From Russia with Love
Norway has a long coastline with The Norwegian Sea, part of the North Atlantic Ocean at northwest, located between the North Sea (i.e. north of Scotland) and the Greenland Sea. It also adjoins the Iceland Sea to the west and the Barents Sea to the northeast.
To the east, a long boarder shared with good neighbours: Sweden, Finland and Russia (click picture to enlarge!).
Inspired of the positive response from my post; ‘Opening Global Seed Vault at Svalbard’ where I was in 2000, I will take you with on my trip to Russia in 1998 and 2002:
Both times I was at a meeting with The Norwegian Computer Society in Kirkenes (as far up north/east as you can get in Norway (69.40N, 30.05E), so a bus takes you into Murmansk Oblast in less than an hour. Of course Murmansk is geographically strategic placed for Russia regarding an ice free harbour with access to the Atlantic Ocean. Other than that it has significant natural resources, mainly minerals like coal and nickel. What’s even more important is that they now have found oil and gas resources in the Barents Sea (the Norwegian oil company StatoilHydro is invited to co-develop it). So soon you will have a more peaceful shipment from Russia to North America.
The impression you get from entering Murmansk, is a barren, bleak, almost moonlike shaped landscape, quite dirty. Let me show you a couple of pics from both ’98 and ’02 and the town Nickel (can you guess from the name what they do for a living there?):
Both pictures taken from the same spot: Left at winter time in ’98 – Right in summer ’02.
We ended up in Pechenga after three hours drive: The Pechenga area was indigenously inhabited by Samis. In 1533 it became part of Russia, in 1920 part of Finland and part of the Soviet Union from 1944. It’s an urban-type settlement with a population of about 3 000. If you are lucky to get there, you can make some bargains in skin products, liquor (vodka and champagne) as well as crystal:
A bottle of good champagne for 5$ and 6 crystal glasses for 20$.
The most memorable time was at the dinner in the hotel though: We started with a splendid dinner with Russian food and drinks – all kinds of bottles on the table:
1998 at Pechenga Hotell
They gave us the greatest performance with local dancer in national costumes accompanied by accordion musicians and we danced with them too:
We had noticed we weren’t alone in the hotel and soon we where mixed with a wedding party! To make it short: We had a blast! So don’t blame me for not giving you (or remembering) all the details:
So I would say Norway has great neighbours along our long boarder line. It was a once (okay twice) in a life time experience and I hope you enjoy this report as much as I enjoyed going down the memory line to share the adventures from a Norwegian’s point of view. You may click on the pics to make it crystal clear
russia 
norway 
Murmansk37 Responses to “From Russia with Love”
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Good day, sun shines!
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Excellent site,Thanks for this great post – I will be sure to check out your blog more often.Just subscriped to your RSS feed.. http://onlineshopdeutschland.wordpress.com/
once again the true hospitality
again partying 
you had a great deal of bargain there – i wonder how the prices are this time around. my friend in moscow said it is unbelieavably expensive there!
It’s maybe expensive but I’m sure the taste must be worth the price. We’ll someday go there. Hope so.
Hello Renny!
Hahahaha… you were gatecrashing at the wedding! Joke, joke, joke…. but it seems like you really had a lot of fun!
Russia! I would love to visit the country! So mysterious and I’m sure there will be interesting stories to post about it.
I wanna go to Russia someday! Moscow and St. Petersburg!
RennyBA
That’s high on my travel list too – do we go together?
I’m quite curious about Russia… I still remember learning about the USSR at school, and then the wall fell… and then the whole Eastern Europe changed. A lot. Quite a fascinating country, that a lot of us don’t understand.
You’ve been everywhere Renny!
Hey! Good story! I like your blog and would love if you can make a link exchange with http://www.journeyetc.com/ . Please, I am only 16 and trying my best to become famous.
i hope i could go to russia too.. anyways.. care to link exchange???
hi there.. tnx for dropping by my blog…. can we link exchange?? please drop me a message.. tnx..
I’d love to go to Russia one day, esp St Petersburg.
Really Great Post. Seem like you have more fun and fun here. Cheer up
RennyBA
Glad you liked it and had fun reading it too
you look so young in your photos! i love your country. it’s near everywhere
RennyBA
Good to see you Tin-tin – thanks for the compliments
thanks for dropping by my blog.
you have a interesting blog.
I learn a lot about Norway from you.
Have a nice day!
RennyBA
Good to see you Kikey – great to welcome new visitors!
