suorun Omollona State Theater of Opera and Ballet. C_______t_p_______r_u_~_~___z ___u_p____ _____u____ _y _q_p_|_u___p _y_}. _R_________~ _O_}___|_|___~_p. ___. _L_u_~_y_~_p _t. 46/1. 6-06-90, 36-14-12, 36-11-65. Opera and balet performances of Russian and international classics, as well as Yakut-written performances. There are also local concerts and the occasional guest artist.
  • The Pushkin State Academic Russian Dramatic Theater. C_______t_p_______r_u_~_~___z _p_{_p_t_u_}_y___u___{_y_z _________{_y_z _t___p_}_p___y___u___{_y_u_z ___u_p____ _y_}. _P_____{_y_~_p. ___. _L_u_~_y_~_p, 21. 2-46-91. Dramatic productions in the Russia language. Classics and modern works.
  • The Estrada Theater, the Charont Musical Salon. S_u_p____ _________p_t__, _}___x___{_p_|___~___z ___p_|___~ ___X_p_____y____. __|. _K_p_|_p_~_t_p___p___r_y_|_y, 2. -11-72, 35-11-42. Nights of music and concerts by Yakut musicians.
  • Theater of Humor and Satire. S_u_p____ ___}_____p _y ___p___y____. __|. _K_y_____r_p, 25. 3-43-28, 43-35-90 . Comedy shows and various humorous programs in the Yakut language. There is no simultaneous translation, so uh, brush up on your Yakut. There are also concerts performed by Yakut artists, which may be more accessible than Yakut standup comedy.
  • The Kulakovskovo Cultural Center. W_u_~____ _{___|__________ _y_}. _K___|_p_{___r___{___s__. __|. _D_x_u___w_y_~___{___s__, 13. 4-24-96. More Yakut concerts and other cultural performances.

    For children

  • Circus. __|. _P_______{___r_p, 22. 2-95-73, 42-96-46. The state circus holds the title of the northernmost (and coldest) circus in the world. The Yakut circus is a mixture of traditional Russian circus performances (which, if you haven't seen before, are really fun) with the national Yakut culture of the extreme north. The core of basic Yakut circus performances is in the acrobatic tradition of China (also a lot of fun), and the Yakuts produce serious acrobats who have won in a lot of international competitions. The circus here also attracts major guest performers from all over Russia.
  • The Orto-Doidu Zoo. O______-_D___z_t__. P___{_____r___{_y_z _____p_{__, 50 _{_}.. 2-52-59. You'll find some 150 types of animals here, beginning with invertebrates and finishing with more charismatic megafauna, including extremely rare Amur tigers, polar bears, and Siberian mountain goats. The core of the exhibition is fauna of the Russian Extreme North and Far East (with good reason, since they're suited to survive the winters!). More needy creatures find home in a sheltered terrarium and and aviary. You can get there via bus #202 and the Yakutsk-Pokrovsk marshrutka, both running from the bus station.

    Festivals and holidays

  • Ysyakh. \_____p__. This is the big festival, the biggest traditional Yakut festival there is. It's the Yakut national festival celebrating (and wishing for) fertility, usually celebrated on the Summer Solstice (21 June). In some years the date can wander around. There's an all-nationality parade in the suburb of Us Khatyn (_T__ _V_p_____~), which sees tens of thousands of people from all the various peoples of the Russian Federation (and make no mistake, there are ''tons'' of different ethnicities within the country). The main event, as a rule, of the two-day festival, is the painted blessing ceremony of the harvest by the White Shaman. No less important for the Yakuts are the sacred rites of the second day's sunrise. The festivities are conducted with competitions in traditional Yakut sports, like Yakut archery, stick fighting, "Khapsagai" (_V_p_____p_s_p_z) wrestling, and also national arts: singing, Vargan mouth harp, reciting of traditional oral epics, and others. There are also competitions to make the best national dishes, folk costumes, traditional folk concerts, as well as local popular music. In short, it's a blast and this is the time to visit.

    '''Other holidays''':

  • Workers Day(1 May)
  • Victory Day (9 May)
  • Yakutsk City Day (at the beginning of September)
  • Day of the Republic (27 September)
  • New Year's (1 January)
  • The International "Tabyk" (_S_p_q___{) Festival of Modern Music (every year in December, although it hasn't been celebrated every year due to lack of funds—it was skipped in 2005).
  • Buy

