ARRIVING AT BOLSHOYE GOLOUSTONOYE
A Relaxing Wander Around the Village
Bolshoye Goloustnoye may not have been the most beautiful of Russian seaside villages. But its bucolic location nestled in a sheltered valley right on the south-western shores of Lake Baikal, was sublime. And the quaint wooden cottages each decorated with individual styles of ornate window detailing, trim picket fences, and neat and tidy gardens adorned with lilacs and rambling wild roses, certainly gave the village a real charm and sense of pride. Central to the tiny hamlet was the gorgeous wooden Church of St Nicholas. Perched right on the lake shores, adorned with brilliant lapis onion domes and beautifully detailed roof, the tiny chapel was an absolute delight.
Most importantly for us however, Bolshoye Goloustnoye was a real working village where people lived simple, traditional lives. Sheep grazed on the surrounding hills and horses and cattle wandered freely along the unmade roads. Most of the houses had well-tended vegetable plots, some of almost commercial size.
On our arrival in the late afternoon, the little village exuded a dreamy, seductive ambience; a perfect time to wander the peaceful winding roads and absorb the atmosphere of this tranquil lakeside hamlet.
Yes, there were guesthouses, cabins, camping sites and signs of summer tourism. But at nearly sunset, all was deadly quiet. Not another tourist in sight. Nor for that matter, any other people walking or driving along the lonely unmade streets. A few long skirted women wearing traditional woollen scarves watched us carefully from their cottage doors. They were not unfriendly, just curious. One woman on seeing us, walked into her garden and chatted in Russian with the two Sergei's.
Our travel agent Anna was initially concerned about our visit to Bolshoye Goloustnoye, worried that it would be too boring for us. In her email, she expressed her reservations:
"Bolshoye Goloustnoye is a nice village that could be interesting to visit. But I would pay your attention that there are not a lot of things to do in this village. If we compare it with Listvyanka (another village south of Bolshoye Goloustnoye), there are more possible excursions to make around. But Bolshoye Goloustnoye is more quiet and not so touristic as Listvyanka. I think it is interesting to visit this place too.... So, if you prefer a quiet place, we can include in your program Bolshoye Goloustnoye."
It took no convincing. Bolshoye Goloustnoye sounded just like us.
The U Mikhalycha Guest House. Farewell to our "Baikal Man"
Surprisingly new to tourism, the accommodation at Bolshoye Goloustnoye was mainly guest houses, cabins and some smaller dwellings dubiously called "hotels". But from what we could see from our walk and from our previous searches online, the amount of accommodation was minimal. But at least it was not the tacky massive tourist development we were so disappointed with on Olkhon Island.
Anna in her usual thorough manner, had pre-warned us about the standard of accommodation around the southern parts of Lake Baikal, emphasising that it was all pretty basic. She was however, very positive about the U Mikhalycha Guest House in Bolshoye Goloustnoye, about which her company had received good client reports. Thankfully, and unlike a lot of the accommodation in the village, we did not have to share facilities and actually had our own private bathroom and toilet. Bliss....
On our arrival at our guesthouse, we were made very welcome by Ludmilla, a tall, friendly woman who was presumably the owner. The guest house was modest but it was clean and tidy, and conveniently located in the centre of the village right on the shores of Lake Baikal. Similarly, our room was small and basic, but spotlessly clean. The bathroom was tight but who was complaining? Well, perhaps the taller member of our relationship - but least we didn't have to share. And the good news was that the guest house had a restaurant where we could dine that night, and breakfast in the morning.
Alan and I often have to smile when we talk about our guides and drivers, and their plans for our travels. For most of the time, we know little about what we are doing, nor what the coming plans may be. To our surprise and true disappointment, we learnt that our driver Sergei would be leaving us that afternoon and we would have a different driver for the following day to take us back to Irkutsk. Sadly, we were suddenly saying our farewells to our "Baikal Man" who had been such good company; so knowledgeable about the Baikal region, and also a most competent driver.
Sergei scribbled his email address on a rough torn piece of paper - and he was gone. As usual, farewells are brutally swift and we were sorry to say goodbye. Hurriedly we foraged through our baggage, grabbling some of our local Australian Aboriginal artwork tokens as a gift.