Thanks for your compliments – the best one I can get!
Wishing you a good one too and welcome back any time!
From Russia with love indeed….thank you for the walk down memory lane as I was in Russia back in 1995.
Travelling from St. Petersburg to Finland…the guide exclaimed to us on board the bus once we crossed the border …”Welcome to Civilisation” so yes, it was gloomy in Russia back then…now I can’t wait to visit Russia again
Thank you for the post Renny
RennyBA
Your welcome – I love to share you know! Great to know you’ve been in the aria too then – keep me posted if your going back!
I loved all of the photos and the story behind it. I love seeing from the past and how things have changed. If I do stumble upon places that I have previously photographed on my trip, I will try doing the same.. And yes I hope to send you a report on my finding..
(by the way, how do you do that smile laugh???) I love it!
Finally a vacation!
RennyBA
Thanks ET and please do the same when you are visiting Europe and your home land – looking forward to your reports!
The laugh smiley: “:lol:” becomes
Happy Vacation and a Safe Trip
I can clearly see that you enjoyed your time there!
RennyBA
We did – great fun!
You are a true international troubadour, dear Renny! I love it.
RennyBA
Thanks Ginnie!
That’s very interesting. Thanks for sharing
RennyBA
Glad you liked it too
Nice story, Renny! I am planning to go to Murmansk this spring to develop a Seed Forum process over there as well. Will hold a meeting March 2 in Tromsø with, DnB NOR, Norinnova and other partners to plan the campaign. If you have any idea regarding local focal points that we could team up with, I would appreciate it. Keep up the good blogwork!
RennyBA
Thanks Odd – nice to see you here too!
Seed Forum in Murmansk sounds interesting. I’ll send you a note with some ideas.
Very interesting Renny….That place , Nickel, is extremely bleak…I think I would find it incredibly depressing. That place where you can buy the Crystal so cheaply is quite amazing and the Liquor store, too…But I am partial to beautiful China and Lovely Crystal. It looks like you had a fabulous time at “The Hotel”….Now that was a happening place….!
Thanks Renny, this was great!
RennyBA
I know you like beautiful things Naomi and would love this.
Your welcome – hope you’ll have a wonderful weekend in the hills
a bottle of good champagne for $ 5-6? send me to Russia anytime spaseeba!
RennyBA
Okay, if its okay that I join you!
I like the two pictures taking at the same place but at different period and season. I like to learn you’ve got nice relation with your neightboors. You had the chance to be at this hotel in the same time that the weeding! I would want to experiment that too! Thanks for your visit Renny! and hope you have a great weekend too!
RennyBA
Glad you liked it and yea, it was a blast!
Thanks – have a good one too!
I’m with Teena! A $5 bottle of good champagne sounds like a great start to a great evening.
RennyBA
So you’ll have to come over and drink the two rest with us too then
A good bottle of bubbly for $5!!?? Whoohoo! Send me a case!
RennyBA
You better come over and drink the last two bottles I have together with us!
Would have loved to, but the shipment cost a fortune
What I like best about your trips to Russia was that both times you brought back little presents. On your first trip you brought back my little hand made jewlery boxes (2) which are among my most treasured possessions. The second trip you brought back the most beautiful crystal white wine glasses, a set of crystal bowls, and a Babushka doll…something I always wanted and have collected others since. Just increasing your reputation as an awesome and thoughtful husband!!!
RennyBA
Thanks for reminding me dear – they are treasured by me too and a great way of sharing the memories with you!
I’ll do my best dear and my love for you is endless.
RennyBA, who else can bring back memories to real life as you.
I’m impressed.
btw. lets make something special for readers during Easter;))
RennyBA
Thanks for the compliments buddy!
Yea, lets come up with some real good ideas;))
what a fascinating opportunity you had at the top of the world! it seems so remote and it just amazes me what you found there. in all ways. thanks for taking us along.
RennyBA
I felt like on the top too and wanted to put it on the map to show how close it is from Scandinavia!
Glad to have you with
You’ve been finding your way to cultural excursions for a long time.
Some spots there certainly do look like a minimalist landscape.
RennyBA
Thanks – hope you’ve enjoyed it too.
The same spot pictures was something I saw when looking trough the pics last night.
traveling virtually from norway to russia
hope to visit them both someday
RennyBA
Your more than welcome – I’ll gladly guide you!
hello renny! it’s been awhile. Looks like you’re having a lot of fun!
RennyBA
Great to see you again – I’m off to yours!