Torghatten, Trollfiell Geopark, Brønnøysund, Norway

Torghatten, the hat-shaped “mountain with the legendary hole” is an iconic mountain on the Helgeland Coast of Norway, 12 kilometers (7 miles) south of the small town of Brønnøysund; Trollfiell Geopark, Norway

 

Torghatten, “the mountain with the legendary hole” is an iconic mountain on the Helgeland Coast of Norway, 12 kilometers (7 miles) south of the small town of Brønnøysund, our last port in Norway (before we head to Amsterdam for a flight back to the U.S.A.).  Torghatten is located in the Trollfiell Geopark and has inspired travelers for many hundreds of years.  The hat-shaped mountain with the hole clear through it is a geological monument for the processes that create the earth’s landscape.  The mountain itself consists of hard granite, which is why it protrudes forth in the landscape; the softer rock types around it were ground down to a flatter landscape, giving the appearance of a hat-shaped mountain.

 

The ocean to the south of Torghatten, Trollfiell Geopark, Brønnøysund, Norway, viewed as we began our 7 km (4.2 mile) circumnavigation hike around the hat-shaped mountain; we started out in heavy rain and ended up with clearing skies

 

The hole in Torghatten was originally a sea cave, or more precisely, two sea caves, which became a fully open tunnel, Trollfiell Geopark, Brønnøysund, Norway

 

The hole in Torghatten was originally a sea cave, or more precisely, two sea caves, which became a fully open tunnel.  During long periods and from both sides, the waves, frost and salt have eroded the hard granite rock until the two caves met and became one.  The hole is 160 meters long, 35 meters high and 20 meters wide (525 feet long, 115 feet high, and 66 feet wide), and has the feel of a mighty cathedral.

 

“Torghatten’s round, heavy gigantic head rises above the small islands, with the hole in its forehead. The troll eye glares after hardening in the daylight toward Lekamøya who fled far to the south” – Fridtjof Nansen, polar explorer and diplomat, 1920; Trollfiell Geopark, Brønnøysund, Norway

 

People settled near Torghatten about 10,000 years ago.  The sea level then was 105 meters (344 feet) above the current level.  (The peak of Torghatten is 458 meters (1,503 feet)).  At numerous sites around Torghatten, visitors can observe traces of ancient shorelines, and some of the pebbely beaches feature remnants of Stone Age dwellings.  At Torghatten, visitors can journey back in time – from the Ice Age to modern times, via the Stone Age, Viking Age and the Medieval Period.  Torghatten gives us insight into the deep mythology that is woven together with human survival among the harsh coastal environment.  In the saga about the troll mounains in the north, it is said that the hole was formed when the Horseman (Hestmannen Mountain) shot his arrow through the Sømna King’s hat.

 

Some of the small islands (in the distance) to the west of Torghatten, Trollfiell Geopark, Brønnøysund, Norway

 

On our hike around Torghatten, Trollfiell Geopark, Brønnøysund, Norway, we passed several farms – here we found some sheep sitting in the grass below the farm house

 

Farmhouses set against the mountains adjacent to Torghatten, Trollfiell Geopark, Brønnøysund, Norway

 

Legal Notices: All photographs copyright © 2018 by Richard C. Edwards.  All Rights Reserved Worldwide.  Permission to link to this blog post is granted for educational and non-commercial purposes only.

 

Leknes, Norway

With a population of only about 3,000, outdoor experiences dominate daily activity in Leknes, Norway, which delivers on the Norwegian tourist board’s slogan: “Powered by Nature”

 

Outdoor experiences dominate daily activity in Leknes, a small town with a population of about 3,000 on the island of Vestvågøy in the Lofoten archipelago, our next port of call south of Svolvaer, Norway.  The town is situated in the geographical middle of the Lofoten archipelago.  Leknes is the trading and shopping center of Lofoten, rivaled only by Svolvær.  The European Route E10 highway runs through the town connecting all the main islands of the Lofoten archipelago to the mainland.  The beauty of the setting lives up to the Norwegian tourist board’s slogan: “Powered by Nature”.

