Woke up this morning and it had been snowing and freezing during the night temperature showing -26 C and with the wind chill factor -36 C. Lady Penelope arose at 09:30 as day light appeared. I had bought her some small gifts a lovely blue agate necklace and small agate elephant Penny collects them and fridge magnets from where we have been on Lake Baikal and she gave me a lovely card. We can’t buy much as we are over weight at the moment with our luggage. Had to bring clothes for winter, Siberia and warm parts of China and Vietnam. Going to fly a bag back to NZ with the Siberian clothing and some winter clothes.
We went to breakfast wearing hair band with Xmas tree adornments and Penny wore Xmas tree earrings. We made a few people smile but no one else was in the spirit. Had vegetables and cold meats for breakfast very tasty.
12:30 we got a taxi to take us to the center where you go husky sledding and horse riding. We put on our riding helmets and met our horses which had woolly coats and you can’t blame them in this temperature. We rode around menage for 10 minutes and he was happy we could ride a horse and off we followed him on virginal snow tracks through the forest and a road. There were a bunch of people doing ice sculpture and the sun was out. Also we had a weanling colt join us and he was in front of me and became a pain in the arse as he would not let me pass him and he took a bite of Penny’s leg and luckily bit into her selopettes. We walked and cantered for just under an hour. The horse I rode had icicles hanging from his nostrils and I had them as well. It certainly was a different way to spend Xmas and we will remember this for a very long time. An Italian couple had just finished their husky sled ride so we have booked a 20 minute ride tomorrow at 13:00 for about £80. We walked back to the hotel with them and when we reached the main road it was quite windy and the temperature with the wind chill factor was – 46 C my fingers were cold, if you take your gloves off you have to get them back on very quickly. It is going to be colder tomorrow.
We just had our Xmas dinner in the hotel restaurant and we were the only people there. They do some excellent salads I had the borscht soup and Penny had a fish soup with a large shot of vodka to go with it. I had a pork dish and Penny had a steak which arrived after I finished my pork. I had to chase the waiter for the menu for the desserts Penny ordered the apple strudel and ice cream and we were told we would have to wait 30 minutes so we missed it. Bought back the Pinot Gris bottle back and she is one happy bubbly lady.
Maurice's Travel 