Russia - and especially Siberia - is associated with cold to a degree that you have to look far to find at other places on the globe. In January 2013 I went back to Yamal Peninsula in north-western Siberia to feel the Russian winter on my own body, and Father Frost didn't disappoint me! 400 km north of the Arctic Circle, I experienced that the temperature dropped to minus 47 degrees Celsius (-52.6 F) when the trip was at its best. The low temperature does not seem to affect the local reindeer nomads much. Without knowing what the temperature is (they do not own a thermometer), they steadily continue the life on the tundra: Herding their reindeers, ice fishing in the lakes, and moving camp when the animals require it. Further south, in the cities of Salekhard and Labytnangi, the cold is also noticeable. Here the locals build impressive ice sculptures each winter, which are allowed to remain standing as long Father Frost rules.
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 Salekhard on a morning in January |
 Ice sculptures in Salekhard |
 Ice sculptures in Salekhard |
 Salekhard - in January the sun is not rising before 11 AM. |
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 Ice sculpture in Salekhard |
 Ice sculpture in Salekhard |
 Ice sculpture in Salekhard |
 Ice sculptures in Labytnangi |
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 Ice sculpture in Salekhard |
 Ice sculpture in Labytnangi |
 Ice sculpture with slide in Labytnangi |
 Ice sculpture in Labytnangi |
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 Reindeer meet at the market in Labytnangi |
 Fish at the market in Labytnangi |
 On the way north to the village Seyakha |
 The village Seyakha |
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 Seyakha |
 Seyakha |
 The 'airport' building in Seyakha |
 Seyakha |
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 In Seyakha I meet the reindeer nomad German |
 Nenets burial place near Seyakha |
 Russian church in Seyakha |
 Me heading out on the tundra |
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 Sawing fire wood |
 The Nenets get food and skin for clothes from the reindeers |
 Ready for catching reindeers! |
 The children play outside, even when it's below minus 40 degrees celsius |
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 The dogs help to catch the reindeers |
 Clothes made from reindeer skin keeps the Nenets warm, even in minus 47 degrees celsius |
 A local reindeer nomad with his lasso |
 In the end of January the sun returns after it has been missing for almost 3 months |
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 The children get used to the cold |
 Playing in the snow |
 Frozen raw fish for dinner |
 Transport of a reindeer |
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 The tundra night is long and Cold in January |
 I didn't catch the temperature when it was -47 degrees celsius, I have to be content with this! |
 Sledging in the first sun of January |
 Catching reindeers in -40 degrees celsius |
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 Parking the reindeer sledge |
 The nomads are used to do almost everything by themselves |
 Cosy inside the tent - lying on reindeer skins |
 Packing the sledge before moving camp |
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 On a fishing trip in minus 39 degrees celsius |
 Fat fish with roe |
 Gone fishing |
 Only a fraction of the day's catch |
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 It's cold to be on a fishing trip! |
 The fish is filleted and eaten raw and frozen |
 Taking down the 'chum' |
 Pause while moving the camp |
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 Ready to pull a sledge! |
 Selection of reindeers for pulling sledges |
 Moving the camp in a caravan of reindeer sledges |
 Last sunbeams before a dark and cold night |
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 Moving the camp |
 Pause while moving the camp |
 Setting up the 'chum' in the dark |
 Catching reindeers |
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 Moving the camp |
 Moving the camp in a caravan of reindeer sledges |
 Moving the camp |
 Moving the camp |
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 Moving the camp |
 Moving the camp |
 Pause while moving the camp |
 The 'chum' keeps the cold at a distance |
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 Northern Lights |
 Catching reindeers |
 Catching reindeers |
 On the way south with local transport |
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