 

Farmland around Leknes, Norway, viewed from a hill that we climbed on our hike around the countryside

 

 

A mother with a stroller enjoying the countryside in Leknes, Norway, viewed while on our morning hike

 

 

This contemporary church in the center of Leknes, Norway, was a nice contrast to the small retail shops and cafes and a couple of restaurants in the small town

 

 

A view of the area east of the harbor in Leknes, Norway

 

Legal Notices: All photographs copyright © 2018 by Richard C. Edwards.  All Rights Reserved Worldwide.  Permission to link to this blog post is granted for educational and non-commercial purposes only.

 

Svolvaer, Norway

The small town of Svolvaer, Norway, was our first stop in the Lofoten Islands – it’s a great locale for outdoor activities (we did a long hike) and has an outstanding World War II museum [see below]

 

Our first port in the Lofoten Islands, southwest of Tromsø and Harstad, was Svolvaer on the island of Austvågoya, a town of 4,600 that appeals to outdoor enthusiasts and history buffs.  The area’s first settlement was on Svinøya, an island reached by a car and pedestrian bridge from the main part of town.  Thanks to an enthusiastic local businessman, William Hakvaag the area has an outstanding World War II museum housing his personal collection of Norwegian-related war photographs, uniforms, and memorabilia – at the Lofoten Krigsminnemuseum (Lofoten War Memorial Museum), founded in 1996.  Focusing on events in Lofoten and Northern Norway during the German occupation between 1940 and the end of World War II in 1945, the meticulously curated assemblage features lifelike mannequins in a wide selection of uniforms along with flags, weapons, equipment and other items.  By reminding people of the drama and brutality of the war, Mr. Hakvaag hopes to instill his belief that those who forget or choose to ignore the past may be destined to repeat it.  Near the port, many visitors enjoy donning parkas and gloves (provided by the bar) and having a drink at the Magic Ice Bar that celebrates its northern location with captivating ice sculptures.

 

New hotel rooms (the red buildings) on the island hosting the first settlement in Svolvaer, Norway

 

The main shopping street in Svolvaer, Norway, leads up to the spectacularly rugged mountains surrounding the town and harbor

 

The Lofoten Krigsminnemuseum (Lofoten War Memorial Museum), founded in 1996 by an enthusiastic local businessman, William Hakvaag, focuses on events in Lofoten and Northern Norway during the German occupation between 1940 and the end of World War II in 1945, Svolvaer, Norway; shown here is a room focused on events in the immediate Svolvaer area, including a wall quilt made by local children in 1994

 

A reproduction of the Svolvaer headquarters for the Gestapo in the Lofoten Krigsminnemuseum, Svolvaer, Norway, that was established after the Germans raided Lofoten in March 1941; the picture of Alodph Hitler originally hung in the headquarters of the Gestapo in Oslo, Norway

 

Artifacts from the Ukranian soldiers prisoner-of-war camp just outside of Svolvaer, Norway on display at the Lofoten Krigsminnemuseum; tens of thousands of Russian and Ukranian soldiers died from forced labor in the attempted construction of Hitler’s dream “Polar Express” railroad (running the entire length of Norway) – it was never completed during World War II

 

A water color painting signed “A. Hitler, 1940” that was purchased by the museum’s founder and curator, William Hakvaag, in a picture frame found in an attic in Europe now hangs in the Lofoten Krigsminnemuseum, Svolvaer, Norway; Hakvaag explained to our small group on tour with him that when he took the frame apart he also found four water color paintings, also attributed to Hitler, of four dwarfs as he depicted them from stills from Walt Disney’s film version of the “Seven Dwarfs” (these original water colors were also on display at the museum, but difficult to photograph)

 

A residential neighborhood that we passed by on our hike through Svolvaer, Norway, as we headed up towards the surrounding mountains

 

Legal Notices: All photographs copyright © 2018 by Richard C. Edwards.  All Rights Reserved Worldwide.  Permission to link to this blog post is granted for educational and non-commercial purposes only.

