morning was spent polishing off our papers. Immediately before lunch,
we were visited by Liudmila Bol'shikova, a park ranger from the
Pribaikal'skii National Park. Liudmila gave us an introduction to the
benefits and complications of maintaining such a vast protected area.
Later, after lunch, we were filmed by not one but two Russian
television crews, one from Irkutsk and one from Moscow. Footage of us
doing "rigorous science" will hopefully be broadcast to Russian
televisions in the near future. We were very grateful for the
director's insightful coaching on how to properly do science with
passion for the silver screen, which namely involved lots of smiling
and giving the camera the thumbs up.
Dinner, however, had the most charming tone, as we were celebrating
Professor Marianne Moore's 60th birthday. Many gifts were received,
many toasts were given, many smiles were had...
As the night winds down, we are all preparing for our
five-day-expedition. Starting tomorrow morning at 8:30, we will be
traveling north, reaching our first stop, Ol'khon Island, sometime
late tomorrow eveing. As we travel up the coast, cellphone and
internet reception will be sporadic, so do not fret if we miss a night
of posting, we will post it the next day that our ability to do so
returns.
Poka! Пока!
Xena & Kendall
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