Norwegian plague

Early morning. At the entrance to the airport, Oslo is worth carved from a sheet of steel figure of a man running paper pigeon. We flew – over the country of thousands of small islands, lingering languages ​​of fjords and large puddles in the deepening of stone mountains. Mountains gradually fished, becoming similar to a disseminated parchment with spots of red lichen and green moss, with firewalls and twisted roots of waterfalls of terrain. It was necessary to fly for a long time, with transfers – in the direction of all smaller airfields and all the fastest engineer aviation.

Norway – long country. The first serious landing we made somewhere in the area of ​​her loin. That is, it is the lower back – in a few kilometers from the town of Mu-I-Rana hosts the northern polar circle – the trait, followed by polar days and nights, which are mounted in clear weather by the Northern Lights. The inhabitants of the town decided to make the intersection of the polar circle with an attraction to attract travelers – on one of the seaside rocks installed a lattice globe, the Arctic Circle badges were cast and printed in a large number of letters about the intersection of tourists of this invisible earth parallel.

Another highlight of Fühlka (i.e. regions) Nurland was decided to make two caves – equipped electrified Grenlygrott and gloomy, outgoing almost three kilometers in the earth’s subsection. It is clear that guests from Russia, as famous in the world, Extreme Lovers, got this second to see.

The bus with a guide was waiting at the airport. At the entrance to the cave we were met by guides, and our first dressing took place in the overalls (there will be more ahead of them). In those who have visited overalls, rubber chops, rough gloves, in helmets with lanterns, we have become similar to the Matters of Digger. I don’t like caves at all for their similarity with immersion in the afterlife, although many like it. Later I asked our photographer:
– Seryozha, and you have been climbed into the dark? Your horse – people shoot on the streets.
– I do not know himself, – answered Maximishin. – Interesting.

However, I got and I also took a bag with cameras. It was interesting, but also hard too – I don’t want anymore. Go there in our own outer clothes, then we would not let any hotel would be allowed.

An impressive Zev of the former maritime grott ended narrow, like China, a throat, followed by a winding esophagus Nethergratta. Some where I had to slide on raw stones on the back or, like a distant ancestors, to descend to all four limbs. And straightening, curiously inspecting in underground "Hall", Wearing loud names "Crypt", "The cathedral" or "Concert hall". In the latter, the conductor offered everyone to sing and, without having met the response, he himself began to wrap something cheerful.

We have been underground for the second hour. This lower part of the cave was the work of not the sea, but groundwater. From the ceiling drop, the move led everything deeper, and in one of the side tunnels, the sinister rokot of underground river was clearly heard. I looked around: the strings of the dysfast lanterns stretched in the pitch darkness. For some reason, I was sure that we did not have to return to the surface of the same way – there should be some kind of inlet entry from the cave.

Pleasant surprise did not make himself wait. The conductor suggested everyone to pressent on the mittens and repay the lanterns. Dead silence broke the drops. In complete darkness somewhere quite close to the flute sounded suddenly. This is the partner of the conductor ahead of us to meet the melancholic musical composition, stressed the majestic self-sufficiency of the underworld. In the pauses heard intermittent breathing of flotwork.

And when the melody subsided and lit flashlights, there was a treat on the rock table: dovers of local beers, not that chips, not that matza, German sour cream and Nurland Delicates – dried ham. They assure that in the secret part of this cave, local residents keep dried meat and withstand the circles of Norwegian "Rocofor". Heaving and rebuilding, almost the bullet was returned on white light – the same way.

The town of Mui-Rana was surprisingly pretty, a little toy. Thanks to the local metallurgical plant, all the bridge and heated sidewalks, so that snow on them, they say, never happens. Surprised roofs covered with turf with grass. They can be seen not only in the museum of life and architecture under the open sky, but even in some places in the city. This is the Saami know-how: Heat and eco.

In which houses live in north of Norway? If we are talking about small cities and housing, standing on the severity, then most often in wooden, neatly triggeted. In terms of Norwegian crowns, such a house costs about 200-300 thousand. Euro. Public buildings are built from bricks, municipal accommodation from "Concritical" – Concrete.

To no longer return to the topic of life – to be in the Norwegian north, I will say about some challenges. Here you prefer not to heat at home, as we do, but to dress with warmer, as the British. Windows in houses are not accepted. Protestant tradition: so that the neighbors do not think that you hide something from them. When it comes to intimate moments, the curtains still hide: what is understood to others as a legal requirement "do not disturb". By the way, the sellers of chandeliers have nothing to do here – all coverage in Norwegian homes and hotels are local, zoned.

