March 2011 : Karelia discovery during winter

Already 1 year in Russia ... There are so many places to visit and the country being so large, one full life is probably not sufficient to see all !

It's spring since 1st of March in Russia and as you can see below the weather is better (0°C on March 23rd but snowing, very windy ... announced -10°C next week-end) : don't try to find winter clothes now because it is the summer in the stores !

This month, the blog is dedicated to Karelia, on North West of Russia near the Finland border and having the Mourmansk region on North, where we spent a couple of days end of February.

Where is it located ?

Some figures for Karelia :

180,500 square kilometers (1% of the total territory of Russia)
population of about 800,000 inhabitants,
its length from North to South is 660 kilometers,
its width from West to East is 424 kilometers,
the capital of Karelia is Petrozavodsk (280,000 inhabitants) located on Onego Lake,
about 85% of the territory is covered with forests,
more than 27,000 rivers and over 60,000 lakes in Karelia, including Lake Ladoga (17,000 square kilometers) and Lake Onego (9,900 square kilometers), which are among the largest lakes in Europe,
economy of the Republic of Karelia is based on natural resources (timber and minerals), use of tourist and recreational potential and favourable economic and geographical frontier location.

The historical events for Karelia in brief :


Year	Events

7000-6000 B.C.	The beginning of Karelia inhabitance.
12-15 cc.	Karelia is part of Novgorod feudal republic.
1227	Baptizing of the Karelians.
1478	Karelia is included in the Russian state
1610-1611	Heroic defense of the town of Korela from the Swedish invaders
1649	Olonets's foundation
1703	Despite the fact it was a Finnish territory Peter the Great built a fortress on Hare Island that was to become in 1912 his new capital, St Petersburg
1861	Opening of a regular transport connection between Petrozavodsk and St.Petersburg.
1869	Foundation of the first steam saw-mill in the region by the merchants Belyaevs in the settlement of Soroka (now the town of Byelomorsk).
1914-1916	Murmansk railway road construction
November 1917 - April 1918	The Soviet power establishment
July 1918 - March 1920	Civil war and foreign intervention in the region
1929	Konopozhskaya pulp and paper mill is the first enterprise of pulp and paper industry in Karelia
December 1941	The Soviet troops seized the enemy attack on the territory of Karelia
June-September, 1944	Karelia was set free from German-Finnish aggressors
9 of August,1990	State Sovereignty of Karelian ASSR was adopted by the Supreme Soviet of the Republic
13 of November, 1991	Karelian ASSR was renamed into the Republic of Karelia

How to discover Karelia ?

Either you can visit Karelia during summer season - but the period is short - or during winter season, what was our choice.

From Moscow, there are many trains going North and it is quite convenient but slow ... we decided to go North of Olonetz, in the South of Karelia, and we spent 10 hours by train (night) and then 1 hour by road.

Curtains and carpet in the train and ... cold this morning at Lodeinoye Pole !

As you imagine there is a lot of snow and to discover the region you have the choice between

snowmobiles or cross country sky : I let you imagine what was our choice !

So, let's enjoy fresh air, calm and sun (only first day !)

Karelia has done a lot of efforts to develop tourism and we can find lovely places like "Oumostou", with bungalows and a good standard of comfort.

But as there was a lot of snow, the small bus could not reach the destination and we had to finish by foot ...

What a lovely place !

And there was also a Russian sauna !

A popular tradition in the Russian culture is the bathhouse or banya. It involves steam, high heat, cold, and an invigorating beating with birch leaves and branches.

Traditionally, the banya was the common way for Russian villagers to cleanse the body, but the banya is also thought to have a powerful physiological effect on the entire organism. The body’s metabolism is increased considerably, the number of red blood cells and quantity of hemoglobin increases, the overall oxygen level increases and impurities are purged. The banya assists in eliminating toxins from the body and improves circulation of the blood.

The use of certain herbs in the water of the banya is thought to magnify the effect of the banya experience. Many believe that the banya is particularly important for preventive maintenance of the health and balance of the body. Popular herbs used in the banya may consist of any combination of the leaves of the currant, raspberries, and rosebuds.

A recommendation for someone new to the banya experience to keep the head from overheating is to wear a woolen cap on the head, and prior to each banya session, wet this cap with cold water. Well, we didn't do that and it was bearable.

An integral part of the Russian banya is the birch broom. The leaves of the birch branch add to the experience and, used properly, provide the perfect massage to complement the effects of the humidity of the banya.

For those new to the banya, the time in the banya should not exceed five to ten minutes. After the heat phase, many take an icy cold shower or immerse themselves in an icy water bath but not placing the head under the cold water. We went outside and we rubbed ourselves with snow.

Participating in this uniquely Russian tradition is an unforgettable part of the introduction to the Russian culture.

To see more photos of banya : http://images.yandex.ru/yandsearch?p=5&text=русская%20баня%20фотографии&stype=image&ed=1

Now, back to 3 days ski tour to discover nature and villages of South Karelia.
On the first day was a round trip of 12 km not far from "Oumostou" village where not a lot of people are living during winter time. At the end of the day we tested a Karelian aperitive wine called "Balzam" !

On the second day, it was snowing and is was windy : welcome in Karelia for a 22 km trip !

Not really tracks !

On the third day, the objective was to reach the Ladoga lake and then a small village in order to wait a small bus, what we have done after 27 km ... unfortunately my GPS watch has stopped recording time before reaching the lake (but not far from it) ... no more battery !

Surprise, some snowmobiles on the same track as us coming back from Ladoga lake.

Yes, that's the Ladoga lake !

The lake's area is 17,891 km², the second largest lake of Russia after Baikal 's one. Its length is 219 km, average width is 83 km, average depth is 51 m, maximum depth is about 230 m.

After, the small village crossed with skis, it is the end of the trip ... and return to the railway station.

And, for the night by train, we tried the "Koupe Lux" but there was not a lot of difference with a normal "Koupe" ! (a small breakfast available on the table, for example).

One advice : avoid "Platzkart" choice for train if you wish to sleep !