Springflowers in Siberian taiga

Lake Baikal

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May 6th 2007
Walking in taiga, full of Siberian spring flowers and blooming azaleas. View through trees to sparkling lake. Picnic at the top of the hill. Blissfull, apart from slightly fear of being torn apart by unseen bears. Back to hotel - disaster! Covered in ticks! (well, 1 anyway). Read the guidebook, no worries, only japanese-encephalitis-carrying ticks in these forests. Aaaarghghgh! Wake up next m ... read more

Europe » Russia » Siberia » Lake Baikal

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Founded in the 12th century, the Principality of Muscovy, was able to emerge from over 200 years of Mongol domination (13th-15th centuries) and to gradually conquer and absorb surrounding principalities. In the early 17th century, a new Romanov Dynas... ... read more