Photo: My apartment building in Petrozavodsk
April 3,1996 I woke up about 6 AM and looked out the window. The pine forest had 3 feet of snow and more was coming. The window was ice cold, and my heart sank. Spring would not come to Karelia during my brief stay there. The small village houses, with the wood plank or log construction, were buried in snow.
When we arrived in Petrozavodsk, we were met by Konstantin, my interpreter, Yuri, and Natasha. Yuri and Natasha took me to the "hotel". There I met Valeri Gudonov, the Director of the Karelia-Reserve (KR). They left me to unpack and rest.
Photo: My apartment is at right on bottom floor
The Hotel was actually a dormitory for electrical workers. I had a small apartment that Karelia-Reserve rented for me on the first floor. The apartment had a bedroom with two small beds, a small living room with a couch and TV, and a bathroom with shower. The Company had purchased a microwave and coffee maker, which were included in the apartment. There was also a small refrigerator. Water radiators provided the heat for the unit. As in most Russian cities, the hot water for the entire city comes from a single water plant.
Photo: Back of apartment. Door on left is also entrance to my room.
Later I had informal discussions with Valery. He questioned my background, my intentions, and compensation source for my activities with his company. We had a great salmon lunch at a lakeside restaurant. Lake Onega, the 2nd largest European lake, was frozen and covered with snow.
Photo: Woman and dog on Lake Onega
Photo: Woman & dog on Lake Onega
Photo: The Fishermen
Photo: The Fishermen
Photo: Ferris wheel near lake
Map of Karelia area
