Vladimir Lenin was born Vladimir Ulyanov. At 31, he changed his name to “Lenin,” most likely after the Lena River, a north-flowing river that crosses the Russian Far East and is used as a frozen highway in winter. The river’s most famous feature are the Leninski Stolbi (or Lenin Pillars), rock formations reached by boat a day’s ride from Yakutsk, a city of a quarter million on stilts to protect from permafrost. While researching Lonely Planet’s Russia guidebook a few years ago, I joined a couple dozen Russians on the cruise above to see the pillars.