A Little About Bolshoye Goloustnoye Village
Bolshoye Goloustnoye may have exuded a peaceful and relaxed atmosphere, but sadly in more recent times, life for the villagers has been far from easy.
Founded in the 17th century, the settlement was once an important river trading port due to the development of the trading route from Russia to China. Located some 130 km from Irkutsk city in the delta of the Indin-Gol River, it allowed for merchant ships travelling from Irkutsk by the Angara River to stop at the port of Bolshoye Goloustnoye, then continue their travel across Lake Baikal to the Selenga River delta of present day Mongolia.
Bolshoye Goloustnoye was also a thriving fishing village and a centre for logging and milling. Like many Russian villages we observed, most of the housing, cattle shelters and fencing was constructed from solid and very substantial timber. Following the more recent move to preserve Russia's forests and the subsequent closure of the village's three Soviet-era logging mills, Bolshoye Goloustnoye has struggled with a severe lack of employment and a weak economic base.
The proximity of the village however, to Irkutsk and its pristine location on the shores of Lake Baikal make it a promising target for an increasing tourism industry. Not surprisingly, environmental concerns (technically the village is part of the Pribaikalsky National Park) have forged efforts to develop more of an eco-friendly tourism industry that will provide jobs for local residents while preserving the fragile health of the Lake Baikal region.
Today the village is home to just 600 people (a mixture of Buryats and Russians) with an emerging, but fledgling tourist industry. Given the huge influx of Asian tourists - at least during the time we visited and according to the two Sergei's - it will be interesting to watch the fate of this traditional, yet charming lakeside village. Is an environmentally friendly tourist industry feasible? Or is it an impossible dream?
A Super Breakfast & an Early Morning in Bolshoye Goloustnoye
Our evening meal at the guest house had been excellent. But it was nothing to prepare us for what we were to be served for breakfast.
Ludmilla excelled herself, serving up a giant serving of the largest fried eggs I have ever seen, followed by copious quantities of homemade blinis served with homemade berry jam. Ludmilla did not speak any English but she obviously understood our surprise with the size of our eggs - which incidentally, were cooked to absolute perfection (for me) with solid just cooked whites and runny yokes. She soon returned with samples of her giant produce, explaining in Russian that they were a special type of poultry egg.
"Ahh, now I understand" said Sergei. "Now what is the translation? Oh yes, these are swan eggs" he explained obligingly. Alan and I almost dropped our cutlery at the thought. "You cannot eat swan eggs, surely?" we thought to ourselves. After all, only the (then) Queen of England is allowed to eat swan. And even then it's a bit iffy as to whether she actually had.
As it happened the delicious eggs were in fact goose eggs. Just an understandable translation issue.... Relaxed, we continued to enjoy our eggy breakfast. It did however raise a ridiculous issue. Why was it so abhorrent to us to think we were eating swan eggs, when goose eggs were perfectly acceptable, if a bit different....?
Over breakfast, Sergei explained our itinerary for the day. Our new driver Nikita would pick us up mid-morning and take us to Irkutsk where the following day we would be catching our Trans-Manchurian train for the last leg of our train journey to Harbin, China. En route we would stop at a Mongolian restaurant for lunch, followed by an afternoon visit to Sergei's school in Irkutsk. That evening, we would have a special dinner organised by our travel agent Baikal Nature.
Unfortunately, having spent some four weeks travelling through the Northern Caucasus, followed by our long train trip from Moscow to Irkutsk, then four days in the Lake Baikal region, we were truly at the pits of our travel energy supplies.
Tired and not particularly well, neither of us could think of anything we wanted to do other than to have a free afternoon in which to rest at our Irkutsk hotel. Had we had a few more days in Irkutsk, we would have gladly gone ahead with his plans, but time was running out and we had just one short afternoon left in Irkutsk. We politely declined his offer to show us around Irkutsk and a visit to his school. Sergei looked disappointed but he kindly agreed to our wishes.
Before Nikita arrived, we had one last short walk around Bolshoye Goloustnoye. A beautiful sunny morning made for a very pleasant last morning. And to our delight, we even found the local grocery shop....
