Adventurous spirit required to navigate back roads of Russian Karelia
Short-cuts may be slow, but certainly not dull
By Riku Jokinen
The distance of a journey in Russia is not always calculated in terms of kilometres. This becomes obvious to anyone who has ever strayed from a main highway onto a slightly more remote route.
The short cut from Vyborg via Borodinskoje (formerly Sairala) to Priozersk (formerly Käkisalmi) looks like a great idea on the map; in kilometres, the trip is much shorter than taking the main route, which deviates to the south.
The truth of the situation becomes apparent immediately outside Vyborg. Part of the route is paved, but in the worst areas, the car shakes on a road reminiscent of a potato field, and potholes the size of lunar craters make for a very bumpy ride indeed.
To add to the misery, a truck driving in front of us spews exhaust with a smell resembling that of an ocean liner in reverse.
This is not to say that the poor condition of the roads would slow down local motorists very much. While the official speed limit is 70 kilometres an hour, Ladas will zoom past much faster than that.
It is easy to get lost on the remote roads of Russian Karelia, as maps are often inaccurate, and turnoffs are not always marked at the intersections as they should be.
From Borodniskoje, the trip should continue to Priozersk, but the right turnoff is not to be found. There are two highway maps in use, and the turnoff is marked differently in each one.
While wandering around, things start happening. A thin old man pops out of the forest holding a log in his hand. Grinning with his sparse teeth, the old-timer appears to be blind drunk, even though it is not yet noon.
The man tries to throw the log at the car, but misses. It is not clear if he wanted to rob us, or if he was simply struggling with the demon drink.
After driving ten kilometres in the wrong direction, we consult two men who were standing alongside the road. Both men, who were chattering in a friendly manner, advised us on the right way to get to Melnikovo, or Räisälä, as the Finns call it. While there is only one Melnikovo as far as anyone knows, the men pointed us in two different directions.
As we returned to Borodinskoje, the man who had thrown the log was being escorted into a Lada by two police officers.
Finally we find the junction leading to Priozersk. The crossing is marked with a large sign, but only for those approaching it from the north. For those driving from Vyborg, the sign does not exist.
After hours of struggle, the short-cut merges with the highway from St. Petersburg in Priozersk.
However, the difference is not immediately apparent, because the main artery from Priozersk to Lahdenpohja is not paved in all parts. Judging from everything, the Karelia of Lake Ladoga is seen as back country, not worthy of the expenditure of precious highway funds.
If a truck happens to be driving in front, it is best to stop and take a rest. Large vehicles raise such a big cloud of dust on an unpaved road that it is simply not possible to see ahead.
On the shores of Lake Ladoga, before Hiitola, we also get a dramatic reminder of the state of Russian traffic safety. A Lada that strayed onto the wrong lane has dived under a truck, all the way to its windscreen.
Just a bit more speed and the front fender of the truck would have crushed the driver’s head.
The landscape is rewarding. Cows graze on large meadows that have never heard of high-efficiency agriculture.
Old women and village men hold discussions along the walls of grey Finnish houses. Lake Lagoda pops into view in the east.
Carriage roads are inviting, but nobody has any business there without four-wheel drive.
After the bumpy roads of the Lake Ladoga area, the journey from Sortavala to the Niirala border station seems downright boring.
The only local colour along the road, which is in good condition, is provided by vendors of cloudberries, cranberries, and chantarelle mushrooms.
Talking to the vendors brings a visitor to Russian Karelia back to the real world after the idyllic scenes on the shores of Lake Ladoga.
"Thirty euros", says a woman, when asked for the price of a bucket of cloudberries.
Helsingin Sanomat - first published in print 13.8.2005
More on this subject:
 FACTFILE: Tips for driving in Russia
RIKU JOKINEN / Helsingin Sanomat
riku.jokinen@hs.fi
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| 16.8.2005 - THIS WEEK |
Adventurous spirit required to navigate back roads of Russian Karelia
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