Krasnoyarsk: Siberia, But Make It...Cold?
okay, so i’ve just been to Krasnoyarsk. russia. siberia. it’s…a lot. honestly, i’m still thawing out. i’m not even sure where to start. it’s like someone took a city, threw it into a forest, and then decided to crank the thermostat down to, like, arctic levels.
first off, the location. it’s on the Yenisei River, which is apparently the fifth-longest river in the world. and it doesn’t freeze…in the city anyway. thanks to this massive hydroelectric dam they built. it’s kind of wild, seeing this huge river flowing through what feels like the middle of nowhere. the city itself sprawls, like 348 square kilometers. that’s a lot of space to wander around in when it’s -10 degrees. i just checked and it’s -1.15°c, feels like -4.83°c, pressure is 1020, humidity is 85, sea level is 1020, and ground level is 1001. hope you like that kind of thing.
apparently, it was founded way back in 1628 as a fortified outpost. a fortified outpost. can you imagine? trading routes and all that. now it’s the second-biggest city in siberia after novosibirsk. over a million people. it’s hard to picture when you’re surrounded by taiga forests and mountains. the stolby nature reserve is a big deal - these granite pillars sticking out of the landscape. people hike and climb them. i…i didn’t. i was too busy trying to avoid frostbite. someone told me that the climbing is actually pretty good, though, if you’re into that sort of thing.
the food…okay, the food is interesting. apparently, they eat a lot of river fish - sturgeon, grayling. game meats, berries, mushrooms. hearty stuff. pelmeni, shashlik, fermented rye bread. it’s all very…siberian. i had some pelmeni. they were good. filling. i needed the filling. i didn’t see any specific “krasnoyarsk dishes” though, which is a little weird.
and the weather! seriously, the climate is continental sub-arctic. very cold winters. like, very cold. and cool summers. the yenisei stays below 14°c even in summer because of the dam. it’s a constant battle against the elements. i’m pretty sure my eyelashes froze at one point.
if you get bored, lesosibirsk, achinsk, kansk, and minusinsk are just a short drive away. apparently norilsk and igarka are further north, on the taymyr peninsula and arctic coast respectively. i didn’t make it that far. i value my extremities.
there’s this whole thing about the local population being resilient. orthodox traditions, indigenous influences. it’s a modern industrial hub, too. theaters, museums, skiing. i mostly just saw a lot of people bundled up in layers.
things to be aware of? extreme cold, obviously. air quality - apparently industrial activity affects it. isolation. mosquitoes in the summer. standard urban safety precautions, and if you go into the nature reserves, you need hiking experience. don’t wander off into the taiga alone, okay? seriously.
it’s kind of remarkable, really. a city straddling a massive river that doesn’t freeze, surrounded by wilderness. it’s a weird, harsh, beautiful place. i’m glad i went, but i’m also very, very happy to be heading somewhere warmer. i need a hot bath. and maybe a week of sunshine. definitely a week of sunshine.
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