The Lake Baikal Area

These photos were taken on a full-day outing from Irkutsk. Lake Baikal is a small ocean, with 20% of the world's fresh water. Baikal has 2500 species you don't find anywhere else, including fresh water seals, omul fish, and one fish that's used to such high pressure that it turns to an oil spot when it comes near the surface. Around the lake are wooden villages, and of course, more trees. Besides nature, the area is known as a center for folklore, notably the village of Lisvianka. Couples from Irkutsk come to get married in the wooden church here.

Click for a larger version Our pleasure vehicle

Alexander, the tour guide, is beside it. Behind are rags tied to trees.
Click for a larger version Rags and trees

The local Buryats are Mongols who practice Shamanism and Buddhism together.
Click for a larger version Wooden onion-domed Church

At the Museum of Wooden Architecture, a 20-acre plot with reproductions and many original Siberian  buildings.
Click for a larger version Side view of the Church
Click for a larger version A wooden ger

There's so much wood around that the local Buryats made a ger (felt tent) from wood.
Click for a larger version View of the Angara

The museum also has a sensational view of the Angara river, which flows through Irkutsk and ends up in Lake Baikal.
Click for a larger version The Angara

Nearer Irkutsk, the temperature has gone up a few degrees (hint: Power Station), but luckily, it hasn't affected the lake.
Click for a larger version More of the Angara

It's hard to stop snapping pictures in a place like this.
Click for a larger version A village
Click for a larger version Lake Baikal
Click for a larger version Port Baikal

Seen from a ferry boat on the lake
Click for a larger version Port Baikal

Closer up. Somewhat depressed and ramshackle, it's the terminus of the Circum-Baikal Railway. In its favor, everyone we saw said a very friendly, "Hello!" as they passed. It reminded me of a small village in Donegal where I spent one summer.
Click for a larger version The Circum-Baikal

My attempt at art. The railway used to be part of the Trans-Siberian, but now is only runs for tourists during the summer.
Click for a larger version A Wooden Village

There wasn't a good opportunity to photograph Lisvianka, the local "folklore" village near Baikal. This picture was taken from the train after leaving Irkutsk. These villages are haphazard affairs, and  don't follow any plan.

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