Tag Archives: Norway

Jun 22 2026
Leave a comment
Daily Post, Landscape

Sommarøy

Monday 22nd June 2026, 3.55pm (day 5,415)

Sommarøy harbour, 22/6/26

Time to get out of the big city (well, Tromsø) and out into the countryside for the remainder of our time here. The name of Sommarøy means ‘Summer Isle’, which is appropriate for the time of year, but not for today’s weather, which certainly reminded us that we are at 69º 37′ N. On the other hand, who doesn’t like a Wicker Man reference. Somewhere over there a policeman may or may not be landing his seaplane on the loch, sorry, fjord and dropping by to make inquiries about a missing girl. OK, we are in the real Norway, not a fictional Scotland, but the scene is reminiscent enough.

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,
Jun 22 2026
Leave a comment
Daily Post, Landscape, Sport

Football and big mountain combo

Sunday 21st June 2026, 4.05pm (day 5,414)

Fløya landscape, 21/6/26

Seems like an adequate combination of two of my more favoured recreational pursuits. In the background, Tromsdalstinden, the summit of which stands at 4,055 feet (1,236m) above sea level and which I hauled myself up on 30/9/2017 — in weather that was a damn sight warmer than today’s ‘Midsummer’s Day’ incidentally, as the snow evidences. As seen from the ground of IF Fløya, the green-clad players of whom are defending here, but they needn’t have worried: they were already 2-0 up at this point just after half-time and went on to win 4-0.

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,
Jun 21 2026
Leave a comment
Daily Post, Sport, Transport

The start of the half-marathon

Saturday 20th June 2026, 9.00pm (day 5,413)

Runners and Hurtigruten, 20/6/26

The third ‘midnight sun’ reference in a row, as these people have just set out on Tromsø’s Midnight Sun Half-Marathon. It’s popular, as you can infer from the visible number: apparently there were participants from one hundred different countries this evening. In the background, one of the boats that plies the Hurtigruten ferry route all the way up and down Norway. Somewhere further in the background, Clare, who reappeared at the finish line about three hours later. (Yr. humble blogger does not run, and has not done since his knee became too fragile in about 2008. In all honesty he feels better for just documenting such events these days.)

Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,
Jun 19 2026
Leave a comment
Daily Post, Portrait, Stranger

Sorting out the numbers

Friday 19th June 2026, 12.05pm (day 5,412)

Marathon number 19/6/26

C is here to run in the Midnight Sun half-marathon, talking place Saturday night, and was obliged to pick up her number today. Along with ten thousand other people, it seems. Well done to the people sorting through all those bits of paper with RFD tags stuck on them.

Tagged , , , , , , , ,
Jun 19 2026
Leave a comment
Daily Post, Landscape

The sun refuses to set

Thursday 18th June 2026, 11.55pm (day 5,411)

Midnight sun, 18/6/26

I was in Tromsø at this time of the year in 2017, so well north of the Arctic Circle this close to the summer solstice. But it was cloudy for that entire trip — as you can see from the linked picture — so I never saw the actual shining Midnight Sun (capital M, capital S) back then. But tonight — here you are. It’s still getting low, but it is, defiantly, not setting. We have several days of perpetual daylight to come.

Of course it could be a much better picture but then again, surely that is true of all shots where one points a basically inadequate camera at a big ball of flaming helium, however far away it is. Comfortably the latest picture in any given day to appear of all the 5,411 so far, and it may well retain that record until the day I die. ‘Cos when I am normally up at this time? Not often.

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,
Jun 18 2026
Leave a comment
Daily Post, Interior

Norwegian cliche

Wednesday 17th June 2026, 4.50pm (day 5,410)

Trolls, 17/6/26

When I departed from Tromsø airport on the morning of 26th April 2018 I did not know how long it would be before I returned either to that city or the country of Norway. I didn’t think it would be over eight years, though. Having had regular trips there for work, these dried up, just because these things sometimes do. But it’s good to be back in 2026 — and purely for a holiday.

Today’s was a long journey, though, thanks to an enforced 5-hour layover in Gardemoen (Oslo) airport, where one must remind the tourists of a few local cliches here and there. But why make trolls out to be sweet, cuddly, hobbit-like creatures? I’ve seen Troll Hunter.

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,
Feb 27 2023
Leave a comment
Daily Post, Hebden Bridge, Urban scene

Norwegians colonise Hebden Bridge

Sunday 26th February 2023, 3.45pm (day 4,203)

Norwegian flag in HB, 26/2/23

Norway remains third in the ranks of most-depicted country on this blog, behind only England and Australia, but it’s a while since I’ve been there — four years and ten months in fact (26/4/2018 was its last appearance). I should rectify this. In the meantime, it seems as if Norway is willing to come to Hebden Bridge: why this flag was planted in the square amongst the usual Sunday crowd of visitors, I do not know, but there it is.

Tagged , , , , , , , ,
Jun 03 2021
1 Comment
Daily Post, Interior, Landscape

Ikke i Tromsø

Thursday 3rd June 2021, 7.50am (day 3,570)

Virtual conference, 3/6/21

95 of the shots on this blog have been taken in Norway, making it the third most-depicted country after England and Australia, but there have been none since I took off from Tromsø airport on the morning of 26th April 2018. I was supposed to be there now, probably I would have journeyed over yesterday, stayed until the weekend, enjoyed the 24-hour sunlight, and the company of friends and colleagues. I could have stood once more where these singers are, namely the balcony at the top of the cable car, on Storsteinen. But we are all prevented from doing these things, and life is diminished as a result. I appeared at the ‘virtual conference’ because I didn’t want to let down people that I respect and like — but I’m not going to be attending any more of them.

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,
Apr 27 2018
4 Comments
Daily Post, Landscape

Farvel til Tromsø

Thursday 26th April 2018, 8.45am (day 2,436)

Tromsø after take-off, 26/4/18

Always get a window seat… Last possible view of Tromsø after take-off, as a second or two later we were enfolded in the cloud stealing in from bottom right. Farvel indeed… until next time.

Tagged , , , , , , , ,
Apr 26 2018
Leave a comment
Daily Post, Urban scene

69ºN

Wednesday 25th April 2018, 6.00pm (day 2,435)

Tromsø harbour, 25/4/18

At 69ºN, the world’s northernmost city provides boats, sea, birds, snow…. all that jazz. My last day in Tromsø. Hopefully, not the last of all, though as of yet I do not know when I will be back…

Tagged , , , , , , , ,
← Older posts