What else? The hay on the fields of skate in convolution, neatly packed in white polyethylene and reminds barcottar. Along the roads stick out red pins with fluorescent belt, so that in bad weather and snowfall, and even polar night, do not get down from the track. Each autumn special machines set these glowing in the dark.

The tracks here are cool, in a small area often single-band – with pockets on the roads for oncoming transport. It does not prevent comfortable buses "Volvo" Bring on them without reducing speed even on the devices. Their drivers, always in white shirts and with a tie, control huge vehicles as famously and accurately as their colleagues in the Mining Switzerland. I could not get rid of the feeling that these two countries have something in common. Just Switzerland south, and the glacial period ended for her several thousand years earlier than for Norway. When the ice crashed into the Arctic, expressed and rose pressed by unthinkable weight the rocky mountains. Northern Norway is overwhelmed by the reduced similarities of the Alpine Peak Matterhorn – sharp, like a swept claw, with the faces, which seem to be cut.

From the aircraft and from the sea, the landscape of Norway reminds the landscape after the Great Battle of the beginning of the time. The walls of the mountains and reminiscent of the fortresses of the rocks took on themselves and reflected the last violent launch of the glacier, did not allow him to break through, lay and freeze the floor. Probably, for this the creator and awarded Norway, sending warm Golf Stream to her harsh shores. Due to this, the average monthly temperature in Polar Lapland even in the middle of winter is – laugh, Siberians! – minus two degrees Celsius. But it does not apply to the mountains, where Saama is distilled off on the winter of deer, – there frosts can be a lute, almost like we.

But summer in Norway is cool. Although in the fishing village near the mu-and-wounds they assured me that from mid-June to mid-July in good weather in fjords you can swim.

After the walk along the fjord on the ship, we warsed in the village cafe. Treated fat pancakes with ramberry gogol mogly – most "Fisherman" dish. For the fourth time per day, we had to sit down at the table (well, at least, on flights "Scandinavian Airlines" passengers do not feed). The captain, a local resident and a hediarian sailor who flown with us, admitted that his favorite dish – herring soup. I didn’t hear about this.

In my secret intentions on this trip, it was about to get acquainted with the fat Norwegian villagers – alas, everywhere she turned out to be skinny and saved or strangled, on German manner, apples with mayonnaise and mustard. But Lososina and seafood of fresh catch everywhere, as a rule, were excellent.

Upon returning to Mui-Rana in the old hotel of the XIX century, we were still waiting for us "arctic" Dinner – with a dried breast of partridges and meat of polar boar, the presentation of literacy about the intersection of the Northern Polar Circle and – Oh, the benefit! – Hotel rooms for smokers. The group was surprisingly little drinking, but smoking. With the other in Norway strictly.

Alcohol trades the state, and places where it is sold, a little. In restaurants, a glass of dry wine or beer bottle will cost you at least 7-8 euros. The same thing is a pack of cigarettes. So drink simple Norwegians "in Finnish": if you start, then until it stops, then nothing remembers anything, but reminding here not accepted. There is even a Norwegian saying on this subject: Wednesday – I don’t care what the little Saturday. Interesting thought is not true?

Smoking is prohibited almost everywhere – only permitted outdoors, or at home. Therefore, you go on a trip like a steam locomotive, – when the next time will come? And suddenly such an unexpected gift from hot cities hotels, even in the bed of smoke – democracy!

The Lutheran Church in the Mouie-Wound with an unexpected bully instead of the spire testifies to the longtime bond. In the church cemetery, among others – the fraternal grave of Soviet prisoners of war. In the years of occupation, the Germans made them build a railway on Mui-Win. After the war, the Norwegians extended her further in the Polar.

On this road, one of the northernmost in the world, we went to Budo in a train consisting of one long car. The road walked along the picturesque mountain river, climbed along the gentle slopes, climbing glaciers and pass at an altitude of 680 meters above sea level. The driver dropped the speed from 100 km / h and in the sign of respect slowed down from the globe on a tripod. So, again we crossed the polar circle, already on land. Circle dwarf birch, juniper, moss, lichens, stones and boulders, Snow Mountains. And the slightest traces of the presence of a person, not counting rails and our car

In Bero we were waiting for a minibus with a guide to Paul. He comes from St. Petersburg, studying at a local university on a sociologist, and here came here at a thirteen age with parents-engineers. For nine years of life in Budyu to the Polar Night, which stretches here two and a half months, used to a long time ago, but the Russians consider themselves so and not. Russians in Norway are not a pond of a pride, but this is hundreds of people and families in any city with a population from 20 thousand inhabitants and above. Almost every fourth Norwegian marries today in Russian – there is something to think about.

