When we talk about Russia, we immediately think of Moscow, of Red Square, but further away, towards Siberia, what is there? There are Siberian trains that are not in a hurry. Are you going to spend four days there, in this wagon? Yes. Lakes on which we surf, pushed by big fans. We take off. While in the countryside, we pamper the little moose. In Russia, some trains feel like you're on an ocean liner. So, to go to the dentist faster. And to relax for hours until Lake Baikal. The train isn't bad. A big hello from Siberia. So it's in Moscow, capital of Russia, that I'm going to take my first train. But if I really want to get on the rails straight away, in Moscow, there's something that it's true that it's really difficult to resist. Something that attracts you like a magnet. The desire to go see the place whose name you have heard since you were little in the newspapers on TV. The symbol of Russian power, Red Square. SO. This is the first image we see when we approach Red Square, these are the multicolored bulbs of Saint Basil's Cathedral. There we are in Russia. So, what we also notice quite quickly is that Red Square, in fact, is not so much red, just a little. And that comes from the fact that the word red in Red Square comes from Old Russian, a Slavonic word, the word krasnaya, which means red, it's true, but it also means beautiful. And so it was more in that sense. It was a krasnaya square, a beautiful place to begin with. And if this square is such a strong political symbol, it is also because behind these red walls hides the heart of Russian power, the Kremlin. 12 million inhabitants in Moscow and millions who, every day, take a train like no other. Moscow is still one of the only cities in the world where we tell you that the absolute must-visit thing is the metro. So, there it is. This whole thing was built in the 30s to 50s, basically, during the Stalin era. And so, the idea was to make it a place that highlights the people. Some say an underground palace of the people. I can not wait to see this. Indeed, it is a palace. It's a palace, but a palace with the red star. The Moscow metro is therefore as much a means of transport as it is a living museum. A gigantic metro, more than 200 stations, one of the busiest in the world, around two and a half billion passengers per year, but also a place that remains entirely in the glory of Stalin-era communism. The aim of power was to show travelers who left for work in the morning with images that the entire people were joyfully participating in the progress of the nation according to the Soviet model. The fishermen, the farmers, the steelworkers, they were all there in the metro, displaying radiant happiness. In another more sober station, there is a tribute through imposing statues to the revolutionaries and even their dogs. Why are you touching. The dog's nose? It is to bring luck, happiness and success. As soon as you have a test, you have to come here and stroke his nose to pass. Why does touching this dog's nose bring good luck? How do you explain that? It's a superstition. In fact, it represents a revolutionary border guard. He's a fighter. It doesn't stop. That's funny. Are the Moskowitzes very superstitious? No, no more than that. But this ritual in this resort is very popular. I noticed that not everyone touches the dog's nose. There are people who touch a soldier's knee. I feel like it's spreading a little, or the dog's thigh. This station is called Revolution Square and therefore these sculptures represent the revolutionaries. And that's very important to us. After all, it's personal. There are those who prefer to stroke the rooster or the foot of the statue. Everyone chooses what they want. But for me, my generation, it’s the dog’s snout. That's the only thing that works. You are the dog's face. Okay OK. Yes, thank you, but I have to go. It was nothing. Otherwise, I hope this metro. Please. I adore. This subway. Is fantastic. Yes, he is unique. It's the most beautiful in the world. Good bye. It's amazing. Honestly, 50% of the people who pass here touch the dog's nose. The Moscow metro is one of the rare metros in the world where you want to get lost. Here, no advertising, just the desire to stare for hours. But Siberia is calling me. She calls me very loudly, because I know that to reach these remote areas, you have to take a train. A train whose name makes all frequent travelers dream. Impossible to go to Siberia without taking at least a portion of the Trans-Siberian Railway. It's here. To take the Trans-Siberian Railway, this is where it happens, in this big station which looks like a big cake. This station is surprising because it is still in Europe and it is a gateway to the Far East, that is to say that here, you can take your ticket to Beijing. Beijing. It is still not nothing. Good morning. -Good morning. There, what is the destination, the most distant, the ones that make you dream of leaving this station? In