Aug 8
I walked down to the lake
before breakfast, maximising my walking time there. The Taltsy Museum of Architecture and
Ethnography shows wooden architecture of
Siberia across the centuries in an open museum in the forest with rebuilt chapels,
watermills, and simple cabins.
One cabin showed the administration in the 18th
century with the Tsar’s decree displayed. But the local administrators were not
paid and they relied on bribes for income. Living in a forest requires many wooden
adaptations to compensate for metal. Young brides were expected to bring many
sheets to their new marriage home. I enjoyed the museum. It reminded me of the
Welsh National museum in Cardiff with its collection of Welsh houses.
Our guide had learnt her
English in Irkutsk University in 1974. Her mother taught on Russian culture and
they had been to York University in the late 1960’s, so they must have been party
members. Her mother moved to the USA; after perestroika and now back to
Irkutsk. She has seen so many changes. Our guide’s grandmother who lived
through The Revolution had seen most social and political change.
Ann and I went by tram to
Irkutsk centre and visited the Volkonsky museum. This recreates the life of the
Decembrist exiles were exiled from St Petersburg after their plot in the 1830’s.
They were forbidden to communicate with their friends. Their wives were allowed
to divorce them. However nearly all their wives followed them and supported
their husbands in exile including writing many letters. They initially lived in
a small Siberian village and relocated to Irkutsk after receiving a partial
pardon. They recreated their
intellectual lives impressively with reading, study, meals and soirées. The
house has been recreated room by room including library, music room, dining
room and a large drawing room. Their energy was palpable. The garden was good to relax in.
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