We arrived  just in time for all of the "Children's Day" celebrations ...so it was very colorful and lots of fun and there were lots of children in costumes for the various dance presentations.   It was so precious !!!

These are the houses of  2 members of the nobility who were exiled here,

for trying to overthrow

Tsar Nicholas I  in December 1825.

aka: "Decembrists"

The last time we were here, we were treated to a wonderful classical piano concert and some operatic numbers by a lovely soprano here at Prince Volkonsy's house. 

This is where our interpreter introduced

an aria from the

" famous opera - The Civilian Hairdresser".

( a.k.a :  The Barber of Seville )

This time we were entertained at the Trubetskoi house

by an different but equally talented group, which included

a very lively poet -a classical guitarist - an organist. -  a soprano & an tenor ....

and an interpreter with the personality of a dead cat.  

 But all that champagne certainly helped a lot.     NO.....the reason we keep going back to Russia isn't for all the champagne, caviar and vodka 

 ( but it doesn't hurt ).

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Here at the eternal flame for soldiers ...we were in time to see the changing of the guard. 

Being a member of the "Guard" is an honor bestowed on high school students ...each grading period ....who have done particularly well .

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The old ice-breaker ..... The ANGARA

We paid a visit to a recently constructed

Iberian "Open Air Museum"

where Roy found a neat old "swing" to have some fun on.

So I went off in search of my own fun.  I went SHOPPING  !!!!

Sorry.....but I just HAD  to let you get a closer look at this guy.     Happy little critter, isn't he ?

About 4 hours before we were due reach our picnic stop on the shores of Lake Baikal,    the engineer let some of us make our way to the front platform on the engine,     

to take photos while we were en route.

He decided that we were all pretty agile ...so he never stopped while we were transferring from the closed cars to the open platform.   

 It was great fun !!!   The wind blowing thru my hair..........leaning against the front rail 

( centered between those 2 red & white sections, like a figure on the front of an old ship ) .....My Lord....WHAT A MORNING !!!!!

Well anyway....except for the last 2 photos...

all the rest in this section, were taken from my perch on the locomotive.

I cannot tell you how difficult it was, to choose just a few photos of this little mini-adventure. We went around many reverse curves, over almost 200 bridges...and through more than 50 tunnels ........so the photos were all interesting.

In we go.......

thru the middle.......

and out the other end.  

( well I did have to lean over the side for this shot )

Our bar-b-que picnic stop...lake-side

With Tamara....our Russian "leader".   Can you believe she went swimming ?   The water temp. was 36 degrees F.     

 Ahhhh....but those Russian girls are a hardy bunch !!!

Okay....for you who want "the facts, nothing but the facts"

here you go. 

It's 400 miles long & 50 miles across, at it's widest. 

 It holds one fifth of all the fresh water on earth

 ( which is more than all of the Great Lakes combined).

 It has a surface area of 12,000 sq. miles.  It was originally 5 miles deep......but thru the passage of time....it's 336 tributaries have deposited 4 miles of silt on the bottom.

So it's just over 1 mile deep, at the present time.

 It's also the oldest lake in the world. 

 The sediment has been dated at 25 million years.

Now for the "fun" stuff.

Two-thirds of the 2,000 species in the area, are only found here.  

 And the scientists have discovered the only known type of fish that

has the ability to decompress during depth changes.

There's also another cute little fish, that nobody can eat ...because when the sunlight hits it...it melts.

How about those "bus decorations" ??!!

There are scads of beautiful flowers in the hills .  You can find flowers here, that are native to warmer climates.  But because of the length & severity of the winters here, the Siberian versions are much smaller. 

Some are at least half the size of the originals.

Miniature  Siberian Azalea

Tiny cluster of  Siberian Irises

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This photo comes from the museum ... not my camera ... but I just had to show you this.

  Winter On Lake Baikal. 

These inclusions are nowhere near the surface.

The water is so clear that the visibility is absolutely amazing. 

The scientists said that it drives them nuts...because the illusion throws them off balance when they're trying to work on or under the ice.

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