Russia, the furthest station from Moscow is Vladivostok. That's all. At the end of the line. Approximately how many kilometers is Vladivostok? That's exactly 9,258 kilometers. It is enormous. Yes, that’s the magic of traveling on the Trans-Siberian Railway. In addition, the Trans-Siberian Railway, there are lots of possible choices because we all think that it is a train that goes from the west of Russia to the east, but in fact, it is mainly a railway track on which lots of different trains run. There are very luxurious ones, there are very simple ones, there are those that stop along the way. The Trans-Siberian Railway is truly a whole world. It's not the Trans-Siberian Railway, it's the Trans-Siberian Railways that I'll try. I'll taste a little bit. Want a ticket for today? Yes that's it. Have a good trip. THANKS. I decided not to go as far as Vladivostok, because what appeals to me is discovering what is in between. Central Russia, Siberia, the Siberia that we imagine, but about which we rarely talk. And to get there, I chose the Russian Trans-Siberian Railway, the one that stops often, is functional, with leatherette berths. First impression when you board the Trans-Siberian Railway. Basic Trans-Siberian is that it is a basic train with compartments, but compartments in which you want to look to find out... Hello. To find out what can happen during such a long journey. Good morning. Good morning. Have you decorated your cabin? What the hell is that all. These balloons? These are balloons for my boyfriend's birthday. Ah good ? Where is your boyfriend? He is in Irkutsk. But that's very far away. I can. Come there? Yes of course. Irkutsk is 5,000 kilometers from Moscow. 5,000 kilometers? And how long does the trip last? By car, I would have had it for five days. Yes, but by train, it is. Four days. And so you are going to spend four days there, in this wagon? Yes, yes, does that seem like a lot to you? That seems huge to me. Four days by train seems gigantic to me. There is nothing surprising. When we go to the South to the seaside, it takes five days to travel. And that's a normal thing in this country to take five days, it's normal. Yes, that doesn't surprise anyone. No, that's not surprising. In Russia, we are used to long distances. This is our daily life and especially in Siberia. Here, the spaces are so big that for us, it's usual. Not only would that seem crazy to me , but I would be really afraid of getting bored anyway. Four days on the train to go... I really like the train, I love it, but four days on the train just to go see friends, I really have to love them very much. You can't get bored because in these compartments you always meet lots of people. Look at us, for example, we both didn't know each other. Since Moscow, we can't stop chatting. It's true ? Yes. Because you look like friends. It's like that. It’s the train encounters. And sometimes, we become very close with the people we meet on the train and that provides an additional opportunity to travel. So, we can go see them. And if it's from Vladivostok, you'll take five days of travel. So what if you ever fall into a compartment in front of someone, but then you don't feel at all? That is, someone who seems very boring to you. Really nothing to say. We must make do. I always try to get in touch with people. And here in Russia, in general, everyone is quite friendly and ready for discussion. So frankly, I've never had a problem with communication. Anyway, no one can resist me. Nothing can resist you. Even the most hostile, the most surly, you enter into communication. Yes No problem. You will wish a happy birthday to your little darling. -spasibo. -spasibo. THANKS. These first meetings completely reassured me, because at first glance, discovering a train without any particular entertainment, I told myself that the hours were probably going to be very long. But no. Here, the guaranteed entertainment is the meetings. This train serves remote areas. It is therefore very popular. It's a life line. There are around 900 stations on the line. I decide to make a first stop and go down a little into the middle of nowhere. Fortunately, I come across a kind Lada. She has a little trouble on the hillside. It's a small engine. It only has 65 horsepower. Here we go again. There are a lot of forests. You always feel like you're driving through a forest in Russia. We are used to it. Since we were little, we only see this landscape. And over long distances, it's always the same. From the forest, always from the forest. The landscape doesn't change. When I was in Europe, it amazed me. When I was riding for a long time, I had radically changed landscapes and even countries. Whereas here, you can ride for a day and you're still in the same region. Does that mean that to go see a friend or say hello to your aunt, traveling 1,000 kilometers is not a problem at all, it's normal. Yes, if you travel 1,000 kilometers, you still warn your