Kizhi: Sunday, Sep. 23

  
 

A leisurely morning, with a walk several times around the deck and a 9am hymn sing.  Our group was joined by a few other people and we belted out several old favourites.  Then Larry went off to a lecture on Perestroika and its effects, while I relaxed and read in our cabin.

          After lunch we did a tour of the ship’s bridge and engine room.  I’m glad I don’t have to manoeuvre this boat into those locks and through the narrow channels.

          Marina gave us a good description of the options available in St. Petersburg so we can sign up.

  

 In the late afternoon we docked at Kizhi and did a walking tour of this open-air museum of wooden architecture.  Just amazing, with a couple of lovely churches, the largest from the 14^th century and others from the 17^th and 18^th , astonishing onion domes, and various houses and other buildings in remarkable wood construction.  This was certainly a high point.

          Back on the ship we discovered that the dining room had been taken over by “pirates”.  Luckily we were able to sing for them and were allowed to join them.  We ended the day with a folk show by the Yarmark Trio. 

 

          We’re travelling along banks of the rivers, lakes and canals where we’re seeing autumn foliage.  It’s largely gold and yellow birches but a fair amount of evergreen and dashes of red show up too.  It’s really lovely.  We’ve all been discussing how well we’re treated here and how very good the local guides are.  They recognize what we’ve already seen and acknowledge that by now we’re nearly experts on ikons having seen a few thousand.  That means they tell us new facts we haven’t heard before, or only point out unique features.  There is not the same push to buy that we experienced in China.  They quietly offer goods from well situated stalls but are not at all aggressive.  They don’t bargain as much though.

 

Photos 23 Sep Kizhi