Bilderverkauf aller 50 km / Pictures on Sale every 50 km

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Colourful Marches, Caned Food from Thailand, Monks and Eggs, AND Big Suglasses in Ulan Ude, Baikal

20-22th of Mai: One Day ago you just got some beautiful pictures from Селенга river. Well, before we were driving through a more open landscape than before. There is no more dense forest to the left and right and it feels wide and open with a blue sky and sometimes some clouds looking like "sugar foam". We were crossing rivers and colourful marsh and small areas of mixed forest. It almost looks like autumn although it is spring. Sometimes there are small grey village with some factory. If you want to buy something there you have to go in the Магазин. Here you can get mostly canned food. Corn from Thailand, Apples from Chile but nothing from Russia and that in the middle of Siberia, and of course it is expensive. On the other hand, we stopped at one village buying all kinds of food directly from the people were old grandmothers sitting on benches in front of their colourful wooden houses with lots of wooden ornaments. Each house uses different patterns but the favourite colour is blue and white, which maybe strange in our areas but looks really nice here. Although we mostly see elderly people these villages look more alive than the ones between Kharbarovsk and Chita. Maybe the living conditions here are better, and of course you can also feel the influence of the Buriat culture which is quite colourful. Beside I need to mention that at least the wooden houses are an invention of the Russians where the Buriat were mainly living  in the Yurt like the Mongolians. At the end we came to Улан Уде (Ulan Ude), which is the capital city of the Buriat "prefecture" as part of Russia. I felt like in Tokyo at least from the stylish people big sun glasses and hip. Interesting to see but finally it is like every big city around the world. From time to time it is nice to see but it is not really necessary. At least they had a nice beverage cold Kвас (Kvas), we were already drinking in Chita. It is made from black bread and sugar; it is cold and really refreshing if you have a 30 degree Celsius outside. And of course we visited the biggest Lenin head in the world, where in front the young boys were skating, with wide trousers and metal chains (:). We were just drinking a beer and I got quite drunk since the beer here has up to 7 %. Although I also get at home drunken after one beer here it was even faster (:). Actually we wanted to ask something in the Mongolian consulate, but they told us very friendly that today is the wrong day and we should come back Monday. So we decide to go to the consulate in Irkutsk later.

After I was not so drunken anymore we went to Селенга river driving some dirt roads through the hills between Улан Уде and the river just navigating by GPS. Finally we were driving from the hills into the overwhelming Селенга river valley. Sleeping at N 51.693  °, E 107.41726°

 

23th  of Mai: In the morning starting from Селенга (Selenga River) and going to the only Buddhist temple which was allowed in Russia, it is close to Иволгинск (Iwolginsk) (N 51.75865°, E 107.20154°). It was Saturday, so many people came to visit and bring their gifts, where the monks holding a ceremony and receiving the gifts (basically food). It was interesting and also for Kotomi it was new. She knows about Zen Buddhism but here are followers of the Tibetan Buddhism. The goal is the same but the way to reach the enlightenment is different. The Zen Buddhism focuses more on the mediation. Five monks were dressed like Tschingis Kan all wearing wicks of black long hair, also Kotomi could not understand why. All of them were praying a Mantra, one of them was behind something that looks like a wall, always throwing a part of the gifts in the fire, where the other four monks were sitting at the side, which was looking like some monks sitting behind school benches. It was windy and the wicks were sometimes horizontal in the air and it was cold. Nevertheless the believers were sitting in the opposite also praying or just listening; all ages were present from the grandmother to Babies.

My mother told me that the monks in this temple are expert in Tibetan medicine which is here actually a mix of Buriat knowledge that is older than the Buddhism and the Tibetan medicine. She said we should check our health their (:). Well why not but how to ask in Russian. Finally we found out in which house does the "medicine man" lives. He was at lunch, but another monk showed up and invited us in his house asking why we actually want to check or health or if we have some kind of problem. Well I could not just say it is because of my mother (:). Anyway basically we were talking which was quite interesting. We can find the same problems everywhere in the world. He was complaining that all young people leave the villages and want to go in the cities were a natural good live is impossible, actually he want to bring the people back in his village or even inviting foreigners especially Japanese (because they make good cars (:) he say) to build up the village again. He also feels sad about this development. But he was surprised when hearing that is the same in Europe or Japan too. Basically it is more comfortable to live in a city, you can find easily a job and you do not need to care about anything else right. But I think we loose our roots (maybe we lost them already) and living quality even so some people will never understand this point. Finally he checked our pulse said Kotomi should be careful with her stomach (I told him before) and she should drink a glass of warm water in the morning 30 min before eating. Well I am harmonic he said and everything is fine. I think it is better to ask there if you really feel you have a problem and they will help you.