friends before leaving. In case. But frankly, if it's to go see your friends less than 200 kilometers away, I won't warn you. I'm going, I'm hitting the road. 200 km, we don't even call to let you know we're arriving. Yes, it's like that in Siberia. There you are, Philippe, you have arrived. It's over there. OK thanks. Thanks for the stop. -Goodbye. -Goodbye. Good luck. My driver and new friend drops me off in the middle of a forest. He told me that there were loggers here like no other. Good morning. How are you ? Yeah. What are you doing there on your trunk? I bark the tree. Can I sit there? Yes. Are you barking the whole tree? Yes, then not just one. And your job is debarker? Among others. And why are you barking this up? It's food for animals. That is to say, do you have animals that eat this? Yes, elk. So you peel the bark off the trees to feed the elk. Yes it is their main food. For me, the moose is a wild animal. There is no need to feed him. Yes, that's true, but for us it's a bit exceptional because we have one of the only elk farms in Russia. So, you have to feed them well. Do you have moose like others, cows? Yes, we can say that. If you want to visit our farm, come with us, since we're going to feed them. Yes. They are there. Can I approach or do they have to know me? Yes, you can, but not too close. It's an astonishing creature because it has extremely long and thin legs, with the head of a kangaroo and the back of a zebu. It’s true, there’s a bit of all that. I really can't approach because we want to go and stroke their snouts. Try, but be careful. Be very careful, because they are still wild animals. I'm going slowly, but... I don't know if it bites, if it hits, if it stomps. I don't know what it does. I don't know anything like an animal. Good morning. It's rare to be able to pet a moose. For you it's OK. It looks a little rough. It's not very gentle. And so, it only feeds... Yes, Paul, I'm a little scared. And it only feeds on bark? Mainly, yes. But in the summer, the moose likes grass, fresh grass. And above all, he likes poisonous mushrooms like fly agarics. Because in small doses, it protects it from parasites. That's astonishing. Whose farm is this? It's yours ? No, it belongs to the state, to the Russian state. You see, on this farm, we have a lot of moose, but in the wild, there aren't many left free. Elk are a species that has completely disappeared in Western Europe and it has been more than 90 years. So we, in Russia, are trying to conserve this animal to repopulate our forests. As we raise them on this farm, they are not afraid of humans, so they live in the wild, in the middle of inhabited places, and that does not pose a problem. Yes, because they are used to human contact from childhood. Yes, from birth. So, they consider man a bit like a moose. Do you mean that for this animal, I am a moose? Quite. And that's why when you enter its enclosure, you have to be careful, because it could attack you, because for them, you could be a threat, especially if the elk is hungry. Besides, it's time to go feed the babies. You come with us ? This is the nursery. There are lots of little ones. It's cute. Hello cuties. They are hungry. They are very hungry. How old are they ? They are only a few days old. A few days ? It's so cute. Yes, the oldest is 18 days old. But I saw you, you have. Tasted the milk. Yes, it is necessary, in order to check the temperature carefully, so that it is not too hot or too cold for the little ones. And then, I must say that it’s also a little pleasure. Because it's good ? Not really. But you know, I'm a bit like the mother of the little moose. I have 14 in my care and I have to feed them since their birth so that they get used to my presence and to human presence in general. There, we have to go, I have to go and feed them. What do you tell them? It means “little momentum, little momentum”. It gets them used to hearing our voice so that they recognize us. That's it. Hello, little moose. Good morning. They are hungry. They're super hungry. Can you give it to them? Yes of course. Take the bottle like this and you take the momentum through the chin and the nipple, directly into the mouth. By the chin, that is to say, do I go underneath? Yes that's it. Hold him firmly by the chin. He is thirsty. How long has he not eaten? Three hours. He sucks it like he's starving. It sucks even when it's empty. It's empty, it's empty, chicken. The little ones we are feeding, are they going to stay on the farm all the time? Are they going to spend their lives in captivity? No. Some will be sold to national parks and reserves, in order to repopulate the forests. But some, yes, will stay here. This means that babies who have been raised like this on the farm in captivity can return to a wild life. These elk are not domesticated animals, but tame. Our goal is to grow these little moose to be one year old. Afterwards, they will be released on semi-freedom. Some