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Starting the Russian Adventure | ||||||||||||
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June 12, 2008 Sakhalin Island, Russia
At 8 a.m. we docked at Korsakov and while we were being cleared by the Russians we were entertained on the dock by a military brass band. After docking in the port of Korsakov we set off for an overland visit to the islands capital, Yuzhno Sakhalinsk. Founded as a small Russian settlement in the 1880s, the city became a Japanese prefect capital when the southern half of Sakhalin Island became a Japanese colony in 1905. After World War II it was returned to Russia. Highlights of our exploration included a visit to a Russian Orthodox church and a visit to the Regional Museum, housed in an impressive former Japanese mansion. Our stops for the day also included a fish market, a souvenir shop the Lenin statue. and a traditional Russian lunch at the Mega Polus Restaurant. Along with beer & vodka they served the best borscht I've ever tasted. During the lunch we were entertained with a traditional Cossack performance. Returning to the ship Bruce Loeffler gave a talk on the geology of the area. Then it was time for the Captain's welcome cocktails and dinner. |
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These slideshows are in Quicktime |