We were accepted as welcome guests in the center of protection of marine eagles, I do not know for what merits. I always liked the naval name Sea Eagle, but I did not suspect that this is not a metaphor, but the view of birds. Here, in the vicinity of the Lofoten Islands, the largest population of these predators in Scandinavia. 10 thousand kindergarts from different countries donate money for protection and study of four hundred birds – two hundred eagle couples.

Under champagne with seafood, we listened to the whole speech, turning into a report, about the life of these proud feathered. The panoramic window flared over the bay and the islands of unthinkable beauty Sunset. NATO air base introduced its contribution to the overall picture – strokes of supersonic fighters in the sky and the roar of their jet engines. When the time has come, I asked if the aviation and sea eagles do not interfere with each other? "By no means, – answered me the director of the center, right on the military airfield for several years a couple of eagles live". The real danger to birds represent not fighters, but the wind turbines – electric generators on the coast: only last year from their blades killed 16 eagles. The submitted scene of the Don Quixote Battle of Marine Orlines with windmills shook my imagination. And I immediately drank, as it applies to Russian man in such cases.

Civil airport in Budo turned out to be "silent" – no voice ads, all information on the scoreboard. Apparently, NATO WARIKS taught the population to love silence. From here, looking at night, we made a short flight to Alto.

At the entrance to the hotel in Alte, the pointers reported: Moscow from here is only 1700 km, to Paris already 2600. The room was cool and uncomfortable, behind the window Bells, snow-covered mountains – but under the window there was a canoriorifer with a regulator, and the floor in the bathroom was heated. I slid down the blankets under the snowdrift and forgotten sleep. Too much impressions in two days.

From Alta, we had 240-kilometer jerks to Cape Nordsp, it is considered to be an extreme mainland northern point of Europe. Although actually it is dishonest. Extreme Point of Europe – Located a little east of Nordsin Cape, and Nordkap is located on the island of Magheroia, which only seven years ago connected with the mainland 7-kilometer tunnel under the strait. Yes, and on the very island of north of Nordska is issued to the ocean gentle Cape Klischellden, translated "The tip of the knife".

But, firstly, it was so he was like a light hand of English navigators who gave Nordcap his name half years ago. And secondly, Northskap is an impressive gloomy cliff, towering 307 m above the harsh winds of the Ice Ocean, for which 200 thousand tourists visit him annually. Norwegian name island translated as "Scarce", But every spring of Saama is shipped here on the ferry to feed five thousand deer. Back Fixed Deer Overcome 2.5-kilometer Strait. Saami direct and accompany the horned herds on boats – then the spectacle must be!

In the local waters, the fish is held, from cod to the halotus, in one of the bays they grow blue mussels, and the coastal strip is choshat by Kamchatsky crabs – "Non-return" Of the coolest Soviet territorial waters, where they started to be breeding in the 1960s.

We went to the crab safari from the tiny island port near Nordkapa. Once again, we had to overalls and rushed on an inflatable boat with a motor at a worried sea to ahead of the damned trap with a bait – a gutted cod.

Crab Safari – the idea of ​​several enterprising local residents who have invented how to work out on tourists. Pleasure costs 60 euros per person – or 100 euros, if caught crabs immediately, on the deserted shore to cook in barrel. Crabs are huge, weighing 3-5 kg, and strong, with its claws, the finger can bite off in two bills. Therefore, all our participation in fishing has been working on the observation of how to be removed from the depth of the grid with the catch of underwater mandes, a fearless photographing with them in the hands and eating crab meat in the evening in the restaurant of the port hotel under a winery of wonderful Norwegian vodka "Aquavit" with flavoring rye cumin bread.

From a dozen crab caught on safari only three small faiths. Huge females with black hair caviar deposits under the shelter Norwegians immediately returned to the bottom right in the trap.

I talked with one of the organizers, Runar Junsen. He is a little over thirty, father of two daughters. For the idea to organize safari, it was pushed by frequent corporate parties of the visitors of Norwegians – in the impitution, they all wanted adventures. For Runnar and his friends Safari – Makers, in the main time they work in the port, on road works or construction site. It is necessary to consider that on average, the annual income of the Norwegian is more than 20 thousand euros.