will return, others will escape on their own. This is the first time I have met a farmer who is happy that her animals are escaping. Yes, yes, I'm happy because we find our elk all over Russia. Some are in very remote areas. There are wild herds everywhere thanks to the farm. So yes, I'm happy to know that they can escape and live a peaceful life. This is very cute. It's so cute. I take the Trans-Siberian again and this time, I finally approach deep Siberia. The Trans-Siberian Railway, for me, that's it, it's a train, two little curtains, a certain slowness, 60 km/h on average, and then a landscape which unfolds to infinity, always a bit the same, a a sort of gentle monotony which quickly plunges you into a reverie which means that the Trans-Siberian Railway is above all a great interior journey. Good morning. I can come ? What a journey ! Now that it's dark, it's even more mysterious, more cocooning. It's hard to imagine that we are sinking into Siberia. We're used to it. Distances don't matter. We are a big country, united. We are all Russians, that's all. In fact, we are Siberians. When we say that we have said everything. What does it mean to be Siberian? Could you describe it to me a little? Because for us, it’s a bit of a mysterious place. It's being open to others, it's helping each other, it's always being available to your neighbor. In fact, a Siberian is a kind and generous person. Yes, because you think that in Siberia, we are boorish. You are the type to believe that the Siberian is a strong man with a club in his hand and who walks with the bear next to him. That's it ? Yes that's it. That's the vision of the West. I believe that this image conveyed is because Siberia arouses desire. We know that the world would like to take Siberia from us and have its share of the pie. Do you think there is always some sort of rivalry like that, that the West would like to eat away at Russia? Yes, it always kind of existed, I think. Yes, because in fact, Siberia is a rich environment, a land that provides us with everything we need. We're going to pick berries, collect wood, food. Nature is vital here. Everything we collect, we cook it, we salt it. And thanks to this nature, we live all year round. I believe that this is what makes the Siberians strong and healthy. It's funny because we imagine Siberia as a very cold place where it's very hard to live, whereas you tell us about an environment where we live with nature and we are happy with it, etc. It's very different. I don't know, but I especially believe that in Siberia, thanks to our rich environment, the women are the most beautiful and the men are the strongest and kindest. It's true ? Are men the nicest? Yes. Yes, he is nicer. It's true ? You confirm ? Yes and without a bear. Thank you so much. My pleasure. Thanks to you. Good night. Good night. That's not bad. It's one of the mysteries of Russia. There it says 5:43 p.m. So that, because in fact, if we look outside, it's dark, so pitch black. And above all, if we look at the time, it is 10:43 p.m. So, and you really need to know this, it's not the clock that's not on time, it's on time, but in fact, all Russian trains are set on time from Moscow. Which means that if, for example, we live in Vladivostok, which is 7 hours time difference from Moscow, and the timetable says “the train is at 10 o'clock” we must understand that in fact, it will be at 5 p.m. local time. It's a bit special, it's all mental gymnastics. But hey, here, everyone knows it, except the foreigners who are wrong. And it's the single hour of trains, that's how it is. Everyone goes to bed pretty early. I close my compartment and the next morning, I arrive in the heart of Siberia, the one I absolutely wanted to see. The feeling of being far from everything, in a somewhat gray, rather monotonous landscape, wooden houses, a few remote villages where diehard Russians live. And you there? You're not from the area? What do you do with your chickens and your stick? My stick is to keep my chickens well behaved in front of the house. And the little barrier over there was me who made it, so they wouldn't escape onto the road and into the neighbor's house. Because there, I graze my chickens. Do you graze your chickens? How so ? Do chickens pay for themselves? Yes, but I still watch them, so they don't get crushed. And you keep your chickens all day like that? No, just 10-15 minutes only. Afterwards, I bring them into the courtyard, at my house. So there, you walk your chickens, you let them get some fresh air? Yes that's it. Yes, but your chickens, in your yard, would have room to roam around on their own all day. They don't need to go outside or see the country. Yes, because here there is good grass, there are earthworms and they like that. This is the first time I've seen this, someone taking their chickens for a walk. Yes, it’s Siberia, old man. It happens like that here. THANKS. Spasibo. And watch your chickens because