The Hidden Arctic Road along the Norwegian-Russian Border
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- Опубліковано 15 лис 2023
- In part 2 of the Arctic East 700, we spend the final day cycling the 120km round trip following the Norwegian-Russian border to the Barent Sea. It's a journey that took us by surprise. At certain points, you can nearly touch Russia as the road follows the river which divides the two countries. Would you ride this road? It's one for the memory banks.
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DON'T MAKE IT SO DRAMATIC. !!!
hahaha i tought it was cool
my uncle was a guard in the polish military in the 80s. He shot a drunk guy and got promoted for the action.
This guy would have encountered a similar guy to my uncle
Idiot or maybe a russian bot?
@@crithappened So what did the drunk guy do to get himself killed? It must have been somebody important, or do Poles always reward the killing of drunks by their military?
I want to go Europe for assylum from Russia which is best option
I live here, and have no problems with the Russian's on the other side of the river. Also, you should have mentioned that in this river "Grense Jakobselv" you can catch big Atlantic salmon - and that the church/chapel you mentioned was built in 1869.
Morsomt det nå være å fiske i den elva og prate, men IKKJE gå over for å møtes. Da både du eller han kan være noen så er klar til å arrestere den andre 😂
Ja vi har bestandig levd sammen med russerne som søsken. Spesielt her nord hvor Russland befriet oss fra Tyskland.
Also, the area on the other side of the river, was part of Finland between 1920-44, and was called Petsamo.
The area has never been Finnish except for the Finnish occupation of 1920-44. In the Middle Ages, the Pechenga region, as well as the whole of northern Scandinavia, was taken under control by the Novgorod Republic, which involved the region in trade and was engaged in spreading Orthodoxy here.
During the Russian Empire, the Pechenga region, inhabited by a few Orthodox Lapps, was part of the Arkhangelsk province.
@@Noen123❤❤❤❤❤🙏🙏🙏🇷🇺🇷🇺🇷🇺🎋🎉🎊🎁
Hidden road? Its a super popular tourist road. I was baptized at that church you briefly viewed, and i have a cabin nearby. Stop dramatising this border, its as calm as ever.
❤❤❤
Come on, it was done in a joking and ironic way.
Good memories :In 2009, I rode to Grense Jakobselv on my motorcycle. The signs about the border were already there. I found the place much more interesting than Cape North which is a tourist trap.
If you would have said "hi" to the Norwegian Border Patrol you would probably have had a nice chat. Even though they're super competent they are also really nice people. Never be afraid to say "hi" to the Norwegian Army 😊
I was visiting Grense this summer and the military people in the car I met waved friendly. They seams to just check out that everything is normal. Well a Swedish car plate does not catch there attention...
But bring a valid ID ie passport. You are mandated to show it any time in this area.
That ship was the Coastguard, not the regular Navy.
In the early 90's I was stationed up there patrolling that border, on ski's wintertime, and walking when there were no snow. Fun memories :)
Me too! Korpfjell 1990/91 - Grense jeger "pingle jeger" :))
I'm a UK university student living in Narva, Estonia for a study placement. From my apartment I can see Russia and most days i walk 2/3 minutes to the border which is a river and walk down the promenade. Its a stunning location with Ivangorod castle dominating the landscape but the first time i did it i was shocked! I was perhaps 20 metres away from Russians that were just chilling over the on the other side, some were sunbathing and others were fishing but you could literally just talk to them. As a Brit from over 1000 miles away this experience is very odd for me but to the locals of both countries everything seemed friendly and cordial. But then you go back into the city centre and Estonian soldiers patrol the streets, its difficult to understand what the relationship is between the two countries here. Perhaps the distinction between politics and people, i don't know.
Norvègia a Nátohoz tartozik, ès ezèrt járőröznek az Orosz katonák! Norvègia másik fele Orosz területek lennènek? Èrdekes! Lenne mit vissza venni a Norvègiának is az Oroszországtól, ami földrajzilag ès törtènelmileg a Norvègiát kèpezi! Az Oroszország mikor vette el a Norvègiától a területeket, az az a Norvèg sziget felèt? Règóta? Gáz! Üdv.: Laura 🐦
Hi there! I'm from St-Petersburg, just have been in Ivangorod a month ago. It was weird looking at the other side knowing there's no way I could cross this border today...