  • '''Clothes'''. If you are coming here from abroad during the winter, you ''will'' find that your clothes are insufficiently warm. Russians and Yakuts know a thing or more about keeping warm, so Yakutsk is a fine place to pick up a coat or some fur lined boots. The cheapest options, and they are very affordable, are without a doubt in the '''city markets''', Stolichny (_R_____|_y___~___z) and Mann'yttay (_M_p_~_~_______p__). To avoid the stresses of haggling and "foreigner" pricing, you can pay a bit more in any of the shops and boutiques in the small downtown commercial center along Lenin Prospect, like Atlant (_@___|_p_~__), Optimist (_O_____y_}_y____), Favorit (_U_p_r_____y__), Apel'sin (_@___u_|_____y_~), and many others.
  • '''Groceries'''. The lowest prices on groceries are at the wholesaleers trading on Chernyshevskovo (___|. _X_u___~_____u_r___{___s__) and in the smaller supermarkets in the quieter sections of town, outside the city center. Look for Tokko (_S___{_{__) and Solnechnaya Tuimaada (_R___|_~_u___~_p__ _S___z_}_p_p_t_p). There's also great, fresh local produce at the Krestyansky market (_K___u_________~___{_y_z). You can find deli sausages cheeses in the stores name Elisey (_E_|_y___u_z) and Poyarkov (_P_______{___r). 24 hour convenience stores are around in all quarters of the city, frequently near bus stops.
  • '''Drinks'''. Note the ban on liquor sales from 10PM to 8AM daily (although this doesn't hold for bars). There are a few local brews worth trying, like Ellei (_^_|_|___z) and Yakutskoe (_`_{_______{___u). There are also a few local liquors to try, the most interesting of which is undoubtedly Pantoff, a vodka made with the extract of ''reindeer blood''.
  • '''Souvenirs'''. The widest selection of various souvenirs are in Merkurii (_M_u___{_____y_z), 202 caliber (202 _{_p_|_y_q__), Bainaai (_A_p_z_~_p_p_z), and Tsarskaya Okhota (_W_p_____{_p__ _________p).
  • '''Books and maps'''. The best stores for books include the Book Market (_K_~_y_w_~___z _}_p___{_u__), Knigolyub (_K_~_y_s___|___q), Argys (_@___s____), Subscribers' editions (_P___t___y___~___u _y_x_t_p_~_y__), and Propagandist (_P_______p_s_p_~_t_y____). Maps of local areas are at Globus (_C_|___q____).
  • Eat

    Budget

  • Printing House cafeteria. R_____|___r_p__ _D___}_p ___u___p___y. O___t_w___~_y_{_y_t_x_u, 31. oon-3PM daily. 70 rubles. This cafeteria is located in the main printing building in Yakutia, where the government puts out all the republic's newspapers. The prices are for the masses, with large portions and a good old fashioned Soviet feel, from the menu to the ambiance. A utilitarian place for the most undiscriminating palates.

    Mid-range

  • Eli-Pili. E_|_y-_P_y_|_y. __|. _K_y_____r_p, 13. AM-midnight. 50-200 rubles. Literally "Ate-Drank", a free-flow restaurant in the European culinary tradition, with a Southern Russian ambiance. The big hall is split into smoking and non-smoking sections, there's a long menu, and relatively low prices.
  • Tamerlan. S_p_}_u___|_p_~. ___. _L_u_~_y_~_p, 8. AM-midnight. 50-200 rubles. Yakut and Central Asian cuisine, and an interesting interior a la Mongolian. A highlight is that they fry any and all dishes before you on the heated table, dishes which you yourself create from various suggested ingredients.

    Splurge

  • Tygyn Darkhan. S___s___~ _D_p_____p_~. __|, _@_}_}_______r_p, 9. AM-10AM, noon-3PM, 6PM-11PM daily. 1,000 rubles. This is the best place in Yakutia (and thus likely the world) to try Yakut national cuisine. Some iconic Yakut dishes to look out for include Oiogos (_O_z___s____) — baked foal ribs, Salamat (_R_p_|_p_}_p__) porridge, and Indigirka (_I_~_t_y_s_y___{_p) salad — made with frozen fish.

  • Chochur Muran. X________ _M_____p_~. B_y_|___z___{_y_z _____p_{__, 6 _{_}.. oon-midnight daily. A restaurant just outside the city in a picturesque location in a tower of the on-site replica of the Lensky Fort. Chochur Muran specializes in Yakut fish dishes. The ambiance is nice, with a Yakut mini-museum, dog-sledding and snowmobiling outside in the winter, and ice sculptures.

    Drink

  • Drakon. D___p_{___~. __|. _O_{_____q_______{_p__, 20/1. PM-9AM daily. rom 300 rubles. This is the biggest club in the city, in a four-floor building with a restaurant, pub, and pool tables. There are two dance floors, allowing up to 800 people to dance at once, which play R&B, pop, and light house F-Sa, and house/trance Su-Th. Every now and then they'll have special 80s nights. (At this point, some shock should register that this all goes on in the coldest and remotest corridors of