they go away. Don't worry, I'll go. Living conditions here are harsh. The infrastructure is rudimentary, few roads, no hospitals. It takes at least four hours to reach one. It’s the world of making do. In the village, we are farmers, or we work for the nearby railway line. However, once a year, all the inhabitants of the village wait for a train, a sort of miracle train. For nothing in the world, we would not miss its passage, it is so vital for the small community. Good morning. Good morning. It's difficult. Do you want me to help you ? What are you going to do on this train? It's for my health. It's not every day that you can get treatment in the countryside. This train is the big meeting place where we are going to get treatment. Does he come often? No, not too much, but it's super practical because here, I can do all my exams, all my analyzes in one place. Because you know, there is nothing here. We don't have such modern hospitals nearby. Can I come with you for a little bit? It's good. I think yes. Come. I'm Natacha, who introduces me to this train like no other. Here, in each compartment, medical offices, each with their own specialties. General practitioners, gynecologists, dentists, psychologists, blood tests. There's even an entire car for medical imaging. And here, care is free. This train, vital for Siberia, is a mobile rural hospital which employs more than twenty doctors and specialists. You come for a tension problem, right? Yes, a problem in the heart, it seems. But at the dispensary I go to, they don't know. They have nothing to follow me. I understand. I'll take your blood pressure now. Are you taking medication? I had one once, but now I'm no longer followed. That's why I came to see you. Well, you will understand that I will have to examine it. Can I ask you just a quick question? It's very surprising to see doctors like that in train compartments. What are the joys and sorrows of consulting in a compartment like that? In terms of surface area, this is not really ideal, because the office is very small. But that doesn't mean we can still do our job very well and that doesn't call into question our diagnosis. But this train, for patients, is practical because they have everything at hand. You must be expected as the messiah in such remote places. Yes it's possible. But I'm not really the messiah. I remain a traditional doctor who is happy to help. All these people. THANKS. Thank you, but the messiah still has plenty of patients to see. So that's Oph. That must be a Phi, it's good because it reminds me of his old Greek classes. Ofta... That must be “Ophthalmo”. Good morning. Good morning. Can I come in a little? Yes, of course, no problem. Do you have space? Do you have the biggest cabinet on the train? Yes, to do eye tests on my patients, I need a minimum distance of five meters. Are there a lot of people who have eye and vision problems here in the countryside? Yes, especially older people with cataracts. Young people come less necessarily, but I feel that there is an evolution, that there is an improvement. There are fewer and fewer people coming to see me. That's a pretty good sign. That means we're doing our job well. Can I ask you a quick question that's been bothering me? You are an ophthalmologist and you have a small label on the glasses. Is this a very specific reason? I've been wearing glasses since I was 45 and today I'm 70. And as my eyesight improves, imagine how many pairs of glasses I've had since then. So, I always keep the label with the indication of the correction. That way, I won't be able to make a mistake. It's not stupid. There are some nice doctors on this train. They are brought together on purpose. But you're right, we have to be nice because this train is like a submarine. We're behind closed doors, so a little humor. And when was the last time you had your eyesight checked? I don't dare tell you, it must have been two, two and a half years. It's time to change your glasses. Come on, come on, I'm going to sculpt you. You were finished with Madame, aren't you chasing her after all? Yes, don't worry, we were done. Okay, okay. Look, it's true that the first time I did this on a train. So, are these glasses for seeing far or near? It's up close that I have trouble. So take them off and tell me what. You see. There, I have a car. And there, the last line? A fish, a rooster, a car and a sign. You were mistaken. Because you didn't see, but it was a butterfly down there. So now try reading this, but with your glasses on. Impossible. Try with these glasses. That's better. I like that. Yes, I can read everything, even very small ones. I think mine are more suitable at all. Go ahead, keep them. So, it's quickly done like that, presto, we leave with our glasses. I have been an ophthalmologist for 45 years. So, you know, for me now, the diagnosis is easy. And I certainly don't take that away. Yes, the label is your correction. It says “plus 2.5”. But