Longyearbyen, Svalbard

Longyearbyen, Svalbard is located about 650 miles from the North Pole and this tiny settlement of 2500 people is unlike anywhere we've ever visited. There are no native people here, but residents from more than 50 nationalities call it home, with the largest group coming from Thailand. Many of the younger adults we met were here doing scientific research through the local university, including a fellow Chicagoan studying Arctic toxicology.

The landscape is rugged and fascinating. The colorful houses are built on stilts with exposed pipes running above ground because of the permafrost. In summer, the midnight sun shines from April 20 through August 23, while in winter the island experiences polar night for nearly four months. Longyearbyen was a coal mining town for over 100 years until the mines closed last year, and today science and tourism have become major parts of life here.

One thing you quickly learn is that nature is in charge. The southern part of Svalbard is slightly warmer because of the Gulf Stream, while the eastern side is colder and is where polar bears are more common. In town, you're generally safe, but once you leave the settlement, carrying a rifle is required and warning signs mark the boundaries. It's illegal to kill a polar bear, so guides often rely on flares first and only use firearms as a last resort.

We also visited Camp Barentz, home to about 250 sled dogs that are a mix of Greenlandic dogs and huskies. In the summer they only eat once a day, but during the busy winter season they eat three times a day to keep up their energy.

Life here requires planning because almost everything has to be shipped in and virtually nothing grows naturally. Even alcohol is rationed with purchase quotas. We also learned about the Global Seed Vault, built in 2008, which now protects more than 1.3 million seed varieties from around the world as a backup for future generations.

Longyearbyen is one of those rare places that constantly reminds you how small humans are compared to nature. It's remote, beautiful, a little wild, and definitely a place we'll never forget.Read more