Way to Russia Talk Lounge

instinctguy · Just Starting Joined: 06 May 2006 Posts: 1

I'm planning to visit noril'sk to visit a friend who's inviting me, but i saw on some ad post that this is a close city for tourist, if it is possible, what is the easy way to go there or just meet my friend in moscow. i heard a lot of good feedback that russia is so beautiful and a good place to visit, i'm currently in california, usa. I'm a mixed of asian/spain spanish race, is there any discrimination in russia in regards to color or race? please help!!

siberiamad · Lounge Lizard Joined: 22 Apr 2006 Posts: 124

Hi there,

It's the reply to one of my posts that I'm guessing made you wonder about Norilsk. As far as I can gather the town is no longer off limits for tourists (it's only a nickel processing town nowadays), apparently Intourist in Krasnoyarsk can even book you in at its one hotel. There are lots of flights daily to and from Moscow or less frequently Krasnoyarsk.

There is some discrimination for people who don't blend in (I've been wearing my shorts for a couple of weeks) but outside of the large cities you shouldn't encounter anything overt as such. You may even pass for someone from another CIS country.

Oh and Russia is AMAZING! Though I'm not too keen on that big place back west, Moscow do they call it?

GOOD LUCK

siberiamad · Lounge Lizard Joined: 22 Apr 2006 Posts: 124

I've heard a lot about Norilsk being a closed city on the Thorn Tree Forum (Lonely Planet), apparently it's because the place is so awful. If your friend lives there then they should be able to get you the special permisson (a 'propusk'), if indeed any is required.

G

UsualSuspect · Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2006 5:59 am Post subject: Why I posted it was closed...

Guys,
My wife and I were watching Russian TV, a local Krasnoyarsky Krai channel and they had a show about Norilsk. One of the main points was the fact that the citizens of Norilsk voted to make the city "closed" due to the influx of FSU citizens who travelled there hoping for a job in the mine.
Rampant xenophobia. What that decision resulted in were a whole bunch of people who could not leave (due to the propiska requirement) otherwise they'd never get back in, and they hadn't registered in Norilsk so they weren't officially there in the first place.....Catch 22...

As I said in my reply, that was up to 2 years ago, and it sounds as if finally somebody (maybe the district administration office? who knows) relented or snuck in some form of exemption....

Since you (Siberiamad) are already there...well, can't be closed now can it? Just a few more hoops to jump through maybe?

Usualsuspect

siberiamad · Lounge Lizard Joined: 22 Apr 2006 Posts: 124

I'm in Novosibirsk NOT Norilsk. A permit for the northern areas is $340 through Intourist, though you would probably need a separate propusk for Norilsk itself in addition. I've just put a deposit on a cruise to Dudinka form Krasnoyarsk, which is good enough for me.

G

UsualSuspect · Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2006 12:44 pm Post subject: Ahhhh....

Siberiamad,
I see said the blind man! Thought you'd already left....$340, ouch.....

Regards
Usualsuspect

siberiamad · Lounge Lizard Joined: 22 Apr 2006 Posts: 124

I put a deposit on a cruise (R29,100 total price, group permit included) to Dudinka yesterday and noticed last night that the trip includes a bus excursion to Norilsk - it should be interesting to see what classes as a tourist sight in such a dump of a place, that's providing they can actually be seen through the smog.

G