Souzga, Altai Republic | 21:06, August 6, 2006
I awoke this morning at 05:30 to make the seven-hour car journey south to the Altai Republic. The journey began familiar enough with a drive across the Southern Siberian Steppe. But then, about two or three hours into the trip the mountains began to rise from the vista. They started like ripples in a duvet, then as the hours passed they continued to rise until we were driving in a valley, with the Isha river snaking parallel with our road.
We also passed through the city of Biisk, which was a surreal experience as I had DJ Shadow – via my iPod - playing in my ears. Quite a strange sensation to drive through a new place with haunting beats providing a soundscape to what was an almost cinematic moment. There is something about chilling audio that gives this feeling. Biisk looked quite a nice place actually.
Just before one in the afternoon we arrived at Souzga, where we are staying with distant relatives (quite complicated the family connection, but one would think we knew each other forever). Mrs. tyger warned me that our accommodation may be pretty basic (she had not seen them for years), but nothing could have prepared me for where we are staying… in an alpine style villa. It seems our distant relatives have several homes on a modest holiday complex (which includes staff quarters, saunas, table tennis tables, satellite tv) right by the riverside. We eat to the sound of crashing rapids. They even have a cook who just made us the most amazing paella type dish of rice and meat. Yum.
We are staying in the main house, their house. We have a large room and all the mod cons available. In a few minutes we plan to have a banya (sauna), and then jump straight into the freezing cold river, yikes!
I need a banya, I feel all tired and tense after a long drive and a full afternoon. We had a drive into some of the local villages to buy some gifts and also visited some caves. I’m ready for that banya, that’s for sure, not so confident about the river jump though…
Take care and be safe.
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