{"id":12692,"date":"2020-07-20T10:00:17","date_gmt":"2020-07-20T10:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=12692"},"modified":"2020-07-19T04:58:30","modified_gmt":"2020-07-19T04:58:30","slug":"the-magic-russian-white-desert-chukotka","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/the-magic-russian-white-desert-chukotka\/","title":{"rendered":"The Magic Russian White Desert – Chukotka"},"content":{"rendered":"

Chukotka is one of the places on our planet where permafrost and the majestic nature are merged.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>It looks like an endless white desert.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Its landscape has not changed for several thousand years.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>It is here that you can meet a bear on the street.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Chukotka<\/a> (<\/span><\/span>\u0427\u0443\u043a\u043e\u0301<\/span><\/span><\/em>\u0442\u043a\u0430<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span>) or, as it is formally known, Chukotka Autonomous Okrug (<\/span><\/span>\u0427\u0443\u043a\u043e\u0301<\/span><\/span><\/em>\u0442\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span> \u0430\u0432\u0442\u043e\u043d\u043e\u0301<\/span><\/span><\/em>\u043c\u043d\u044b\u0439<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span> \u043e\u0301<\/span><\/span><\/em>\u043a\u0440\u0443\u0433)1<\/a><\/sup>“okrug” is the Russian word for district<\/span> <\/i>is the northeasternmost region of Russia.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

It has a maritime (\u043c\u043e\u0440\u0441\u043a\u043e\u0301<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/span>\u0439<\/em>) border with the United States in the east, through the icy waters of the Bering Strait<\/a> (<\/span><\/span>\u0411\u0435\u0301\u0440\u0438\u043d\u0433\u043e\u0432 \u043f\u0440\u043e\u043b\u0438\u0301\u0432<\/i><\/span><\/span>). The distance between Russia and the United States is less than three miles. On clear days you can even see Alaska (<\/span><\/span>\u0410\u043b\u044f\u0301\u0441\u043a\u0430<\/i><\/span><\/span>) from the Chukotka\u2019s coast. Perhaps these two lands were part of the same continent 13,000 years ago. Scientists suggest that Native Americans share their DNA with some ethnic groups of Chukotka. Both countries plan to build a transcontinental\u00a0railway tunnel or bridge to link the areas. The Bering Strait crossing<\/a> project for a connection between Chukotka and Alaska has existed for over a hundred years.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Globe\"

Image by cmccarthy2001 Pixabay<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

The population of Chukotka is only about 50,000 people<\/span><\/span>, who are mostly engaged in reindeer herding (\u043e\u043b\u0435\u043d\u0435\u0432\u043e\u0301<\/span><\/span>\u0434\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e<\/em>), gold mining, and sea mammal (\u043c\u043e\u0440\u0441\u043a\u043e\u0301<\/span><\/span>\u0435 \u043c\u043b\u0435\u043a\u043e\u043f\u0438\u0442\u0430\u0301<\/span><\/span><\/span>\u044e\u0449\u0435\u0435<\/em>) hunting (\u043e\u0445\u043e\u0301<\/span><\/span>\u0442\u0430<\/em>).<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Herder\"

Image by Somogotto S. N. Flickr<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

Some Chukchi<\/a> (<\/span><\/span>\u0447\u0443\u0301<\/span><\/span><\/em>\u043a\u0447\u0438<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span>) prefer to live traditionally \u2013 in yarangas<\/a> (<\/span><\/span>\u044f\u0440\u0430\u0301<\/span><\/span><\/em>\u043d\u0433\u0438<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span>), cone-shaped or rounded reindeer-hide tents.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The region is one of the most productive marine\u00a0areas in the world. Whale (\u043a\u0438\u0442<\/em>), beluga whale (\u0431\u0435\u043b\u0443\u0445\u0430<\/em>), walrus (\u043c\u043e\u0301<\/span><\/span>\u0440\u0436<\/em>), and seal (\u0442\u044e\u043b\u0435\u0301<\/span><\/span>\u043d\u044c<\/em>) hunting, along with cod (\u0442\u0440\u0435\u0441\u043a\u0430\u0301<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em>) and salmon (\u043b\u043e\u0441\u043e\u0301<\/span><\/span>\u0441\u044c<\/em>) fishery (\u0440\u044b\u0431\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0301<\/span><\/span>\u0432\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e<\/em>), are the traditional occupations of coastal communities. The Chukotka wildlife also includes wolves (\u0432\u043e\u0301<\/span><\/span>\u043b\u043a\u0438<\/em>), grizzly (\u0433\u0440\u0438\u0301<\/span>\u0437\u043b\u0438<\/em>) and polar bears (\u0431\u0435\u0301<\/span><\/span>\u043b\u044b\u0435 \u043c\u0435\u0434\u0432\u0435\u0301<\/span><\/span>\u0434\u0438<\/em>), fox (\u043b\u0438\u0301<\/span>\u0441\u044b<\/em>), and a variety of Arctic (\u0410\u0440\u043a\u0442\u0438\u0301<\/span>\u0447\u0435\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439<\/em>) birds.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Walrus\"

