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I've gone to Svalbard a few times and spent a lot of time in Norway. It's a really interesting place. GitHub has the Arctic Code Vault there. The Global Seed V

by elamje 3y ago

I've gone to Svalbard a few times and spent a lot of time in Norway. It's a really interesting place. GitHub has the Arctic Code Vault there. The Global Seed Vault is there. Lots of satellites and climate change research happen there. The local deer (reindeer) population evolved without natural predators there, so they aren't scared of people or cars like animals in other parts of the world. It's got pretty much the most Northern <insert anything> in the world, such as the northern most Lenin statue. I wrote a bit about it and the Russian influence still there on Twitter a while back. https://twitter.com/elamje/status/1677013676635611146 https://twitter.com/elamje/status/1677013676635611146

jaktet 3y ago
Is there another link? I just see four pictures but no text, I’d love to read what you wrote.
- iSnow 3y ago
  The whole thread: https://nitter.net/elamje/status/1677013676635611146 https://nitter.net/elamje/status/1677013676635611146
  - consumer451 3y ago
    For anyone who wants to make a twitter>nitter redirect automatic via browser extension: https://libredirect.github.io/ https://libredirect.github.io/
cheerytomatoes 3y ago
If you do visit, definitely make time to see the Russian coal mining settlements in Barentsburg and Pyramiden. From the Lenin statues to the communist artwork to the gym equipment, they serve as almost untouched time capsules of the Soviet era.
- Hikikomori 3y ago
  Had a smaller private boat for our trip to pyramiden, but the wind got strong and whipped up large waves on the return trip so had to go back to Pyramiden when we got to more open sea. Luckily we were able to get a ride on a larger tourist boat crewed by Philippines. The Russians working in Pyramiden were taking a helicopter the next day as they were closing for the season. Trip back took like 5 hours, most of the tourists spent the trip on the floor puking in bags while we walked over them to order beer from the bar and talk to the Philippine crew.
- r721 3y ago
  Here's a NYT article with lots of photos: >Glimpses of a Soviet Ghost Town on an Arctic Norwegian Isle >On the remote archipelago of Svalbard, a decaying settlement offers visitors an intimate look at the not-so-distant past. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/17/travel/pyramiden-svalbard-mining-town.html https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/17/travel/pyramiden-svalbard... (archived: https://archive.is/YXb14 https://archive.is/YXb14)
Hikikomori 3y ago
There's polar bears on Svalbard, don't they eat reindeer?

by elamje 3y ago

jaktet 3y ago

Is there another link? I just see four pictures but no text, I’d love to read what you wrote.

iSnow 3y ago
The whole thread: https://nitter.net/elamje/status/1677013676635611146 https://nitter.net/elamje/status/1677013676635611146
- consumer451 3y ago
  For anyone who wants to make a twitter>nitter redirect automatic via browser extension: https://libredirect.github.io/ https://libredirect.github.io/

cheerytomatoes 3y ago

If you do visit, definitely make time to see the Russian coal mining settlements in Barentsburg and Pyramiden. From the Lenin statues to the communist artwork to the gym equipment, they serve as almost untouched time capsules of the Soviet era.

Hikikomori 3y ago
Had a smaller private boat for our trip to pyramiden, but the wind got strong and whipped up large waves on the return trip so had to go back to Pyramiden when we got to more open sea. Luckily we were able to get a ride on a larger tourist boat crewed by Philippines. The Russians working in Pyramiden were taking a helicopter the next day as they were closing for the season. Trip back took like 5 hours, most of the tourists spent the trip on the floor puking in bags while we walked over them to order beer from the bar and talk to the Philippine crew.
r721 3y ago
Here's a NYT article with lots of photos: >Glimpses of a Soviet Ghost Town on an Arctic Norwegian Isle >On the remote archipelago of Svalbard, a decaying settlement offers visitors an intimate look at the not-so-distant past. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/17/travel/pyramiden-svalbard-mining-town.html https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/17/travel/pyramiden-svalbard... (archived: https://archive.is/YXb14 https://archive.is/YXb14)

Hikikomori 3y ago

There's polar bears on Svalbard, don't they eat reindeer?