On board Virgin Atlantic Flight VS251 from Shanghai Pudong to London Heathrow, on December 15, 2005, I saw Lake Baikal and Irkutsk from 31,000 feet, under an almost clear sky and bathed in the light of a full moon.  It was an awesome sight.  The large meandering rivers of the snow covered plains, then the forested mountains, and the ravines gave way to the large expanse of calm water that was only the southern tip of Lake Baikal .  Across the lake a cliff-line rose from the water's edge, broken only by the expansive outlet of the dammed river Angara that held captive mini-icebergs reflecting white in the moonlight.  Lights of habitation blinked around the river mouth, down river the dam held back a long expanse of silvery water.  At the foot of this man-made marvel lay the jewel encrusted cape of Irkutsk's golden lights, with several bridges clearly visible.  Flying just south of Irkutsk we passed on into the night, chasing the sun across Siberia, west to London .  Google Earth is good but a poor substitute for gazing out from 31,000 feet through a clear sky, under a full moon, at about 09:30 GMT.