Surgut, Russia, November 22 2019
In my school's break room there is a map of Russia, and I frequently find myself staring at it in awe in between classes, studying it, mesmerized by the sheer size of this country. You can see some random city in the middle of nowhere, look it up on Google images, and be baffled as to why people would live in a such remote and harsh place. I saw this city, Surgut, on the map and decided to look it up. It is located in Western Siberia in Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug, which is the epicenter of Russia's oil industry. Taking a three hour flight Northeast of Moscow, I decided to go there on a three-day weekend since the tickets were quite cheap. It is a remote place, but nowhere near as remote as some. I had very few expectations, but I knew it would be cold. I decided to write about my trip here first because while it was not some super crazy vacation, I believe that my travel to this city is the embodiment of what kind of traveler I am.
The region, Khanty-Mansiysk, is named after the indigenous Khanti and Mansi people who are reindeer herders, fishermen and hunters. While today they only make up a small percentage of the population, many continue to lead a traditional life, which means living in a tepee-like structure and traveling by sledge in the winter. They also have their own languages which are distantly related to languages like Finnish, Hungarian and Karelian, all being under the same Uralic (or Finno-Ugric) language family. But for the most part, Surgut is a Russian city- just not your average Russian one.
I must say about myself that I am a wanderer at heart. I like to get out and can't stand staying in one place for too long. This affects how I travel as well; upon going to a new city, I am completely content wandering aimlessly the first day, if not every day. This has led me to discovering some pretty cool and random sites in many different cities. Also, as a rule, I plan very little other than booking a hostel before I travel to another place. I might look up some places of interest, but I pretty much just go and figure it out along the way. When you can speak the language of the country you are traveling in, it becomes much easier to figure out what you should see.
What I learned was that this city is actually a very decent place to live, and a lot of people are making loads of cash due to the oil industry. The city is headquarters for Gazprom, one of Russia's oil and gas giants. The streets were well-kept. Some bus stops consisted of a small building with thick plastic see-through walls, heating, and a digital map showing the bus schedule; a very modern development by Russian standards, and much needed in a place where -40 can be the norm (Fahrenheit or Centigrade, you ask? It doesn't matter, both are cold). There were new buildings going up everywhere. It's incredible since the city was nothing more than a small town in the sixties and now it's home to around 300,000 people.
When I arrive at an airport, I always try to take public transport- usually a marshrutka (minibus)- so as to save money. So I did that upon arrival to Surgut, and from what looked like the center of the city I walked to my hostel, which took about two hours to find in the freezing cold since Google maps was lying to me about the address and the hostel had no advertising outside the apartment complex where it was located (there is some law stating that operating a hostel in an apartment complex is illegal but it's Russia, so who cares). I only found it after speaking to a shop owner who gave me clear instructions. Arriving in the evening, I was off to a great start!
On a cold Saturday I left the hostel and started to wander, which led me to a three-story museum with multiple exhibitions. On the first floor was a photography exhibition, on the second floor there was a cultural exhibition highlighting the different nationalities of Surgut, and on the third floor there was an exhibition of local artwork and archaeological findings.
I decided to check out the second floor, for the cost of, if I remember correctly, 100 rubles ($1.35, give or take). "We are so happy you have come to our city" the ticket vendors told me. I learned how there are so many ethnicities in Surgut, many of whom were drawn here by the opportunities provided by the oil industry. Surgut is, of course, a proud Russian city. But there are also Ukrainians, Kyrgyz, Bashkirs, Tatars, and Dagestanis, to name a few; all came to seek their fortune. I also learned about the traditional life of the Khanty and Mansi people. The name 'Surgut' is actually a Khanty word which means "place of fish," as the fishing was plentiful- Surgut is located on the river Ob.
It is incredible to think that there is a group of people indigenous to this cold, forested region who have been surviving the same way for thousands of years by hunting, fishing and herding. Although never in the spotlight of the world, they are a unique link between the peoples of northern Asia and northern Europe. Even looking at this photo, I imagine them as something in between Finnish and Yakut, or perhaps Inuit. But they are, of course, their own people with their own language, culture and pre-Christian beliefs based on nature.
Later that afternoon I visited Starry Surgut (old Surgut) which is an area of log cabins built in the style of the very late 1500's; the time when the Cossacks were sent by the order of the Tsar to this area to build a krepost (wooden fort) to winter in. Surgut is therefore one of the oldest Siberian cities, having been founded in 1594. At this time, the region surrounding Surgut was prime territory for hunting silver foxes, a woodland animal prized for its pelts. The Cossacks also traded weapons and equipment with the Khanti and Mansi people for these pelts, much like the fur trade of North America. Interestingly enough, the Khanti and Mansi people have been practicing the art of metalworking, especially bronze, for over a thousand years, so I imagine they were mostly interested in guns. Well, Starry Surgut is really the only place for tourists; there are different cabins where you can pay around 1$ to learn about what a Cossack's cabin was like, or about the fur trade, or about wildlife. I learned so much about the region from those cabin-museums. I met some locals there who were, oddly enough, visiting their own tourist spot, and I'm sure they could tell I was from away when I walked into one of the buildings and bought my ticket. Well they asked me where I was from; they were very kind, and so happy to know a foreigner was interested in their city.
