Week 10 in Russia: Freshwater Seals and Catholic Easter

This Saturday, I went to a museum on Lake Baikal with my roommate, Hannah, and a course assistant of one of my professors, Yulya. We occasionally go on excursions to see old factories, museums, and the like, and this time I asked if my roomie could tag along. So, the three of us headed to Listvianka to get our first glance at two nerpa seals--the only species of freshwater seal on the planet, endemic to Lake Baikal.

When we entered the museum, the cashier explained that we had to pay to take pictures. When my roommate asked what that meant, I foolishly answered her in English. Hearing this, the cashier charged us a higher price for "foreigners." (Yes, at the cashier's desk two prices were written: one for citizens of the RF and one for foreigners). Lame. I shouldn't have opened my mouth. So we paid an extra 100 rubles (about $3), and then went to stare at the nerpas for about a half hour. They were so cute! I ended up taking pictures anyway, even though I didn't pay the fee (well, actually, I did, because the fee was 100 rubles--the difference between the ticket prices!):

(Yulya and a nerpa/Native Baikal shrimp species/Nerpa)

The museum had both an aquarium exhibit and an upper level exhibit with more information about the ecology of Lake Baikal. Below is a picture of a giant sturgeon from the upper-level exhibit. I should have placed something there for scale, but it's about the length of my leg. That's a lot of caviar.

After the museum, we walked further into Listvianka. It was a beautiful day, and the ice on the lake is half melted. I really enjoyed seeing Listvianka again (this was my third time here, the first was to walk on the ice in February, the second was the finish line for the ice marathon in March). It's neat to watch it change with the seasons.

(Broken slabs of ice on the shore/broken ice on the surface of the Lake/the melted part of the Lake)

Once we got into Listvianka-proper, Hannah and Yulya bought Omul' (a native species of fish to Lake Baikal--that we had just seen in the aquarium!) and some beer. I bought a cabbage piroshkii and joined them on the shore. (I also tried a little of the fish...if I liked fish, I'm sure it would have been the best fish I had ever tasted...)

(Relaxing on the shore)

On Sunday, I celebrated Catholic Easter, which happens to fall a week earlier than Russian Orthodox Easter. My friend Sasha had never made kulich or piroshki, two dishes that I was planning to make for Easter, so I invited him over. Together, we made piroshki with hard-boiled egg and rice or cabbage and onion, and two kulichi (Russian Easter bread). Hannah helped us decorate eggs and fill piroshki, noting that the piroshki looked like little fat nerpa seals. :-) Then we played a traditional Russian game where you each grab an egg and then try to crack another person's egg without breaking your own. In typical Osecki family fashion, we had mimosas with our Easter brunch. Might I also add that the bottle of champagne was $4? And good? ;-)

Hannah took some really nice photographs, so the following are courtesy of her:

(Top to bottom, left to right: Sasha; Kulich and Champagne; Me with all things Easter; Our beautiful eggs)

We had a really nice time together, and I felt right at home. Sasha said he never would have imagined baking kulich and celebrating Easter a week early in a dormitory with two American girls, but I think he enjoyed himself as well. When I called home later that evening, I had him talk to my Babushka for a little bit in Russian. It was strange to not be at home for Easter, but I had a great time celebrating with Sasha and Hannah. And who knows..I might celebrate Easter again this Sunday!