do we have a choice when it comes to looks? No, I choose the model. But look at yourself in the mirror. Yes why not. What do you. Think about it? I love it I love it. He looks like a teacher. OK, thanks a lot. These glasses are a gift that I like, full of memories. I keep them carefully. My teacher look will be for later for the city. This train is really not like the others because the cars forward like that, they are there to heal the body. And the last car, at the end of the train, here, it's a little different. There are bells, some sort of icon on the door. And this car would be there to heal the soul. Inside, a church car, a small traveling Orthodox chapel. Very popular, too, because in the village, there is no church or paupes. It is therefore an opportunity for residents to come and reflect. Pray and even baptize the youngest. The train remaining at the platform for many hours, I took the opportunity to escape a little and go and smell the atmosphere in the surrounding area again. I am attracted by a small cemetery that is rather discreet, colorful and half in a forest. Are you lost or what? What are you doing here ? No, I'm not lost. I am very surprised by the tombs which... Because back home, we are not used to that, where there are no religious signs at all. It was really forbidden during the communist era to show one's religion. This is an old cemetery. In fact, those who were born before the communist revolution, they were born with God. They believed in it, so when they died, we still put a cross on them. But young people who were born during communism, religion was prohibited during this period, so they did not have the right to have a cross. So we put the communist star on them. Do you have any family in this cemetery? Yes of course. I'm from the village, so my parents are buried here. And today I am with my wife. Come on, I'll introduce her to you. She's there. Where were you ? Good morning. Good morning. Come on, come back. You are cutting a sausage on the grave, you. So what ? We do not have the right ? Yes, no doubt, since you do it. But in our country, it's not a big deal to have snacks at the grave. Here in Russia, we eat and drink. We don't drink too much anymore. But yes, we still drink. And so we drink vodka on the... What are you doing? There, I put a glass of vodka on my brother's grave. As my father smoked, I would have given him a cigarette, but I don't have one. As my father liked to drink, I served it to him, and rather twice than once. And this is for my mother. And you often give them vodka. To the dead? It's a tradition with us. If I didn't give them any, I would be accused of being stingy. In fact, when we come to greet the dead, we come to share a festive moment with the departed. We take out the sausage, the vodka, the sweets. And then, if we see someone walking around, we invite them, like you. You see, you are welcome. It's extraordinary. We're really not used to it because in our country, the dead are something we respect a lot. And you come for a drink. If someone comes to drink the vodka, it doesn't matter. And then we have a sausage, it looks happy. People come here mainly to pay homage to the dead. There are some, they pay homage so much that they can't move at all. So they stay and sleep here. I've never laughed so much in a cemetery. But isn't it disrespectful to the dead to eat sausage and drink like that next to them? But no. No, but the priest warned us not to do it at the grave. If you look closely in the cemetery, next to each grave, there are benches and tables. This way, families can reunite peacefully. Because in fact, the aim of paying homage to the dead is above all to reunite the living, to reunite the whole family. For me, it's important. I wish the children would come more often. It would allow them to know a little more where their ancestors came from. But enough talking, have a drink. I get a little vodka too, okay? Alright. There is sausage too. And then normally, you have to make the sign of the cross before drinking the vodka. You do that, even more. Nobody does that. But if. And we toast to the deceased? No, no, traditionally, we never toast the dead. You drink, that's all. Ok, I just drink like that. Yes. Isn't there a little cheese? We don't look for it everywhere, but we had the cheese stolen by a crow. It's a crazy story that I'm experiencing. So, I'm in a cemetery drinking vodka with the dead and deprived of cheese that was carried away by a bird. Everything is normal. I am in Siberia. Come on, stop talking. Have a drink. I love these unexpected encounters in the middle of nowhere, full of life. I finally think I understand why Siberia, even if it is harsh and cold, sometimes gives you this strange desire to stay there and go even further. I get back on the Trans-Siberian Railway, direction Irkutsk. Irkutsk, everyone has already heard of this city, but without really knowing what it looks like, well, here it