In my school's break room there is a map of Russia, and I frequently find myself staring at it in awe in between classes, studying it, mesmerized by the sheer size of this country. You can see some random city in the middle of nowhere, look it up on Google images, and be baffled as to why people would live in a such remote and harsh place. I saw this city, Surgut, on the map and decided to look it up. It is located in Western Siberia in Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug, which is the epicenter of Russia's oil industry. Taking a three hour flight Northeast of Moscow, I decided to go there on a three-day weekend since the tickets were quite cheap. It is a remote place, but nowhere near as remote as some. I had very few expectations, but I knew it would be cold. I decided to write about my trip here first because while it was not some super crazy vacation, I believe that my travel to this city is the embodiment of what kind of traveler I am.
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The region, Khanty-Mansiysk, is named after the indigenous Khanti and Mansi people who are reindeer herders, fishermen and hunters. While today they only make up a small percentage of the population, many continue to lead a traditional life, which means living in a tepee-like structure and traveling by sledge in the winter. They also have their own languages which are distantly related to languages like Finnish, Hungarian and Karelian, all being under the same Uralic (or Finno-Ugric) language family. But for the most part, Surgut is a Russian city- just not your average Russian one.
 |
I must say about myself that I am a wanderer at heart. I like to get out and can't stand staying in one place for too long. This affects how I travel as well; upon going to a new city, I am completely content wandering aimlessly the first day, if not every day. This has led me to discovering some pretty cool and random sites in many different cities. Also, as a rule, I plan very little other than booking a hostel before I travel to another place. I might look up some places of interest, but I pretty much just go and figure it out along the way. When you can speak the language of the country you are traveling in, it becomes much easier to figure out what you should see.
 |
What I learned was that this city is actually a very decent place to live, and a lot of people are making loads of cash due to the oil industry. The city is headquarters for Gazprom, one of Russia's oil and gas giants. The streets were well-kept. Some bus stops consisted of a small building with thick plastic see-through walls, heating, and a digital map showing the bus schedule; a very modern development by Russian standards, and much needed in a place where -40 can be the norm (Fahrenheit or Centigrade, you ask? It doesn't matter, both are cold). There were new buildings going up everywhere. It's incredible since the city was nothing more than a small town in the sixties and now it's home to around 300,000 people.
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When I arrive at an airport, I always try to take public transport- usually a marshrutka (minibus)- so as to save money. So I did that upon arrival to Surgut, and from what looked like the center of the city I walked to my hostel, which took about two hours to find in the freezing cold since Google maps was lying to me about the address and the hostel had no advertising outside the apartment complex where it was located (there is some law stating that operating a hostel in an apartment complex is illegal but it's Russia, so who cares). I only found it after speaking to a shop owner who gave me clear instructions. Arriving in the evening, I was off to a great start!
I decided to check out the second floor, for the cost of, if I remember correctly, 100 rubles ($1.35, give or take). "We are so happy you have come to our city" the ticket vendors told me. I learned how there are so many ethnicities in Surgut, many of whom were drawn here by the opportunities provided by the oil industry. Surgut is, of course, a proud Russian city. But there are also Ukrainians, Kyrgyz, Bashkirs, Tatars, and Dagestanis, to name a few; all came to seek their fortune. I also learned about the traditional life of the Khanty and Mansi people. The name 'Surgut' is actually a Khanty word which means "place of fish," as the fishing was plentiful- Surgut is located on the river Ob. |
It is incredible to think that there is a group of people indigenous to this cold, forested region who have been surviving the same way for thousands of years by hunting, fishing and herding. Although never in the spotlight of the world, they are a unique link between the peoples of northern Asia and northern Europe. Even looking at this photo, I imagine them as something in between Finnish and Yakut, or perhaps Inuit. But they are, of course, their own people with their own language, culture and pre-Christian beliefs based on nature.
Later that afternoon I visited Starry Surgut (old Surgut) which is an area of log cabins built in the style of the very late 1500's; the time when the Cossacks were sent by the order of the Tsar to this area to build a krepost (wooden fort) to winter in. Surgut is therefore one of the oldest Siberian cities, having been founded in 1594. At this time, the region surrounding Surgut was prime territory for hunting silver foxes, a woodland animal prized for its pelts. The Cossacks also traded weapons and equipment with the Khanti and Mansi people for these pelts, much like the fur trade of North America. Interestingly enough, the Khanti and Mansi people have been practicing the art of metalworking, especially bronze, for over a thousand years, so I imagine they were mostly interested in guns. Well, Starry Surgut is really the only place for tourists; there are different cabins where you can pay around 1$ to learn about what a Cossack's cabin was like, or about the fur trade, or about wildlife. I learned so much about the region from those cabin-museums. I met some locals there who were, oddly enough, visiting their own tourist spot, and I'm sure they could tell I was from away when I walked into one of the buildings and bought my ticket. Well they asked me where I was from; they were very kind, and so happy to know a foreigner was interested in their city. |
The thing about traveling in Russia as a foreigner who can speak Russian (and I suppose in any country, for that matter) is that when you open your mouth, people know immediate that you are not Russian. But I think Russians are curious people, and if you are a foreigner who can speak Russian, and they notice your accent, they will invariably ask you where you are from; responses I have received have ranged from happy to puzzled to slightly resentful (older folks with memories of the Soviet Union) - but mostly happy and puzzled, simultaneously. I have never said that I am from another country other than America. So it was with the ticket lady on the bus who helped me find my way to the monument of the founders of Surgut, a colossal depiction of the 'first four' founders of the city; a soldier, a sailor, a merchant and a priest, if I am not mistaken. Afterwards I wandered into the local English school just to check it out; I met some foreign teachers and students and joined them for their evening club.