After that we decided to go to the Baikal and got in the first contact with Mongolian and Buriat food culture. That means meat meat meat. We stopped in a "Кафе" and ordered something which looked like vegetable soup, something which looked like noodles and some dumpling. Well in total the base is 90% meat and 9% water. Although it tasted well, they also used spices, and I actually like meat, it was too much for our stomach and for Kotomi almost like hell for her sensitive stomach. It is also getting harder to get vegetables and also eggs. Since the nomadic custom is to have big animals like cow, sheep, horse ... but no chickens.   

However, finally we went to the Baikal at the south east coast where some kilometres after Oимур should be a hot spring from where you could look directly in the Sunset over the Baikal, but unfortunately the basin was in repair and they will open in the beginning of June. Coordinates to turn left from the street are: N 52.52101°, E 107.05685° . So we had to find another place and we found some kilometres away directly at the beach and enjoying the sunset at the magic "ocean" Baikal. Beach sounds warm but it is still cold since the Baikal was still frozen one month ago. N 52.51679°, E 107.03717°

 

24th of Mai: It is already one month ago when we started from Japan. And even so our friends miss us, we have to say they are always with us. Sometimes we hear music which we got from RokuSan or just see an Irish pub and remind him since he is also working in one, Listening to Andies Music during driving through the Siberian colourful spring, and wondering about plants and thinking maybe Anja would knoiw the names. Didi when hearing the song I got from him "Liebe zu Dritt" or Anna when hearing about bears, HU when making a camp at the river which almost looks like Golben.  Although I do not mention all friends everybody pops up in our mind from time to time and different location, sound or picture which connects us, all of you are in our mind and that is the important.

 

Today we went north along Baikal which is actually a dead road, but the last village Заречье is sooooooooooooooooo beautiful. We got to know Иван who was sitting in front of his wooden house. He told us he was Soldier in Sakhalin loooooooooooong time ago and he remembered some Japanese song from that time. Actually we were looking for some Banja which was again necessary after one week. He said we should check in the other village they have Sauna, because his Banja is not hot now.  But first we got some eggs, fresh milk in the village which made Kotomi very happy. We went to the other village called Suchoje which is actually described in a book I read from the Baikal. 10 years ago one guy started to make some business with tourism having helicopter landing place and all this stuff to get the "rich people" or better very rich people in his village. Well, now there is not only one, also others try their luck and building some kind of resort. At least it is not directly at the lake and most of the houses are made from wood but still it does not fit in the picture of this nice Baikal village. And for me it seems, although I do not know !!!, that the local people have no advantage of these resorts. Anyway most of them are still closed, but one was open and it had a Sauna. Of course for the high class tourist it can not be a Banja, that means it has to be a finish electric Sauna. It sounds "better" and it is 10 times the price of a Banja, 1000 Rubel which is almost 30 EUR. We decided: it is to much for us, so let’s collect some wood in the forest and ask Иван. When we came with the wood he was waving with his arms, shaking his head, and telling us that he do not need, he has enough wood. We bought some beer in the Magasin and were drinking together, Kotomi and him singing the Japanese song until the Banja got hot. Every Banja has its own system. This one heats up the stones which save the heat long time, and after the wood is already burned you go in, the Banja is not hot yet, and then you throw water at the stones again and again. Now it is hot!!! (:). (N 52.55298°, E 107.15076°). After this we just drive to the beach which is very close. Here we had now an incredible sunset over the "Ocean" in the foreground birch trees with the young fresh green leafs and fishing boats on the beach. Beside us a small rive approaches the lake, sorry the ocean. Now it is dark with thousands of stars and the sound of the waves from the ocean. Looking forward to tomorrow, we will get some smoked fish from Baikal (:).

 

Friday, May 22, 2009

35 km to Ulan Ude

Yesterday we arrived here N 51.53546°, E 107.34313° at the river Selenga. And because of this beautiful view we decided to stay. Nothing else to say for today.

