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| On the Shoreline |
The trip to Lake Baikal was fairly
straightforward; you take a marshrutka for approximately ninety minutes to the
tiny tourist town of Listvyanka. And it is about as touristy as a town can get
with lots of cheap shops on the beach selling junk, I mean souvenirs, along
with over-priced restaurants. This also seems to be the place where many
Chinese and Korean tour companies drop off their charges for a day so they can
eat some fish and dip their toes in Lake Baikal. Additionally, there are boat
rides, fishing trips, and some local museums to
peruse. But, I realized after
being there a few hours that the true Lake Baikal lays somewhere along the other
shores where the villages are smaller and less prepared for the tourist hordes.
Or perhaps it is on
Olkhon
Island in the Southwest, where there is very little development but lots of
opportunity to hike, sail, and fish. Regardless, the trip was well worth it and
made me realize I have to do some better planning the next time.
So, what
is there to say about Lake Baikal other than describe its size and depth? When
you first see the lake as you are traveling along the road from Irkutsk it
doesn’t appear that massive. You only seem to get little peeks here and there
through the trees. But as the marshrutka comes over the hills and drives closer
to the shore, you realize how immense, and blue this like truly is. I happened
to arrive on a blissfully clear day so I could see the mountains rising clearly
across one side of the lake. When I hopped out of the marshrutka, I was
immediately set upon by tour guides asking for me to take a lake cruise or go
to the local museums. I smiled and walked on, taking my time to enjoy the water
and fresh air. The lake is truly beautiful and the more I traversed the shore,
the more time I wish I had to explore. I really did want to do some sort of
cruise but the ships looked so rickety and the prices were so high that I
consigned myself to taking pictures and finding places to eat. I probably
missed something good but I just can’t quite get myself to shell out money for
an experience that might be barebones at best.
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| Mappin' It Out! |
I ended up taking a ton of pictures and then walking to my
hotel. It was a tall log cabin structure down a dusty road. As I continued to
haul my heavy backpack towards my accommodations, I came upon three cows
ambling down the road. They were busy picking at whatever they could find to
eat and there didn’t appear to be any farmer with them. I wondered whether they
were let out during the day and then found their way home in the evening.
Anyway, my hotel was very clean and
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| Umm, Omul... |
comfortable. I even had a patio on which I
could set and watch the evening descend over the hills. After I got settled, I
headed back down towards the lake and started walking towards the restaurant
that was recommended by the hotel owner. The restaurant ended up being over two
miles away. There are a lack of busses so I just kept walking and walking and….,
you get the idea. It did give me an opportunity to get a better view of the enormity
of that end of the lake. While there was not much in the way of shoreline and
beaches, there were spots here and there that people used to great advantage.
As it was getting later in the day, I noticed locals taking chairs down to the
rocky shore and opening up little tables that they filled with fish and wine.
They were waiting for the sun to go down and enjoy the last of the warm days.
The restaurant was quite good. The main attraction was,
obviously, fish. While there are many types to sample, the most famous fish
from Baikal is the salmon-like omul. Whenever I told someone I was going to
Lake Baikal, they told me I have to try this fish, preferably smoked. I had the
opportunity to
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| Not My Hotel |
buy some omul at the town market but the sight and the smell was
a bit too much for me. But I was sure to give it a shot at the restaurant. I
was almost going to try a plate of omul along with grayling and whitefish but a
little voice inside my head told me not to be so ambitious at first. I’m glad I
listened to that voice because the smoked omul was just enough for my taste.
Was it good? Yes. Was it the best fish I have ever tasted? Far from. I think I
enjoyed eating the venison stew much more.
After stuffing my face, I began my long walk back. By this
time the sun was going down and the mountains in the distance were attaining a
purplish glow. There was also a mist in the middle of the lake which rolled in
and quickly receded. Before heading back along the shore, I climbed a hill and
snapped a few photos and just
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| High on a Hilltop |
enjoyed the encroaching sunset. As I meandered
along the shoreline I was briefly joined by a dog who decided to follow me for
about a mile. By the time I made it back to the town, it was nearly dark. I
made my way to my hotel and settled down for the night.
The next day, I decided not to stick around. I needed to get
back to Irkutsk for the next leg of my trip. It was a good decision as the
skies opened up and the rain came down. I was able to do a
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| Woof! |
bit of walking
around Irkutsk and saw everything from churches to the Lenin and Czar Alexander
III statues. I then hunkered down in a coffee shop where I met fellow
Transsiberian traveler. Overall, I enjoyed my time at Baikal but it definitely
deserves at least three days or more at a less touristy area. There is so much
hiking and boating to do that twenty-four hours is just not enough.
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| Sunset |
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