SeveroBaikalsk

After a comfy overnight sleep on the train, we arrived in SeveroBaikalsk mid afternoon. Looking forward to a few days exploring Lake Baikal. From the internet:

Lake Baikal is the largest freshwater lake by volume in the world, containing 22–23% of the world's fresh surface water. it contains more water than the North American Great Lakes combined. With a maximum depth of 1,642 m Baikal is the world's deepest lake. It is considered among the world's clearest lakes and is considered the world's oldest lake – at 25–30 million years. It is the seventh-largest lake in the world by surface area.

Like Lake Tanganyika, Lake Baikal was formed as an ancient rift valley, having the typical long, crescent shape. Baikal is home to thousands of species of plants and animals, many of which exist nowhere else in the world. The lake was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. It is also home to Buryat tribes who reside on the eastern side of Lake Baikal,raising goats, camels, cattle, sheep, and horses,where the mean temperature varies from a winter minimum of -19 °C to a summer maximum of 14 °C

Again, it is a massive railway town with dozens of trains filled with coal, oil and timber.

A bus waiting at the station to pick up passengers. Don't know where they are going but it looks like fun!

Walked 15 minutes to our home stay, Dom U Baikala (means "house on lake Baikal"), $50 per night.

Walked a bit around town, went to the markets and bought some fresh produce. The town has a positive vibe (unlike Tynda). A lot of young people (15-25) who I suspect are home for the summer, but might go elsewhere (eg Moscow) for the winter school/uni season.

Ate an OK meal at the Bison Bar a hip place doing BBQ grill, beers, cocktails etc. $20 for two meals and beer.

A pretty good 3 star day