David Hempleman-Adams, Expedition Leader, 16 July. In Murmansk
Murmansk has historical connections to the Arctic ocean that goes back hundreds of years. We all probably know Murmansk from the Arctic convoys and the massive sacrifice of the second World war. Russia lost more people than all of the other nations put together. So they rightly honour their dead.
Over looking the massive port is a huge concrete monument of a soldier with a burning eternal flame. Murmansk is a odd mix in a modern world. From a high population of this Arctic town of navy and transport to a decreasing population of 50% less than 50 years ago. Huge rows of crumbling concrete Khrushchev blocks. Yet this port has some of the best restaurants behind these crumbling surrounds at a fraction of the cost of home I have not had a bad meal yet from fish to borscht.
A summer of 24 hours sunlight with 22 degrees and sun stroke, to total darkness and – 30 degree bitterness and frost bite.
Mind you. No mosquitoes in winter. Those little rascals would eat you Alive if you let them.
The people, like the people of northern Canada and Northern USA have an in depth hardiness in their DNA. But all have the frontier town can do attitude that includes the frigging mosquitoes ! They have a persistence that is remarkable even after you have squashed them to smithereens !
But the Internet has brought great change in these northern communities. All of the youth here speak great English. They are all Worldly wise and all want to travel and expand their horizons beyond the Internet. The older generation of course hanker for the old days.
Like it or not the World is getting smaller and those mosquitoes getting harder to squash !