Clarification: Lake Baikal

It's been brought to my attention that my Lake Baikal post is a bit cryptic. So I'll elaborate a bit.

The "travel mistake" was thinking I could figure out what to do and where to go once I arrived in Irkutsk. But it's not that easy here. It is Siberia, after all. There are tourists here, and it definitely appears as though the infrastructure is improving, it's not an easy place in which to improvise. I should have planned better.

As for Victor, my host at the home stay in Listvyanka, I was tempted to write a post just about him. As I walked back and forth down the town's one road I'd see him working: carrying lumber, painting, etc. Later he showed me the stencil he was working on for the sign that would say "Rooms for Rent" in both Russian and English. aIt seemed clear he was hoping to turn his house into a hostel or guesthouse.

Because I speak almost no Russian and he speaks nothing but, conversing over evening tea was a bit difficult. He chattered on and on even though I made it clear I didn't understand a word he was saying. I realized that I was perhaps the only person he had interacted with all day, and was probably just happy to have someone to talk to. I mentioned how I took time to look at and admire his icons. But I noticed there were no pictures anywhere.

I was relieved when he pulled out a stack of photographs, to help pass the time, if nothing else. There were a number of pictures which I figured out were of him helping to build the church on the hill in Port Baikal, which he seemed quite proud of. There were pictures of the lake in winter, which were gorgeous.

But there were photos of people as well. There were pictures of a precious young girl, maybe 10 years old, including one of her smiling under a Christmas tree in a McDonald's t-shirt. And there were pictures of a regal, statuesque woman, usually in a white fur coat and hat. She reminded me of Julie Christie in "Dr. Zhivago," and, really, is there a higher compliment for a woman?!

But as I went through I noticed something. I started going through the pictures again, even though he indicated that I had seen them all. All of the pictures had time stamps. None of them had been taken in the last ten years.

I don't know what happened to the woman and child, who I assumed were his wife and daughter. Even if we shared a common language I don't know how I would have asked. All I can guess is that about 10 years ago something very bad happened.

The next morning when he offered me tea again. I think he had been waiting for me to come downstairs. I felt really guilty declining, but I really did have to get to the bus station.

I gave his name and address to the folks at the hostel in Irkutsk. Hopefully they'll send people his way.