Russia Poland August 3, 1998, Monday

We sailed north where the air was cooler. The uncut forests seemed endless. It seemed as though the main industry was logs for building and pulp and gravel. Along the shore was a place where new log cabins were being built along with a new dock. It looked as though it was a new lodge for the tourist trade.

About noon we docked at Svirstroy, a village adjoining a hydro-electric power plant. The houses were built originally for the employees of the power plant and were heated by steam pipes from the plant.

I was invited into a house by an old man standing by his front gate. The entire yard was a vegetable garden with two visqueen covered hot houses for tomatoes and such. The growing season was only three or four months. The rest of the year it was ice and snow. The temperatures reach minus forty at times.

The house was substantially built with a metal sloped roof, wood construction with wood and stucco exteriors. I was lead into the living room. The walls were wall papered and the floor was covered with a brightly colored carpet. There was a radiator under the double thick windows and a very large tank in one corner--a part of the heating system. There was a glass case filled with momentos, a coffee table and an over-stuffed couch on which I was invited to sit.

Timour, who was ten, brought a picture album and told us about his family. His English was very good. His grandfather, who I met at the gate, his grandmother, mother, and father, three brothers, and two sisters all occupied the house. They were gracious to me and as I left I gave the children each a dollar. Later I discovered that inviting a tourist from the boats into their house is one way to augment their meager wages.

The natives had for sale smoked fish and strange looking mushrooms (one three inches across and dark brown with white spots). It looked poisonous. There was pickled fish, blueberries and raspberries. A one legged man with his crutches near by was selling dusters and, of course, the old ladies were selling flowers. The booths carried the things tourists bought, such as stack dolls, rag dolls, and jewelry. I bought necklaces and a pair of earrings.

Our guide walked around the village picking wild flowers and returned with a beautiful flower arrangement. An impromptu sing song lead by an accordion began. The singers, who sang in another language, were from a cruise ship tied up to us.

We were served wine at the Captain’s dinner. I sat with Jackie and Kevin from the London area. The chicken and potatoes were better tasting than some of our meals. It was a pleasant meal.

At 9:45 the cabaret show started. Our cruise director had recruited talent from the passengers and there was considerable. Alex was a thin English woman bubbling with personality who had a way of relating to all ages. She put on an imitation of Al Jolsen, line danced with teenagers, sang with the people who had learned Russian songs, and directed those of us who had learned a Russian dance. The evening was a great success.