After spending a lazy, leisurely night/day cruising across Lake Ladoga, marvelling at the pristine river banks with nary an erosion scar in sight, we spent an afternoon in what can only be described as a kind of New Age commune /artistic colony / theme park.

It was a kind of Russian version of Williamsburg (US) or Old Sydney Town (Aus) but with people actually living there . 

In fact one of the requirements for people to live there is that they have to be occupied in some sort of traditional craft. 

They have lots of little workshops where you can see them doing all this, and shops where they sell them. The quality of the reconstructions of the buildings and the brightly coloured, whimsical decorations -- kind of totem wood carvings on roof tops and verandahs -- was superb. 

What an antidote to the bleak skies and grey seas of Russian winters!

The crafts were fascinating - embroidery, woodwork, Russian dolls, lacquer work.

After all our moving over the years, we're definitely into downsizing and NOT accumulating STUFF but I did buy a couple of very attractive lacquered 'spectacle' cases. Both have mythical scenes painted on them in very bright colours--highly visible so great for hopefully never again searching for my glasses case!

The highlight for me was the sheer beauty of the natural landscape . 

You really feel as if you're close to the top of the world here. Occasionally we'd see a pretty house or farm, but the lasting impression would have to be blue skies, white clouds, lush green reeds and grasses. 

Rick and I met on Copenhagen railway station in 1972- both on Eurail passes. 

I was heading to Narvik in the Arctic Circle as part of my Viking studies at Uni. Rick was heading to Monaco to see car racing boring stuff. 

We ended up ditching those plans and going to Spain instead!

So I never did get to the Arctic Circle but this trip has brought me a step closer -- less than 300km away.

Again -- at Mandrogy -- the same story with the War. The village had been razed to the ground by the Germans so everything had to be rebuilt from scratch.

We were lucky to have a gorgeous sunny day, but no matter what the weather, the landscape was lush and thankfully, un-manicured. 

Soft, natural, verdant water banks, wildflowers, trees -- just beautiful.

No wonder so many Russians rent one of the holiday houses there to spend a week or so just lazing in the sun, walking, going out on canoes and fishing.

After the LONG winters - it must be paradise.