Norwegian National Day

Norwegians are celebrating their National Day at 17. mai. That's a big day with parades and celebrations and it's spesially a big day for children with lot of activities.

We didn't really have a nice weather for celebration in Longyearbyen. It was snowing and blowing and even the dog find it best to stay on the lee-side of his snowhill.

Dogs weren't welcome to join the parade. I can't really understand why they couldn't join on the end of the row with "små og store", but we respected the wish and didn't join at all. 

Instead we had a dog-friendly walk. It was blowing and snowing, but anyhow, we need to have a walk every day regardless of weather.

It's not yet really summery in Svalbard, but at least winter is over and it's spring. We have parked our scooters for sommer even though the toughest are still driving.

Tree hugging

We are out of the house every other week while we're working in Svea, so that gives limitations what kind of plants I'm able to have at home. If it wouldn't be like that I would love to have a total garden on my living room!

Last year I shortened all of my yucca palms so that we were able to see out of the window again.

Then I didn't cut my dragaena. I was counting it was still having good enough place to grow one more season. I was wrong...

Actually I should have cut it already before it reached the roof, but I didn't manage to do it.

After cut I measured the length of the plant: it was about 3,50 meter. I think that was pretty impressive thinking about that the plant has been growing in the arctic. We got the plant in early 2006, so it was now about seven years old.

I put the top of the plant straight to the pot, so we'll see if it manages to start to grow again. I did the same with yuccas last year and none of the died.

As I'm having now mostly just non-flowering houseplants,  I decided to buy some new ones with flowers. I'm counting to that these will survive even they won't get water every day.

I bought also one Hortensia, even though it's having higher water requirements.  I'm not so sure about how it will survive alone over days without water.

Moods of spring

After a short week in Svea it was nice to come back home and enjoy a week off in Longyearbyen. We got a really nice days with spring weather.  

Now we were having a better view over the town - last week everything was  just foggy.

With this kind of weather it was nice to have a walk with a dog around the town. There were a real  feeling of spring everywhere. Snow buntings were singing, little oaks were busy by the mountains sides and a polar fox were howling somewhere close by.

Waiting for better weather

My work week in Svea usually starts on Thursdays. Last time I got some ekstra days in the town because all the local flights were cancelled. Finally on Saturday forenoon we got a flight and the work week started. Even though work week started couple of days later it finished as normal on Wednesday. I didn't complain too much about a shorter work period!

Over the white landscape

We were having some wonderful days on our scooters during those last beautiful days in April.

A seal is having also good time on the sea ice. You can see Noorderlicht, a sailing boat frozen on ice, on the background.

Mars and April is also a busy time for tourist companies. We met a  line of 38 scooters, guides included. Somehow I was happy I wasn't part of them.

Glacier fronts are always imressive.

I think that seal must have one of the most beautiful places to have his breath hole.

A stone formation called Tarantellen, Tarantella in English. I quess you can see why it has got that name.

We were having a break by Mittag-Lefflerbreen, in Austfrjoden. Suddenly glacier calved and a huge piece of ice collapsed just behind us. We were far enough from the glacier front, so we weren't in risk to get some ice on us, but sea ice made really spooky sounds after collapse.  We decided to move on the other place pretty quickly.

I think mountains with stripes are really cool.

This picture is taken about glacier melt water basin. Ice is totally clear and it seems to be endlessly deep. There is really stylish patterns on the ice, which are totally impossible to capture on pictures.

Life in the ghost town

Pyramiden is a Russian "ghost town"about 110 km by scooter from Longyearbyen. The town was abandoned 1998 and being empty since. At the most there were living over 1000 inhabitants.

Lately the Russians have been developing tourist industri and the hotel, Tulipan, is partly renovated  and it's possibly to overnight there.

The hotelrooms gives sweet Russian feeling.

The restaurant reminds me equivalent in Barentsburg.

I guess the worlds northernmost Lenin is standing in Pyramiden.

Industry in Pyramiden was also based on coal.

Pyramiden was a lively town with sporty and cultural activities.

The cultural house was giving a good possibilities for different hobbies.  Town was also having a kindergarden and a school.

The houses didn't had their own kitchen but food was got from the canteen. I think this mosaic in the canteen is really cool.

There is also a little museum. That polar bear is looking somehow strange...

I think Pyramiden is the most beautiful town in Svalbard. Nordenskiöldbreen, a glacier on the other side of Billefjorden, is really impressive. I would love to have that kind of view from my kitchen window.

Days of blue dream

We have had perfect weather here lately, over some weeks of time in April. April is absolutely one of the best time in Svalbard! Then we don't get anymore dark at night time and weather is pretty often good and stabile. I'm always feeling almost quilty if I'm staying inside during those beautiful days.

This is what Svalbard is for me: Sunshine forever.

This is what everybody is dreaming about in Svalbard:  A polar bear mummy with two cubs.

I guess this cabin is one of the most photographed, it's a trapper Hilmar Nøis old cabin in Fredheim.

A sight over Templefjorden, about 60 km from Longyearbyen. You can see a sailing boat Noorderlicht in the right corner. It's a boat frozen on the ice and it's used as a hotel.

A glacier front, a perfect place for a cup of hot chocolate and some snack.

Ice sculptures in the front of the glacier are really amazing.

Just quick visit on Noorderlicht.

It's also nice to have some activities beside driving the scooters. Here some climbing in Brattlidalen.

The world where the sun doesn't set

We had the last sunset at 16th of April and the next one will be 25th of August. I just love this time - you can be awake when ever and it's light anyhow.