Lake Baikal swim team

After 4 nights on the train it was good to get a break at Irkutsk and get on a bus!
70km took us to Listvyanka on the shore of Lake Baikal, the deepest lake in the world (1600m).

Lake Baikal

 Fascinating fact: Baikal could supply the world with drinking water for the next 40 years.

Highlights of the stay in Listvyanka were of the masochistic nature, going for a dip in the exceedingly cold lake and beating each other with sticks in a traditional Russian banya (sauna)

Church tower, Listvyanka

A few of us also managed to locate Retro park, a small scrap metal sculpture park.

Retro park, Listvyanka

Retro park, Listvyanka

We had time for a quick tour around Irkutsk including an area which is being rebuilt in the style of the old buildings, in fact some of the buildings have been moved from other parts of the city.  In the background you can see the local sports stadium which hosts outdoor ice-hockey in the winter - it makes sense but seems odd when you can only play indoors in the UK.

Irkutsk new old town