 

Trollfjorden (Troll Fjord), Norway

Sailing into Trollfjorden (Troll Fjord), Norway — only 100 meters (328 feet) wide — on a passenger ship is an incredible experience and a testament to the ship’s captain and navigator

 

Sailing down to the Lofoten Islands from Harstad, Norway (the gateway to the Lofoten Islands), we detoured to sail into Trollfjorden (Troll Fjord).  Unfortuntately, as our photographs show, it was raining during our transit into and out of Trollfjorden, earning the captain and navigator even more respect for the challenging course they set and executed, thrilling us all.

“The amazingly narrow Trollfjord is a 2 km (1.24 miles) long sidearm of the Raftsund between Lofoten islands and Vesteralen archipelago.  With its narrow entrance and steep mountain sides, the Trollfjord is really exotic and spectacular.  The narrow mouth of the Trollfjord is only 100 meters (328 feet) wide, and widens to a maximum width of 800 meters (2,625 feet).  The steep mountains surrounding the fjord are between 600 and 1100 metres (1,970 and 3610 feet) high.” — http://www.fjordtravel.no

 

The end of Trollfjorden (Troll Fjord), Norway, where the captain had to turn the ship around “on a dime” – a great sailing maneuver!

 

A close-up of the couple of building at the end of the fjord in Trollfjorden (Troll Fjord), Norway

 

The steep mountains present a fantastic backdrop for the narrow waters of the fjord at Trollfjorden (Troll Fjord), Norway

 

With the rains we were experiencing, the waterfalls were flowing well at Trollfjorden (Troll Fjord), Norway

 

In addition to the larger, permanent waterfalls, many spontaneous waterfalls, resulting from the rains, appeared as we sailed through Trollfjorden (Troll Fjord), Norway

 

After our 180-degree turn at the end of Trollfjorden (Troll Fjord), Norway, we sailed back out through the very narrow entrance channel

 

The swirling storms were visible as we headed back into the main fjord from Trollfjorden (Troll Fjord), Norway

 

Legal Notices: All photographs copyright © 2018 by Richard C. Edwards.  All Rights Reserved Worldwide.  Permission to link to this blog post is granted for educational and non-commercial purposes only.

 

Harstad, Norway

Harstad, Norway is a picturesque Norwegian city with an artistic vibe, situated on the island of Hinnøya, southwest of Tromsø that serves as the jumping off point for exploration of the Lofoten Islands

 

Sailing south from Tromsø, our next port of call of was Harstad, a picturesque Norwegian city with an artistic vibe, situated on the island of Hinnøya.  Adventurists delight in hiking the rugged mountain peaks, trekking through forests, partaking in thrilling whale-watching safaris, and island-hopping by bike and ferry.  Harstad is also known for its culinary offerings such as smoked salmon, fresh strawberries, and the national cake, Kvæfjordkaka.  A few miles outside Harstad is the Nupen vantage point, delivering unrivaled views of the Midnight Sun and Andfjorden.  The city, with a population of 25,000 (larger than any of the towns of the Lofoten Islands to the southwest), serves as the jumping off point for exploration of the Lofoten Islands.  Located above the Arctic Circle, the city enjoys the midnight sun during the summer months, from 22 May to 18 July.  There is also a period from early May to early August with twilight for a few hours each night as the sun just dips below the horizon, so there is no darkness.

