Days 14-17: Siberia - Olkhon

El primer dia estuvo muy ventoso, el segundo lluvioso y el ultimo soleado. Olkhon es bonito cuando hace sol. Las calles del pequeño pueblo son de tierra y la gente tiende a acumular basura en grandes montañitas. Tuvimos muy buenas vistas del lago y el día que hizo sol nos bañamos en el lago. ¡Estaba muy frío aún para los locales! También estuvimos en un banya tradicional (como un sauna). Se puede reservar por 1 hora entera solo para uno. ¡Fue el sauna más caliente que hayamos experimentado! Probablemente estaba como a 110 grados C. No pudimos quedarnos toda la hora. Conocimos dos parejas muy lindas en nuestro regreso a Irkutsk: Anastasia y Alberto de Rusia y España y Lorela y Alberto de Italia – ¡nuestro mejores!

As soon as we arrived in Irkutsk, we took a cosy minibus to Olkhon Island that took 7 hours. Olkhon is the biggest island on the lake Baikal. Some people say it is the oldest lake, estimated at more than 25 million years of age. It is also the world’s most voluminous lake. We stayed at a place called Nikitas’ Guest House.

It was quite windy on the first day, rainy on the second one and sunny on the last day. Olkhon is nice when it’s sunny. The streets of the little town are all made of dirt and people tend to accumulate rubbish in big piles. We had great views of the lake and on a sunny day we had a swim. It was really cold even for the locals! We also had a traditional banya (like a sauna). You can book it for 1 full hour just for you. It was the hottest sauna ever! It was probably at 110 degrees C. We couldn’t stay the whole hour. We met two lovely couples in our way back to Irkutsk: Anastasia and Alberto from Russia and Spain and Lorela and Alberto from Italy – best wishes to you!

Religious decorations in Olkhom Island (Lake Baikal) / Decoraciones religiosas en la isla Olkohm (Lago Baikal)

View of massive Lake Baikal / vistas del enorme Lago Baikal

Views of Olkhom Island (in the middle of lake Baikal) / Vistas de la Isla Olkhom (en el medio del Lago Baikal)