First time Banja in Russia - Joschkin Kot

8^th 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 (11^th 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.

 

9^th 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 10^th 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.

 

11^th 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 12^th 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.