Siberia from North to East. Part 2 : Dudinka

[Nantais]

So here is the second thread about the trip I've just done in Siberia.
You can see the first pics about Norilsk here : Siberia from North to East. Part 1 : Norilsk.

Dudinka is a city a lot smaller than Norilsk, of about 30,000 people. Actually people of Dudinka see Norilsk as the big city.
Dudinka is located 80 km west of Norilsk, it's a port at the mouth of the Yenisei (or Ienisseï) river, one of the three great siberian rivers (along with the Ob river and the Lena river). We had to go to Dudinka to take the boat and going up the river as far as Ienisseïsk (some 1,500 or 2,000 km to the south, a 4 days- boat trip).

Dudinka is not the most welcoming city, and I am not only talking about the landscape. Actually we should have normally slept at the hotel in Dudinka (the only one in town), but we couldn't because, although our rooms were reserved, the lady refused us to come in.
Why ? Because, as you may know, while in Russia, every foreigner must register himself at the hotel or police station when he moves in a city. In this case, the police officer in charge of that was simply not there, and so the lady at the hotel prefered to refuse that we take our (reserved) rooms.
Actually it was a good thing because running water was cut in the hotel, and since we couldn't sleep at the hotel, we had to sleep on the boat (where there was water).
Our driver also told us the story of an Argentinian guy who wanted to be at Dudinka for the New Year's Eve and ended up for three months in the local prison because he hadn't the right authorization (like Norilsk, Dudinka is officially forbidden for the foreigners who need special authorizations to get in).

1- Dudinka is located in the Taymyr region (part of the Krasnoyarsk kraï) :


2- On the way to Dudinka, the same abandonned commieblocks, already seen when going to Norilsk :


3- Dudinka, founded in 1667.


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5-Orthodox church :


6- Local Lenin :


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9- The local museum was surprisingly vast, modern and interesting, although not very visited. It focuses on the indigeneous people (like the Evenks or the Evens) and their way of life, as well on the colonization of this territory by Russians started in the 17th century.


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21- You see everywhere the same standard 9 floors commieblocks from the 1970's in Dudinka as in Norilsk :


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27- The orthodox church again (a little pause in all this ugliness):


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38- Dudinka cemetery, up on the hill. It seems that people die young here.


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43- Caution, falling ice.


44- The boat arrives :


45- Getting on it :


46- bye, bye Dudinka :


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Next step : along the Ienisseï.

[kool maudit]

interesting, if shitty.

[Expat]

What can is say? Wow.

[whatsthepoint13]

I'd almost be afraid to visit here, but it's absolutely incredible. I would probably prefer Norilsk, but again, you can definitely see the old Soviet Union there. It's horrible that you were denied in the hotel. Is that common? Anyway, thank you for such interesting pics!

[gtbassett]

You provide by far the most fascinating photo tours on this forum.

Absolutely incredible.

[wisla_krakow]

how much do the people there still cherish the "good ol' days" of communism?

[Travis007]

Kind of depressing, but very fascinating. Another great tour!

[ColDayMan]

Moody yet catching.

[Nantais]

Originally Posted by whatsthepoint13

It's horrible that you were denied in the hotel. Is that common? Anyway, thank you for such interesting pics!

According to our guide, it's not that uncommon (well, for a city like Dudinka).

Originally Posted by wisla_krakow

how much do the people there still cherish the "good ol' days" of communism?

It's a question of generations. I think that younger people couldn't care less about Soviet Union, but with the people in their 40's (or older), there is sometimes some kind of nostalgia.

At the time of perestroïka, lot of developpements were suddenly stopped and people didn't always understand why, especially when these reforms seemed to make things even worse for Soviet Union. Gorbatchev is not as much held in high regard in today's Russia than he is in Western world.

Moreover we have to remember that since the fall of communism, life expectancy in Russia has lost 10 years ; people are now rightful owner of their home but the state doesn't maintain their appartments anymore ; people could buy lot of things but they don't have the money to, etc.
One of our local guides (in Krasnoyarsk) told us : "With the perestroïka we opened a lot of supermarkets, but closed a lot of factories !"

[Expat]

I am going to take a risk and ask what may be a dumb question. Do these towns have a 'nice' side? A neighborhood or town nearby that is maintained & more comfortable? Do the people that live in these towns have pride in their towns? Do they love their towns? Do they want to stay? I am trying to wrap my mind around what you have shown us.

[montréaliste]

Originally Posted by Expat

I am going to take a risk and ask what may be a dumb question. Do these towns have a 'nice' side? A neighborhood or town nearby that is maintained & more comfortable? Do the people that live in these towns have pride in their towns? Do they love their towns? Do they want to stay? I am trying to wrap my mind around what you have shown us.

Apparently, they are very proud of their mechanical race horses, as in 32... Anyways, Dudinka is a fitting name for the place no matter how you slice it.

Très inspirant comme bled Nantais, n'est-ce pas?

[Nantais]

Originally Posted by Expat

Do these towns have a 'nice' side? A neighborhood or town nearby that is maintained & more comfortable?

There are some movie theatres and sport installations. Some people have also a datcha in the tundra. At last, activities like fishing, hunting and snowmobile seem quite popular.

Originally Posted by Expat

Do the people that live in these towns have pride in their towns? Do they love their towns? Do they want to stay? I am trying to wrap my mind around what you have shown us.

Lot of people in Norilsk have come there to make money (you earn more there due to the harsh conditions of life).
There are also people in Dudinka and Norilsk who are born there, who grew up there, like their parents and grandparents.
Like anywhere else in the world, they feel rightly at home where they are born and have grown up, even if this home is Norilsk or Dudinka.
Nevertheless, lot of old people actually retire in other, more southern, parts of Russia.

[xzmattzx]

Crazy. You are right, it does look unwelcoming, and judging from your story and that Argentinian guy's story, it sees unwelcoming.

I never knew that this area of Russia had native people. Judging from the museum displays, it looks like the Bering Sea land bridge theory hold true because of the resemblance to the Inuit, which in turn have resemblances to other tribes in North America.

[Evergrey]

very mysterious... I enjoy seeing a smaller Siberian city... the cemetery is creepy

[Chef]

Dudinka looks slightly less wretched than Norlisk. Fascinating tour.

[DLLB]

I could not imagine living there. It's so horrible.

WONDERFUL thread and series. Thanks!

[funktion_d]

Agreed. incredible... thanks for sharing... desolate.

[Architype]

This one is a little less severe than the Norilsk thread, but these places are strangely photogenic, and the fact thst almost everything is nine stories gives it a curious presence.

[Complex01]

Its so dreary. You have to wander what the people do every day besides work, if even that. Another eye opener....