twenty years ago our history. since you can see it. was how did you. speak any german. where did it take to. five thirty pm in moscow these iraqi headlines the u.s. live sanctions on syria's political elite as the brutal crackdown on protesters in the country continues but some analysts say washington's policies are just aggravating the situation iran's revolutionary guards also didn't sanction for allegedly supporting the crackdown. russian activists sound the alarm over vicious bullying and a hazing in the army that's claiming more and more young lives soldiers mothers say

officials aren't doing enough to stop the brutal practice. plus new york authorities cash in by police in the people thanks to a series of new regulations and fines for petty crimes the big apple smokers among those hardest hit it will soon become illegal to puff in many parts of the city. more on those stories and more in thirty minutes time first though our special report on an expedition to the arctic circle stay with us here on r.t. . brushes north in winter nearly every road hit was covered with snow. mush mush. anyone venturing across this vast expanse has to make their way through snowy forests over icy rivers and lakes in the old days local people use dog sleds it was the only reliable means of transportation. people managing dog teams

uncles car yours they had both the owners and the drivers of the dogs together with the tourists they were about to set out on an expedition full with many extreme challenges. the goal is to call the way untamed snow to a designated point in the arctic circle. will they cope with the rigors of the journey to reach their destination. the small village of color valor is the starting point of the arduous expedition it stretches along the bank of lake quito in the north of the republic of korea. early in the morning twenty people driving five dog teams and nine snowmobiles are ready to set off seasoned travelers and thirty sled dog huskies are joined by journalists and extreme tourism and. the snowmobiles will take the lead.

their task is to look for a convenient track and pave the way over deep snow dog teams then follow in their wake. today we have a difficult day today is the first day of the expedition so we need to learn to work together temperatures will drop to thirty below so will be difficult but this is the lead dog cheyenne and this is on the days these two dogs are also experienced this is chinook and this is torture. graham cross on the shore of lake quito symbolizes the start of the expeditions first stage that serves as a good omen for those who have safely returned to color velour from a journey across the lake and for those who are about to set off the crosses there for a reason as the lake has an ill reputation. legend has it that the lake takes

sacrifices it could doesn't in any particular here then it takes two or three people in the full year view. the trail winds through remote parts of korea's north a long history of this land because it's a mystical or. the expeditions destination is a point in the arctic circle sixty six degrees thirty three minutes and thirty nine seconds north of the equator it is such a way. in the thick forests of the ancient land of particular ruled by a witch by the name. of a hillary today is quite extreme but we have a lot of difficulties to deal with too much snow and pools of water on the ice and with the low temperatures today our job won't be easy and all.

the great job guys nicely done. color vala was deliberately chosen as the expedition starting point. this village has special significance for both karelians am finns. it was here more than a hundred years ago that finland is famous for knowledge asst elyas learn root collected numerous ancient finnish poems known as runes. a folk ethic called color valor is based on. most of the rooms reflected the everyday life of koreans and finns their joys and sorrows they also sang songs about their native land.

drivers let their dogs have a rest each time they cover ten to fifteen kilometers but huskies are too boisterous to stand still for long quite often they kick up a fuss urging their driver to get a move on. sled dogs are bred by the interest to keep of northeastern siberia and the eskimos of alaska the word husky is a distortion of s.q. which is the word americans used to describe eskimos but as he's a distant relations of the wolf from time immemorial they have lived side by side with humans in the north. distinguishing features of the husky speed exceptional and durrance the ability to cut a long distances without much effort and their devotion to humans their desire to always be on the move is in their blood. they have a good voice game going. the expedition makes its first long stopover in here is

solidly house the dwelling and several out houses are in the midst of a forest. nicholai to fella a hermit lives here alone without the perks of modern life. the new king about life here is that if you don't have to worry about electricity or heating again cut off i take water from an ice hole and chop forward to keep me warm. nicholai to her is a fender nationality and a russian citizen is also a man of the forest as he calls himself he became a legendary figure karelia in finland a long time ago. nikolai turned his life around and he was a young man a farewell to friends and family left his village home and settled down in the woods. if it weren't so quiet here everything is clean and calm the forest is so beautiful especially now during sunset. in the summer there are

a lot of people oh how sloane bustle i have already begun to forget all that. i had been here for twenty years already. nicholai relies on subsistence farming like many others before him he hunts and fishes dogs are his best friends because i likes being a hermit but he has not been completely alone throughout the twenty years of his life outside civilization. that's why has a philosophical view lifestyle tourists come here to visit him and his know they can always count on help here. lol well hello. many make a point of going to his house to spend the night there rather than in a tent pitched on the snow. field i brought you something to keep you connected i didn't want to lose it so i kept it in my pocket but it's

