thank you for joining us seven thirty here in moscow here's a quick look at your headlines thousands have turned out to rally in the russian capital in a second mass protest against parliamentary poll results the opposition claimed the poll was a breakdown lane won a rerun while the government has promised political reform. in syria the festive holiday spirit is broken by a new round of violence in damascus that leaves dozens dead and that follows the arab league deploying observers to try to mediate a peace deal. and fueled by his apparent successes in libya david cameron has revealed plans for potential intervention in somalia next year the oil rich african

country has been described as a threat to british security and its fate will be decided at high level talks in london in february. those were the headlines this hour up next r t takes you want a trip to the arctic circle stay with us. brushes know. every road to the snow. machine mush. anyone that. has to make their way through snowy forests icy rivers and lakes in the old days local people. it was the only reliable means of transportation. people managing. the drivers of the dogs together with the. expedition for many extreme

challenges. the goal is to carve a way through untamed snow to a designated point in the arctic circle. will cope with the rigors of the journey to reach their destination. the small village of color valor is the starting point to 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 season 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 dr james 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 it'll be difficult this is the. dog cheyenne and this is amadeus these two dogs are also experienced this is chinook and this is. the grand cross on the shore of lake quito symbolizes the start of the expeditions first stage it serves as a good omen for those who have safely returned to 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 reputation. legend has it that the lake takes separate feiss if it doesn't in any particular here then it takes two or three people in the fall. the trail winds through remote

parts of korea's north the long history of this land gives it a mystical. the expedition's destination is a point in the arctic circle sixty six degrees thirty three minutes and thirty nine seconds north of the equator it is situate. in the thick forests of the ancient land of particular ruled by a witch by the name of. a tin or airy 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 at all. great job guys nicely done. color vala

was deliberately chosen as the expedition starting point. this village has special significance for both karelians and finns. it was here more than a hundred years ago that finland's famous for knowledge asst l e s learn root collected numerous ancient finnish poems. of folk epic called color is based on them. 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 were bred by the indigenous to chief of north eastern siberia and eskimos of alaska the word husky is a distortion of esky which is the word americans used to describe eskimos but huskies a distant relations of the wolf from time immemorial they have lived side by side with humans in the north. the distinguishing features of the husky speed exceptional insurance the ability to come a long distances without much effort and their devotion to humans their desire to always be on the move is in their blood. yeah but a good voice game going. the expedition makes its first long stop over in his salmi house the drilling and several out houses are in the midst of a forest. nicholai to the hermit lives here alone without the perks of

modern life. the good thing about life here is that you don't have to worry about electricity or heating again cut off i take water from a nice hole and chop far wood to keep me warm. is a finn by nationality and a russian citizen he is also amount of the forest as he calls himself he became a legendary figure in karelia in finland a long time ago. nikolai turned his life around when he was a young man he bade farewell to friends and family left his village home and settled down in the woods. but we're not 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. bustle i have already begun to forget all that. i had been here for twenty years already.

nicolo relies on subsistence farming like many others before him he hunts and fishes dogs are his best friends nikolai 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 his lifestyle tourists come here to visit and under snow they can always count on help a. fellow 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. 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 battery that's right and a charger oh very good but dusk only the snowmobiles have reached his

sell me the sled dog teams arrive later well into the night. early in the morning. the dog driver begins preparing his dog team for the next passage he had been training his huskies for quite a long time before the expedition they had shown the best performance during the initial stages. this is a special meant for joints we use it on the dogs before and after racing to prevent their limbs for making and to make running easier. these dogs 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 dog drivers they need to make sure they have full contact with their dogs right my beauty. 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 love us few doubters ruptures in the earth's crust later to rain created by fiery elements became submerged in the thick of a vast glassy. it didn't melt until the onset of the stone age when humans first made their appearance here according to archaeologists and onto politicians 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. the centuries that have passed since then of course about little change the climate is still as unforgiving as ever few people ever in the small villages there are a few roads right here the route of the arctic circle expedition lies. we trade that way. 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 korean in needs a solid wooden house a fireplace and several objects made of birch tree bark. in the old days it was used to make all sorts of objects my kitchen utensils bags and shoes it was also

used to make talismans to protect people from the witch lo he and the evil spirit servants did they made all sorts of toys which children out of the bark one of them was called sure cannot kids would play with it and it was also thought to be a charm that would ward off evil spirits the park is the top most layer off of the tree the northern people spent all their lives surrounded by things made of birch bark the ancient karelians even beric people are all in them in layers of the bark . one of the oldest villages in karelia is called soft. it is on the bank of the saw finger river the waterway links to lakes it is famous for the fact that it is constantly changing flow at the most. rivers links to large lakes but this place is unique because the river changes direction when it fills one of the lakes the water flows into the other one is trail to capacity it flows

back into the first lake. 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 the fairy tale ancestors from the colored folks picked it when the rivers are covered with ice in winter people make holes in it with the next. 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 with trees. in. 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. good girl go go go mush mush great job guys nicely done.

