Not only is it the most eastern portion of Norway, it is the part that snuggles up to Russia and that certainly historically and even to the present, brings a unique situation.
Historically, the Pomorade trade (trade with the Pomors -- Russians from around the White Sea) brought prosperity to the north which was usually isolated from the rest of Norway. The Russians were willing to take any amount of fish, even in less than perfect condition, and readily trade cheap flour and other essentials which were very expensive and infrequent, from the south.
Today, Kirkenes is still very connected to Russia -- the border is 17 km away. This is still a major shopping location, now for the Russians to come and get cheap commercial goods and for the Norwegians to go across the border for cheap gas. Signs in town are often in both languages. There is a monument to the Russian soldier. Kirkenes is another one of those northern towns bombed by the Germans in WWII due to its strategic position and an iron mine.
It is not affected by the Gulf Stream as is the rest of the coast we have travelled. This means that even now, there is ice in the fjord and we were an ice breaker in order to come into the harbour. Everywhere there is at least a metre of snow and so little traffic on the roads that everything seem pristine white.
We were also in open sea most of the time. The storm last night had 70 km winds and 8 m swells. The ship shudders as we drop from crest to trough. Poor Ian is not a happy seafarer.
The waves also mean that we are now about 2 hr. behind schedule. We go through snow squalls where you can't even see the water from the windows, and then a few minutes later, there will be bright sunshine on the white mountains. A very imposing landscape.
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