@@kuschilop My placement lasted from September to just 3 days ago. I made that walk everyday, so interesting to know there was someone on the opposite side to me, thinking the same thoughts. I am back in England now, my next placement will be in Daugavpils, Latvia. But I love St.Petersburg, I was lucky to visit in 2017, ever since it has been my dream to live there. Perhaps someday, when the Putin regime is a near distant memory. To peace and prosperity between nations 🍻
@@Mmjk_12 Wow, what a story :) Hope your dream will come true some day. St. Petersburg is a fantastic place to live for some time.
@@Mmjk_12Russia without Putin wouldn't be anymore Russia.
Being a native norwegian born and bred i can firmly say that this trip is nothing to worry about.do understand that making a youtube vlog it can be temting to add some drama but best keeping facts.😂
sure, but its easy crossing over that creek, barley a river
pretty sure all our Speed cameras that where stolen last year on Swedish roads and been found in Russian winged drones took that path.
You were there in the 60s or later during the cold war?? Not a laughing matter all the time. Born and bread Norwegian?? A bloody southener I excpect 🤣🤣🤣
I was a border guard in 1989 before the wall fell in Berlin, You can laugh your heart out but You are a totally historically ignorant
Inspiring, informative, funny, beautiful all in one video. Thanks Matthew ❤
Another great video Matthew, I very much enjoy the humour that you use!
I'd forgotten about that road, I missed the chance to 'explore' it last time I was up in the far(ish) north of Norway. Areas with forbidden zones and routes intrigue me very much and I'm always compelled to explore them.
Not sure Rudolph 🦌 deserved that ending mind, think of the children at Christmas 🎅 ...
Excellent footage as usual, thanks very much for that 🚴♂️👍
No one sleeps in the bush unless they are tourist camping... :-) There is a way to cross legally into Russia, even without a passport. In Pasvik there are two areas in the river where the Norwegian side is too shallow, so it's permitted, on a boat, to use the Russian side of the riber to get past these two areas. Not many know that... The road to Grense Jakobselv is often considered one of the 10 most beautiful in Norway. Greetings from Hesseng :-)
Fra Sandnes også!! Har aldri følt meg truet av Russerene i Grense Jakobselv eller Pasvik for den del.
Ils ne peuvent se passer de faire de la propagande antirusse
they use bikes over the border, from russian side. that is why you see bikes all over. there is much proof of this
Fantastic as usual Matthew 👌
Beautiful story, thanks for sharing
Well that road was once Norwegian road in Finnish-Norwegian border but Russia stole our lands. Petsamo is the name of that stolen area.
The entire territory of Finland was also stolen by Russia. from Sweden.
Great, loved It! Thank you.
I have this route added to my list of places to cycle. What a ride!
This brings back so many memories. I was there back in 2004, my first long trip in my new Škoda Fabia. I didn't even remember until you said it here that the road wasn't paved all the way to Grense Jakobselv, but I do remember paddling in the river and being aware not to go over half way. There were no elk to be seen in the dense undergrowth on the other side that day though; nor Russian military, for that matter. But it was early July, the weather was nice, and we picniced on the beach.
I really need to get back there. I miss that part of the world. I never got to go down the Øvre Pasvik road though; I so wanted to, but my travelling companion said "leave something for next time". That "next time" is yet to come. Oh I do hope they put the ferries back on from Newcastle again soon.
Oh I love the drama! What amazing roads up there :-)
In 1968, under heavy fog during the night, Norwegian border guards suddenly heard the sound of heavy machinery all along the border. When the fog lifted, thousands of tanks and tracked vehicles stood lined up in front of the border, aiming their turrets at Norwegian positions and watchtowers. At one point, a spotter saw a flash from a turret further back. His heart sank. It would be only seconds until they were dead. But as the clock ticked by, nothing happened. And he released probably the longest sigh he's ever made until that day, because they were only shooting blanks. The whole incident was black-bagged by the Norwegian government, so it never really made a stir in either Norwegian or international press, but Norwegians stood ready to fire missiles at the tanks the second they made the wrong move. Had this happened, the world might have looked very different today...