TOWARD IRKUTSK
A Tragic History Explained
On our return trip from Bolshoye Goloustnoye to Irkutsk, we discussed with Sergei guide some aspects of Russia's history, in particular the Russian Civil War and the Bolshevik resistance leader of the White Army Admiral Alexander Kolchak whose forces were made to retreat to Irkutsk, and where he was executed in 1920. Driving through Irkutsk on our way to Olkhon island just days before, two Sergei's had spoken about the Civil War and Alexander Kolchak. But it was not until this afternoon when we were back-tracking over "travelled lands" that we had time to really talk in depth about the war and about the role Irkutsk played in acting as a last refuge for the White Forces.
You may recall in previous entries to this travelogue that during the Russian Empire, Siberia and especially the cities of Omsk and Krasnoyarsk, became refuges for the mass exile of political dissidents (refer "Into Siberia OR Almost Stranded at Omsk" http://v2.travelark.org/travel-blog-entry/crowdywendy/12/1666683515 and "Through the Geographical Centre of Russia" http://v2.travelark.org/travel-blog-entry/crowdywendy/12/1643857684)
Paradoxically, after the Russian Revolution of 1917 and during the Russian Civil War, the inhospitable, vast rugged lands of Siberia became refuge to the White Forces loyal to the former Tsarist regime battling the Bolshevists, the Red Army military wing. Siberia east of Omsk was at the time controlled by the White Forces led by Admiral Alexander Kolchak who was eventually forced by Bolshevik forces to retreat east from his army headquarters at Omsk to Krasnoyarsk, and later in December 1919 to Irkutsk.
An enigmatic man, Alexander Kolchak had a remarkably successful early career. Born in St Petersburg in 1874 to a family of Romanian origins, Kolchak had a strong military family background; his father a retired major-general of the Marine Artillery and a veteran of the 1854 Siege of Sevastopol.
Kolchak who was educated for a naval career, became a Russian admiral, military leader and interestingly a polar explorer. During the Russian Civil War of 1917-1922, he established an anti-communist government in Siberia - later to be known as the Provisional All Russian Government. He was later to be known by leaders of other White Forces as the Supreme Leader and Commander in Chief of all Russian Land and Sea Forces.
For almost two years, Kolchak acted as Russia's internationally recognised head of state. He failed however, to unite the White Movement and as his forces fell apart, he lost vital allegiances with political allies. He was betrayed and detained by the chief of the Allied military mission in Siberia and the potential ally of the Czechoslovak Legion who handed him over to local Socialist Revolutionaries. Not long after in 1920, the Bolsheviks executed him and the Prime Minister Viktor Pepelyavev in the early hours of the morning in Irkutsk. Apparently, the bodies of both men were then kicked and prodded down an escarpment and dumped into the frozen Angara River; their bodies never recovered. On 7 March the Red Army entered and occupied Irkutsk.
Today, after decades of being vilified by the Soviet government, Kolchak is now a controversial figure in post-Soviet Russia. Fascinating accounts of his career, military, adventurer and personal life can be found in articles such as Wikipedia and the Latvian Meduza's Newsletters.
A monument of him now stands in Irkutsk. Meduz Newsletters comments:
"Kolchak was executed by firing squad in 1920 after being convicted of war crimes, and in 1999, a Russian court declined to rehabilitate him. Rehabilitation is a legal practice typically used to exonerate the victims of Stalinist and post-Stalinist repressions, often after those victims have died. The fact that Kolchak was not accorded even that level of respect speaks to the controversy his name still inspires: in 2017, a memorial plaque mounted on the admiral’s former home in St Petersburg was taken down just one year after its construction. At the same time, Kolchak has become the subject of various books and films, and he remains one of the most popular historical figures of the Civil War."
A SHORT STAY IN IRKUTSK
A Quiet Afternoon
We were nearing Irkutsk airport on the outskirts of the city, when Sergei asked Nikita to slow the car so he could point out a particular site for us. It had been a sobering conversation about the Civil War, made even more solemn as Sergei pointed toward a lonely forest copse which he said quietly was the site of mass killings of tens of thousand of local people. The executions of mostly innocent people were carried out nearly thirty years later during the Stalin era by the notorious NKVD, a precursor of the KGB and the overarching body responsible for political repression, gulags and The Great Purge.
