Day 10,11 - The Dacha

1.09.09 - 2.09.09

A 5 min train journey, a walk down a dirt road that has become a mud pool in some areas with the heavy rain. At the end of the road a blue picket fence surronding a garden/alotment, at one end a small two level building with two bedrooms and a kitchen/living room, at the other end an outhouse and a traditional Russian sauna called a Banya. This is the Dacha, which is roughly Russian for a country house.

Waking up in the morning and picking fresh Raspberries, Gooseberries, Strawberries, Redcurrants and Blueberries; for dinner and lunch having meat skerwers grilled over an open flame called a shashlyk, accompanied by a salad just picked and young potatoes just boiled with a touch of butter, nearlly all the ingredients apart from the bread were grown at the Dacha and picked just before they were eaten.

Walking through the fields to do pier jumps into the River that I have now seen almost day for a variety of activities. We laze on the beach and have another swim, try some fishing from the end of the pier and end up losing more than we take.

Sitting in the Banya, me, Igor, his dad and older brother all stark naked pouring water onto hot stones, the temperature apparently hits 90-95C at it's hottest and at times is an overwhelming burning sensation, but it's not painfull. whipping each other with a Venik, which is the dreid branches and leaves of a young birch tree. After each 'sweat' we run outside and into the cold plunge pool and fully imerse ourselves in the water so we cool off. The Banya was built by Igor's Dad and his elder son a few summers ago and is a wonderfull experience, you feel so fresh and clean after.

It's a phenomenal weekend and the Dacha is a truly amazing place. It's so simple, quiet, peacefull and a different way of life. It's definitely the way forward.