LOL! "At one point, a spotter saw a flash from a turret further back. His heart sank. It would be only seconds until they were dead." And that wasn't the "wrong move"? What a load of BS!
@@johnmcmullan9741 You'll have to refer to the Army report pal. The events that day are thoroughly documented.
@@johnmcmullan9741 never heard about it. Jækla løgn
@@kebman Like Norway's history generally? LOL! The Nazis didn't invade Norway; the Norwegians accommodated them. You believe in Norway's heroic resistance against the Nazis, do you? So backward-looking on the periphery of civilisation, they struggled to document any history, which some see as an opportunity to make it up. LOL! Vikings by name, vikings by nature. Corrupt con artists incessantly talking shite.
@@Noen123 Just another grossly exaggerated tale. Like the one about how Norway saved the world during WWII by scuppering the Nazi's atomic bombs. Not only has it been demonstrated that there was insufficient pure heavy water, the German's R&D wasn't capable of building atomic bombs. But still Norwegians bang on about it, in denial of the truth. Clearly big on BS mainly.
u r a good environmentalists i thank u for using cycle for ur travel .
i support ur endeavour and ur channel for this
What a journey. What a ride.
Would like to cycle to the far north of Norway some day
Love it! Thank you!
I've come to expect wonderful videos from you, and I'm never disappointed! This was really interesting, and, as usual, beautifully filmed. More, please! Greetings from Devon.
You can follow the great adventurer from Italy, Lorenzo Barone. Look for him to see where he rode his bike in winter. Right now he's in Sweden.
I would be a LOT more concerned traveling to the UK than to Russia - for sure!
Why?
Great film, an amazing trip.
That part of Norway used to belong to Finland before it got stolen. Still people speak Finnish there!
the border was defined in the year 1751, before finland became their own nation, the deal was made when finland was a part of sweden too
Pretty sure it’s the russian side that used to be finnish
Cry more, You got beaten
Actually it was nothing to do with getting betten, it was part of the Napoleonic aftermath
Not at all the kind of video I expected to watch, though I'm happy I did. Wonderful
Another great video.
😂 you had me there, where you stopped because you heard something in the bushes, you’re heart stopped, I stopped breathing that’s not better, luckely it was a reindeer 😊 Love you’re video’s 👋
Grense Jakobselv - I was there on 1st September, passed King Oscar II Chapel and stayed one night directly at Barentssea. Unforgettable 😍
Same here (different day and year), absolutely loved the area.
Looks like a great route!
Congratulations with first 20K subscribers. Plz upload more videos 🎉🚴
Interesting to see what it's like over there !
Seems like a nice place to take the bike at in the summertime.
Great video
Hi Matthew, great video as always. The bikes are there from refugees crossing the border. The law says they can't travel by foot or motor vehicles BUT do not mention bikes. So they travel over on bikes given to them by the Russians who export their refugee costs.
Well, actually they’re not, they bellng to the guy living there, the same guy who owns the slightly creepy souvenir shop. Also the road is not at all from the nineteenth century, it opened in the fifties, no new signs since the full scale invasion also. I appreciate the want for a dramatic vlog, but this is just way over the top.
Good Job Matheew😘
Great! Wonderfull Norway!
Nice video Mathew! Which bag you are using too fly your bike? Cheers
Was by the border crossing myself in 2021. Did not know about the chapel at that time. Planning a new trip in 2025, maybe then I will be able to see the chapel.
Went to the north cape. but truly never went as far towards Jacobselv, really because I did not think much about it other than it being a river between Norway and Russia which also marked the border.
Next time will be through Finland / Sweden. To see more. Maybe closer to the Russian border, all the way to the point where Finland, Norway and Russia meet. Thank you for this video.