a dead tree that's right and a charger all this is very good but dusk only the snowmobiles have reached their visio me the sled dog teams arrive later well into the night. early in the morning some yarnell of the dog driver begins preparing his dog team for the next passage he has been training his huskies for quite a long time before the expedition had shown the best performance during the initial stages. this is a special ordinance for joints we use it on the dogs before and after racing to prevent their limbs for making it to make running easier. what these dog boots are designed to protect their paws from the ice. they look ridiculous but

the dogs can't do without them you shouldn't replace them i took them off for the night to let them dry. each dog has its own character physical strength alone is not enough for a long run the driver needs to motivate his team to do their job as best they can. the dogs need to feel his affection. a lot depends on the goal drivers they need to make sure they have full contact with their dogs is not right my beauty. thanks. meanwhile the expedition is heading north towards the arctic circle. hundreds of thousands of years ago this land just outside the arctic circle was rocked by earthquakes lovers the huge out of ruptures in the earth's crust later to rain created by fiery elements became submerged in the thick armor of

a vast classic. it didn't come else until the onset of the stone age when humans first make their appearance here according to archaeologists and anthropologists the rigorous climate kept the number of people in each tribe down to approximately thirty members those people lead reclusive lives there was little contact between tribes. and centuries that have passed since then of course about little change the climate is still as unforgiving as ever few people even the small villages there are a few roads right here the root of the arctic circle expedition lies. we trade a bad way. of life in villages in karelia as north is still almost the same as it was hundreds of years ago winter in these parts last long that brings in its wake lots of snow and freezing temperatures any true karelian needs a solid wooden house a fireplace and several objects made of birch tree bark in the old days was used to

make all sorts of objects kitchen utensils bags and shoes it was also used to make talismans to protect people from the witch lo he and the evil spirits servants it is they made all sorts of toys for children out of birch bark one of them was called a sure cannot kids would play with it and it was also thought to be a charm that would more the evil spirits those parekh is the countless layer of a bitch tree the northern people spend all their lives surrounded by things made of bush bark their ancient karelians even beric people rolling them in layers of the bark. one of the oldest villages in karelia is called softball it is on the bank of the saw finger river the waterway links to lakes and is famous for the fact that it is constantly changing flow. younger rivers links to large

lakes any this place is unique because the river changes direction when it fills one of the lakes the water flows into the other when one has failed capacity it flows back into the first lake. where. even in the twenty first century when many villages have tap water locals prefer to take it from rivers for their daily needs just as their fairy tale ancestors from the color of allah foca think that when the rivers are covered with ice and winter people make holes in it with an axe the water of creating lakes and rivers is so clean it is safe to drink straight from the source even the lowest temperatures can do nothing to bridle the mountain streams the hills are not high they are almost entirely overcrowded with trees. the good the region's highest point is over there beyond the horizon according to the caliber of folk epic that's where the old and

vicious which he lived. a good go go go go mush mush great job guys nicely done. low he the which has given the expedition of frosty welcome it's a cold in a grey sky and developed in snow a shroud a recent snow for delays the dog teams. for years go. the time table is now in tatas. the sleds have to cover the distance to the next stopover over. quickly lifted quickly we should all time.

this time expedition members set up camp in the forest they waste no time pitching tents and making a bonfire at night they hold an emergency meeting. and the ducks cannot do by such a route there will be a mass of snow on the way to the arctic circle is he's ok for the snowmobiles not the docks who go slowly anyhow take a lot of time to cover the route. before they reach the arctic circle the expedition will spend two days going across mt warren near the highest mountain in can really just north they will then pave their way across the ice of lake paniagua to the largest lake in the region the weather forecast is not looking good freezing temperatures unpleasant the way.

wealthy british style. is behind such current. markets why not. come to. find out what's really happening to the global economy with much stronger for a no holds barred look at the global financial headlines tune in to cause a report on r.g.p. . for. russia would be soon which bryson if you knew the song from first impression is so.

nice clean start tsotsi don't come.

