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| Longyearbyen Valley |
Thanks to the
Spitsbergen Treaty of 1920, citizens of the US, along with all of the signatories, may enjoy free access to the Northern paradise of Svalbard. Svalbard, home to the Northern most town in the world, was first discovered in the 11th century by the Norse. The Medieval Icelandic book
Landnamabok (The Book of Settlment) makes the first mention of "Cold Shores," Svalbard. Curiously, the
prologue to the
Landnamabok begins with a reference to the
De Temporum Ratione by Venerable Bede in which an island where the sun does not set in the summer is identified as Tili (Iceland).
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| Landnamabok |
Since the first discovery of Svalbard, no one has wanted to claim the islands as their own. The Spitsbergen Treaty gave full ownership of the island to Norway, but allowed any signatory of the treaty the right to become a resident and reap the commercial bounty of the archipelago. Before moving there, you should become acquainted with Norwegian law which governs criminal, civil and commercial disputes.
Although over 500 miles from the nearest city,
Longyearbyen has modest accommodations for the arctic adventure tourist. There is a nightclub, a cinema, and a variety of restaurants. If you decide to explore the surrounding countryside,
make sure that you are armed, it is the law. Whenever leaving the settlement, you must carry a firearm. Don't worry if you left your Browning at home, the local bakery rents guns. Why must you carry a weapon? Polar bears. You will need a gun to protect yourself from polar bears wandering the valley. But, keep in mind that it is illegal to shoot a polar bear. Happy Travels!
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