Half a century ago it was one of the poorest countries in Europe. Norway is suddenly rich on the Americans discovered in its territorial water. Now also huge gas reserves found. Folded welfare made Norway attractive for many, but also contributed to the development of certain swirls in the Norwegian character.

Not a stupidity, of course, to judge about it, but in the Scandinavian world, as you know from the history, the Norwegians have long played the role of outsiders relatively with the Swedes and Danes. Several centuries, these descendants of the Vikings were styled on the backyards in common with them, and then. And although in 1905, the Norwegians came out of Ulya, and Christiania renamed Oslo, the memory still remained. Like the usual feeling of rivalry with neighbors, which over time has acquired a soft form of friendly dive. Especially since such happiness has adricted – oil.

According to statistics today, 12% of Norwegians live in Oslo. Natural population population in a prosperous country is crying, only the influx of immigrants saves only. So wealth does not change so much how much does the problem modifies. Although, of course, being rich and healthy is preferable. It was painful to look at the rusty Russian trawler in the port, waiting for the Norwegian authorities permission to catch fish in their waters.

Halfway between Northskap and Alta we met the camp of the SAMOV-Olenevodov. The bus immediately stopped, and all together grabbed the cameras. Rare luck: 6-7 families on quad bikes, in the drives, shacks and plagues (Saama name is their "Lavvory") and a flock of 6 thousand goals. At the entrance to the camp, the men were freshly reindeer, raising encouraged decapitated carcass. During the process with curiosity observed sweetest kids-saamas. They were brought here on an excursion from the city school. Spectacle, right, not for nervous.

And in a remote padded, the non-stop and meaningless deer of the deer of the herd around several dominant males took place. Their branching horns rose over deer backs, like dry trees in the middle of a low shUSD It looked like some kind of shaman dance under a rainy autumn sky before the start of the nomad. By the way, asking the guide, how much is a deer, I figured out that such a flock should cost several million euros.

About quad bikes, kayaki on fjord, fishing for ocean spinning from a ship and other forms "active rest" With constant dressing up in overalls, I will not tell me from saving space – a week spent in the Norwegian Polar, for the amount of impressions worth another month.

But I can’t keep silent about the impression of the city of Tromso. He’s called "Little Paris" Northern Norway, but I am like a scale and landscape with a landscape rather, the Swiss Lucerne, and the building – the university cities of Massachusetts or Pennsylvania. Of the 75 thousand of its inhabitants, 10 thousand are students. City old and young, alive and very beautiful even at night.

In the port of Tromso, the snow-white cruise liner with a three-volume sailboat, a cargo ship – with the ocean motor yacht. Bridges are thrown into the islands, and from the shore of the fjord the hanging road to the restaurant on the top of the mountain. The triangular Arctic Cathedral of her foot is also called him "Cathedral of the Northern Ocean", Reminds Ice Toros.

In Tromso Amundsen prepared his Arctic expeditions. In the house where he stopped, now a restaurant "Peppermelle". One of the halls was hung with photographs of expeditions, and the institution itself is famous for its French-Norwegian cuisine. How to forget the sharp taste of soup from Kamchatka crab and a delicate consistency of roasted venison, which was conceived in the pressure cooker to the state of the boiled language – under the White Alsace, Red Australian and Dessert Raisen Wine?! Named Publy and Return to Civilization.

The city of Tromsø must be Russian twice, and many here remember this. He emerged thanks to our poms – from the beginning of the XVIII century, they sailed to this wild shore to trade, not paying duties. Finally, patience of the Norwegian authorities burst, built customs, and the city began with it.

And in the second world war, the city was saved by the destruction of Soviet troops. German parts, retreating, burned Northern Norwegian villages and cities – Alta, Bero -. Tromso did not have time.

Our conductor and hot patriot Tromso John-Yen-Ivan thanked us for it. We are with? It became embarrassing and nice at the same time. This is an unexpected manifestation of gratitude affected some serious feelings. For some reason, a football fan was remembered from a sports car on the island of scarce, who stick to our photographer with the words: "And that you, Russians, find in our wilderness? I once in your Murmansk was – this is the city, yes!"

Tromsø, of course, is not such a big city as Murmansk, but much picturesque and richer, it is certain. I say without envy as it is. I’ll see, let us give God, and we will get ready for the arrangement. Maybe the secret is not in oil and gas, but in the fact that the Norwegians holes were drilled in coins with a face value of 1 and 5 kroons? Save resources. And for the blind it is convenient. Maybe we drill us?