Zapolyarny with a population of 18,640 is a town in Pechengsky District of Murmansk Oblast, Russia and belonged to Finland in 1920-1944. It was founded in 1956 as Zhdanovsk and was granted town status and renamed in 1963. You get there by an hour bus trip from Kirkenes city, the county of Finmark far north in Norway. After attending the Norwegian Computer Society’s (NCS or DND) annual meeting on Friday/Saturday, we had a guided tour on Sunday through the cities Nikel and then Zapolyarny. Even if getting a visa now is just a formality, it’s still exotic for a Norwegian to go by bus directly through the border from Norway to Russia. I was there for the first time 11 years ago as well, but still feel humble about giving a report about a country quite different in culture, religion, traditions and habits from ours. It’s easy to fall into the trap of generalising and stigmatise, but I try my best in sharing my observation on this adventures trip.
After getting through the passport control, you reach the boarder gate – can only be done by car or bus as you’re not allowed to walk around in the area by foot (click all the pics to bigify and enjoy):
We are at 68° north – in a part of the Siberian tundra – it was a just above freezing with a bit of snow. After half an hour, out of the forest and hills, we spotted the city of Nikel:
The Murmansk Oblast is very rich in natural resources and has deposits of over 700 minerals – nickel is one of them. The main industries of the region are in the sphere of raw material extraction and basic processing. The largest industries are metallurgy (36%), electric power-production (23%) and food-industry, including fishing (14%).
At Nikel, we passed the cemetery; an example of differences in culture and traditions:
There was a table at almost every grave and they sat there, eating and drinking (yes; vodka too) as to remember and honour their loss.
After a little less than an hour more by bus, we reached to the city of Zapolyarny and surprisingly took part of their beginning of Easter Celebrations. The whole town was partying and the town square or parade place in front of the culture house was overcrowded:
There were all kinds of performances, like musicians, singers, and dancers in their regional costumes:
I took a lot of pics, so please check the rest in my Flickr group here.
To give you a sense of the atmosphere and see them live, I even made a movie (taken with my Nokia N82):
The standard of living had increased quite a lot over the years since I first was there 11 years ago and once inside the stores (not many signs on the buildings or window posters), you find all you need from clothes to groceries:
Our guide said you could by almost the same of everything here as in Kirkenes. There are some tourists specialities though; mostly crystal, porcelain and of course all kinds of Russian souvenirs:
They also have a big marked in the city, with all kinds of fabrics, clothes, shoes and boots as well as souvenirs and porcelain:
But let’s reflect a bit about the party and my observation at the town square: I found that this was less about religion and more about having fun, eating and drinking; they where celebrating the end of the winter season and were soon ready for spring! The performances at the podium set the standard of course, but also they served kebabs. At one side of the square, I found an improvisatory table and took a picture:
Then I experienced the Russian’s hospitality; their openness, kindness and eagerness to share. We could not understand each others language, but I was soon convinced I could have as much as I wanted of food and drinks:
There is a lot more to this blast of a feast and the city of course, but let me end this post with another observation: Their willingness to pose – if you ask nicely and show them the result afterwards:
Teenagers in Russia dress quite similar to Norwegians in the winter time and if you look closely, you’ll see we had a snow fall too.
Our guide was the one and only: Kurt Wikan at Pasvik Turist who was experienced, very nice and humoristic, but most of all an excellent story teller sharing a lot of facts and history on our rounded too!
Now I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this ‘short report’ about my adventures in Russia – as much as I enjoy sharing with you. Like I said, there is a lot more pics on my Flickr and if you like to read about my adventures 11 years ago, you’ll find the post here! And don’t forget to come back: I’ll report more about Kirkenes later, including our stay in a Snow Hotel and when we met reindeer!
How fun. I was amazed that the dancers were dancing to a tune in English. Kind of surprised me. Glad you had a great time.
Have a terrific day. Big hug to you and Diane. :)
Hi Renny, it is so nice to be back here again. :)
How beautiful and fun place.. the video after seeing all those pictures made me feel I was just there myself :) I’ve always loved watching Russian dances..
now I’m off to read your past trip post and see more pictures on your flickr page… thanks so much for sharing..
