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Impressions Of Siberia
ention the word gulags did not have fences or any
"Siberia," and images of kind of barrier to keep people
gulags, frozen tundra and in. With freezing temperatures in
wastelands may come to mind. the winter, huge rivers of mud
While there is some truth to and water in the summer, Siberia
these, my impressions of Siberia formed a natural gulag for many
included more. of the prisoners. If a prisoner
escaped from a gulag, there was
Siberia comprises more than 75 simply nowhere to go. The closest
percent of modern Russia. Unless population center might be 1,000
you visit, there is simply no way miles away.
to describe the total landmass of
this much-maligned area of the "Siberia" comes from the
world. To give you some Mongolian word "sibir", which
perspective, consider the fact means "sleeping land." In the
that Siberia is bigger than early 1700's, Siberia became a
Canada, has more natural place of exile. It continued to
resources than any area of the be "the last stop" for criminals
world, spans nine time zones and and political exiles throughout
contains the largest plain in the much of the 20th century. The
world. city of Chita is in fact known as
the "City of Exiles."
One of the best ways to give you
an impression of the size of With the end of communism,
Siberia is to discuss the Siberia has seen a voluntary
infamous gulag system. When one migration of Russians who work on
thinks of a gulag or prison, the Trans-Siberian Railway or in
visions of guards with guns, the massive natural resource
electrified fences and so on come industries. Siberia is the home
to mind. In Siberia, most of the to tremendously large oil, gold,
timber and diamond deposits. With water lake in the world. Fed by
the turn to capitalism, the over 300 rivers, the lake is
country is making a major effort really an inland sea. The lake
to take advantage of such has over 30 islands. If you
resources. This has led to a drained all of the water from
population explosion in cities lakes Superior, Erie, Huron,
such as Irkutsk, Chita and Ulan Michigan and Ontario, you still
Ude. couldn't fill Lake Baikal.
Standing on one shore, you cannot
Siberia is always depicted as a see the other side. It is simply
land of freezing snow. Having huge.
lived there, I can tell you it
does get "Oh, my god" cold in the Siberia is one of the few
winter. Temperatures can drop locations in the world still
into the -40s. In the spring and considered to be an untamed
summer, however, temperatures can adventure travel destination. You
reach as high as 110 degrees. can fish, hike, camp, hunt, drink
With such a massive area, the vodka, ski, swim, take in a spa
climates and temperatures fall and do just about anything you
all over the map. Put another like. The Siberians are
way, the United States could fit universally friendly and can tell
in Siberia, so you can see how one heck of a story.
temperatures might vary.
If you get a chance to visit
Lake Baikal Siberia, I highly recommend it.
Heck, I stayed for a year!
Lake Baikal is the largest fresh
About the Author:
Rick Chapo is with http://www.nomadjournals.com - makers of diary and writing journals. Visit http://www.nomadjournaltrips.com to read more about travel and the great outdoors.
Source: www.isnare.com
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