 

The inner harbor of Harstad, Norway

 

Across from the harbor we hiked trough the forest up the hill known as Gangsåstoppen in Harstad, Norway

 

As we hiked through the residential neighborhood adjacent to the trailhead for the trail up Gangsåstoppen, we came across this nicely decorated home, Harstad, Norway

 

On the trail to Gangsåstoppen we found many of these brightly colored, edible (but not very tasty) berries, Harstad, Norway

 

At the peak of Gangsåstoppen were these picnic tables which look inviting in the sunshine after a 20-minute windy downpour that we escaped as there is also a small hut with a couple of picnic tables on top – where we enjoyed some coffee and Norwegian pastries (vestkandslefse – filled with sugar, butter and cinnamon), Harstad, Norway

 

Geiterams flowers on the trailside of Gangsåstoppen, Harstad, Norway

 

A nice weather “protector” for these mailboxes in the commercial district of Harstad, Norway

Legal Notices: All photographs copyright © 2018 by Richard C. Edwards.  All Rights Reserved Worldwide.  Permission to link to this blog post is granted for educational and non-commercial purposes only.

 

Tromsø, Norway (return visit)

Known as the “Gateway to the Arctic” and the “Paris of the North”, Tromsø, Norway, has long been a springboard for historic Arctic expeditions and contemporary explorations

 

Returning to Norway following our Svalbard expedition (and sailing further north in the Arctic pack ice to be within nearly 400 nautical miles of the North Pole), our first port was Tromsø – the port from which we embarked on the expedition.  [See our previous post dated August 5, 2018, “Tromsø, Norway”.]  To recap: Known as the “Gateway to the Arctic”, Tromsø, Norway, has long been a springboard for historic Arctic expeditions.   Mixing old and new, the city proudly displays its traditional Sami (Norway’s indigenous people) culture and Norwegian history alongside bold modern architecture.  Despite its location well above the Arctic Circle, the Tromsø area has been occupied for over 11,000 years.  The first church dates to about 1250, although its official city charter wasn’t granted until 1794.

On this visit we also learned that Tromsø is nicknamed “Nordens Paris” (“Paris of the North“).

 

Ishavskatedralen (Arctic Cathedral) is a landmark building that is distinctive in the skyline of the residential side of Tromsø. Norway

 

We walked across the Tromsøbrua (bridge) that connects the central business district with the residential district where the Ishavskatedralen (Arctic Cathedral) sits on a knoll, Tromsø, Norway

 

Tromsø Domkirke (Tromsø Cathedral), Tromsø. Norway

 

A beautiful statue in front of Tromsø Domkirke (Tromsø Cathedral), Tromsø. Norway

 

A four-masted sailboat in the harbor in Tromsø. Norway

 

Throughout our polar explorations — from Tromsø. Norway (where this bust is outside the Tromsø Polar Museum) to Svalbard and on towards the North Pole — we followed in the footsteps of Norway’s great polar explorer, Roald Engelbregt Gravning Amundsen (1872–1928); as the leader of the Antarctic expedition of 1910–12, he was the first to reach the South Pole on 14 December 1911, and he was the first expedition leader for the air expedition to the North Pole, making him the first person, without dispute, to reach both poles

 

Legal Notices: All photographs copyright © 2018 by Richard C. Edwards.  All Rights Reserved Worldwide.  Permission to link to this blog post is granted for educational and non-commercial purposes only.

 

Burgerbukta Fjord (off Hornsund Fjord), Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard

Burgerbukta Fjord, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, photograph #1 – a panorama of our ship in the Burgerbukta Fjord

 

On our last afternoon sailing down the coast of Spitsbergen Island of Svalbard, our ship repositioned from our morning position at the point on the Hornsund Fjord where it meets the Burgerbukta Fjord – Gnålodden – to an “anchorage” near the far end of the Burgerbukta Fjord (where the fjord actually splits into two bays, Vestre Burgerbukta and Austre Burgerbukta, with tidewater glaciers pouring down the mountainsides into each bay).  The best way to explore the area was in hour-plus-long Zodiac boat tours, providing us an opportunity to get up fairly close to the tidewater glacier faces and to sail through the icebergs and ice floes which proved to be very photogenic.  We were very sad at the end of the cruising to realize that this would be our last encounter with the fjords, glaciers and icebergs, as that evening we began the long sail to the south to reach the northern tip of Norway and the city of Tromso, from which we had embarked on this remarkable journey in the Arctic.

