Lake Baikal

Leaving Aya Bay by Russian Uaz, their soviet era 4WD whose design our guide Ksenya says was so perfect it has not changed since 1963. Likened by her to a loaf of bread with wheels it reminds us of a kombi van. The design of our 2012 uaz unchanged, was probably borrowed from East Germany we suppose.
We spend most of the morning heading north in Malye More (Small Sea) the stretch of Lake Baikal between the western edge and Olkhon Island.
We stop for lunch at the very scenic town of Khuzhir.
We are currently on a 2 hour crossing of the lake to Holy Nose a former island now joined to eastern Lake Baikal by sandspit. Here we see 65% Orthodox Christians, 25% Shaman and the rest Buddhist. The boat is aluminum hulled and about 25' so its a bumpy ride on open water.
We briefly stop to observe Cape Kohboy but the weather is poor, so poor our kind and captain are in constant communication with the shore for weather updates. The decision is made to proceed.
Rather than 2 hours the journey by bumpy boat takes 4 hours.
We arrive at Chivirkuy Bay then be driven another hour (thankfully this time in a Landcruiser) to arrive at our homestay but more a bnb at Ust-Barguzin
Our host Natasha has a dinner of cabbage and potato soup, fush cakes and rice and sweets ready on the table for us.
What's more she kindly heated up the bathhouse, the Russian way of combining a sauna and a self dowsing shower in one room. A great, cleansing experience.Read more