 

 
Reminds us at Japanese Mountains
 

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

2160 km of Everything and Nothing

In summary we need almost 8 days until Chita for about 2160 km. The one Japanese guy we met before the journey, he was doing it in 4 days but this would mean everyday just driving, driving driving. Since this little bit boring we were just driving around 200 km and maximum 400 km the day. The guys in Vladivostok told us the street is finished and only the last 200 km close to Chita are still under construction. Well so far I think it was around 1500 km dirt road and the other 600 km are asphalt, but everywhere they are starting to put the asphalt. It is really amazing how they build such a road and for such a long distance and under extreme conditions. I guess in some years it is an easy driving. When I heard first time from this road Angela told me that there are a lot of bridges missing between Kabarowsk and Chita and maybe we need to take the train if the water comes up. This was maybe 5 or 6 years ago. Now almost all bridges (I feel like I crossed thousands of small and big rivers) are finished except from 2 or 3. 2007 Martin was driving the same way and at this time the road was already quite good. Anyway those are just information for people who want to go the same way. It is not that adventure anymore as it was 5 or 6 years ago. Anyway we still got a cracked front window and had one flat tire, but later more.

 

The experience is to feel this huge dimension and this landscape and the people in the small villages beside this “highway”. For me the landscape was continuously changing although some hundreds of kilometres look the same. In the beginning we had quite sunny weather driving through birch and larch forest. Since in spring a lot of bushes and flowers are blooming I guess it is more interesting now than another time. Sometimes the forest loos like a flag from very fresh green at the top, over the strong white of the bark of the birch tree, and the purple blooming bushes at the ground. If the sun is lightning everything from top to bottom it looks really beautiful. From time to time you cross rivers with really clean water and at some points you still have snow between the trees or on top of some small hills. The first 1000 km is still marsh and only from time to time you driving through mountainous area.  Suddenly after ca. 1700 km you have no more trees and the landscape looks already like Mongolia, at least it looks like the picture in my mind when I am thinking about Mongolia (:). Yurts, sheep herds, cows, horse riders, and deserted hills that look like smooth waves.

 

Although it was interesting for Kotomi she felt the melancholy of this landscape. This is basically related to the villages which all look deserted or at least there are not many people you can see in the villages. But if we meet the people and ask for bread or some help the unfriendliness on the first sight against the stranger disappears very soon and they do everything they can do for you. In Vladivostok they told us, do not go in the small village that is dangerous. This maybe true in some cases but I think it is a prejudice Russians have from there own people. I think the “gangsters” and so called mafia you will find nowadays in the bigger cities, the so called new Russians who try to make the fast money without any moral and considerations about other people.

      

 

13th N 53.33073°, E 126.15925°: Sleeping just somewhere at a river.

 

14th and 15th N 54.02017°, E 122.86495° tired of driving and staying at a river one more day making campfire, washing clothing and exploring the nice mixed forest. By the way I recognized that under the larch tree you always find in a circle below the tree the same plants which have small green leaves looking like a heart, you can not find it under the birch or other trees. Hey Anja maybe you know what is the name of this plant?! (:)

 

16th N 53.53639°, E 119.48116° Nothing special, sleeping close to some small Village.

 

17th N 52.18051°, E 116.27874° This day the landscape changed we were driving through mountainous area the rain clouds and the fog hanging mysterious in the forest. Quite cold but I really like this atmosphere at least if it is warm inside the car. At the end of the day we decided to drive just in some small villages in the mountains. Surprisingly the village was located at two lakes which were still partially covered with ice. Here we wanted to buy a bread but everything was closed except the “Kafe” where we could here loud Russian music. After the obligatory questions where you come from and where you want to go, they bring us to some old house where we could buy the bread even so is was closed. It looked like a prison and through a small hole in the wall we could get the bread. Well let’s find a nice place and cook something and go to bed soon since it was quite cold. That is what we thought but then I recognised we have a flat tire. So we went again to the “Kafe” to find someone who could help us.  Even so there is always the language problem we got the tire repaired at that day, one got his compressor, another one called his friend who has a garage, which was actually like an old train wagon, and another one showed us the way with his car.    

 

 

18th N 51.93491°, E 114.11997° In the morning I lift up the car and changed all tires from the back to the front since they were quite damaged due to the last 1000 km of this sharp stones at the “highway” (:). Then we are on the road and at the end of the day staying at a kafe which had nice Uzbekistani food and a Banja, which was necessary after one week.

