Across the lake to Baikal'sk

We started our day with a 5 hour boat ride across the lake to
Baikal'sk, the site of an infamous pulp and paper mill. We were met
there by Maksim, a member of Baikal Environmental Wave, and Oleg, a
local from Baikal'sk. They showed us some troubling sites, including
the pulp mill itself, and one of the sludge ponds that holds waste
from the mill. We also visited a ski resort used by Putin and the
studio of Yuri Alekseev, the first and only painter to paint under the
waters of Lake Baikal. Yuri performed a song and showed us some the
items he found treasure hunting in the lake, like a kopeck coin from
1778.
After our visit with Yuri, we went to a surprisingly upscale
restaurant to sample a local tea made with cranberries, wild
rhododendron, honey, and cinnamon. Finally, we did some souvenir
shopping at a local market before heading back to Bolshie Koty! We
made it back late, around 11:30 p.m.
Ashley & Laura