Have a great rest of the week Renny!
This is so cool!
Wow! So different from anything I’ve seen.
So much snow.
Would leave a beer and some popcorn on my gravestone?
It’s really a “cool” place, Renny.
It must be funny to enjoy picnic in snow, Oh, Those girls are pretty too!
I love to meet people from different places, speak different languages, How fun we can understand each other by other way!
I see I missed something. :) Nice blog post, Renny.
How wonderful to make this trip. My first visit to Russia was in 1989. So different then.
wow – simply amazing.. Really it is a treat to go somewhere that very few people can go to and to get the girls to pose, amazing! ;-)
brrr… it looks so cold! I cannot imagine myself drinking icy cold beer in winter. :P
the first pic is a little scary. hehehe
and they are like the chinese giving food to their dead loved ones
Wonderful pics and wonderful travels!!! How cool that you got there right when they were celebrating Easter! :)
I’m really enjoying your blog and all the new things about your part of the world you are sharing. Thank you!
I enjoyed it very much – you wrote that the celebration was less about religion and more about feasting. Does that remind you of something? :-)
Lovely post…and looks like a great time was had by all.
Loved the video!
Have a great rest of the week
Love, Jess
Great post and thank you for a lovely trip down memory lane Renny. I love Russia and I wanna visit this lovely country again :D
Interesting, isn’t it, how in the space of a short journey you can find yourself in a very different culture. To my simple mind, it seems there should be a gradual transition but I do realise that international borders make that unlikely. :)
Thanks for sharing this, interesting to see how they celebrated Easter .. lots of Vodka :)
Those teenage girls look really beautiful, no wonder they always find supermodels in Russia. Will check that post 11 years ago.. so were you able to buy any souvenirs?
looks like serbian have the same tradition like Filipinos. We also eat and drink to give honor and remeber to our lost.
Thanks for sharing, what in normal “times” me to would have been luckely enough to experience.
btw. Guess what you see on my last post?
wonderful sights…colours…costume and food Renny !!!!
you Norwegians certainly have wonderful celebrations :)
I bet it’s exotic! And through the pictures, you can really tell it’s another land, another life and another place.
The first picture reminded me of border crossing in Central America… often, the “border” is just a log of wood in the middle of the road!
I’d love to visit Russia some time. Damn, two posts of yours and I want to travel again! And I just got back in Ottawa yesterday night :lol:
I am Catholic but would like to impress the family. Not that I have too but mainly because I love my girlfriend and really just want too.
Very interesting report, Renny! Mélissa was looking at it with me and was so surprised to see people put food near the graves! I would want to travel with my job too but a teacher with little kids stays at school and around!
goodness, i see the snow and how everyone is so bundled up and then look at those dancers with bare legs and i want to shiver for them!
I’m glad that they have it much better there those days, with actual goods in their stores. Since I have relatives in Estonia, I know from the inside how it was for them earlier…. So it always make me a bit sad to see photos from there. even now yes, because they’re burnt into my vision…..
I must admit I’m fascinated by the contrasts between these grey, boring buildings and the colorful folklore.
Amazing
Nice! It’s given from the very different point of view than I used to read in the boring pieces of the local newspaper. Like this on the same event: http://pechenga-gazeta.ru/?view=article&id=2040
:-) You can understand it by running through the online translator.
It seems Pasvikturist AS resumes its operations in Pechenga district? Good!
How great to have a visit and comment from a local – thanks for providing a link to your local newspaper too!
Fucking pridurok, your worldview minute. You doesn’t know anything about this city. A trip for a few days – does not figure.
Casually having got on this blog to me was final to read pleasantly about the city so pleasant lines.
But all in Russia not so all is good, as you consider. Many with pleasure would like to move to you: to work, live and so on. Easier before coming to Russia, it is necessary to find friends. Sorry me for bad english, but all it was translated the Internet by the translator. And so as a whole in Zapolyarniy to live cheerfully 8)
If want write to me on EgorovAA@kolagmk.ru. We will communicate. Always wanted communicate with somebody from other country.