 

Burgerbukta Fjord, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, photograph #2

 

Burgerbukta Fjord, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, photograph #3

 

Burgerbukta Fjord, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, photograph #4

 

Burgerbukta Fjord, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, photograph #5

 

Burgerbukta Fjord, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, photograph #6

 

Burgerbukta Fjord, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, photograph #7 – the top, white edge of the glacier looks like a meringue

 

Burgerbukta Fjord, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, photograph #8

Burgerbukta Fjord, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, photograph #9

 

Burgerbukta Fjord, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, photograph #10 – a double hanging glacier; note that as the front edge of each glacier is pushed forward and melts, the falling ice can create dangerous situations for any boats too close to the cliff edge!

 

Legal Notices: All photographs copyright © 2018 by Richard C. Edwards.  All Rights Reserved Worldwide.  Permission to link to this blog post is granted for educational and non-commercial purposes only.

 

Gnålodden, Hornsund Fjord, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard

Gnålodden, Hornsund Fjord, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, photograph #1 – a panorama of the storm clouds over Burgerbutka Fjord and our ship “anchored” (stationary, as the water is too deep to drop an anchor) where the Hornsund Fjord becomes the Burgerbutka Fjord

 

On our last day of the Svalbard expedition, we visited the Hornsund Fjord on Spitsbergen Island which some call “Spitsbergen in a nutshell” because it has wild scenery with impressive mountains and glaciers and bays filled with glacial ice.  We made a Zodiac landing at historic Gnålodden at 8 a.m. when the mountains were still partially covered by fog, with the low summer sun trying to break through in places – yielding some stunning vistas from the beach and further uphill.  The tall, narrow rocky cliff at Gnålodden reminded us of the similar imposing cliff at Alkhornet at the entrance to Isfjorden that we visited the prior week [see our blog post “Alkhornet, Isfjorden, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard”].  The large seabird colony on the cliff face high above the beach provides fertilization for the rich moss beds and tundra at Gnålodden.

At the base of the cliff is a small trappers’ hut from the early 20^th century.  It was made famous by having been used for overwintering by some of Norway’s greatest trappers: Henry Rudi (“King of the Polar Bear) in residence 1925-1926 and Wanny Woldstad, author of “The First Woman Trapper on Svalbard” in residence 1932-1933 and with her two sons from Tromso (who grew up to also become famous trappers) in 1934–1935 and Woldstad with other trappers in 1935-1936 and 1936-1937.

We took a long walk on shore and found many great photo opportunities as we walked and reminisced what a terrific expedition we were wrapping up in the Arctic.

 

Gnålodden, Hornsund Fjord, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, photograph #2 — the tall, narrow rocky cliff at Gnålodden reminded us of the similar imposing cliff at Alkhornet at the entrance to Isfjorden

 

Gnålodden, Hornsund Fjord, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, photograph #3 – this was the most fertile stretch of tundra that we encountered on Svalbard, with thousands of flowers on the hillside

 

Gnålodden, Hornsund Fjord, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, photograph #4

 

Gnålodden, Hornsund Fjord, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, photograph #5

 

Gnålodden, Hornsund Fjord, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, photograph #6

 

Gnålodden, Hornsund Fjord, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, photograph #7 – this small deposit of soil on a shore rock gave life to a wide variety of plants

 

Gnålodden, Hornsund Fjord, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, photograph #8 – tiny mushrooms were a rarity in the tundra

 

Gnålodden, Hornsund Fjord, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, photograph #9

 