Want to go there with my camper next summer! Ferry to Helsinki and drive up. Adventure!
Was at the world end in Norway this summer, fantastic views! On the way there we stopped at Drammen, also very beautiful! Unfortunately flooded a week later.
❤❤❤❤❤ that area, peninsulas, and regions. I tell anyone if they get a chance to visit that area.
Had lunch at the picnic table at the border, spent the night at Grense Jakobselv at the Barents Sea, and beyond belief the quietness all along the FV8860.
Didn't realize at the time but the land I could see in the distance was Vardo.
Had a similar feeling while trying to take a picture of the Russian side, noticing that we were being watched, put down the camera.
I was talking with a Norwegian Military Personnel and he said we were not allowed to take any pictures of the border buildings.
Noticed that a tour bus that went there just to see it, and not cross it, with not a single person with a camera out.
I have cycled to Kirkenes and Grense Jakobselv in 2012. Fascinating area. 😂
Super cool
😄
I will retire in a couple of years - watch out for me! I will be there some day! a very nice story!
From what I've heard and read about this Norway-Russia border crossing things were much more tense during the Cold War. Back then this crossing was literally a part of the Iron Curtain between the East and West. Nowadays things aren't as intense as they were during the Cold War.
In 1991, all of northern Russia from Viborg to Murmansk was off-limits to foreigners. Then in the Murmansk region you had to pay a toll. I think it doesn't pay anymore today. There were many military units in the northern area that were abandoned. In Viborg the Finns came on weekends to have fun for drinks and women. There was prohibition in Russia, but the militiamen took taxis and had their trunks full of alcohol. The city was full of prostitutes just like in Italy.
In 1974 I drove to the North Cape through Finland and we though about driving to the Russian Border, but never got that far. They still had ferries from Repvåg by then.
Grense Jakobselv is the most special place! And Oscar 2. chapel is a must! Actually its the reason for Norway and Russia was right there. Its so close to Russia, and that was planned by the building the chappel there. l was there as a army patrol. The beach is so perfect, and its so far north, you will never find a border that long north anywhere.
Ah yes - more ‘bikes as tools of discovery’ - so good to see and incredibly interesting, many thanks
I missing Kirkenes and Sør-Varanger, in 1996 i had my military service there, as boarder solider and we even meet brown bear in Passvikdalen.... 😀😁
Lots of guys has made this road trip. No Problemo!
Well, you proved me wrong. I predicted you wouldn't make a video about Grense Jakobselv. Not that scenic in the North Norway style, drones will draw unwanted military attention, and so on. But no, I was wrong. Congratulations, great video!
I loved the area, camped at the shore one night.
? this road is not hidden at all. Everybody on Pasvik excursions goes there.... There is also Pasvik reserve on the russian side, and near Nyrud, a narrow long islet/island named Varlam visited for its diverse biotypes. This Varlam islet was the home, before Revolution of a norwegian ornithologist, Hans Schaanning,, who after moved to Noatun on the other shore. The trade on these areas was quite developed in Middle-Ages, in russian it's part of Pomor trade and subculture, and the name of the city Murmansk derivates from the word "nordmann" ie. in scandinavian "norwegian", with "n" softened in a "m". The old name of the settlement before the city in Romanov times was Romanov-na-Murman.
around 0:23: no, Grense Jakobslev/Borisoglebsk is not the only Schengen-Russia crossing open by now. There are three crossings in Estonia, main one Narva of course, two in Latvia (main one Terohova on M9 to MSK) and the crossings to Kaliningrad from/to Poland and Lithuania.
how do you think NATO regimes do bring in/out their own agents if all border crossings shut down?
I was there last summer!
@matthewnorway Do you have a video where you explain your gear, travel bags and how you disassemble to bike for a flight, and which fees the airlines will take?
If you fly with SAS or Norwegian, you should have the bike in a bag or box designed for transport. Max 20 kg. Inform the airline about the bike when booking.
