KAMCHATKA LAND OF MYSTERY AND MISTS - Page 2

Petropavlovsk past the port and Kamchatka's only skyscraper [a 15-16 story apartment building which none of the daily earthquakes has knocked down - yet], a visit to the Museum of Regional Studies where we were introduced to Olga, a stroll through an local market and arrival at the Blue Lagoon Hotel, a Russian style resort a short way outside Petropavlovsk, in time to settle in for our 4 night stay before going to supper.

This is probably the best place to write a bit about Marina, Olga, and places mentioned above. Marina, an extremely efficient, modern Russian woman, understood very little English and spoke less but was an absolute whiz at making our necessary day-to-day arrangements and resolving problems as if they had never been. She was seldom with us but was there we needed her. Then she worked her magic and everything was fine.

The Museum of Regional Studies, located in a circa 1900, wooden house {Pic. #3} overlooking the harbor, has displays of the native, Russian and natural history of the Kamchatka Peninsula. Most were interesting: understandably, but unfortunately for the rare foreign visitor, signs were in Russian only. The first time Victor went there last year while he was investigating whether or not Kamchatka would be a good place for a Betchart Expeditions tour, he learned that the director was his former classmate, Olga. Although she had no English, Olga took us through the museum, giving a comprehensive explanation of each exhibited. Victor translated. [Since I prefer going through museums at my own pace, reading the placards, to being taken through in a group and given lectures, even without need for translation, and as I was still quite tired from traveling to Kamchatka, I was extremely bored and, like some others, nearly went to sleep.] Later, Olga took part of her vacation time to travel with us. I liked her a lot, even though I hadn't enjoyed her talk in the museum.

Petropavlovsk is at the mouth of Avachinskaya Bay, one of the world's best natural harbors. If Kamchatka were in a well populated area, not one of themost isolated and sparsely settled corners of the inhabited world, the port would be among the greatest, best-known ones. As things are, the port is spread over several natural coves, but did not appear at all busy.

The market was essentially like "farmer's markets" in many countries. Peoplebrought whatever they had produced or had bought in bulk for resale. Most vendors had roofed stands, some were inside a building and some had open tables. All types of fresh foods, small appliances, cheap clothing, etc. were offered in different areas. Bob and Victor bought the first of what would be many dried and/or smoked salmon fillets for our "cocktail hours" before dinner.

Banks were closed for the weekend when we arrived in Siberia. Marina had arranged for "a gentleman from the bank" to meet us at the museum after Olga's lecture to change dollars into rubles for us. He may have worked in a bank but he didn't like any banker any of us had ever seen. We suspected that he was Marina's husband or boy friend who had an unofficial sideline of money changing. The man roared up on a huge motorcycle wearing jeans, muscle shirt and many tattoos. He never uttered a word to any of us; just set up for business with his calculator on a small table in the museum hall, took our dollars and handed us a fistful of rubles. Only bills of $20 or larger were accepted. I have no idea if he gave us a good exchange rate or a bad one - he was the only open "cambio" in town.