 

19th N 51.81812°, E 113.08982° In the morning of this day we drove together with the friendly owner of the kafe to Chita, where he showed us a garage which repaired the crack in our window. Good job looks like new if you do not know that there was a crack (:) and we could stop it to get larger.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

First time Banja in Russia - Joschkin Kot

8th of May we decide to stay one more day in the small village Лермонтовка. At the morning we met a guy who was getting water from the small river for his Banja (Russian sauna). I asked him if we could join he said yes and he will pick us up here. I was asking in the village for fresh eggs and finally I found a nice guy who sold some. He also showed me a nicer place for our camp directly at the water and protected from the wind and "bad" people. He meant in the front part of the village some bad people living. Anyway the place he showed us was really nice and even the guy with the Banja did not show up (maybe he was already to drunken and he forgot) I did not regret that we stayed one more day. We made real milk tea with the fresh milk from his cows; that was really like heaven if you compare it to our milk out of the paper box with 3 or … %. His father gave me also one kilogram of speck; I could not say no but still did not know what to do with it. Yesterday (11th of May) I had the solution; since I can not eat it like that I remembered the recipe of my grand aunt Ruth. I made a "Schmalz" (maybe somebody can check this in English and write it as comment (:)) with onion.

 

9th of May we went to Kabarovsk (Харбаровск). The town is around 100 years old, but everything is made new now. It seems there is a lot of money I am not sure what make this town richer than others. I could not see so much industry. No industry always results in a clean air which is good for us (:) but not for the people who need a job. There is not much to see which is interesting but at least Kotomi could visit her first orthodox church, which impressed her quite a lot. Also the church was new even so it was built in the traditional style with the golden "onions" (as Kotomi always says) on the top. Kotomi really wanted to go in a restaurant to eat something typical Russian but I told her we may not find something like she wants. Russian food you may only experience in Russian homes. Of course you can find a Schaschlik, some kind of Döner Kebab or the same stuff you can get in Europe as a fast food. As always we looked for a sleeping place close o the water. We decide to drive to a lake or part of the Amur river around 20 km outside of the town. The small village located close to the Lake is called Konstantinovka (Константиновка). We found a muddy way leading us to the water were fishers and hunters made already a camp. The sunset was close and we decided to stay here (N 48.58453°, E 135.46983°). The water here is not so deep. Because of that the fishers use a special technique, they just hunt the fish with a stick and they are really successful. Two old guys made a camp fire and were drinking. I just said hello and finally we were sitting all together around the fire practicing the few Russian, German and English words we know. Aljoscha (Aleksei) and his friend, who was looking like the one guy from a Van Gough picture made a Russian picnic as they said.  An old Moskwitch (East germans may know how it is written correctly (:)) with Russian music came with its drunken driver Sascha. Sascha just got a new bottle of Wodka from home since the other was empty. He was like a sunshine even so he was drunken. He explained that this is his beautiful home village, that this is the place of his heart, where he can get a fish and some "Schnittlauch" (the green stuff of the onion) directly at the beach.  We always had to try and after drinking the Wodka. He made a gesture almost as he was praying to Allah waving his arms up and down and saying again and again "Joschkin Kot (Ёшкин Кот)". It means something like yes, isn't it is nice, well well. He just always said "Joschkin Kot (Ёшкин Кот)" and finally we too and everybody laughing. After sunset a fisher man came back who was friend of Aljoscha and he gave him a fish and we made a delicious fish soup (Уха) with potato on the fire (Dish number one of Kotomis japanese guid book (80 % is describing food)). And that is what I mean, you can not find this in a restaurant at the street you will experience this together  with the native people. After the bottle of Wodka was finished Sascha drove home with his Moskwitch, but with the promise to have a Banja at his house next day. We woke up 10th of May and Sascha and Aljoscha were already drinking the first bottle of the day, of course Wodka. It is his holiday and anyway "Joschkin Kot (Ёшкин Кот)" …. "Joschkin Kot (Ёшкин Кот)"! At noon they drove back, but they gave us their address where we should come around 5 for the Banja (Баня). I still had to do something at the car and the wash my clothing. We came their but Sascha was at Aljoschas place were they were drinking again, but finally we went to is house were he heated up his Banja and we got to know his wife Sonja (70 which has finish ancestors) and her daughter Walia. Sonjas man died when he was 58 and now she is living together with Sascha who is working 6 months for the Amur Gold company somewhere in the North of Siberia and then he is back together with her and has 3 months holiday. In the north he is not allowed to drink otherwise he would get fired. But here it seems he try compensate the loss of the last six month which means drinking for 3 month during the holiday. It is really funny to see this couple where Sonja is more like a lovely strong mother to him. She is really warm-hearted person but she is also the head of the family and what she says he should do. But he just says "Joschkin Kot (Ёшкин Кот)" excuses and smile give a kiss and go on drinking. Finally she knows gets shortly angry but then everything is ok again. Basically the woman do the garden where they have potatoes and all kinds of vegetables which keep them survive even without having a job. They live independent which seems the only way for a lot of families. In the evening we went to the Banja and after 2 weeks just cold water from the lake this was really great and especially the "Birkenreisig" which you use to beat or massage the body is really great. I forgot, before that we had some borscht the Russian soup which Kotomi also wanted to find in the restaurant, but I think here from Mama Sonja it was much better.