A bike may add something like USD 30 to the plane ticket.
awesome❤
I read the title first as "Hiding in the Arctic Road Along my Norwegian-Russian Brother"
Is there any way one can trespass the border line?...how much troublesome would that be ?
Beautiful, except for the simulated reindeer murder, whilst drinking my morning coffee...🇧🇻🦌
It is also the oldest and only remaining nato to russia border that has been there since the formation of Nato, as there was no warsaw pact countries between Norway and Russia, and Norway being a forming member of Nato, and the border being close to Russias largest naval base in Murmansk.
4:50 is pure projection. It was Norway that killed over 100 deers to stop them from crossing into Russia.
I was a Border Gaurd in 1973 not far north but on Korpfjell Borderstation
It is not the only one Schengen area border crossing which is open to Russia. Poland has also left open the crossings, Finland as well.
Only a single border crossing from Finland is still open, the most Northern one. The sign to it in Sodankylä reading "303 km to Murmansk" was shown at 0:20.
JOLLY GOOD: regards D end.
Hello Matthew. I think you had an exiting ride. In juni 42 years ago I visited Svanvik boarder high school in Pasvik. We should run the Norwegian championship in orienteering long distance, that in these days would have been called ultra long. We were picked up by a bus at the airport at nine o'clock in the evening, and a guide gave a history lesson on the road against Svanvik. There we were servered danner in bright sunshine at midnight. The day after we run cross country orienteering in the woods along the Pasvik river. This was of course in the cold war and in the woods we passed soldiers sitting in bunkers as listening posts with large binoculars following things that came along on the other side of the border. Now the Russian Autocrats have destroyed the interpersonal relationships that had been built up. Now everybodu must cheer for Jkraine and hope the best. 🇺🇦🇺🇦Slava Ukraine and glory to their great heroes 🇺🇦🇺🇦
Бедняга, уже все должны Украине, но от меня они ничего не получат
You dream very romantically and colorfully, but you don't know much about the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Ukraine is the victim of NATO and Biden's America sacrificing the Ukrainian people through the Jewish servant Zelenskyy who plays the role of the great hero who defends all of Europe from the dangerous enemy, Russia. NATO has no place in the security zone of the Russian Federation. Point.
They say that Scandinavia has only recently risen from under the water. Just a few centuries ago, in its place there was a sea with small rocky islands. Did you see any signs of this?
This vid is some Jack Ryan level type of thriller!!
Hmmm whats the songs u use?
Glad there is a river crossing required.
I've driven along this road, in the middle of the night... although, it was June, so not dark...
I know that road. Travelled it four years ago on my motorbike. Weather was much worse that time, otherwise pretty much the same, including the Norwegian soldiers.
It used to be Finland on the other side of that small stream...just saying
Ok, you can keep just saying it.
How hard is it for a westerner to cross into the Russia from Norway or Finland at a secured border-crossing without a visa? Would you be turned away and told to go back?
It’s impossible. However you can move to Russia if you’ve a visa.
It's quite simple to obtain a E-visa for 16 days nowadays, you don't even need to visit a consulate.
I was in Murmansk / Monchegorsk in July this year. It was pretty alright, a bit of poverty is to be suspected but the Russian way of life is just so different than the norwegian one in may ways. But also extremely similar in many more. All in all I'll have to say that people around Murmansk / Monchegorsk are extremely friendly, if not a bit shy / unintrested.
It's a extremely vast country, and it's easy to tell that the north has a hard fight every year with the permafrost / insane amounts of snow and ice that builds up underground. But their roads for the most part are on par with Norway, and defiantly better than Bergen's. (joke but not quite) The cuisine is extremely good, the prices are extremely cheap. A good general rule in Russia is: if you don't "fuck around" you won't "find out", which I think is a good deterrent to not act like a benign moron.
As I have been very lucky in my upbringing and come from the states, I would frankly say that Russian rural people and American rural people are almost per definition the same people in their values, views, kindness and hospitality. They did not see me as a foreign NATO agent / spy, (which i kinda feared due to the stigma of Russia / KGB / NKVD / FSB stereotype, but rather as a random dude which they were more curios about than anything else.
