Northwest Russia

Petrozavodsk | Train to Murmansk | Murmansk | Back to Finland

Actually I had not planned anything specific for Millennium. However, I found an ad in Internet dating service Deitti.net for Millennium trip to Murmansk with technology students. I answered to it and joined to their group. First we went by train to St Petersburg and continued by night train to Petrozavodsk. There we spent few days at the home of Pelgonen family where our host was Valentina, English teacher in Petrozavodsk University.

Petrozavodsk

In front of the Petrozavodsk University
Photo by: VV | All rights reserved ©

Piia, Lea and Milla inside the university
Photo by: NL | All rights reserved ©

Lea and Sanna giving a presentation
Photo by: NL | All rights reserved ©

Valentina having her English course
Photo by: NL | All rights reserved ©

In the university café with students
Photo by: PH | All rights reserved ©

Local university students (Lea in the middle)
Photo by: NL | All rights reserved ©

In a café again
Photo by: NL | All rights reserved ©

A square in front of Petrozavodsk railway station
Photo by: NL | License: Creative Commons by-nc-sa

Old and new year snowmen
Photo by: NL | License: Creative Commons by-nc-sa

Tea at Misha's home (one of the students)
Photo by: NL | All rights reserved ©

Tomppa, Piia and a cat
Photo by: NL | All rights reserved ©

In the lobby of Petrozavosk Theatre. In the back: Sanna, Ville, I and Milla; in the front: Tomppa, Lea, Piia
Photo by: NP | All rights reserved ©

Theatre play
Photo by: NL | All rights reserved ©

A Greek Catholic (Orthodox) church
Photo by: NL | License: Creative Commons by-nc-sa

Lea inside the church and finally quiet for while
Photo by: NL | All rights reserved ©

Lenin and Tomppa
Photo by: NL | All rights reserved ©

The city museum of Petrozavodsk
Photo by: NL | All rights reserved ©

Lea and some sculptures on the shore of Lake Onega
Photo by: NL | All rights reserved ©

On the ice of Lake Onega: Ville, Tomppa, I, Milla, Lea and Sanna
Photo by: PH | All rights reserved ©

Crossing a street
Photo by: NL | All rights reserved ©

Our host family: Nastya, Valentina and Vladimir
Photo by: NL | All rights reserved ©

Vladimir, Lea, Valentina and Piia in the railway station
Photo by: NL | All rights reserved ©

From Petrozavodsk to Murmansk

From Petrozavodsk we continued by night train to Murmansk where we arrived at New Year's Eve. In Murmansk our host was Vadim, a history student.

Milla and Sanna in the train
Photo by: NL | All rights reserved ©

Piia, Lea and Tomppa
Photo by: NL | All rights reserved ©

Kandalaksa railway station
Photo by: NL | License: Creative Commons by-nc-sa

Murmansk

When the millennium changed to another we where together in an apartment in a northern suburb of Murmansk. After that we went with Vadim to a New Year party.

New Year in Murmask: Olga, Arkadi and I
Photo by: Anon. | All rights reserved ©

Vodka breakfast by Vadim's parents
Photo by: VV | All rights reserved ©

Leaving for the town: Lea, Vadim, Tomppa, Piia, Milla, Sanna and Ville
Photo by: VV | All rights reserved ©

A southern suburb of Murmansk
Photo by: NL | License: Creative Commons by-nc-sa

Lea's birthday party (although we were celebrating in on January 2nd - one day too late)
Photo by: TV | All rights reserved ©

Lea ja Sanna serving cake
Photo by: NL | All rights reserved ©

Lea going downhill
Photo by: NL | All rights reserved ©

Murmansk by night as seen from a Ferris wheel
Photo by: NL | License: Creative Commons by-nc-sa

Milla and Lea car racing
Photo by: NL | All rights reserved ©

Having tea after a fish dinner: Milla, Lea and I
Photo by: VV | All rights reserved ©

Bus to Ivalo leaving
Photo by: NL | All rights reserved ©

Way back to Finland

We returned back home via Finnish Lapland. First we took a bus from Murmansk to Ivalo, Finland, where we had another bus to Rovaniemi. From Rovaniemi we took a night train to the south.

Bus on Murmansk to Ivalo road
Photo by: NL | License: Creative Commons by-nc-sa

Lake view
Photo by: NL | License: Creative Commons by-nc-sa

Ivalo bus station: Lea, Milla and Sanna
Photo by: NL | All rights reserved ©

Playing cards in Ivalo to Rovaniemi bus
Photo by: NL | All rights reserved ©

Lea and Milla in the café of Sodankylä bus station
Photo by: NL | All rights reserved ©

Photographers

NL = Niko Lipsanen
NP = Nastya Pelgonen
PH = Piia Häkkinen
TV = Tuomas Vanhanen
VV = Ville Viitaniemi
Anon. = Unknown person from the New Year celebrations