I dont know about everyone else but this place has always held a fascination for me. Can't remember where I first read about it, probably in National Geographic! So it's the world's deepest lake (1675m or so), and the oldest. It holds one third of all the worlds' fresh liquid water and 70% of all available ready to drink water on the planet. We're talking big!!!!
And I got to fully experience how big it is. The day after I arrived in Severobaikalsk I went out kayaking with a local guide Claudia and she invited along Olga a 20 year old english language student. We put in at the northern end of the lake and set off over smooth glassy water, through floating blankets of lilly pads.

We paddled about half way along the 47km long Akiya Island which forms a bar across the head of the lake. Paddling through the marshy areas was fabulous, surpisnglyly not too mozzie ridden, with incredible bird life - I even saw a falcated teal! (duck with funky feathered pony tail). Tea and potatoes boiled over driftwood complemented our picnic of bread, cheese and caviar! It's Russia - it's cheap and comes in a ready to squeeze tube with mayo!!
Paddling back into a storm and headwind (isn't it always the way!) was a bit tough on the old arms but it was a gorgeous day out all up.
Rather than taking the train the long way round to Irkutsk at the southern end of the lake I hopped on the Meteor hydrofoil early Saturday morning. At the wharf I heard english spoken! Joy. Travellers from England, Japan and Germany, we chatted and snoozed on the 10 hour journey straight south. That's how big the lake is!!! we stayed closer to the western shore which was not quite as mountainous as the layer 'pon layer of the magical misty eastern shore. at times it seemed like the clouds were resting on the lake surface itself and at others on the mountain tops but never above in the deep blue sky reflected in the mirror all around us. In a way it was almost too big to take it in properly. But seen it I have! I didnt go in for a swim, despite much teasing and cajoling. It was positively baltic!!! i'm not that mad. Didnt see any of the famous seals either (the world's only fresh water ones), nor bears nor tigers.
Pottered around in Irkutsk, met some lovely local girls, Olga and Natasha who spoke excellent english and french and they showed me round their city all afternoon as we discussed the nature of the people in our countries. They were very cool and definitely made my day!!!