It is hard to get your head around the degree of pain and horror experienced by the Russian people throughout their tumultuous history. It had been a heavy yet fascinating dialogue - but we were pleased to at last be in sight of beautiful Irkutsk city.
It seemed a shame that we had just a very short afternoon visit in Irkutsk. As mentioned earlier in this blog, we were constrained however by time limits with our return on the Trans-Manchurian train to Harbin.
As we entered the outskirts of Irkutsk, the rain pelted down relentlessly. But in a way, it was fortunate for us. We had no time nor quite frankly, any inclination to do any sightseeing, and even if we had had another day, it would not have been sufficient to explore this fascinating old Siberian city. Furthermore, our many weeks of travel had taken its toll. Not only were we desperately tired, we had virtually had enough of travelling.
A Little About Irkutsk
Irkutsk is the largest city and administrative centre of the Irkutsk Oblast. Home to around 650,000 people, it is the 25th largest city in Russia and one of the largest cities in Siberia. Irkutsk lies along the famous Angara River at its very confluence with the Irkut River, after which the city is named.
Founded as a wintering camp for Cossacks during the first Russian colonisation of the area in 1652, the settlement grew rapidly to become the main centre of Cisbaikalia - and of the Russian trade route to China and Mongolia. Irkutsk acquired town status in 1686. Irkutsk continued to grow; its importance greatly enhanced after the building of the Trans-Siberian Railroad in 1898.
Home to many exiles for their part in the Decembrist Revolt of 1825, followed by the Russian Civil War of 1917 and then the Stalin era Great Purges of 1930's, the city become known as an famous exile post. As a result, some of the classic architecture reflected that of the many intellectuals and academics who resided here. Today, some of the older historic wooden houses, classic Russian buildings and splendid cathedrals still survive; the grand Irkutsk architecture earning the city the coined title of "The Paris of Siberia".
Irkutsk is well recognised for its fine academic and cultural facilities. It is also famed for its large aviation industry, being best known for its Su-30 family of interceptor/ground attack aircraft.
Our Sayen International Hotel and a Shopping Excursion
Anna our travel agent had once worked at the Sayen Hotel. Both she and Sergei guide had gone to great pains to tell us how lovely it was and how happy they thought we would be in staying there. They were right. The overall building was curiously Japanese in style, as were the pure simple aesthetics of the hotel rooms. There was no doubt about it, the Sayen was a lovely hotel.
And there we crashed for several hours, simply enjoying the rest and blissful knowledge that we didn't have any commitments for the rest of the day. We had contacted Anna to explain that we would forego her company's kind offer of dinner. And she certainly seemed to understand.
Well, there was one thing that we really did have to do. That was to re-stock our supplies for our train trip the following day. Fortunately there was a good supermarket nearby where we stocked up on coffee, biscuits, snack foods and thankfully, some alcohol. Even the pouring rain didn't dampen our spirits as we heaved our precious collection of goods back to our hotel.
"I'll Never Get Used to Not Living Next Door to Alice...."
That night we decided to try a local restaurant for our evening meal. On asking where was a good yet convenient place, the Sayen Hotel staff kindly recommended a nearby cafe which they thought we would enjoy. In hindsight, I think they thought we must have been Americans…..
In the deluging rain, the proximity to the hotel was great. But the place was crazy! Decked out in a 1950's American style, the darkened cafe was ablaze with neon lights and hard to believe - the walls were adorned with American Flags.... There was even a gleaming Cadillac parked in the middle of the cafe floor! It was all even more amusing as we sat down for two well-earned double gins to the blaring tones of the famous well-known American song sung by Smokie "Living Next Door to Alice..."! (the final line being "I'll never get used to not living next door to Alice")
To our pleasant surprise, our meal was delicious; chicken breast in bourbon (well, of course it had to be bourbon and not vodka), grilled vegetables (as only the Russians can do so well) and black Russian bread oozing with hot butter and garlic. Bliss....
We ordered another double gin each, laughing at the absurdity of our night "We could never get used to not living without trips to Russia...."!
Note: Just for the record, I'm sure we all know that there was a follow-up song to "Living Without Alice". It had the same lyrics but at the end of each verse, came the chorus line "Alice, Who the f**ck is Alice?" Not surprisingly, this version was not played!
2025-02-12