Ok, I know, it can sound a little bit wired...
I'm now in another world. Changed 40 degrees of temperature in one day. From deep (italian prospective) winter to a tropical (summer italian) weather.. I have to say its a big step.
My mind still need to understand some changes of horizon. My heart is still in Russia and my Imagination brings me back on the Baikal lake, near Irkutsk.
After Novosibirsk, I have to say, is not very difficult to go in a better looking city. But never, my immaginaion would have gone so far. Irkutsk has an Identity and you can clearly see that in almost in every corner. Wooden houses, little and lived are everywhere. Quality of life, from what people look like is better. The Angara river, the only flow going out the Baikal, is huge. Unbeliveably not frozen. eaven if temperature would have suggested opposit. As every day of my russian experience, I saw the sun, and this for me is a big surprise. Never, after a grey winter in the uk, I could immagine to come to siberia and have sun light everyday... ok sometimes was snowing, and the wind blowing, but never more than a couple of hours.
The sence of hospitality, as all around the counry is unbeliveably warm. Natasha lives with three girl friends, arrived home from a 30 hours train i found food: tradiional meatballs served with peppers and a wild local rice were a dream for me at that time of night.
What i liked about that student house, is the sence of immagination, i was impressed about the amount of interesting questions, coming out of their souls. We cook than, the day after a pasta al pomodoro (ok with chinese tomatos is not the same, but sometimes you can not have the world, expecially in Siberia).
I shared a sofa bed in their room, they shered their life with me for two days.
I've to say from the beginning in Moskow, to the Baikal, I've never felt alone, never felt in danger (except one time, but was light).
The more you go east the less they are used to tourist and the more you fell a different and lucky, having choosen to be there (they didn't).
Baikal lake is somehing else. Never, in my life i saw so much ice, never i had a feeling of walking on half meter ice flor, on a like. Never i saw a sunset in a white plain, silent. Only the wind blowing boody freezing on my skin. was with me. A fish soup from the Local Omul, a far friend of a salmon, was giving me a tasty, fat, and delicate flavours. Ok Baikal lake is probably the only touristy place in Siberia. Alone it represent 80% of russian drinking water. Is the only place in russia where the tap water is not polluted, unbeliveably fresh after a 20 days of filtred boiled water. Sence of purity is in the air, you can breath it. And open space like this it will be stamp in my mind for a long time. Nature fortunatly still have some values, somewhere.
In the night was the time for a fried omul, eaven tastier, and the local sauna, Banya, did the rest.
The next morning i was getting up the last time in Russia. It was a strange feeling, really emotional.
Before my crazy flight to Bangkok. At the girls house we exchange cooking ideas. Crostata and local fried salty bread with beef and onion was my last dinner. Leaving me a great feeling about this very massive but delicate and strong country.
After you've lived Siberia, I think, you can live every where.
I will come back Russia, for sure.
I'm now in another world. Changed 40 degrees of temperature in one day. From deep (italian prospective) winter to a tropical (summer italian) weather.. I have to say its a big step.
My mind still need to understand some changes of horizon. My heart is still in Russia and my Imagination brings me back on the Baikal lake, near Irkutsk.
After Novosibirsk, I have to say, is not very difficult to go in a better looking city. But never, my immaginaion would have gone so far. Irkutsk has an Identity and you can clearly see that in almost in every corner. Wooden houses, little and lived are everywhere. Quality of life, from what people look like is better. The Angara river, the only flow going out the Baikal, is huge. Unbeliveably not frozen. eaven if temperature would have suggested opposit. As every day of my russian experience, I saw the sun, and this for me is a big surprise. Never, after a grey winter in the uk, I could immagine to come to siberia and have sun light everyday... ok sometimes was snowing, and the wind blowing, but never more than a couple of hours.
The sence of hospitality, as all around the counry is unbeliveably warm. Natasha lives with three girl friends, arrived home from a 30 hours train i found food: tradiional meatballs served with peppers and a wild local rice were a dream for me at that time of night.
What i liked about that student house, is the sence of immagination, i was impressed about the amount of interesting questions, coming out of their souls. We cook than, the day after a pasta al pomodoro (ok with chinese tomatos is not the same, but sometimes you can not have the world, expecially in Siberia).
I shared a sofa bed in their room, they shered their life with me for two days.
I've to say from the beginning in Moskow, to the Baikal, I've never felt alone, never felt in danger (except one time, but was light).
The more you go east the less they are used to tourist and the more you fell a different and lucky, having choosen to be there (they didn't).
Baikal lake is somehing else. Never, in my life i saw so much ice, never i had a feeling of walking on half meter ice flor, on a like. Never i saw a sunset in a white plain, silent. Only the wind blowing boody freezing on my skin. was with me. A fish soup from the Local Omul, a far friend of a salmon, was giving me a tasty, fat, and delicate flavours. Ok Baikal lake is probably the only touristy place in Siberia. Alone it represent 80% of russian drinking water. Is the only place in russia where the tap water is not polluted, unbeliveably fresh after a 20 days of filtred boiled water. Sence of purity is in the air, you can breath it. And open space like this it will be stamp in my mind for a long time. Nature fortunatly still have some values, somewhere.
In the night was the time for a fried omul, eaven tastier, and the local sauna, Banya, did the rest.
The next morning i was getting up the last time in Russia. It was a strange feeling, really emotional.
Before my crazy flight to Bangkok. At the girls house we exchange cooking ideas. Crostata and local fried salty bread with beef and onion was my last dinner. Leaving me a great feeling about this very massive but delicate and strong country.
After you've lived Siberia, I think, you can live every where.
I will come back Russia, for sure.
Wow! I haven't seen last three pictures, I missed this moment, ha-ha=)
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that you felt comfortable in our country. I hope you will meet very kind and hospitable people everywhere.
it's great for me to hear that you have appreciated my approach to your country!!! The world is beautiful, fortunatly is also made out of good people, every were!
ReplyDeletethe hospitality i've recived in Russia, was just unbeliveable ,)
Caro Nicola da qualche giorno guardo il tuo blog e vivo questa esperienza strana di sentire il racconto del viaggio come pane appena uscito dal forno, con i suoi profumi.
ReplyDeleteLe emozioni sono di nostalgia, non so se per la lontananza dei luoghi o perchè tu hai vent'anni e guardi il mondo attraverso un altro tempo.
Com'è stata la sauna russa? sono un appassionato. Fammi sapere i dettagli. Un saluto da Dario e Claudia.
Caro Dario,
ReplyDeleteIl paragone con i profumi del pane mi piace molto!
La sauna russa, di solito si fa la sera, prima di cena. E' una stanza a piano terra, da cui si accede sia dall'interno. Tutta in legno e nel mio caso con una sedia a dondolo nel mezzo e delle panchine alle pareti. Una finestra con vista sulla neve giusto per sentire il freddo e musica strumentale tradizionale di sottofondo. E' stata un esperienza molto molto piacevole e rilassante...