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A dreamy vision: at a certain point, in the middle of

that Northern desolation, an enormous walrus appears,

snoozing on an iceberg . . . The arrival at Pyramiden is

no less surreal, after the deserted expanses of ice; the

complex is perfectly reflected in the calm waters of the

bay, a doubled image.

A crew member cooks reindeer while heading for Barentsburg

Seated round a fire inside the wooden cabin named enormous walrus appears, snoozing on an iceberg, and
for Barentsz, “Camp Barentz,” a few kilometers from then wakes up due to the noise of the motors, yawning
the main settlement of Longyearbyen, one can listen with deep boredom at the sight of the ship. The ar-
Page 65: Svalbard Islands: one of the few inhabitants of the Soviet outpost walks towards the icebreaker
for hours to a local guide as he narrates the adven- rival at Pyramiden is no less surreal, after the desert-
tures of this modern Ulysses, rattling off the remarka- ed expanses of ice; the complex is perfectly reflected
ble numbers of this frigid outpost punctuated by shots in the calm waters of the bay, a doubled image. As in
of whiskey. a time capsule, we are escorted by rifle-toting guides
This is the planet’s Northernmost settlement: for a stroll amidst the austere abandoned Soviet build-
2,000 inhabitants in all, a minority with respect to the ings, tracked by the gaze of a statue of Lenin covered
3,000 polar bears that roam free on its permanent gla- with snow, which from the center of the old square
ciers (hence the requirement of carrying a rifle when that once hosted the rallies of the single-party system
venturing outside the town boundaries). Forty-six seems to join us in our contemplation of the immacu-
Page 64: Svalbard Islands: icebergs at Pyramiden seen from onboard
countries have signed an international treaty that late beauty of the white mountains circling the bay in
recognizes the Svalbard islands as a “condominion” the distance. To enjoy the magic of the archipelago in
controlled by Norway but open to various activities solitude, accompanied only by a guide, visitors can opt
(mainly coal mining) on the part of the signatories. for a private expedition (https://en.visitsvalbard.com/
In the past this right was exercised above all by the featured-items-pages/epic-expeditions) programmed
Soviet Union, which built mining complexes of rare to measure (2,000–3,000 euros per person, for four or
charm on these islands: Barensburg, still functioning, five days). One of the most unforgettable experiences
an emergency while heading for Pyramiden A crew member explains safety procedures in the event of ghost town. The icebreakers of the Spitsbergen Adven- dripping caverns and incredible stalagmites; weather
inhabited by 600 Russian citizens, and the mysterious that can be included in the packet is a trip into the bow-
Pyramiden, abandoned in 1998 and now a fascinating els of a perennial glacier, brandishing torches, amidst

ture Cruise connect Longyearbyen to both locations. permitting, you can also soar over the archipelago in a
For hours (about four outgoing and four for the return hot air balloon (530 euros per person, https://en.visits-
trip) one is lost amidst boreal landscapes of dazzling valbard.com/things-to-do/activities/hot-air-balloon).
brightness, between fjords and inlets, steep cliffs over- Another adventure is the crossing by snowmobile from
burdened with snow and the infinite forms of drift- Longyearbyen to Pyramiden: surrounded for hours
ing pack ice fragments. A dreamy vision: at a certain by a white desert, wearing thermal helmets to protect

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Travel
66 Travel Protagonist Protagonist point, in the middle of that Northern desolation, an against the cold, one has the illusion of being the first