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📸 Lens-Artists Challenge #340 – Portrait
This is my entry into the Lens-Artists Challenge, a weekly photography challenge on WordPress. This week, Ritva of Ritva Sillanmäki Photography asks us to: capture the essence and personality of your subjects. Whether you choose to ask a stranger, do a self-portrait, take the portrait of a friend, family member, or acquaintance, the goal is…
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Photo Essay: Norway 🇳🇴
I take a lot of pictures when we travel. A LOT of pictures. Probably approaching an annoying amount of pictures. But when I post them, I try to curate. I choose the top 10-15 photos that represent the day and, edit them. Because no one wants to see 113 un-edited vacation photos. No one. Someone…
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🍷 🇳🇴 What to Drink in Norway: A Sip-by-Sip Guide to Norwegian Drinks Culture
Norway has the highest alcohol taxes in Europe, a state monopoly on anything stronger than 4.7% beer, and roughly four hours of usable daylight in January. And yet — somehow — Norwegians have built one of the most quietly obsessive drinking cultures on the continent. How did a country that makes you show ID to…
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Kirkenes, Norway 🇳🇴 (and almost Russia 🇷🇺)
Ken and I pretty much went to Russia today. But first, food: Last night’s dinner was reindeer filet with lingonberry sauce. Shockingly good. Delicious, even. And this morning I tried the famous Norwegian brunost, or brown cheese. The name loses some appeal in translation. It’s made from whey (the liquid leftover from cheesemaking). It tastes…
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Kirkenes, Norway 🇳🇴
After surviving our night in the ice hotel, I was up by 0700, and heading toward a hot shower. Breakfast and then a king crab adventure await! Our crab guide, Dirk, is a German by birth, but has lived here, at the top of the world, for the last 15 years. He speaks German, English,…
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The Snow Hotel, Kirkenes, Norway 🇳🇴
Bonus Post: The Snowhotel. Arrived late last night, which was totally fine with me – minimized my time in the ice room. The experience started with a stop at the ice bar for shots of Rudolph’s Revenge – vodka and reindeer blood (cloudberry juice), served in shot glasses made out of ice. I made sure…
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Tromsø & Kirkenes, Norway 🇳🇴
Had a free day in Tromsø today. Walked around town, did some shopping, and searched out the grocery and liquor stores, two places I always try to visit when we travel. I could browse them for hours. Ken is … less enthusiastic. At the market, there was an entire row dedicated to canned fish/fishy things.…
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Tromsø, Norway 🇳🇴
Feeling pretty stiff after yesterday’s snowmobile misadventure, so considered taking a pass on our snowshoe trek this morning. But Ken is all about outdoor exercise (and making *me* do outdoor exercise), so he dragged my unmotivated ass out of bed. I’m so glad he did. Snowshoeing is super fun, but man, it’s an ass-kicker of…
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Lyngsfjord, Norway 🇳🇴
Arctic Adventure Day! Drove 75km south of Tromsø to the Lyngsfjord Wilderness Camp. Took a guided snowmobile trip. Our Finnish guide: “If you drank a bottle of vodka for breakfast, you cannot do this activity.” Apparently, this is an issue they have to deal with frequently. Did not fall on the ice today, but can…
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Tromsø, Norway 🇳🇴
I think this is technically still Day 2. Not sure. Still sleep deprived. Update: WE MADE IT TO TROMSØ!! Missed our morning activity because of the flight situation. It was dog sledding, which I was really looking forward to. Trying not to be Salty Sally about it. Spent the afternoon unpacking and exploring the town.…
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Oslo, Norway 🇳🇴
Unending Travel. [No pics yet because we haven’t seen the anything outside of an airport /airport hotel in 42 hours. But here’s a map of Norway, for reference.] However far away you think the Arctic Circle is, add 2 billion miles. It’s really fucken far. And the city of Tromsø (our home base for the…