What's to write about visiting Murmansk, Russia? For one thing this has been on David's Bucket List....traveling as far North as possible. Visiting Russia twice in a month! That is cool, right? Russia is part of my Heritage. It is good to go back in time and see where your family ties began. Murmansk is located in the extreme northwest part of Russia, on the Kola Bay, an inlet of the Barents Sea. It is the largest city north of the Arctic Circle. This port remains ice free all year long. 300,000 people live here in this declining city. This city has experienced more hardship in its life then anyone our age could ever truly know or understand.
Once again everyone has to go through hoops to visit Russia. Really? Who would want to defect and live here? I ask. Immigration ..... They are tough here. We needed to turn our passports over to the Russians so they could put a Russia stamp on a passport page. Getting off the ship our passports also needed a stamp on the front, a green perforated landing form which was torn in half as we disembarked, a bus pass, your passport and your ships key card. You could only leave if on a group tour and with your tour only. You are not to stray, get lost, or even attempt to come back groupless. Finally, you go through a face to face inspection with your passport and all forms in order. Seriously?
Today I chose to see the Russian Nuclear-powered surface Icebreaker, Lenin, which is now a museum. It was built in 1957.
((OMG...PERSONAL NOTE... Built in 1957 and IS NOW A MUSEUM???? Lori?? are you reading this? ))
I find it hard to visit a country and not get a feel for the country and its people. That's what made this stop forgettable yet impressionable. We only hear what the guides tell us and when a question is asked, we are never given an answer or we are given a programed answer. People are proud here of their shopping, their local pool, their sports complex. They are thankful to have housing. I don't see smiles. I see hardship.
I liked the fact that my tour was on a real "Old time Russian bus'. On boarding it felt like Old Russia, days gone by ...or wait... let me think... from the looks of things around me it is still in use today.... Modern, up to date, cutting edge was not in evidence at this port. Anyway, I am a TRAVELER!! I love a true experience and I am sitting in it!.... no complaints. A true Russian experience, potholes and all. I liked riding with a sense of history, past or current and in the making....doesn't matter.
The Lenin was the first ship of its kind, now there are 7 in the world, all Russian. We were given a heads up on what is FORBIDDEN onboard and what is NOT FORBIDDEN. Those words were used a lot on our tours in Russia. Stay with your guide at all times was the big rule on the ship. This big guy traveled the seas for 30 years and was taken out of commission in 1989. After lying idle for 21 years, Russia started to put some money in it to make a museum out of it. It continues to be a constant "work in progress" today. We went up and down the steep stairs and learned about life on this ship and its crew of 189. We were told it is just like our cruise ship.... it has an 8,000 book library, a hospital, Doctors, spas, movies, mess hall, private rooms, everything you need for a self contained city for those onboard. No pancakes were served in the mess hall today, however.
Our tour of the city was rather depressing. It appeared to me that once you build something, that's it. Crowd the people in and call it a day. There is no evidence of upkeep or pride. Everyone lives in the same grey unkept square high rise. It looks to be prefab. It looks to be crumbling, rusted, peeling, falling apart. The lilac trees planted along all the streets are thin tall and scraggly. Buds on the trees are screaming, but can't bloom and show their true beauty. Like the buildings once planted they are left to fend for themselves. No real beauty or reason for their being there. No evidence of grass ever being cut, weeds everywhere.
In hind site, I should have taken the tour with pancakes.... :) No matter what tour you choose here, you all see the same things. Pancakes would have been nice. Touristy places are the only areas kept up to some degree.
Memorial to the Defenders and the Marine Orthodox Church of the Savior-on-Waters (1840) were two sites every tour had to visit. These two sites were it, we all saw them no matter what tour you were on. We all also got a quick drive through Murmansk. They still use trolleys which was interesting to see. I got to thinking about the tours. I bet tours are only allowed to travel on "Not-Forbidden" Tourist Routes...
The differences in tours from my perspective was pancakes. Some got them, some didn't. Maybe this is a life lesson?
I was happy to visit Murmansk. I was happy to visit a city so far North. My heart goes out to its people. Life can be so much better for them, easier. It makes me sad and sometimes angry to visit some places. I wonder how can this continue to be in so many countries? The Why of it all mystifies me. It angers me when people in the USA complain about our country. I just want to scream. Go visit other countries .... Go live somewhere else .... Give up your US passport ..... We are so very fortunate. It is a blessing to live where we live and have all that we have and have the freedoms we often take for granted.
After a visit to Murmansk, I needed a BBC and a mindless game of Farm Hero's on my iPad. No pancakes still as we head to Hammerfest. Oh well, Happy to see it. Been There. Done That. Happy to be moving on.
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