Kirkenes - Husky ride

 Cruised in to Kirkenes this morning about 9am, this is halfway through our cruise, we head south from here.  The sun is up at 8.30 and sets at 12.59 today, it is zero degrees with expected 20 kilometre an hour wind and we have plans to be on a husky sled ride, so warm clothing will be a priority.  Kirkenes has a population of 10 thousand people and 10 thousand reindeer.

We weren't aware the husky ride excursion also included a visit to the Snow Motel and saying hello to the reindeer.  We got a bus from the ship to the area, we are only 15 minutes drive from the Russian border so we hope the driver doesn't get lost??  The last person to accidently cross the border (in a kayak on one of the kayak excursions) was met by the Police on their return to the ship, was arrested, fined and deported.

First stop was the Snow Motel, which is really an ice motel.  The frame is built of timber and the snow is packed on top and turns to ice, the rooms are formed by half globe balloon looking structures.  The timber and all other supporting material is removed once the snow/ice is thick enough and hard enough to support itself, the rooms are then decorated with beds, sculptures, tables and chairs.  The rooms are rented out like an ordinary hotel.  Incredibly intricate ice sculptures and carvings with ambient lighting which highlights the rooms and sculptures which fill the rooms.

Kicked out of the hotel so we went and sort solace from the reindeer.  There are only male reindeer in the compound, all have been castrated because they would become too aggressive and on some excursions the tourists are able to enter the compound and feed and pat the animals, I’m thinking the locals aren’t keen to have tourists impaled by randy reindeer?  They are molting their antlers at the moment so they look pretty scrappy.

Next up was the husky ride and what a ride it was!!  They have had some pretty horrible weather over the last couple of weeks, snow then rain, then warmer weather which melts the snow.  Lucky they are able to protect the snow on the husky trail.  The huskies are called Alaskan huskies, they all have some husky in them but are cross bred with many different breeds of dog with the only criteria being that they are strong, fast and intelligent.  Looks and size play no part in huskies used for pulling sleds so there are many different looking sorts of husky in each pack.  Once again we were the first excursion in days able to do the ride.  It was fascinating talking to the musher about his experiences, he actually breeds his own dogs and competes in races up to 600 kilometres long in the winter.  I’ll tell you his life story when we get home, you’ll be enthralled!!

Back to the ship and leaving Kirkenes for the way back south to Bergen.

The gang's all here

Reindeer compound

Pam about to lose a finger, she has already fed him a handfull of lichen

Glamping beside the snow motel

Plan of the Snow Motel - 14 rooms

The main hallway

Sculpture in the bar room

The bar

Some of the room sculptures

On our way to Christmas

Vernon having a lie down

Christmas tree

Last one

One worn out husky.  

Off we goo!!! A musher actually stood behind us and controlled the whole show.

Two of our five huskies

The kennels in the back gound are used year round, the huskys are very well insulated and the kennels are off the ground with insulated floor, walls and roof.

A pup looking for work

Who would have thought?

Moose country