Onya Baikal

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Ah, a whole other story!

Jana, my wonderful guide....nothing like having an organised tour booked and finding you're the only one...love it!

First the ferry to the station, then onto the train. Number 9 I think.

Lake Baikal is BIG, and deep, the deepest, oldest freshwater lake ever, surrounded by big mountains, 359 rivers run into it and only 1 out. It holds 20% of the worlds fresh water!

No time for a photo but I did spot a couple of the famous and elusive Baikal Seals, unreal. And a couple of rare Siberian Red Ducks, on the red list, I reckon ready for dinner, rare! It's a bit hazy, they've had some big bushfires so it's only when we get close to the sharp end of the lake we can see the distant peaks of the huge mountains on the other side, nearly 3,000 metres.

This Circum-Baikal Railway.......Its the last part of the old Trans Siberian Railway and has so many tunnels and bridges. When you look at the steep mountainsides, sheer rock faces really deep, cold water, you have to wonder how they could ever have considered building this bit of railway.

And it is as fascinating as it is beautiful, some lovely stonework, epic excavations, skirting this clear water lake with beaches, birch, cedar and pine forests where people are camping.....and fishing.

Worth a wikilook at Lake Baikal and the Circum-Baikal Railway.

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