Only stayed in Irkutsk long enough for David to visit the special burns unit and get patched up more adequately than we had been able to manage on the train.
Then off on a little ferry across the river to the east side whereon lies Port Baikal, right at the base of the largest freshwater lake in the world, containing something like 20 per cent of all the world's fresh water.
Geology: Lake Baikal is a rift valley formed by continental plates pulling apart, growing a little each year. Four major and many minor rivers feed it, and only one leaves it, at the southern tip, whereupon it takes one look at the mountains further south and decides to meander thousands of miles north towards the Arctic.
Biology: Lake Baikal is very cold, very deep and very clean, reportedly because of the shrimpy crustaceans who gobble everything up. Sturgeon are found but no longer fished, but there are lots of other fish species, the most being small and very oily. We visited local museum and aquarium with self-cleaning tanks courtesy of the lake water, which included chubby little Baikal seals, top predators of the lake. Few visible when we travelled up and down the lake a little ...
Trainology: In the early 20th century, the TSE used to go across the frozen lake during winter (it would go by ferry in summer). Creakkk splash a couple of times and ... so maybe we will build a bridge? Lots of train bits and pieces round Port Baikal from it's glory days.
Architecture: DIY expansion of our B&B means that it is growing around us. Rough cut but serviceable to accommodate more visitors to Port Baikal now that Lystavyanka, across the lake, has become so touristy that the posh hotel even has wifi.
Finally, the long-promised sauna: strictly speaking, a banyah, and no running down to jump in the lake, although there was fairly gentle birching involved. 60C was quite hot enough for most of us. And so life goes on ...
- Posted when wifi permits
No comments:
Post a Comment