Image by Christopher Michel Flickr<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

The weather (\u043f\u043e\u0433\u043e\u0301<\/span><\/span>\u0434\u0430<\/em>) in Chukotka is unstable, with strong cold (\u0445\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0301<\/span><\/span>\u0434\u043d\u044b\u0439<\/em>) northerly winds (\u0432\u0435\u0301<\/span><\/span>\u0442\u0440\u044b<\/em>), which at any moment can turn into southwestern storms (\u0448\u0442\u043e\u0301<\/span><\/span>\u0440\u043c\u044b<\/em>). <\/span><\/span>Winter (\u0437\u0438\u043c\u0430\u0301<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em>) lasts up to 10 months. <\/span><\/span>To make everyday life more colorful<\/span><\/span>, many buildings are painted in bright colors.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Polar

Image by Christopher Michel Flickr<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

Also, because of the constant cold temperature (\u0442\u0435\u043c\u043f\u0435\u0440\u0430\u0442\u0443\u0301<\/span><\/span><\/span>\u0440\u0430<\/em>), it is extremely difficult to grow vegetables there. Therefore, the prices for them, as well as for fruits, are very high. For example, a pound of tomato or bananas are on sale for around $10, and one watermelon can cost you $70. Summer temperatures can reach the mid-seventies in July, and can drop below -40 in winter. Many climatic (\u043a\u043b\u0438\u043c\u0430\u0442\u0438\u0301<\/span>\u0447\u0435\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439<\/em>) records were registered there.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Eskimos\"

Image by realholdencaulfield Flickr<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Eco- and ethno-tourism have recently become popular. Travelers go on cruises (\u043a\u0440\u0443\u0438\u0301<\/span>\u0437\u044b<\/em>), and scientists regularly come on expeditions (\u044d\u043a\u0441\u043f\u0435\u0434\u0438\u0301<\/span>\u0446\u0438\u0438<\/em>). Chukotka Autonomous Okrug is the territory on which the border regime (\u043f\u043e\u0433\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0438\u0301<\/span>\u0447\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u0440\u0435\u0436\u0438\u0301<\/span>\u043c<\/em>) operates. <\/span><\/span>To enter, special permission (\u0440\u0430\u0437\u0440\u0435\u0448\u0435\u0301<\/span><\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435<\/em>) is required. But p<\/span><\/span>assengers of cruise liners are allowed to land there and stay for 72 hours without such permission, or any visa.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Traveling by waterways provides an excellent opportunity to see the beautiful nature (\u043f\u0440\u0438\u0440\u043e\u0301<\/span><\/span>\u0434\u0430<\/em>) of Chukotka. Boating and kayaking are possible only in July and August; in the rest of the year, the rivers are covered with ice (\u043b\u0451\u0434<\/em>). Extreme travelers consider the region as one of the most exotic and difficult destinations in the world. Coming here, tourists need to be prepared for physical discomfort, terrible weather, delays, and all sorts of other problems.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

There are no car rentals, but it is not necessary. Paved roads are available only in the towns; ice-and-snow roads are found throughout the rest of the territory. Some locals have off-road vehicles. The main transportation is by sea and air. Chukotka also still has no proper internet connection.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Eskimo\"

Image by Ashtyn Renee Flickr<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

Despite its isolation (\u0438\u0437\u043e\u043b\u0438\u0301<\/span>\u0440\u043e\u0432\u0430\u043d\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044c<\/em>), it is an open society. Hospitality (\u0433\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0435\u043f\u0440\u0438\u0438\u0301<\/span>\u043c\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e<\/em>) and generosity (\u0449\u0435\u0301<\/span><\/span>\u0434\u0440\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044c<\/em>) are highly prized among the locals.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n