 

11th of May we started our way to Chita even so it was hard to leave the place with these nice people.  It was just one day but all of us feel as we know already long time and even so we did not understand every word we could communicate. Mama Sonja just said in the end "we all just people my boy" and that is right and in Saschas word "Joschkin Kot (Ёшкин Кот)" and Мир and friendship. The first distance street sign said 2130 km to Chita. Ok that is a little bit, lets see what happen next. I hope we will see more Banjas and people like Sascha, Walia and Sonja on this 2000 km. Since we started late we just drove 200 km out of Khabarovsk until here: N 48.93966°, E 132.67058°.

 

Today 12th of May we just drove 450 km through forest, mountains, rivers, and maybe 3 or 4 villages until here: N 50.90254°, E 128.63856°. Here means actually more cold, since I am sitiing inside the tend wearing my cap and my warm jacket while writing the blog.

 

 

@Anja: At the lake Xanka we could see the "Silberreiher" and actually a lot of other birds I never saw in Germany. If you are outside of the dirty cities the nature seems to be still very healthy with a wide range of plants and animals, it is really beautiful, I think you would really like this place. Some of the birds are so small that Kotomi gave them name garlic (niniku in japanese) since they look like a flying garlic (:).

 

@Bastie in Kemerov: Did you got my SMS since I am not sure if it was really working.

 

 

 

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Schenja from the former KGB

At the 5th of May we decided to move on even so the place at the Lake was so nice. We are not sure how long we need to the Baikal Lake we want to spend more time and finally also my parents. Before starting we went to Alex to fill up our water tanks. We met him the day before at the beach; he is soldier and had his free day. I was kite surfing and he was drinking beer with Kotomi. Finally we decided to invite him for dinner and Kotomi made Japanese Sushi. We had a nice time together. Anyway we went inside the military area he explained the guard we are good people and we drove in, got the good water and left the nice place saying goodbye to Alex. Since we could not go on to the North, where the Chinese frontier is, we had to go South first and then to the east cost of the Lake Xanka, where we also wanted to visit a guy who is taking care of some Amur Tigers. At one point in Spassk Dalnii (Спасск Дальнии) we lost the way and I was asking some people in front of a factory which way to go, I showed them a picture of the tiger place. Finally they told us they are prisoners and some officer came later also trying to explain us the way. It was very funny, at last all stack up in a new Wolga and said just follow us we will show you a little bit of the way. Nice people even so they were prisoners. It was already to late to visit the Tiger guy, therefore we decided to stay one more night at the Lake but this time at the east coast where you only can use a dam above the marsh to drive. Beside the dam you always have water channels looks like Venetia without houses. We parked our car closest to the lake where later on Schenja with his Son and friend arrived. He looked a little bit pissed of that we occupied his place and that he was not alone here. Later we will know why (:). First they pretended to fish with the normal fishing rod in the water channels which is actually allowed. But later after they recognized we are nice people (:), they got out there boat crossed the water channel walking through the marsh until the lake and putting the fishing net. If other people our a car was approaching they were the one of them who was putting the net was always hiding. So I asked him if it is forbidden and he was smiling and said yes. After that I was talking with him what is our plan and he told me he was working for the KGB in Ulan Bator, in the new time he was in the car import business and know Japan very well. Now is not so good anymore the Pakistani buy now all the good old Japanese car. It seems now he changed his business to illegal fishing, just kidding (:). Anyway I the morning we had had 4 nice fishes in our washing pot (:).

 

6th of Mai we visited the Tiger Guy, he also had other animals but they were in really small cages. The 2 Tigers have almost 2 ha so at least some space, but the condense milk eating Nepalese bear had only a small cage and made a sound as a machine which he always repeated. Anyway the guy was nice and also interesting to see the beautiful Amur Tiger. I gave him some coins from Lybia since Martin from the mogellrallay told me he would like it.