Gnålodden, Hornsund Fjord, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, photograph #10 – the historic trappers’ hut (for overwintering) that was made famous by having been used by some of Norway’s greatest trappers: Henry Rudi (“King of the Polar Bear) in residence 1925-1926 and Wanny Woldstad, author of “The First Woman Trapper on Svalbard” in residence 1932-1933 and with her two sons from Tromso (who grew up to also become famous trappers) in 1934-1935 and Woldstad with other trappers in 1935-1936 and 1936-1937

 

Gnålodden, Hornsund Fjord, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, photograph #11

 

Gnålodden, Hornsund Fjord, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, photograph #12

 

Gnålodden, Hornsund Fjord, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, photograph #13

 

Gnålodden, Hornsund Fjord, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, photograph #14

 

Gnålodden, Hornsund Fjord, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, photograph #15

 

Gnålodden, Hornsund Fjord, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, photograph #16 — our ship “anchored” where the Hornsund Fjord becomes the Burgerbutka Fjord

 

Gnålodden, Hornsund Fjord, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, photograph #17 – a panorama of Burgerbutka Fjord from the top deck of our ship after the storm clouds had lifted somewhat and the sun came out shorty after we returned by Zodiac from our coastal hike at Gnålodden

 

Gnålodden, Hornsund Fjord, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, photograph #18

 

Gnålodden, Hornsund Fjord, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, photograph #19

 

Gnålodden, Hornsund Fjord, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, photograph #20

 

Legal Notices: All photographs copyright © 2018 by Richard C. Edwards.  All Rights Reserved Worldwide.  Permission to link to this blog post is granted for educational and non-commercial purposes only.

 

Pyramiden, Grønfjorden, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard

The welcoming “pyramid” (in Russian and English) greeting visitors to the abandoned “ghost town” of Pyramiden, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, that was home to up to 1,500 people in the Russian coal mining town in 1989 before it was abruptly abandoned in 1998

 

“One of the world’s most fascinating ghost towns, according to National Geographic. At first glance it looks like an idyllic settlement with urban architecture consisting of apartment buildings made of brick or wood. But there is one thing missing: inhabitants.

“Pyramiden was founded by Sweden in 1910 and sold to the Soviet Union in 1927. In the 1980s, the mining community had a population of more than 1,000. It is named after the pyramid-shaped mountain of the same name nearby. Pyramiden is now mostly visited by seagulls, polar foxes and, not infrequently, polar bears. Tourists visit too – by boat in the summertime and by snowmobile in the wintertime – to experience this surreal place

 

A coal mine railroad “car” with the last load of coal mined in Pyramiden, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, on 31 March 1998

 

The pier at the harbor of Pyramiden, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, with a crane that helped load the locally mined coal onto transport boats for the journey back to the motherland (Russia)

 

“Visiting Pyramiden is like stepping into a time machine. The architecture and buildings are so well preserved that many visitors feel like they are ‘Back in the USSR’. When the mine was closed and the settlement was abandoned, it seems like everyone left in a hurry. Cups were left on the tables, newspaper clippings on the walls and skis in the corridors. The beautiful indoor swimming pool and painstakingly made cultural centre both feature Soviet era architecture and bear witness to the settlement’s golden days. Pyramiden was a good place to live with a family-friendly community and facilities such as a petrol station, greenhouse and cowshed, school, kindergarten, hotel and restaurant. Most of the buildings remain just as they were left. At the top of the main street, a statue of Lenin watches over the abandoned town and the beautiful Nordenkiöld glacier. The statue is surrounded by grass imported from Siberia.

 

An abandoned factory building adjacent to the harbor of Pyramiden, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard

 

The structure for the future Trump International Hotel in Pyramiden, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard

 

Shutes running down the mountainside from the mine (at 500 meters (1,640 feet) elevation) to protect the buckets of coal that were gravity fed to the processing plant in Pyramiden, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard

 

“The ghost town at the foot of the Billefjord is now home to eight people, who work at the hotel and as tourist guides in the summer. During the dark winter months, the population is halved to four who have the task of maintaining the buildings and checking the power generators. It’s possible to stay at the very authentic Pyramiden Hotel, which has a fascinating history in the walls, delicious borsch on the table, locally brewed beer from Barentsburg on tap and smiling people to welcome you. Remember to bring cash (NOK), as they don’t take credit card payments.

