Mon 2 June Irkutsk

What a beautiful morning. We posed in front of Lenins head before heading off round the huge Bikal. The mountain ranges were most impressive to ride beside. Vast tree covered hills rising to snow capped mountains. Very dramatic scenery. Over the hills and into Irkutsk. The reality of riding in Russia was apparent today. One of our group had a mishap, and a vehicle in fron to me ran into a deer crossing the road. However I did find the Hotel.
We had another lay day in Irkutsk so took a tour of the Vodka Factory, that was time not well invested however the city walk was better and there in the park were the youth of the city engaged in consuming the products of the factory we had visited. That was a sad thing to see.
Russia is an interesting place as there are the locals and the others. The others are from the sattelite states working in Russia. They are often not popular. It is the same pattern all over Europe. Russia plays host to its poor neighbours that flock there and the EU countries, ie Belgium who's jails are 90% occupied by people not born in Belgium, and the restaurant trade in Britain similarly would stop if not for other EU nations work force shifting. Its an odd world.
nzl07