Thanks to my girlfriend who is Russian, and my somewhat basic Russian I spoke to proper bandits from the 90s. Also if they ask to play cards, deny as fast as possible. But also spoke to a lot of random people with their own random lives, and their biggest fear of the west is that all we have is hatred torwards them, because hatred is a tool of division and is the most promoted tool of every government as of late.
If not for goverments every nation could work as one, but we are forced to be learned our ways of life through harshness of history, rather than the promise of the future.
I came home two hours ago.
Took my bike to the shop and back home.
Not as impressive like what you guys did though.
But when i was on my way back home i saw a man with only one leg.
A one leg man is nothing you see everyday
cool
Før gikk man frem og tilbake over grensa og var venna. Hvem er det som setter oss opp imot hverandre?
America and block NATO lectures all world,with who or how we can be friends
Meanwhile me, a norwegian that hasnt been further north than Bergen....
Well, why are you poor, capitalist, in a very rich country like Norway? The dividends of riches are divided among the inhabitants. It is the richest country in Europe. I am from Romania and I have been several times all over Scandinavia. You did not live under communism. O cabană simpla din lemn cu etaj costă 350.000 de euro în Norvegia. Cu 350. 000 de euro în România sau alte țări din fostele țări socialiste aș trăi ca în filme. With 80,000 euros I would buy a fully furnished apartment, with 50,000 euros an SUV and with the rest of the money I would travel around the world.
@@georgemelinte8320 I was making a joke, but im a business major. Havent had time or money to travel yet.
Normally i i don’t make long comments on videos, but this one deserves it.
I have to say, being a person who has lived in Kirkenes for 20 years, i find this video borderline offensive. To make these “dramatic” scenes and state things like “dangerous” or “deserted” place. Its just rude, people live here, people spend their entire lives working for this town that they love, so that you can make dramatic misinformed content of it? I could point out so many things you got wrong. And the worst part is, had you made a normal video without all this bullshit, it would still have been a really cool interesting video. But its all about the views i guess🤷♂️
Just some things i would like to correct:
2:16 Those bikes are not from people crossing the border, its literally just the bikes of a guy who lives there, he collects lots of stuff, and he owns property there, including the souvenir shop. You think it looks deserted or creepy, but it’s just the backyard of one of our local hoarders…
3:27: That’s the Coast Guard, NOT the Royal Norwegian Navy. There is no war going on up here, so stop making it look like it.
I could point out so much more, it’s aggravating.
This is not political, this is just me “defending” my hometown. So please don’t start any comments about the war in ukraine or anything unrelated. I just want people to understand that what it shown in this video is many people’s homeland, and it is what they love. It is not a creepy place to make misinformed videos. Thank you
the bikes came from 2015? or round about. There were meny refugees coming through Russia, but first they weren't allows crossing by foot to seek asalym, therefore coming by bike. That time it was huge, but maybe that news didn't reach Oslo😁
Танки «Абрамс» могли бороться только с верблюдоводами и фермерами, но не могли бороться с русскими мастерами водки.
what happens if you ride a moos and it suddenly goes over the border?
Im gonna go fishing there
You took the nicest route in Finmark I live in Varanger. And it is much nicer than going to the northern cape. Vardo and Hamningberg is also the real arctic. Not just the arctic circle.
Wish you would make it just a little bit more dramatic..
It's a good video, but the dramatic parts were not needed.
As a previous Norwegian bordergard(the guys that sitt in those towers). This was waaay to dramatic, the rode is not secret and the Russian bordergard is not dangerous as long as we are in peace time. I can't gett a gripp on if this is ironic or not.
I know some guys that went swimming in the border river. They were happy they got up before the Russians came over.
🙌🔥🤙
Putin has forgotten that road himself. Tnx for reminding him🤣
Isnt it like two boarder crossings in norway to russia?
