The big book of Norway |
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Page 1 - "Tromsdalstinden, Sálasoaivi"The famous 1238 meter high siluette seen from Tromsø. Maby the most popular trecking mountain near Tromsø. The book by artist Arvid Sveen shows pictures of "Tinden" in different light throughout the year. And it was truly a specatular view to see walkng to work in the mornings, with different colours every day due to the sun shifting height above the horizon from day to day. To the right is "Fjellheisen", a cable car that wil take you 400 meters up to a point with great view over Tromsø. 
Page 2 - "Topptur"From Tromsø the mountains are so close you can actually take the city bus there and start climbing. The picture is taken from "Kvaløya" (Whale island) towards Tromsø, with Tromsø airport to the left and "Tromsdalstind" in the background. 
Page 3 - "Polaria"The arctic aquarium. The building has a design inspired by blocks of ice pushed up on the Beach. This fellow was one of the most popular residents, doing a show with the keepers. 
Page 4 - MackølIn my opinion the best beer in norway is produced in Tromsø - "Mack". The brewery has it´s own pub called "Ølhallen", the oldest pub in town. You can meet this white furry fellow there, and try a variety of different Mack beers. With exception of a microbrewery in Honningsvåg, this is the northern most brewery in the world (source wikipedia). 
Page 5 - TromsøView from "Fjellheisen". Hara you can buy a coffee or a meal and enjoy the view and watch paragliders soar over the landscape. To the right the bridge taking you between Tromsø and "Tromsdalen", the mainland part of town. In the background the island "Kvaløya", the mountain "Finlandsfjellet", in the middle. The peak to the left "Store blåmannen", 1040 meters high it is a great walk in the summertime. The north face is popular among mountain climbers, and from what I´ve heard sometimes also base jumpers. 
Page 6 - Snow kitingTromsø Kite club offers beginner courses every winter. Here´s a teacher and student with a training kite in gale force wind on the lake "Takvatnet". Theay are aslo active on the water summertime. Wetsuit is however required since water temperature here rarely rises above 7 degrees celsius. 
Page 7 - Afternoon sunsetBoat seen from Tromsø. Spectacular sunset colours, however during wintertime there is no sunset because it never rises above the horizon, or as in this case the sunset is early in the afternoon. But even during the darkest period you get a few hours of beatiful twilight. It´s like haveing three hours of sunrise and sunset at the same time. 
Page 8 - "Blåtind"This mountain was supposed to be the downhill arena if the Olympic winter games 2018 where to be located in Tromsø. Unfortunately the norwegian government decided not to even apply. The mountain is also called the sleeping soldier, can you see the siluette of a soldier on his back with the helmet, nose and mouth? 
Page 9 - "Treriksröset"The point where Norway, Sweden and Finland meets. Take a walk around the yellow cone and you´ve visited all three countries. On the pictures two different ways of getting there wintertime, snowmobile may be great fun, but I would definitely recommend dog sled any time. 
Page 10 - Dog sledThere are a few companies offering quite a few different winter adventures. I was lucky to get a special extra long dog sled adventure with Tom Frode from "Lyngsfjord adventures" for my 30th birthday. This was probably the best experience I´ve had in Norway so far! The picture is taken somewhere on "Finnmarksvidda". 
Page 11 - AbandonedAn old fishingboat left on the beach of "Breivikseidet". In the background the majestic "Lyngsaplene" with peaks going from sea level to about 1800 meters. Paradise for alpinists. 
Page 12 - Midnight sunSummertime the sund almost bounces of the horizon and starts to rise again. The picture taken somewhere of the coast of Finnmark, from one of "hurtigruten" cruise ships. 
Page 13 - Welcome to MehamnOne of the stops for the "Hurtingruta", on it´s way towards Kirkenes. The cruise line also works as a postal service for many of theese tiny fishing villages in the far north. 
Page 14 - NordkappSunbathing on the dekk of "Norkapp", one of the Hurtigruten ships. Maby this was in the morning, or afternoon, or maby 2.00 am.. 
Page 15 - KirkenesRussian ships in Kirkenes, the old mining village close to the russian border. The fact that the street signs was both in Norwegian and russian also shows that russians often visits this town. Important city during the war, and it has a lot of interresting war history. The museum is recommended. 
Page 16 - SenjatrollenThe trolls of Senja. Senja is an island southwest of Tromsø with spectacular landscapes. In the summertime the green mountains grows up from crystal blue water, as if you were in the tropics, with only the temperature and lack of crowds reminding you that you´re in the north. Here you can meet the trolls. 
Page 17 - Rudolph was here!Reindeer tracks on the beach. In the summertime the Sami people ship their reindeers out to the islands, and you are very likely to see some of them driving around up here. 
Page 18 - Waiting for the ferryThe boat taking us from Senja to Andøya. Driving distances in Norway are often very long due to all the mountains and fjords you have to go around. Without the ferries this country would be very hard to travel by car or bike. Most of the ferries serve coffie and waffles, even if there is no real cafeteria on board. If you´re lucky you might spot a whale or killer whale on the crossing. 
Page 19 - The last train has leftClose to the light house of andenes you can see the remains of what used to be Norways oldest railroad. Today you can not go by train this far north. From here you can go by boat on whale safari, or birdspotting safari. 
Page 20 - Dry fishNorthern speciality. Old way of conserving the fish, still used. They hang the fish to dry, before eating they bang the flesh with a hammer making chips like bits of dry fish, and yes.. they eat it. 
Page 21 - Safe havenFishingboats waiting for next morning. These boats and the surrounding made a great picture. 
Page 22 - SkamtindView from Skamtind towards Rekvika. This was truly a spectacular climb/trekk, the scenery is amazing. The mountain is close to the ocean and when reaching some altitude the view east over the black steep mountains is just breathtaking. 
Page 23 - Bukta music festivalDanko Jones rocking away in the summer night. Truly a great music festival on the south beach of Tromsø with quite a few international and national artists. The musicians had their own beach as back stage area. 
Page 24 - RebbenessøyaTrecking on the island "Rebbenessøya". The ridge in the pictures goes between the mointain "Helvetestinden" and "Stortind" (Hell mountain and Big mountain). Me looking down at a beautiful hidden beach, deciding this route was to steep for me to go there. 
Page 25 - BlåtindFollowint the trail towards the top of "Blåtind", late summer in lower terrain, winter on the top. This could have been the downhill arena for the 2018 olympic winter games. Highly recommended route, fairly easy and amazing scenery. 
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Northern NorwayTromsø and surroundingsTromsø is the capital of Northern Norway. It has been the starting point for explorers of the arctic seas for hundreds of years, and still is for those going north towards Svalbard and the "Ice Sea". They call it the "northern Paris". I don´t totally agree but it is a lively town. It has a lot of pubs and resturants, and it is said that if all inhabitants of Tromsø decided to go out at the same time, there will be room for everyone. Ordering fish at the resturants here will give you the freshest meal you´ve ever eaten. I recommend hearing with the waitors what they recommend, and usually they have fish that was just delivered from the boats. Northern norway also have som of the most spectacular nature. You can go on whale cruis or mountain trekking. And during winter time chanses are ofcourse good that you´ll see the northern light. |
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