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| Home sweet home by the lake |
6,256 Miles GMT +9 hours Temp -19
Sergei is a fisherman and
fur hunter and built the house we are staying in. Alina keeps the guesthouse
and smokes the fish, which is Omul, a distant relative of the Salmon. Giant
Kippers for breakfast, fab.
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| Sergei and Alina |
Sergei has offered to take
us ice fishing, and he’s also given us some places to look for the Nerpa Seals,
which are the only fresh water seals in the world and only live in Baikal. He
was 'processing' two mink this morning when we saw him. It was a bit gruesome,
but it’s a way of life here, and an old one. The furs he sells and the flesh is
used to feed his dogs.
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| the scale of the place |
We’ve been out on a bit of
walk on the ice and in the snow today. I can’t tell you how beautiful and
peaceful it is. All you hear is your own breathing and the crunch of your boots
on the ice and snow and even that feels like an intrusion on the forces of
nature here. There is something very other worldly about this place, I can feel
it but I can’t see it or touch it, question is can I photograph it. I hope so.
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| You should see the ones that got away! |
We’ve been up to the bar tonight, which was something
else. Probably the whole village crammed in, playing traditional folk music, at
one end and some of the women trying to talk at the other. Alina introduced us
to everyone, as Sergei was playing the accordion. We were asked if we could
play an instrument, which I can’t, so I was asked if I knew a story. Lena has
been hiding a talent as she can play the balalaika, so went to replace someone
in the group. When she’d finished she interpreted the Lampton Worm for me,
which was received with great amusement, followed by an interlude on the violin
by Anya.
We’ve been invited to meet
the village women tomorrow morning for tea. I have no idea what to expect, but
can't wait as no doubt it will be full of surprises.
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