people riding in-joke sleds and snowmobiles will cross the pony r.v. national park before they reach the arctic circle they will make a stopover on the shore of the lake the expedition heading there is taking a shortcut because of the bad weather. expedition members driving snowmobiles resolved to go across from our new war in a really is highest mountain a demanding route by all accounts according to the spoken epic cull of allah this place is the gateway to the mysterious land of particular. the area is covered with thick forest of the kind you find only in sub-arctic regions pine trees and spruce is fare better than other plants on ice covered ground here

the wind bring snow and cold weather from the arctic moisture and warm air from the atlantic this is why the foothill trees are top with big caps of packed snow. in their own usually smoke is pretty small and snoring and it's more than a symbol lashon has a person had a sense of this place feared it in mountain is a massive european granite with droplets of course crystals and beautiful sight but when i started training the mountain towns block trent locals were scared by the unusual sight they thought they got a crime because people had done something wrong to anger them. local people. and i'm curious rooftop the expedition runs into a bale of snow in the street here people refer to it as the milk of low heat which . visibilities in the soft snow does not support the

some of eels nevertheless expeditions participants decide to scramble to the mountains top. despite the priest's blessing on the expedition the evil forces still managed to claim a sacrifice one of the snowmobiles has broken down. below the steering wheel is broken near the base. that the connection is entirely broken. all right we fix it should be ok for now. another snowmobile toes the broken one back home the main convoy of snowmobiles heads for lake pannier. they tell most of the distance by going through the narrow strip that was once the old border between russia and finland. filled border

divided the lake almost into directly opposite the famous loose skin color clips. the lake was formed by a one hundred twenty eight metre deep take tonic fisher and the earth millions of years ago partly out of a is a word from the language that was spoken by laplanders who lived here many years ago the word means road. for a long time the lake served as a link between the west and the east there was a time when convoys of dog sleds would take goods from sweden and finland to korea and russia over the lakes and with ice is in this is where smugglers used to store contraband they would make arrangements for smuggling them across the border and there was two way traffic in those days people bought it things money played almost no role here and most of the trade was done by exchanging goods. one of the outposts of the national park is on the lake shore near the expedition

will make its last stop or of before final thrust towards the arctic circle drivers rarely leave their dogs on attended during the stopovers huskies demonstrates a much higher degree of and durrance than people who. they're full of energy even after a long haul the hyperactive behavior often results in scuffles between teammates. that that older. players sit. quiet muskies never attack people no matter whether they are people they know or strangers this is a remarkable distinguishing feature of the breed they show absolutely billions to their drivers they see the driver as the lead dog. yes sometimes they like behind but then this is not a race it's an expedition is my right sweetie but sometimes we have to discipline

them sometimes we have to be current this one for example needs comforting. it is up to the driver to choose which one he wants to train for the role of lead dog a lead dog needs to be quick witted keen on hard work and how the ability to inspire other dogs with its zeal. in the evening the expositions talked rivals decided to hold a dog sled race special finish candles they used to mark out the route on the lake shore young women are entrusted with the job of driving this lets. people use their voice to control dogs during the speed race they don't you stick so lashes a goodly dog has no difficulty carrying out orders by anyone commanding the sled. grangeville guys. good go go go go. season

sled dogs are unlikely to stray from a straight line even if the urge to this is especially the case as a short distance having passed the finish line they can keep running. good. and. another day of the arctic expedition is coming to an end. early in the morning don't drivers gather together to discuss an important matter they need to decide whether the dog teams will strive on towards the arctic circle we won't make it on time we have to generate a signal from this point before monday so we have to look and see if it's possible to even take the dogs this way. we should go here and then by the lake to get there

on time. with seventy kilometers still ahead of them the expedition decided to use name of eels to cover the remaining distance the dogs to save the trouble of crossing the harsh terrain. in the arctic circle come across to different points around the globe the aim of the expedition is sixty six degrees thirty three minutes and thirty nine seconds north of the equator there is only one way to reach this geographical point any deviation from it will instantly change the figures thank. you for wanting to receive a masters that we haven't registered. as too much excuse me what does it mean it means we have done it and we are here. never gauges pinpoint the right coordinates in a forest amidst age old pine trees following

a six hour marathon in snowmobiles the group checks their position within the arctic circle with a special satellite navigation device they're the first to come here and the gist of the coordinates. legit is sixty six degrees thirty three minutes and thirty seconds launch it is twenty nine degrees fifty three minutes and forty one seconds show with the rain we made it last. it's all those make the same journey later all they need to do is simply retrace the route taken by the pioneers before them. finally jonathan it's great that we're here trying to argue that dogs are a match for hardware is pointless we must combine both dogs and emotion to the expedition's like the dogs have lots of advantages those warm shady creatures would be showing their joy if they were here now of. course they wouldn't understand the meaning of what has happened what they would simply be jumping to and showing their

enjoy. the arctic circle.

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