February 23, 2015

Sunsets as days go by. Spydeberg, Norway

Sunsets as days go by. Spydeberg, Norway

Up at my mountain place there was time for some skiing - but after 2 meters I was falling backwards on hard snow/ice and ended on my shoulder that had some severe damage....

As the days go by I am still sitting here waiting for my left arm to mend.... fun.....

...anyway from time to time there is some cool winter sunsets to have a look at - as here., right outside my apartment.

February 10, 2015

What to do a dark winter day in Arvika, Sweden / Sverige


NB! PRESENTLY HAVING A BROKEN SHOULDER - Pls. visit later ☺
Jack

What to do a dark winter day in Arvika, Sweden

Life is not exactly pulsating a winter day in the small township Arvika by a frozen lake in Warmland - Sweden

So why not pick up your skies and do some cross country skiing at the frozen lake (maybe cross lake skiing hehe).
...but be prepared to be alone out there...

February 7, 2015

Arvika, Sweden - a February visit to a small Swedish township in Warmland

Arriving at the Travel Center of Arvika



I visited the small place Arvika this winter day in February. A fine opportunity for having a walk around this small township with some 15,000 inhabitants. You can maybe as I have some feeling of the spirit of the place reading this from wiki:

"The town was a village until 1811 when it was given town privileges by royal charter under the name Oscarsstad in order to improve the economy of the area. This attempt was unsuccessful, and the town privileges were repealed in 1821 and the town was instead given the status of köping (township) and renamed Arvika. The town privileges were reinstated at the founding centennial in 1911, and the name Arvika remained. The city status is now obsolete, but Arvika is since 1971 the seat of the larger Arvika municipality."

The train station


An incredible big and impressive building - probably telling a story of former citizens ambitions for the township when they opened the station in 1871.

Inside the train station


A traditional waiting hall and some wall paintings that seems to have been here for some time. I wonder who the lady to the left of the wall is - surely some local character.

Even more wall paintings to see outside


Here on the wall in the back of a communal parking place this big wall painting is for sure telling a tale of the life generations away when knights fought their way through the young Sweden, crossing lakes and forests with the wolves right behind - what a life for those brave guys...

The town hall: Stadshuset with the high tower seems also to be inspired by the old times


They opened the town hall back in 1904. At the time it also housed the fire brigade and the police in the municipality. Maybe the lookalike castle-tower was a place for drying up the firebrigades fire hoses.

Can this be the oldest house in Arvika?


This old building must for sure have some history to tell - I guess it must have been originated someplace around 1800 - 1850. Situated in the central city also connected to a backyard with more buildings from the same period. Asking me it must have potential to be the city museum...

The central square


The grand station building is on the one side of the central town square. The other side can be seen here - with a street leading up to the church in Arvika - for me:Typical for so many similar small town places in Sweden

What to do in Arvika a winter day in February?


One can say much about Arvika - but you can not say that the city life was pulsating this winter day.
Out on the frozen lake I could spot some few skiers and hikers while I spent an hour sitting at the local Ohlsons restaurant having my lunch.

The old men's lunch Club at Ohlsons Restaurant


This was surely some good friends meeting for lunch this Friday in February. Lots of things to talk about and enjoying their company around the table in Ohlsons Restaurant.

Last train from Arvika


It was interesting to visit the township of Arvika this winterday, looking for interesting objects to make a photo of. Before lunch almost no people to see outside - hopefully they thrive the people who live here day in and day out through the years.

February 5, 2015

Arriving with the coastal express in the Capitol of Arctic: Tromsø / Tromso in Norway

Arriving with the coastal express in the Capitol of Arctic: Tromsø / Tromso in Norway

What a sight from the coastal steamer this early afternoon - closing in to this big city up in the Arctic - looking at the bridge connecting the city to the mainland - having in front the city line with the Majestetic white dressed mountains in the back.

Already the light is fading at 14.15 PM in this time of the year (end of January).

Regard also to the left - the huge, rusty, Russian trawler - either in for some maintenance or maybe brought in under arrest for illegal fishing - who knows....

  Facts and figures of Tromsø Tromsø has a population of about 70,000 and covers an area of 2,516 square kilometres. Tromsø is home to the world's northernmost university, botanical garden and cathedral. History Human settlement in Tromsø dates back more than 10,000 years, whilst the local Sami culture is at least 2,000 years old.
Tromsø was founded in 1794. In the 1850s,
Tromsø became the centre for trapping in the Arctic region. In the early 1900s, it was the starting point for expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic regions, hence its nickname - "Gateway to the Arctic".

See the complete album from the TOUR to North Cape in Artic Norway here >>

Under another version from the quay for the Coastal Express:


February 4, 2015

3PM: Bodo, Norway Arctic - afternoon - sunset - blue hour or: All in one?

3PM: Norway Arctic - afternoon - sunset - blue hour or: All in one?

We are sailing out of Bodø this afternoon on our way up to Honningsvåg and the North Cape.
To the SouthWest the sun is setting and the sky is changing from daylight to the blue hour setting that will last less than an hour before the evening darkness will be in place.

The short winter days in January is a big contrast to the Midnight Sun in June/July.
As I travel North with the coastal steamer for 3 days and nights in the middle of the winter I am blessed with a calm sea, no wind or heavy waves - just some splendid days with a superb sky in the short days - and some Northern Lights in the nights..

See the complete album from the TOUR to North Cape in Artic Norway here >>

Under: As we are sailing out of the harbor in the city Bodo / Bodø in Norway Arctic:


February 2, 2015

Spot the Car Ferry in the pink morning up in Arctic Norway

Spot the Car Ferry in the pink morning up in Arctic Norway

How is that for commuting - sailing a car ferry in a pink morning - one of the first days when the sun is returning to this Arctic region, North of the Arctic Circle.
It is as the nature celebrates the return of the sun after it have been unseen for app. 2 months up here in the dark winter nights and days.


Under: Another photo from this place in Arctic Norway