Siberië – Siberia

Dit is vrieskoud in die hartjie van sneeuwitjieland –  verby leeukoud.   Die koue beheer alles en selfs die koue bepaal opvoeding vir kinders, wat soms ver loop na bus of skool.  Primitiewe lewensverhale en oorlewing in die ongenaakbare koue maande van net sneeu.  In Oymyakon, the cold controls everything. The town is located in eastern part of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia), which belongs to Russia and is know as the world’s Pole of Cold.     Locals think that Baikal lake water is similar to distilled  water due to the level of minerals that are naturally not high for freshwater. 

Die kinders wat skool toe gaan lyk nie juis negatief om die koue te trotseer nie en loop entoesiasties om by hul bestemmings te kom.   Dink heelwat van ons wat die hitte gewoond is soos sonnige Suid-Afrika, sal nie maklik hier aard nie, maar tog, as dit moet, kan mens verander as daar ‘n wil is.   

Daar is darem een skoolbus wat kinders vervoer.   Water is beslis nie baie nie, behalwe as dit ontvries word.    Sommige kinders moet egter voor skool baie vroeg opstaan omdat hulle met die boerdery behulpsaam is.   As dit te koud en gevaarlik word vir oorlewing , kan kinders nie skoolgaan nie.   Dit herinner mens aan hoe ons eie kinderlewe verloop het – primitief.   Dis hoe mens ervaring opdoen by geduldige ouers en dit is nie net om koeie te melk nie, maar ook alles oor diere wat versorg moet word.   Hoe om ‘n boerdery te beheer en behartig, om te oorleef.

Wintertyd is van Oktober tot April.   

Nevertheless every morning the children march to school, the youngest just 6 years old. Making their way by temperatures of -50 degrees Celsius. Such circumstances would seem completely inconceivable for Europeans, but in the coldest town in the world, it is the beginning of an ordinary day. At least there is a school bus. But does it still work by temperatures of -50 degrees Celsius? The temperature controls the entire life here, not just the way to school. Running water? The pipes are broken, which is not surprising when the water literally freezes in the air. The inhabitants must melt blocks of ice in order to obtain water. How do the humans, the animals and the nature survive in such a unreal region? This film provides the answer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0ZUJtwXyY4


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LAKE BAIKAL

You are probably wondering how big this water reservoir is and where to travel to see the beauties of it. Do not mistake lake Baikal that is in Siberia with the lakes that have similar names. There are some in Russia (located in Yakutia and Tomsk Oblast). 

 Siberian lake Baikal is the biggest of them all. There are several theories about its origin. One states that the lake appeared due to the earthquakes. This theory is proved by the present-day colossal seismic activity on the lake. More than 100 earthquakes happen here every year. However, do not panic, they are not strong. The name of the lake is believed to be translated from Turk language as a “rich lake”. Many European countries could fit on the territory of the lake (its surface is almost 32.000 square kilometers). For example, the entire Malta, Armenia, and Albania could be placed within its area.   

Lake Baikal is the deepest Russian lake situated in the southern part of the Eastern Siberia. Baikal is one of the deepest lakes on our planet and the biggest  reservoir  of  unsalted  water on the Eurasian continent. Lake Baikal has a tectonic origin.    The lake has unique flora and fauna, and most of the species cannot be found anywhere else. The locals traditionally call Lake Baikal “a sacred sea”. If you want to know why the lake is such a precious thing to visit, let me take you on a journey where we will find out several   amazing facts about the deepest Siberian Lake Baikal!

Siberian people are well aware that the lake water is so pristine because of the small  species called Epischura baicalensis. These little fellows are micro crayfish; you will not be able to see them with the naked eye. The crayfish feeds on organic products in  the  lake,  making its water very clean. To contemplate the water, you can travel to the lake during the summer. If you want to swim in Baikal, do not get too expectant, the water is cold even during the hottest summer days. The temperature of the water reaches up to 15C during the warmest period. If you visit Baikal during winter as well, you will be greeted by the most transparent ice that covers the entire lake from early January till early May. The ships can only navigate in the waters of the lake when it is free from the ice.  

In Siberia, there is famous sparkling water (it tastes a bit like Coca Cola), that is called after the lake. Baikal Water in a bottle first appeared in 1973. To bottle it, the locals put some herbs and aromatic oils inside. To taste it, visit local shops at the lake, or go to  Listvyanka  that is the closest point from Irkutsk!

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Frozen Wildernis in Siberia – Russia

Siberia, the Coldest and Wildest Place on Earth – Documentary

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Locals do not like Listvyanka very much. As they say here: “Moscow can not represent entire Russia”, and neither can Listvyanka reflect the Baikal special atmosphere. It is full of tourists, and the day trip there will be far from calm. But still, I go to  Listvyanka  every  summer to see its hidden gems which there are plenty. One of them is Port Baikal, a small village unchanged by time. Another treasure is a small Orthodox church located a bit sideways from the main road. Even if you are not religious, turn from the busy main road and march into the depth of the village. You will see the cutest wooden temple of Orthodox Christianity built by the people of the village and one rich merchant. Have a break in the improvised small garden made by the nuns. Time seems to have stopped here at the porch of this little church. Curiously enough, the building, although it was built in 1950, has some masterpieces of the 18th century inside.

https://www.itinari.com/listvyanka-the-nearest-village-from-irkutsk-to-see-lake-baikal-9kue


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Wooden churches

Wood is a distinctive part of Russia’s architectural heritage, especially in traditional villages in the North of Russia. For over a thousand years, until the 18th century, everything was made from wood including houses, barns, mills, princely palaces and of course, hundreds of churches. Starting from simple dome like structures, wooden architecture in Russia reached a degree of splendor to the point that some of these religious complexes were designed as fortresses of great beauty. The traditional wooden churches of the Russian North are particularly interesting. Working without hammer and nails, carpenters constructed such bizarre structures as the 24-domed Intercession Church at Vytegra (built 1708, burnt down 1963) and the 22-domed Transfiguration Church at Kizhi (built 1714), that still stand today.

https://www.amusingplanet.com/2013/08/10-spectacular-wooden-churches-of-russia.html

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Hoeveel van die moorde wat vandag in Suid-Afrika plaasvind is as gevolg van geloof en spesifieke Christelike geloof?   Interessant die tipe gedrag wat in China ook plaasvind is ook te bespeur in die oud Rhodesia, waar van Noord-Koreane gebruik gemaak is vir opleiding waar swartes so uitvermoor is.

Russia – Christians : Rusland Christelike geloof

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It happened during June 2019 when a mushroom-shaped cloud,  was so big it could be seen from Orbit.    The volcano Raikoke, which last erupted in 1924, expelled an enormous ash plume on 22 June 2019.   It was a powerful high-level eruption unexpectedly started at Raikoke volcano, Kuril Islands, Russia at around 17:50 UTC on June 21, 2019 — with the massive explosive activity continuing into 22 June.

Russian mushroom-shaped volcano Raikoke

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Mooi gesin – The Russian Royal Family was executed and buried in July 1918. So why does Vladimir Putin keep bringing up the bodies?

Romanovs Russian Royal family – Romanoffs