Lake Placid

Some factoids on Lake Baikal:

- largest body of fresh water in the world
- many endemic species including the Nerpa seal
- zooplankton keep the lake clean and it is said that they can knock off a
corpse (toe nails and all) in a day
- Silicon is used in place of calcium in some lake species

Add to this strange ecology, the juxtaposition of Siberian nouveau riche Barbie Castle new builds (they seem to love turrets and pastel colours) with the original one room wooden shacks along the shore as well as the utter calm of the water and you have a pretty strange place.

I spent at least 40 minutes trying to get that perfect skimmer, where the stone keeps bouncing into the distance until it disappears over the horizon. I nearly succeeded.

We are staying in a swank alpine cabin with hearty big food, clean air and even hot showers. A welcome change from the Keito 'Squaddie wash'.

Sounds too damn good to be true I know, that's why we commissioned the Rumble Strips to put together a virtual siberian lake for your delectation. Click on the play below to go there.

Hot Hot Heat

13 September

On our first night at Lake Baikal we were treated to a Russian Sauna. This involved the usal unbearable heat but also being doused numerous times with cold water. stepping out into the Siberian night and being beaten with silver birch branches. Whilst wearing thin sheets. We know each other even better now.

Dark skies

12th September

A 76 hour train ride is not usually where you might find yourself short of time. However, as each day passes, we move through numerous time zones and because the train stays on Moscow time until it leaves Russia, our days are becoming ever shorter. Today it got dark at 3.30pm.

The landscape has changed again today. I look out onto hills covered with conifers, occasionally spotted with the fiery reds and yellows of autumnal birch trees.

Go East!

11th September

At about 12.30am this morning, we left European Russia and entered Asia. No gate, no sign, no men in hats. Just trees, hundreds and hundreds of trees. We drank some vodka.

A routine for life on the train has already begun. You get up, eat something, look out of the window, maybe read a little and then go back to sleep. This happens every 3-4 hours. Our evenings, somewhat predictably, are dominated by vodka drinking and being told to shut up by 'Blondie', our fearsome Russian train attendant.

The Vodka Train

13th September

Just got off the 4 night and 3 day trans-siberian train from Moscow to Irkutsk. Was lots of fun and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone wanting to travel east. We're travelling with a group of 15 people across to Beijing and having been confined to such a small space, for such a long time, definitely know each other well now. Spent the time admiring the views, eating, playing cards, reading etc. And drinking vodka. Inevitably our cabin, which we shared with the lovely Caroline and Maxine, became the drinking cabin for the group and we were visited more than once by the guards to keep the noise down.

However, I must say that I am glad to be off the train, have a shower and a good feed. Having heard horror stories about the food, I lived on noodles, bread and my trusty bar of dairy milk so a four course lunch with fresh salad and vegetables was gratefully received on our arrival.

Looking forward to exploring Siberia.

Russia, land of trees

10th September - on the train somewhere south of the Urals.

Today I was woken by music that sounded much like the theme music of Shadow of the Beast II. I looked out of the window half expecting airships and pink skies, but was faced with a dirty old train yard full of rusty metal.

The view from my window is that of relentless combination of rain and conifers. Occasioanlly small patches have been felled, but mostly they seem to press up against the side of the train in a most claustophobic manner.

Sometimes we pass small settlements, although there is seldom sight of locals and they have an eerie quality in this half light.

Jah Division

9th September - Moscow

Made it onto the trans-mong despite our driver doing his best impression of 2 fast 2 furious on the way. Much vodka was drunk to celebrate.

Last night we went to a traditional Russian restaurant. This means a little food, a lot booze and then some live music. We were treated to the magnificently named 'Jah Division' and their Russian reggae. Our table was almost back-stage and we had the same view as the drummer.

People

8th September - Moscow

It seems the soviet 'jobs for all' approach is still in place. As we descended one of the escalators into the metro, I saw a team of 4 cleaners riding up inthe other direction, polishing the metal surface in between. That's good shine.

Cirque

7th September - later

The 'other circus' in Moscow is quite out of the centre. Although it's in the middle of a large area of heathland, as you walk down the hill to the big top, the horizon is dominated in all directions by high rise flats.

We saw an adaptation of the Nutcracker Suite and it was unbelievable. The costumes and imagery were reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland on crack and the tone of the whole production was equally dark. And yet it was still a circus with obligatory strong man, ripped trapeze monkeys and people in 10 foot rabbit costumes with human faces that got into the audience and abused people.

Overwhelming. Go to Moscow and go straight to this circus. Now.

Dirty Grey Town

7th September

Moscow is a dirty grey affair with drab buildings and too many cars. When our sleeper train pulled in this morning, we had a heavy steely sky to match. At that point, I had an inkling that I was going to like the place.

Our hotel is amazing and a world away from our almost subterrainian hostel in STP. The view from the 16th floor is impressive, bringing in train lines, trees and the sprawl of the Northern Moscow suburbs.

The centre too is impressive. There is a real sense of the big city. After the
mandatory Red Sq and St Basils (which wouldn't look out of place in a toy shop), our guide took us down to a river boat cruise. Every building that we asked about seemed to have a history, such as the Theatre that used to house and sometimes be the end of senior communist staff 30 years ago.

Dancing Bear

4th September

Today I saw someone playing with a 'dancing bear' in the street. It was wrong.

Venice of the North

3rd September

As a first stop in Russia, St Petersburg is an easy start. Despite beautiful canals, massive and somewhat imposing buildings, there is a real sense that it is geared up for tourists and ripping them off.

Our hostel, which was down a dirty alley by the football stadium, was a high walled no window affair with frowning staff. None the less, it did the job and was a mere 30 minute stroll from the centre.

We covered the normal tourist route; a hike around the Hermitage, a boat trip around the canals and a night at the ballet. All very nice.... and a little dull.

Much better was a dusty bus ride through the suburbs seeing the communist housing projects that stretch far south of the city, our destination, Peterhof, a palace and beautiful grounds on the edge of the Gulf of Finland.