EDIT: those blue signs saying its forbidden to cross has been there for YEARS before any conflict.
those bikes are there because it is illegal to walk between the borders. but you can drive aka bicycle, as it is not same as walking, they use that as a loophole and many migrants came trough Russia and to come to that border. they get the bikes from russian border guards.
We free camped at grense jacobselv in our camper van
TOO MUCH DRAMA , LOVE FROM AFRICA
Also there is a sign that says dont urinate in the river towards Russia or you will pay a large fine !! Cuz the river is the border and people have done it
The road is not hidden, it's in lain sight.
In summer 2021 I was camping in that area with my home made box van camper for 1 month . This was a bit over dramatic lol.
I would love to see how much over the top drama he would make out a actually trip from Kirkenes to Murmansk Russia.
I have done that trip 2 times with my car and soon after passing the heavily guarded border into Russia you come to Nikel a industrial heavily polluted town. After that it is hours of driving trough a military area where no one lives (no one is allowed to live in that huge military area) and you see the Russian border high barbwire fence with with sand trap which is not meant to keep people from coming into Russia but it is meant to keep people INN Russia identical to high prison fence ....
Also you pass several checkpoints with armed military guards on the way to Murmansk before you actually reach the Russian border passport control (think it was 1 hour or more to get to that point quite far into Russia). At the passport control it was 1 hour waiting in line to get your passport checked and approved by a clerk writing on a type writer with one finger 1 sign per second, probably the most slow typewriter in the entire world and that person alone was the reason for the 1 hour line at the passport check...
After passing the border passport check it was more normal with no more armed guards and military checkpoints. But on the middle of a long stretch of road with 80km/h speed limit it was suddenly a 60km/h speed limit for no reason at all... The guy I traveled with said it was there for the police to catch speeders that ignored it, a literal speed trap lol ;)
Rest of the trip the largest danger was Russian logging lorries which had the habit of driving in the middle of the road (presumably because they was drunk and stayed in the middle to be safe ... they looked like drunk drivers swerving all over lol.)
We arrived in Murmans and had to check in at a hotel I had paid for even If I had private place to stay. That was part of the visa to stay in Russia for 2 days in the weekend. We went out on the town and for first time in my life girls actually asked me to dance... Later my friend that I was traveling with said the girls was doughters of Russian mafia boss lool ;) We had fun and then went home. Aslo shopping there was a pleasant experienc, thing tid cost the same as in Norway but it was in Rubles which was 1/4 the value so everything did cost 1/4 :) This was back in 2001, now the Ruble even with the war is much higher in value and increasing compered to the Norwegian shitcoin (that is what we call NOK now because it keeps falling faster and faster in value...)...
In Russia it is customary for women to invite men to dance. It is something very natural even if they are married. It happened to me in 2018 on the shores of Lake Onega on a terrace in Petrozavodsk, the capital of the Republic of Karelia. I was alone and a woman came to my table to ask me if I agreed to be invited by her friends to dance that night. They had DJs and music from the 90's. Alcoholic beverages and food were served. They were Russian boys, but I had no problems with them. They didn't fight or anything.
In 1991, one dollar was worth 45 rubles. Gorbachev's perestroika turned Russia upside down. The world was confused and fearful for their future when Mother Russia took her protective hand off them. So many factories, plants, mines and all industry and economy fell. Politicians, thugs and the KGB stole people's money and became today's rich oligarchs. Russia no longer developed to the delight of the Yankees celebrating the victory of the Cold War. The country was in free fall until 2012 when Vladimir Putin came to power, the ruler for life of Russia. Russia is in good hands and will know glory in the future.
I am from Romania and I hate the EU, NATO and America because they destroyed and plundered my country, Romania which became a poor colony and Europe's garbage dump. Romania had all natural resources, strong industry and the only country in the world that had no external debt to the World Bank. Two 34 years of capitalism and democracy, the country is sold out and the vile and cowardly government is the servant of the Satanist globalists in Brussels and Washington.
I've waded to the far bank of the river
i am from kirkenes. it is not that dramatic when you go along the border jsut dont try to go over the river
What was it like living in this area during the Cold War.
Funny enough, the border was more permeable than now.