is. There is a real Siberian charm in this city. It is a festival of churches and wooden houses. The locals love it. She calls it the Paris of Siberia. Traditional houses are often threatened by new buildings, but the atmosphere is still there. And then, just a little further on, there is a train like no other, a steam train which reaches Lake Baikal. It runs on a line which left the Trans-Siberian line to make a detour to serve the localities located around the lake. It is called the Circumbaïkal line. Today, only a small portion operates with this delicious little steam train that takes visitors just for fun. That's it, it's there. Baikal. With the snow-capped mountains in the background. He's a giant, he's huge. It is the deepest lake in the world. It is huge, it must be roughly the size of Belgium. And so this little train there, which is so cute, which is romantic, it's one of the best ways to discover the lake because already, you have the little smell of coal which gives a little picturesque side. And above all, there is only the path, the mountain and the lake, which makes you have the impression of surfing just above the water. There is a sense of intimacy with the lake. And beneath the light lapping of the lake, there are abysmal depths. Up to 1600 meters deep, one of the deepest freshwater lakes in the world. Here, nature is king. Moreover, the word Baikal in Mongolian means nature. Good morning. Good morning. Delighted. Isn't it hot to fish there? Yes, it's hot there. It's cold in winter. It's true, it's windy, but the mood is there and the fish are there. And so, what do we fish in Baikal? What is omul? The omul? I caught a few this morning. I will show you. This is the Baikal fish. It's the best in the world. There you have it. This is Omul. All right. It looks a bit like trout, actually. A little. So that’s funny. I had never heard of omul. And are you there? Do you come to this area often? Yes, I go everywhere on the lake because I have my personal hovercraft. I built it myself. You built this. Yourself ? Yes, with my hands. It took me four months to build it by myself, the plans, everything. Can I go see? Of course with pleasure. For what. Have you built a hovercraft to go fishing? Because we can't come by boat or on foot? Because for me, it’s my pleasure. And on the market, I haven't found anything as versatile as a hovercraft. Because, whatever the season, the hovercraft goes everywhere. It sails on water, even on the bank and in the tides. And when the lake is frozen, it goes on ice. It really is the 4x4 of Lake Baikal. Would you like to come with us? OK with pleasure. We take off. With the shape it has, it looks like we're in a two-horse, but with a propeller on the back and on the water. It's awesome. Is it pleasant to drive? Yes, because it's a sliding sensation. Actually, it's very cool. It's like flying over the lake, but at water level. In fact, it's a perfect flush to the water. Philippe, look over there. Do you see the rock? We are at the mouth of one of the most important confluences of the lake. We stop ? What are you doing here ? A prayer, because this is a sacred place. Around the rock, the water has energy, a natural force. The water that arrives from Baikal here goes into the river. In what way would there be a particular strength? Why here? Because here, the water comes from the depths of Lake Baikal. It's so deep that it's pure, totally pure. So, for us, that gives it spiritual strength and that is very important. And every time you pass here, you do that? Yes, of course, but above all it is a call from the heart. What you must understand is that the prayer you pray here is said to continue on its way, to be carried away by the waters. It is a message of peace and serenity which then spreads throughout the world. If you want, you can also try and commune with the lake. Philippe, ideally, you should also drink a little. Okay. It's frozen. Good. Look how smiling and bubbly you are. It's clear that the water of Baikal has changed you. And how do we change? It depends on your thoughts. If they're good, it makes you even better. And you, has this place changed you a lot? Of course, and for the better. That's why I come here regularly, because here, the water is so powerful, so charged with good energy, that it changes you in a good way. For me, Lake Baikal is the heart of the world. This is the end of my trip to the heart of Lake Baikal. When I left Moscow for Siberia, I left curious, but wondering a little in what sauce I was going to be eaten. And finally, traveling in central Russia and Siberia means being surprised all the time. Surprised by improbable, moving, touching encounters. It is a journey among Russian men and women, with their strong but intensely lively character. And at the end of the day, a strange desire that increases every day, an unexpected desire, that of coming back and coming back again. ouh ouh ouh ouh. Oooh ooh ooh ooh ooh. Of.
