Although the times when people wrote letters on birch bark and played the gusli (a harp-like instrument) are long passed, they don’t seem far off when in the village of Verkhnie Mandrogi on the Svir River. In Veps (a Finno-Ugric language) the word “mandrogi” translates to mean “rapids,” and fittingly so — there was a time when paddling down certain parts of the river could be quite dangerous and that is why people opted to drag the boats along the earth instead. The old village is long gone and a historical village designed for tourists stands in its place. Visitors can stay in wooden houses with beautifully carved trims, ride horses, discover the secrets to various folk crafts in this artisan settlement and take part in the programme entitled “Immersion Into the 19th Century.” This programme allows participants to spend a day living as a peasant, doing all of the work and chores around the house that a person would have done in the 19th century. They get a real taste of what life was like back then and learn to really feel how much time has passed and how life has changed for many.