Day 41: Lake Baikal, Buryatia, RussIa

Another ‘rest day’ in Buryatia

Dick has planned an excursion to Lake Baikal

But he isn’t driving

Alexander who drove us yesterday 

And our guide Tatiana privilege us

With an outstanding day.

Tatiana is an academic and  a fount of knowledge 

And wisdom, and experience

Which she is willing to share.

Lake Baikal is 176km by road from Ulan Ude

We visit a nunnery in the way, it’s beauty restores me

I know I needed to be there

To lunch at the Lake Baikal Riviera

A resort on the lake shore

It is much cooler here than in Ulan Ude.

Then to the lake which hold 20% of the world’s fresh water.

Fed by fourteen rivers with only one river leaving the lake 

It’s coastline is 2100km and it is 5,387’ deep at its deepest

It is like visiting the ocean

We can’t see the far shore

Beyond the horizon

80% of buryatia is covered with forest.

Forest fire prevention is high priority.

Whilst tramping on foot is permitted, barriers stop vehicles.

Management of ecological systems is a challenge

There is a ban of catching some species of fish

Algal bloom is a recent problem

There was much opposition to a

Proposed Chinese waterbottling plant

It did not go ahead

 Lands is regarded as holy by Buryat people

Land ownership and development by Chinese is opposed

Especially for industrial farming using fertilisers and pesticides

Sunshine is abundant, average 7hrs/day

Two Solar energy stations are being built.

Solar panels power ‘candid’ speed cameras 

There are some candid cameras monitoring inside the forests

Where brown bears, wolves, foxes

Marmots, hares and other animals live.

Alexander, our driver and Tatiana our marvellous guide.