Lake Baikal

We traveled 3 hours north to see the famous Lake Baikal.

Lake Baikal is 25 million years old (compared to 25 thousand year old great lakes). The lake is one mile deep and the largest source (over 20%) of the fresh drinking water in the world. 336 Rivers flow into Lake Baikal and only ONE flows out- The Angra River. Buryat people believe Lake Baikal holds many spiritual and healthy benefits for anyone who visits her waters.

We went to stay at a little resort on the lake complete with our own Banya.

Banya Protocol is VERY Interesting!

First the ladies strip down and put on a towel yoga style. Then we enter the sauna for the first time. It is an enclosed room that is heated very hot with a wood burning stove. The forst time you sit until your poors open up and you start to sweat..When you can’t stand it anymore you leave and sit in the little attached dining room where they have tea, water, vodka and beer. You cool off for 20 minutes or so then enter the second time….this time Andrei poured seasoned water over the rocks. The water can be seasoned with herbs like mint and the air is moist. Again you stay as long as you can and then you take A BREAK AND go relax in the sitting room again. Lastly you enter for the third and final time. This time you lay on the Siberian Cedar wood and you are “beaten” with Birch Branches which are cut at a certain time of the year when stem is strong and oozes a little oil. You dry them on the roof( like herbs) and then when you need them they are ready. When you are beat with the birch branch it feels wonderful and leaves behind a smooth . They believe the birch leaves carry healing moisture and removes the toxins the heat has released. It also has a wonderful massaging effect.  Families across Russia traditionally have sauna/banna every Saturday.

We went to a friend of Andrei’s new home being built in the little village we were staying in. They smoked some fish and we had a picnic on the shores of the beautiful lake Baikal.  For our last meal we had dinner at a little fishermans cottage which was delicious…we had raw fish, cold fish, hot fish with rice, fish baked in bread- it was great! The family living in this home that is just about 100 years old have no indoor plumbing and are self sustaining. They grow what they need, they have a goat and 2 pigs and A LOT of fish! Crisis- what Crisis- or hostess explained that Russians feel they are extremely prepared for the Crisis as their lives are so difficult even during the “good times”.