Solovki Islands (Part I). Overview
Some personal travel thoughts.
I am now on vacation in the northern part of the Arkhangelsk region — the Solovki Islands. If you want a taste of traveling in the northern regions with some comfort — a house, communications, and a permanent living settlement — I highly recommend visiting, if you can enter Russia. If not, a lot of things should be almost identical to other regions in northern Europe, with the exception of the orthodox pilgrims.
Backstory
I had a family tradition of river traveling in the Karelia region, and I am fascinated with the summer views there. I especially appreciate being able to lie down at the lake’s stony shore with only water, wind, and birds for company for hours. The almost never-ending day, the mildly hot temperatures, the cold winds, and some precipitation make it such a striking contrast to megalopolis life that your brain changes gears, slowing down, clearing away fast and momentary thoughts, leaving more room for a more relaxed experience.
I wasn’t in the region for several years, and decided to take some time with my parents when they offered me the plan. The Islands are similar, but different in nature. But the most interesting part for me was the occasional company on excursions.
Tourists and Pilgrims
There is an old orthodox monastery on the biggest of the islands, dating to the late 15th century. With a lot of history as a center of the orthodox faith (the Soviet atheistic history only adding to its fame), the island has a steady flow of pilgrims. And it is a peculiar kind of experience when you meet these groups of religious people. They are like any other tourists until they start singing prayers, sometimes in groups, mostly quietly in pairs.
Almost all excursions include pilgrim groups: two out of three times I witnessed a group prayer at the start, and in every church there was the added experience of a group singing a prayer by heart. There is one island — Anzer — which you can only reach as part of a group, via the orthodox pilgrim service. There are almost no people there except the occasional worker, and you can feel why orthodox hermits chose this place as their home.
Closing Thoughts
I have more photos and thoughts about the trip, and will add them as new posts after I get a good connection outside the islands. If you enjoy the northern nature and being the only person in the vicinity, but don’t want to live in a tent, I highly suggest coming to this historical place with its deep religious and cultural history.
Next: Part II. Architecture
This post is part of my #100DaysToOffload challenge.