 

This abandoned building housed the children’s school in Pyramiden, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard; at the peak population of the coal mining town, there were approximately 300 children out of the 1,500 personnel from Russia

 

One of several Svalbard reindeer (smaller than their cousins in Norway) we saw freely wandering around Pyramiden, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard

 

The “Champs Élyseées” – so-called by the locals — is the parade ground around the town’s central buildings with a statue of Lenin at the high end of the parade ground, in front of the town’s cultural center, Pyramiden, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard

 

A statue of Lenin along with Russian insignia in front of the town’s cultural center, Pyramiden, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard; [Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov, better known by the alias Lenin, is revered in Russia as the founder of the Russian Communist Party, leader of the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917, and first head of the Soviet state]

Still hanging on the pegboard on the mezzanine above the lobby of the town’s cultural center is this child’s drawing of 2 children in Pyramiden and the ghost of a child comrade, Pyramiden, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard

 

“The abandoned mining settlement is ‘one of 10 ghost towns in the world you need to visit’, according to National Geographic.” — https://en.visitsvalbard.com/visitor-information/destinations/pyramiden

 

The cantina – where the community dined for free, 24 x 7 – has been partially restored and contains evidence that when the town’s inhabitants left suddenly in 1998 that they expected a group of coal miners and some families would return and repopulate the town, Pyramiden, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard

 

The unlit right-side staircase to the upper floor of the cantina where the workers and family dined – part of a symmetrical, dual stairway – shows the elaborate workmanship and decoration that the coal mining company invested in to make Pyramiden, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, a Russian “worker’s paradise”

 

At the top of the dual staircase in the cantina is an elaborate, hand-made mosaic panorama of the Pyramiden site with the mountains and town overlooked by a female polar bear and her cub and a husky dog, Pyramiden, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard

 

The abandoned kitchen of the cantina gives evidence that the departing workers expected the kitchen to be back in use a year or two after the 1998 evacuation of Pyramiden, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard

 

At the end of our extensive tour (by a young Russian woman who grew up near Volgograd — formerly Stalingrad, a city in southwest Russia, on the western bank of the Volga River), we stopped at the restored Pyramiden Hotel, Bar & Restaurant for Russian pastries and tea or Pyramiden vodka (produced in Russia, as there are no distilleries in Svalbard – although there is a brewery in Longyearbyen), Pyramiden, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard; on the sign the large lower word is “Pyramiden” in Russian

 

Legal Notices: All photographs copyright © 2018 by Richard C. Edwards.  All Rights Reserved Worldwide.  Permission to link to this blog post is granted for educational and non-commercial purposes only.

 

Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard

The harbor and pier of Longyearbyen, Svalbard, a small coal-mining town in the center of Spitsbergen Island – on the Adventfjorden (Advent Fjord), off Isfjorden — located at latitude 78˚ North, just 1,316 km (818 miles) from the North Pole

 

Longyearbyen is a small coal-mining town in the center of Spitsbergen Island – on the Adventfjorden (Advent Fjord), off Isfjorden — in Norway’s Svalbard archipelago, located at latitude 78˚ North – just 1,316 km (818 miles) from the North Pole.  Svalbardi literally means “the land with the cold shores”.  Svalbarði fundinn was mentioned in traditional Icelandic accounts dated to 1194.

