What does a trip from Russia to the North Pole usually start with? Boarding the world’s first nuclear-powered icebreaker “Lenin”, entering the territory of the Russian Nuclear Fleet (great fun), observing the interiors of the icebreaker which will carry you to the destination, photographing neighboring vessels… And finally, the most pleasant part, going out into the open water and admiring amazing views!
All the tourists gather at the appointed time. Their luggage is loaded into the truck and transported to the icebreaker. The tourists go there by bus.
In every city there is a place where people like to come on their wedding day. In Murmansk, this place is the Lenin.
By tradition, a newly-married couple fastens a lock to this fence. Pay attention to the ship in the background. It’s called the Capitan Martyshkin (Captain Monkey).
Girls gladly pose for the photographer.
The Lenin has been in service for 30 years.
Inside, all is decorated with fine woods.
Emergency exit.
The music room.
Gagarin and other prominent figures of that time sat at this table.
The Master Control Console. The management of the nuclear reactors and all the mechanisms of the ship takes place in this room.
Pay attention to the instruments calibrated to 2 MW!
The icebreaker is equipped with a fine for those times medical office. Coming to far northern cities, its doctors conducted serious operations for the local population.
A dentist’s chair.
X-ray.
A captain’s bridge.
The knobs of each of the three propellers.
A wireless house.
Fuses and capacitors are kept in empty matchboxes glued together.
The “black box” of the icebreaker. Everything was recorded with a reel tape recorder.
These pictures hang on the walls of the icebreaker.
The base of the Russian Nuclear Fleet. The bus is driven into the cell surrounded by a barbed wire fence, and the check of the documents begins.
It takes less than an hour. By the way, the girl in the photo is an interpreter. She has been to the North Pole 40 times.
A suite.
A bathroom.
On the upper deck.
The aircraft carrier “Admiral Kuznetsov”.
An evening formation. It’s funny that some officers are missing it while chatting on mobile phones behind the booth.
Some old boxes on the upper deck.
As the ship can’t depart from the wharf on its own, it is dragged by two tugs.
The sailors on the nose put away the ropes.
A good ship that is well maintained – I would love to do that trip, but one suspects it is expensive.
Interesting post. Would have been better if more actual north pole pics.
That sick bay looks pretty worn and dirty. I’d be afraid to have an operation in there.
I visited Lenin on 8 March! Mighty ship !
Neat, how do I book a trip like this.
Polar bears!
I’d make the cost of admission the ability to actually relate some history of Comrade Lenin and his time (1870-1924). Something tells me not many people would pass muster.
I WOULD I WOULD!
I believe you. Today was another “sunset” for the U.S. I believe the 1950s-60s were the peak of both the U.S. and Russia/U.S.S.R. China, India, and Brazil will have this era. The U.S. and Russia will be with G.B., Germany, and Japan in a second tier.
MW, you make a statement without any evidence to support your opinion. Most would place the height of American power around the moon landings. But oh, weren’t we riding high just a few years ago?
The fact is my friend, of the group you list I see only China as any real competition at all.
China is in the Second Communist Dynasty right now, unless they can curb the greed and corruption, China will suffer the fate China always seems to suffer eventually.
Remember Arch, I’m a worker not an academic but from what I’ve read and from watching NOW and Bill Moyers Journal (when they were on air in the 90s and 00s) I learned that real wages (for working people-not the wealthy) have fallen or stagnated since 1980, the poverty level has risen, the Middle Class has contracted, and health and education has declined. The boom in the 1990s didn’t include the Middle Class. It was a boom for multimillionaires and their children. Your banker got wealthier, did you (after inflation)? In the 1960s we had U.S.Steel- today we have WalMart. In the 1960s we had GM-today we have Google. Have does Google expand a Middle Class? The prosperity of the U.S. was brought about by the semi-Socialism of the New Deal and unions. The decline of the U.S. was brought about by laissez-faire capitalism (corporations abandoning the U.S. and deregulation). The conservatives moan about the New Deal and the Great Society but seem brain dead to corporations fleeing to China, Mexico, Indonesia, etc. If the New Deal was evil Socialism why did it make the U.S. so successful in the 1950-60s? Testicules answered me in a previous post that the U.S. today has a lot of small manuf. THAT’S the problem! Picture China in the 1990s with the corner shop where workers toiled with no Gov’t. oversight, no healthcare, no insurance, no wage increases. Picture India in the 1990s-00s with the same scene. Is that progress? The President calls our service economy a mature economy. Well, he’s wealthy and doesn’t have to work in a restaurant or motel or cash-checking joint. I call our economy a decrepit octogenarian (ruined by capitalism).
I dig what you’re saying but I think everyone else has moved on to the Playboy Bunnies!
You’re forgetting though that the structure of the American economy and the American psyche it to always be looking for something better. This economy has always re-invented itself. Americans are looking for the next opportunity, Europeans are looking for the next tragedy. America will just reinvent itself all over again. Just like after the world wars, the civil war, etc.
I would say, “We’ll see” but I’ll probably not be alive for the next “up” cycle.
I can pass! I’d tell you all about Lenin’s murders, repressions, and tyranny! It’d take me so long to get through it all that we’d be at the North Pole before I was done!
Lenin didn’t commit these atrocities; Stalin did. You’re 10 years ahead of Lenin.
I have wondered what life would be like on this ship. Thank you Mr. Dolya and ER for the posting.
She’s been to the North Pole 40 times. Ah, but how many times has she been to Graceland?
North Pole: “I’m melting, melting….”
A. Bunka here. The scary thing is the Norwegians and Swedes have military personnel stationed in the Arctic and now Russia is going to do so. The North may heat up quickly, all the northern nations are vying for position, even China has laid claim to the resources of the Arctic, don’t ask me how, since the map does not place China, or any subdivision thereof, north of the Arctic Circle.
Yes the battle for resources up there is heating up. Of course the Chinese would lay claim to any piece of land. They are vultures
A. Bunka here. I was thinking, now that the Chinese can place a man in orbit, would it be possible for the ISS to place an order for General Tso’s chicken and maybe some dumplings?
Chinese just want to eat everything there.
Now they are saying polar bears originated in Ireland.The only thing Ireland is noted for is the fact that the Irish drink as much as the Russians do.
Does anyone know how much that trip (of course on the Lenin) would cost ?
Hi, I also would really like to know how much the trip costs and if it’s available for everybody… thanks, great shots btw
I’m so proud now, the BRG SHR-116, the 16 channel recorder was made in Hungary at the Budapesti Rádiótechnikai Gyár.
Besides, as a radio-amateur, I’ve stored the small electronic parts in the exact same way: in matchboxes glued together.
Regards:
Peter (Budapest, Hungary)
Polar bears come from Russia!
That is not what Al Gore said.
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