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Published: November 10th 2005
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Preparing morning tea - step one
Step two: heat for a long time
Step three: add tea leaves and condensed milk Holiday on ice We didn't know what to expect when we walked up the stairs to the little wooden house in Severobaikalsk. For a start we just hoped that somebody would be home to open the door. We knocked three times and waited. After a while the 70+ female housekeeper stuck her face out. She had a puzzled but not unwelcoming look so we took heart: "Is Rashid living here?" He was and we were begged inside, "one moment, please." After about one minute a grey haired man supported by a crutch appeared in the doorway. We knew at once that he must be the man we were looking for: a former BAM (Baikal Amur Magistrale) railway worker and chess champion who had in more recent years gained a reputation as a tourism organizer in the North Lake Baikal area. After we had introduced ourselves and answered all his questions he was willing to listen to our desires. Four hours later (including dinner break) we had tailored a tour which was both: meeting our expectations and taking into account the possibilities of the season. We were going to cross Lake Baikal on skies! (In early May, as it was, the ice
Fish from Lake Baikal
It is said to be fresher than today's paper. should still be just thick enough to face this endeavour). Vladimir, a friend of Rashid, who would drop in later was willing to accompany us and organise the necessary equipment. We were excited. And what should I say? The tour turned out to be fantastic. We got a late start though, and it was already nine when we finally the latches of our skies. Those early hours we could have badly needed in the evening as the first day turned out to be a long one. About halfway (25 km) on the lake we decided to take off the skies and continue on foot as the snow was getting very sticky and sliding got nearly impossible. I can't remember ever having seen the place I was heading to for such a long time without actually getting any closer. But that was how it was. For hours we were now bravely marching towards these small triangular objects (huts) on the other side but they had only marginally grown in our eyes. When we finally reached land at 10 pm I felt knackered but happy. The only human around - a local fisherman - provided us with badly needed calories in the
Friendly or unfriendly individual?
Our witty and hearty host in Severobaikalsk. form of fresh omul (fish) from the lake. With a full stomach and a fire crackling beside us fatigue overcame us quickly. Nevertheless, our day was not over yet. We walked another 15 minutes to the local hot spring to propitiate our muscles. No need to say that we felt even more tired after the dip in the warm water. Minutes later we sank into the beds in the fisherman's hut.
The next day we slept in and there was no need to hurry. We were planning to split the return journey into two stages and camp in the middle of the lake. Furthermore, conditions had improved and skiing was quite efficient and fun. The night was cold (minus 11), but Vladimir looked after us, served hot tea and had the ancient benzin cooker running until we were wrapped in our sleeping bag (type tropical light) plus an extra bag (type soviet). It was a special night with 25 kilometres of ice around us, about 1000 metres of lake beneath us and millions of stars above us. The third day was easy as we were pulled by the imagination of the warm and comfy bed expecting us, and as we
Hermitage in St. Petersburg
And this is nothing compared to the splendour that awaits you inside. were skating towards the shore it felt like the victorious return from Antarctica.
From Russia with love For some reasons Russians have a reputation of being unfriendly. I don't know why. Maybe it is some left over cold-war-propaganda still remaining in our heads. Maybe it is the cold and harsh climate which makes them a bit shortspoken. Maybe they are unfriendly, indeed. As a matter of fact we came along some very unfriendly Russians. Notorious are those behind glass windows or more generally those who have to sell you something. They can be deliberately unhelpful. Of course, this can be disturbing for someone who is used to get a complimentary smile with every item purchased. On the other hand we have met in Russia some of the most welcoming and warm people in the world. These are the people of the street or in our case of the train. Unforgettable are Sacha and Luda from Omsk who had us stay with them for two nights. Or Olga from Jekaterinburg who helped us at ten o' clock at night to find a place to spend the night in a city where there was virtually no room available at
View from the train
Sometimes we didn't see Siberia because of all the birch trees. the time. Or the party-crowd from Irkutsk who shared with us their Chilli-Vodka (which was probably better for them, but not for me). In the end it is the same story in all the countries of the world. There are friendly people and there are miserable ones. In Russia the extremes are maybe just a bit further apart than elsewhere on the planet.
Find more stories and pictures on our
Lovelyplanet-Homepage.
Planet Portrait *
Top 3: Hermitage
Lake Baikal
Friendly Russians
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Our route: St. Petersburg - Moscow - Jekaterinburg - Omsk - Severobaikalsk - Irkutsk - Listvyanka - Ulan Ude
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Dissapointment: Brigittes Birthday in the dark and rainy suburbs of Moscow. (The food wasn't a good deal either)
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Money Saver Tip: Don't forget your student card (if you have any) when you visit the Hermitage. It saves you the complete entry fee.
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We paid for a meal: 150 - 400 roubles
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Visa: One of the most expensive ones. Furthermore, it doesn't seem to be a bad idea to arrange well in advance although you'll have to be specific about the travelling dates. If you enter later than
Moscow Metro
Maybe the most beautiful in the world - and it's efficient, too. stated you'll lose from your 30 days!
Planet Pictures
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