 

After that we went on in direction of Khabarowsk where we need to go next on the way to the Baikal Lake. Since we were running out of vegetables which are really important for Kotomi we stopped almost everywhere to get some. But the small cities only had potatoes, pickles, all what is growing now. Since now it is spring it is not a lot. Traveling with Japanese Gourmet is not as easy, just kidding, I also like vegetables, so we decided to leave the main road and go to a bigger City where we finally found a market with vegetables and all we need. In the evening we camped at the river with techno sounds from the other side, which reminds me at the summer time at some lakes at my home place. Лесозаводск   N 45.4578 °, E 133.39868°

 

Today (7th of May) we just followed the road M60 and thought we will reach the Amur River but it is still 200 km and we made a camp at a small village Лермонтовка N 47.14079°, E 134.3458 ° at a river and we hope we can get some good eggs here tomorrow.     

 

By the way we were stopped at every police checkpoint, most of them are nice just asking for the documents, some really want to find something so they want to everything but finally it is good that we do not understand so well, especially the morning at the east coast of the lake where some guys dressed like military wanted know what we are doing here and why we are not sleeping in the town, I just pointed on the lake and said it is nice (красвая ханка) here. I had the feeling they want money, but I did not understand and finally they give up being disappointed not to find a reason that we need to pay. Good that they did not see the fish from our “KGB friend” Schenja (:).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monday, May 4, 2009

Kite Surfing in Far East and the feeling of being in the African Savannah

Before I come to the Savannah, I just wane give a short summary of the last days.

 

At 29th we met Valerie and Valentine, and they explained us why it is 200 USD. Anyway there where a lot of excuses and finally they said it is because they paid already 130 USD to the Tax office just because of the lot of luggage we had and everything over 35 kg we should normally pay 4 EUR/kg. Anyway this is nonsense since other people also did by their self and they also had a lot of luggage and did not pay anything, so it was just cheating. Finally we paid 150 USD. Next time I know that I never ask someone’s friend for something without asking for the price. Anyway now we are free and next time we can do by our self since we are independent having our home our car with us and time is not a problem.

 

At the 30th we started from Vladivostok or better from the seacoast at the Northeast of Vladivostok where we always stayed over night, having a much cleaner air than in the city. The next day is a national holiday that means due to traffic jam we need almost two ours just to leave the city. Did I told you they drive really crazy, most of the cars are really big and I had the feeling every third is a Landcruiser. If you imagine that for the Landcruiser we have 24 years old they normally need to pay just for the import tax 7000 USD, then it is hard to understand how so many people can afford this and how?! But it seems they try to make the fast money basically with trading and it is impossible that everybody of them is mafia (:). 25 km before Ussurisk at the route M60 we decided to make a camp somewhere and we found some kilometres away from the main road a river where we made our camp.

 

First of May national holiday and everybody how has car goes out for a pick nick. So when we had our breakfast more and more people came. We decided to stay there one more day since we still needed to arrange a lot of stuff in the car and I prepared the Russian Navigation maps with each small village. Really nice vector maps but a little bit tricky to run this Russian maps on a English notebook. Anyway I found a really big lake on the map and we decided to go there next day. Some people came to us and were really interested in our roof tent most people are really nice.

 

Second of May we made our way through small villages going to the Lake. Since we learned already that the eggs in the supermarket are really bad we were really glad to buy in the small village where they but the egg in a glass with sand as a sign that they sell eggs. For Kotomi this is really a different world. Cows’ walking over the street is really amazing for her. Now everything is getting green and out of the mud it looks like thousands of black guys with green hair want to come out but they just managed to get out the head of the mud.

 

At the evening we arrived at the Lake Xanka at the small village Troizkoe. Sand beach like at an ocean and actually we can not see the other side of the lake. Behind the beach it looks like Savannah it is really wonderful place but I guess you can not find it in a guide book since most people just visit the cities and want to go fast to the east or west. I asked some guys for the weather forecast for the next day and promptly they invited us for Schaschlik, Plov and Wine and everything. Anatoly, Jury, Gennady and his Son Vladimir coming from Nachodka and were here also for the first time. In the night Jury was playing guitar and Kotomi drum. Surprisingly they were Kitesufers and next day we enjoyed together this sport. A little bit cold but really nice wind and in the night we were a little bit scared about our roof tent. The place is so magic that we decided to stay one or two or three more days. That are our coordinates for now if you want to check in Google (:):N 44.82615°, E 132.04793° .