Thank you for joining me on the past years exploring the "Motherland" of Norway. I have moved locations and will soon take the time and energy to sit down and properly reflect on my experiences in Norway. Check back for the reflections soon.
In the meantime...new adventures are beginning. And with the new adventures come a new blog that will (soon) be both a visual and textual experience. I hope you join me as we take a walk through and with places, people, and experiences. You can join the journey at: http://scottfromsouthdakota.blogspot.com/
Thanks for following me, wherever I tend to amble. Be sure that I am thinking of you and am thankful for your thoughts, comments, and curiosity.
Last (for a while): beautiful snowfall, time I see the ekspedisjon lady, bodega coffee and waffle, time i pee in the huge handicap bathroom, time i buy first price toilet paper
First: time i kept a key long enough to get my deposit back
that you experience a single bolt of lightning and a single roar of thunder that briefly knock out the power...while it's snowing. But i guess it happens at least once every two years in Tromsø.
I had the "pleasure" yesterday of experiencing first hand the transition from fall to winter in Tromsø. I was walking home from town in a constant, and annoying rain. Suddenly when I was close to my house, it grew ominously silent and suddenly a noise starting building like people shaking a tree. I suddenly realized that the rain had changed to ice. This transition continued throughout the night, and this morning we were greeted by this idyllic scene of thin layer of snow covering Tromsø. Looks like I made it up Tromsdalstinden just in time (see below).
On that note...I bought my ticket to Spain! I do love winter and snow, but I'm ready for a little change and some time on the beach. So as of October 22nd, I will be living in Laredo, Spain. It is a small, old town right on the beach in the north of Spain. More info will be coming on that adventure as well as a new site prepared for a multimedia (multimedic?)account of my Spanish adventures. Check back here for more information soon. In the meantime, happy winter!
After two and half years, I have finally accomplished one of my goals here in Tromsø: climbing to the top of "my" mountain, Tromsdalstinden! I have spent the last two years looking out my window at the mountain looming over Tromsø at 1238 meters high, always showing the changing of the seasons as snow and sun would creep up and down the mountain, until both disappeared at opposite ends of the time spectrum. I finally decided that I could wait no longer and with winter looming around the corner, I knew this weekend it was my last chance before I leave Tromsø. So, I talked to my friend Maaike who I used to live with and who had previously attempted to reach the top with me before we were stopped by snow last fall. Maaike, her boyfriend Erik who just moved her from the Netherlands, Erik's boss from Tromsø, and I all met behind the Arctic Cathedral for our long walk up the mountain.
We had a great tour, starting at 11am. I was the unprepared one with only a few sandwiches and a little chocolate. Fortunately, everyone else had treats as exotic as manchego cheese and belgian chocolate. We filled up our bottles from the stream running down the mountain and enjoyed possibly the best water I have ever tasted. We walked up the slightly steep trail, stopping for a while near the top wondering if we should continue. Clouds were rolling over the mountain and Tinden as it is called is notorious for fast-changing weather conditions. We ultimately decided to go for it and it paid off. We were rewarded with an amazing few at the top! We could see the ocean on both sides, nearby villages, and fjords cutting into the land. On top there was a huge rock tower built from people putting a rock on top to mark their success, plus a small book where you could write your name to document your triumph. I added my name with a message of farewell for Tromsø.
It felt great to finally be on top of this city I love so much! I'll be leaving soon for a new adventure in Spain, but I think these mountains (not to mention the people, cafes, bars, university, and everything else in Tromsø) will call me back soon, either to visit or work or even live. Who knows. But for now, I can rest my sore butt and tired legs after 7 hours of hiking to the top of Tromsø.
