Nerchinsk, Russia The Other Way

At first glance l, Nerchinsk sounds like one of those places which I went to, so that you dont have to. Russians tell me that they either have never heard of it, or if they have, couldnt place it on a map. Hey, Russia isnt a small country The 1689 treaty of Nerchinsk (with the Chinese) halted Russian expansion eastwards for almost two centuries yet recognized claims to the TransBaikal region. I was lucky enough to be shown around the Butin Palace and further afield by Mikhail, the mayor of Nerchinsk. Its not big and neither is it easy to reach, but youll be the only foreign tourist if you make it this far