I enjoyed walking around outside in the cold each day and during the dull, gray evenings, surrounded by dull, gray tower flats. Living in one myself, I have become accustomed to these communal-living architectural abominations, and now they have a certain aesthetic appeal. Walking the streets at night, completely alone in an industrial city in the cold North, I felt a giddy sense of freedom, a feeling that I always seem to be chasing.
Sunday was my last full day, and while I wanted to get out of the city, I ended up staying within city limits. I went to a pleasant park called Saima park. It was quite large, and peaceful with tall trees; if not for the sound of nearby traffic, one might think they were deep in the taiga.
Realizing there was more to see, I returned to the museum to check out the first and third floors. Once again I was given a warm welcome, and proceeded to the photography exhibition on the first floor. It was called Deekaya Rossia - "Wild Russia"- and featured photography of stunning landscapes, natural scenes and animals from all over Russia. This truly is a beautiful country, and the natural beauty of Russia is but one of many facets that draws me here. On the third floor was some local art, but I was more interested in the collection of bronze jewelry, weaponry, figurines and other archaeological findings. These ancient items were decorated with zoomorphic motifs featuring birds, fish, deer, bears and other mammals. One can understand the incredible significance of these animals to the people who revered them, owing their livelihood to the will of nature.
The following morning I took a taxi to the airport and took my 3 hour flight back to Moscow. The flight was early, and from my seat in the plane, Siberia was covered with an ethereal darkness, uninterrupted other than by the rare patch of light of another Siberian city, or more likely, some small town. It looked so empty, and in truth, most of it is, and I find great beauty in that. What was also beautiful was my reception by the Siberian people of Surgut; there is a large cultural difference between Western Russians and their Siberian counterparts. While Moscow is a busy, sleepless city full of competition and grit, I find that Siberian people tend to be more open and easygoing. I also get the feeling that they are freer in Siberia; what with the vast wilderness at their doorstep, there are endless opportunities to get in touch with one's inner self and with nature.
So there you have it, my first travel story. While my trip to Surgut is just one of many, I think this post has served its purpose of explaining how and why I travel- and to where, of course. I love Siberia. This vast region seems to have an irresistible pull on me, and although the occasions are few, I often find myself daydreaming about my next venture to this colossal place of nature and mystique.
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Realizing there was more to see, I returned to the museum to check out the first and third floors. Once again I was given a warm welcome, and proceeded to the photography exhibition on the first floor. It was called Deekaya Rossia - "Wild Russia"- and featured photography of stunning landscapes, natural scenes and animals from all over Russia. This truly is a beautiful country, and the natural beauty of Russia is but one of many facets that draws me here. On the third floor was some local art, but I was more interested in the collection of bronze jewelry, weaponry, figurines and other archaeological findings. These ancient items were decorated with zoomorphic motifs featuring birds, fish, deer, bears and other mammals. One can understand the incredible significance of these animals to the people who revered them, owing their livelihood to the will of nature. |
The following morning I took a taxi to the airport and took my 3 hour flight back to Moscow. The flight was early, and from my seat in the plane, Siberia was covered with an ethereal darkness, uninterrupted other than by the rare patch of light of another Siberian city, or more likely, some small town. It looked so empty, and in truth, most of it is, and I find great beauty in that. What was also beautiful was my reception by the Siberian people of Surgut; there is a large cultural difference between Western Russians and their Siberian counterparts. While Moscow is a busy, sleepless city full of competition and grit, I find that Siberian people tend to be more open and easygoing. I also get the feeling that they are freer in Siberia; what with the vast wilderness at their doorstep, there are endless opportunities to get in touch with one's inner self and with nature.
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So there you have it, my first travel story. While my trip to Surgut is just one of many, I think this post has served its purpose of explaining how and why I travel- and to where, of course. I love Siberia. This vast region seems to have an irresistible pull on me, and although the occasions are few, I often find myself daydreaming about my next venture to this colossal place of nature and mystique.
Hi James - I very very much enjoyed reading this and seeing your pictures. I'd never have guessed a city of that size existed in Siberia. I was also so happy to hear about old fashioned hospitality for strangers - it's something we have lost it seems. What a year this must be for you. Keep on exploring. Can't wait to read more! gloria
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DeleteStill trying to get the hang of posting comments on a blog. This is very cool, James. Keep updating us on your adventures. I want to hear about Kamchatka.....
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