The diary of a traveller, entry 12. Part 3 Lake Baikal

12. November

Weather has changed dramatically. Best part of a foot of snow must have fallen over night. Been left to my own devices today as V. has gone back to Irkutsk, returning tomorrow morning. First stop was the Baikal Museum which was just a stone’s throw from the apartment. Highlight was the aquarium and the two seals they have there! Mother and daughter pair apparently – mother was rescued by a boat injury and then subsequently gave birth to daughter apparently. They were very friendly (or as friendly as you can be if you’re a seal behind inch-thick glass). There were other species there from the lake like sturgeon and the famous omul – but these were less friendly.

After that I braved the elements and went off in search of a famous rock which had something to do with the history of how the lake was formed or so the legend says – Old Man Baikal threw it at his daughter for marrying the wrong river or something like that. 

Anyway, it was bloody cold and after 30mins or so of walking into the wind and snow I took a photo of the nearest rock which probably wasn’t the right one and then headed back to the apartment to get my scarf. Then walked all the way from the apartment to the village and back again which is a good hour each way. I’m not at all bowled over by Listvyanka as a village/town. It’s basically one long road and is the kind of place you’d want a car for sure. Although that said driving round here seems like a risky business judging by the number of crashes they have!

From the market I bought two large smoked omuls and a loaf of stale white bread – gonna enjoy this biblical dinner later. After that I had another good chat with an impudent young lad running the bar of a café I called into. To begin with he wanted to charge my 500 RUB for sitting down (in an empty café) for fear that I was about to eat my loaf and fish. But the matter was soon cleared up and I bought a coffee with milk and two glasses of aptly named ‘Baikal’ vodka which was very good. All for the reasonable price of £2.30! 

We chatted about Russia, England, how 25 cars fall into the frozen lake each year and how smoking is bad for you.

             

dinner

view to the Lake Baikal 

photos are taken from Richard's archive