New Year's Eve with the family

We have breakfast and take the buses on our way. Today is a very busy day!

The first stop is the ancient village of Rubchoila.

It was founded by the Karelians more than 300 years ago. 

Today it is a unique complex monument of folk wooden architecture of Karelia of the XIX century, which includes 18 peasant houses, including black baths.

The keeper of the traditions of the village tells about the history, way of life, traditions of the indigenous people. 

Among all the buildings, the Ermolaev house stands out, which now houses the ethnographic museum. 

Here we not only get acquainted with the exposition, during gatherings in a real Karelian house, a folklore group performs for us, which sings folk songs in Karelian and Russian. 

We listen and try our hand during a folklore master class.

No one lets the guests go hungry – local housewives treat us to a rustic lunch consisting of dishes of national Karelian cuisine. 

We stop at the family artisan cheese factory Alasalmi. 

A table with locally produced cheeses has already been set for us here: Lumi, Halloumi with mint, Jarvi, Alasalmi, Caciotta with walnuts, herbs and Provencal herbs.  

We taste cheeses, drink tea made from boiling water. 

Behind the glass wall we can see all the subtleties of cheese production, learn about the cooking technology and how farm cheese differs from factory cheese. 

And the most curious can get acquainted with the inhabitants of the farm – Mike, Gertrude, Buckle, Milka, Horn and other well-groomed cows and goats

Next, we are heading to the Three Bears zoo complex.

The Three Bears zoo complex is located in a pine forest, on the shore of Lake Syamozero. 

Bears, moose, striped raccoons, raccoon dogs, lynxes, wolves, ferrets, chinchillas, arctic foxes and many others live in wooden pavilions on the territory of the complex. 

Many consider the energetic and graceful Far Eastern leopard Musya to be the main "star" of the zoo complex. 

Dima the mountain goat, appetizingly eating carrots in his pen, greets people with a piercing bleat. 

One of the most remarkable places of the zoo complex is the bear house – the guests are presented in turn to the white-breasted Himalayan Mota, our two brown "compatriots" Sasha and Masha and, finally, the young giant Timofey, a native of distant Kamchatka. 

However, the biggest beast here is the Potap, which is striking in its size. 

We drink hot tea with fragrant sweets.

We take buses back to the base.

We spend our free time the way we want: we walk along the paths of the recreation center, involve other band members in winter games, make a snowman, retire to our room to read or take a nap.

We have dinner and go to our rooms to relax.

We wake up and have breakfast in the cozy cafe of the base

After breakfast, we participate in a master class on cooking Karelian wickets. 

We not only sculpt, but also taste. 

Kalitka is perhaps the most "national" and very favorite dish of Karelian and Vepsian cuisine. 

This is an open patty stuffed with potatoes, porridge or red fish, made from rye (or a mixture of rye and wheat) flour. 

Today is the last day of our Karelian adventures. 

Before lunch, we pack our things and vacate the rooms.

We have lunch and leave for Petrozavodsk. 

We are going to the Kizhi Museum-Reserve, it is located in the quarter of the historical development of the city of Petrozavodsk.

Here we immerse ourselves in the traditions, culture, and history of Karelia in a playful way. 

We are only getting acquainted with the museum's expositions, but we will also participate in a master class on Karelian crafts.

We're going to have dinner at a place we already know. 

The buffet pleases with its variety. 

We are not in a hurry, after dinner we take the bus to the train station.

We leave by evening trains from the Petrozavodsk railway station.