Irkutsk / Lake Baikal

This morning we were met with a “lovely” wake up call at ten to six in the morning, 😖.

We had to be off the train a few minutes after six, so we had an hour to eat, pack our packs, strip the beds in the cabin and be ready to disembark. There was a shuttle waiting for us as we left the train station in Irkutsk. We had the most Russian driver possible, who also had a wee bit of road rage.

We were getting taken to the resort town of Listvyanka on Lake Baikal. This is said to be the Riviera of Russia where the celebs etc. go. However at this time of year it was frighten cold, and it was.

On the way to Lake Baikal I fell asleep so I couldn’t tell you about the drive, but I can tell you it was lovely getting that extra hour of sleep.

When we arrived at the local B & B we were staying at we couldn’t check in, but they would store our bags, and we also could get them to do our laundry (clean clothes, yay!) We chilled out here for a bit using the WiFi, and warming up since it was quite cold here. As well the place was on the lake, so we had a beautiful view we could take in. After a bit Alex took us on a tour of the town and we got into some of the local delicacies.

We were a 20 minute walk away from the market / main area, so we walked along the lake enjoying the sights and gathering information about the area. When we finally arrived at the market they were just setting up for the day, Alex gave us the task of buying Omul ( fish only found in Lake Baikal) that was smoked and steamed, then coming into the cafe beside the market to eat.
In the cafe I bought some piroshkis and a coke to go with my omul. The omul was really good, you eat with your fingers and it was delicious. The piroshkis were just ok, not as good as the first one I had.

After lunch we wandered the market and picked up little souvenirs, I finally got some nesting dolls. When we finished this we decided to do a two hour boat cruise on the lake. It was wonderful. We even saw a naked man on the beach praying, it was hilarious. We saw ample amount of old trains, abandoned boats, luxurious beach properties ... there was a mixture here.

After the boat I opted to skip the hike since I was still a bit sick and walked back to the B & B. I did stop off at the post office to grab some stamps which was super convenient. Once back to the B & B we were allowed to check in.
The rooms were really cute and cosy, we also had a central living room to gather with everyone that was in the rooms upstairs. The showers were fantastic, and it was also like a private sauna, it was so warm, and great for my breathing.

I hung around in the common room with half the group. We had a blast laughing, joking, and just being silly. It was simply great fun. After a bit everyone did break a part to go do their own things, but Nigel and I did go off to see the sunset and get some pictures. It was quite beautiful.

Dinner was at the hotel tonight, and it was a typical Russian feast ie: covered in dill.
After dinner we again just spent time laughing and telling stories, just enjoying ourselves. A great way to end the evening off.Read more