Woke up this morning sitting up high in a lock with beautiful views of the forest, some mist & sunrise. This lock was 18m wide and the ship is 17m wide so a close fit! We had been through 5 other locks in the night being lowered about 13 metres each time.
Kizhi is a very small island well known for its unique wooden architecture, and the most northern part of our trip. The island is located at the top end of Lake Onega (2nd largest lake in Europe & known for its’ purity). It is a UNESCO site. The Transfiguration Cathedral (1714) is the most spectacular attraction – all pine wood, no nails used in construction & has 22 different sized cupola sheathed in aspen shingles. Was overcast with some rain so not the best for showing off the beautiful colours known to reflect off the shingles in various lights. However, very impressive when you consider graceful lines, details and all wood construction! Unfortunately the ground underneath is sinking so some serious repair work is underway & we couldn’t view the inside of the cathedral.