“Longyearbyen, the administrative centre of Svalbard, is a tiny Norwegian metropolis with 2,100 residents from almost 50 different countries.  The small Arctic town is inhabited by nature enthusiasts who live in close unity under tough climatic conditions with the High Arctic wilderness right on their doorstep.  Longyearbyen is the gateway to the nature-based experiences and the starting point for most adventures in Svalbard.  This Arctic wilderness starts virtually in the town centre and never ends!  Maybe it seems a bit over the top to call our little town a metropolis.  However, with its vitality, international vibe and warm people in wonderful surroundings, that’s exactly how we perceive it.  Longyearbyen’s central location in a geopolitically interesting Arctic also contributes to it being perceived as larger than it actually is.  Furthermore, the range of services on offer to residents and guests is surprisingly extensive with a wide range of shops, restaurants and bars, along with varied cultural offerings.  In Longyearbyen, the North Pole is right around the corner from the pub.  Perhaps some find it strange that a settlement so incredibly far north has its own brewery, chocolaterie and greenhouse that supplies us with fresh herbs and vegetables, but that’s just the way it is!…

 

A church on the hill behind some apartment buildings in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard

 

We had local cuisine (fish soup and cod) at Restaurant Kroa in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard; at dinner, another specialty is their local moose burger

 

A graffiti polar bear decorates the outside wall of one of the shops in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard

 

“The residents of Longyearbyen feel that we live completely normal everyday lives.  However, those looking from the outside often perceive our everyday life as somewhat extraordinary.  The polar bears are never far away, so it’s a necessity to carry weapons when we venture outside the settlement.  The climate is harsh and unpredictable.  Some people find the contrasts and changes between light and dark challenging, while others think it’s wonderful.  There are several other things about Longyearbyen that may seem “strange” to visitors.  There are separate “roads” in the town centre for snowmobiles, we only have one grocery store and we are used to living next door to reindeer.  We still take off our shoes when we enter hotels and restaurants, a tradition that has arisen from the problem with coal dust in the old days.  All the mining infrastructure is protected and remains as surreal monuments in and around the settlement.  The streets in Longyearbyen have numbers instead of names.  Longyearbyen has a university centre with 300 students, all of whom must learn to use firearms.  Seeing whales swimming in the fjord from our lounge window is not an uncommon occurrence.  We gladly have a beer with our colleagues outside after work while wearing mittens.  During the winter darkness, we wear a headlamp on our way to work, and it’s not uncommon to see the Northern Lights dancing in the sky when we head outside to meet a friend for lunch.  In the summertime, you often go out with the Midnight Sun shining brightly on your face.” — https://en.visitsvalbard.com/visitor-information/destinations/longyearbyen

 

This stuffed polar bear is over the inner lobby entrance to the one and only grocery store in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard

 

Brighly painted homes on the hill just above the central business district in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard; presently there is a severe housing shortage in town (rentals and homes for purchase), so that many friends are sharing living quarters in cramped conditions

 

A Norwegian bakery specialty, kanelsnurrer (cinnamon buns), at a bakery, Fruene Kaffe, in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard; we enjoyed a cappuccino with the bun, along with some homemade chocolates – from the northernmost chocolaterie in the world

 

The Royal Yacht, SS Norge, with the King of Norway aboard, was visiting Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, at the same time we were docked at the town pier

 

These wooden structures supported cables strung from the coal mine to the coal processing plant; buckets containing coal were lowered by gravity from the mine to the now closed plant; Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard; only one of the original seven coal mines in Longyearbyen is still operational and it mainly supplies the local electrical generating station

 

These local sorrel plants grow in the tundra – the leaves are miniature compared with sorrel plants in more temperate climates, Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard; note that sorrel contains some vitamin C which whalers and trappers in the 1700s and 1800s discovered and ate for the prevention of scurvy

 

These are the biggest flowers and tallest plant that we saw in all of Svalbard; Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen Island

 

A popular tourist attraction is visiting the husky dog kennels and then going for a sled ride on the outskirts of Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard; we saw these dog sleds as we hiked down from the mountain with a deserted coal mine that was located on the edge of town

 

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