low he the which has given the expedition a frosty welcome bitter cold in a grey sky and developed in snow a shroud a recent snow fall delays the dog teams. for your child go. the time table is now in tatas. the sleds have to cover the distance to the next overpass. quickly lifted quickly we should all time the. 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. in the docks

cannot go to by such a route there will be a mass of snow on the way to the arctic circle it is ok for the snowmobiles but the ducks will go slowly any school take a lot of time to cover the route. before they reach the arctic circle the expedition will spend two days going across mt norton in the highest mountain in karelia as north they will then pave their way across the ice of lake pani out of the largest lake in the region the weather forecast is not looking good freezing temperatures unpleasant. least explain realists. touched by muslims.

surrounded by stupid. case paintings on display for thousands of. eastern supplements beyond the tiger. on the cheek. it's. a.

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people riding in dog sleds and snowmobiles will cross the pony all of the national park before they reach the arctic circle they will make a stop on the shore of pony on the lake the expedition heading that is taking a short cut because of the bad weather. expedition members driving snowmobiles resolved to go across mt new warren and karelians highest mountain a demanding route by all accounts according to the folk at. this place is the

gateway to the mysterious land of paul hill. the area is covered with thick forest of the kind you find only in sub-arctic regions pine trees and spruce is fed better than other plants on the 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 a top with big caps of packed snow. days smoke is pretty small and snoring and it's more than a symbol has made the first inhabitants of this place feared it the mountain is a mass of pure pain granite with droplets of quartz crystals and beautiful sight but when i would start a training in the mountain tent blocks rent locals who were scared by that unusual sight they. thought they got to a crime because people had done something wrong to anger them. local people. who use rooftops the expedition. of snow.

people refer to it as the milk of the witch. visibilities in the soft snow does not support the sermon nevertheless expeditions participants decide to scramble to the mountains top. despite the priests 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'll fix it should be. another snowmobile tows the broken one back the main convoy of snowmobiles.

most of the distance by going through the narrow strip that was once the old border between russia and finland. divided the lake almost into directly opposite the famous. cliffs. the lake was formed by one hundred twenty eight meters deep tonic fish in the earth millions of years ago. of a is a word from the language that was spoken by laplanders who lived him 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 lake smooth ice this year this is where smugglers used to store contraband they would make arrangements for smuggling them across the border there

was two way traffic in those days people bought it things money played almost no role here most of the trade was done by exchange and gets. one of the outposts of the national park is on the lake shore here the expedition will make its last stopover before a final thrust towards the arctic circle drivers rarely leave their dogs on attended during the stopovers huskies demonstrate a much higher degree of and durrance than people do. they are full of energy even after a long haul the hyperactive behavior often results in scuffles between teammates. but yes it. quiet huskies 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 b.d.'s 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 that isn't my right sweetie but sometimes we have to discipline them sometimes we have to be kind 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 expedition's dog drivers decide to hold a dog sled race special finish candles are used to mark out the route on the lake shore young women are entrusted with the job of driving the sleds.

people use their voice to control dogs during the speed race they don't use sticks or lashes a good lead dog has no difficulty carrying out told us by anyone commanding a sled. green till the guys. are 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 of the short distance having passed the finish line they could keep running. good. boy and yet. another day of the arctic expedition is coming to an end. early in the morning 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 by the lake to get there on time and. with seventy kilometers still ahead of them the expedition decided to use snowmobiles to cover the remaining distance the dogs to save the trouble of crossing the harsh terrain. the arctic circle comes 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 thing goes.

one to receive the masses that we have been registered. excuse me what does it mean it means we have done it and we are here. navigators 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 by just to the coordinates. that it is sixty six degrees thirty three minutes and thirty seconds launch it is twenty nine degrees fifty three minutes and forty one seconds . were made at last. all those make the same journey later all they need to do is simply retrace the route taken by the pioneers before them. finally done it 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 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 but they would simply be jumping really chilling their enjoy. being sick so.