Are there monkeys at Aalesund today?
No, they got scared away by the Monkey Scare.
Most went back to Sweden, it appears.
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Heavy road transport in Norway is not easy:
Not as heavy but just as difficult:
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Feel bored in your life??
Maybe you would like to try this for a bit of excitement??:
WOULD YOU JUMP?
Take a look at these amazing base jumpers, jumping from spectacular Kjerag.
Feel Free to share!
Film: Simen Haughom // Spectacular Norway
It’s that time of the year when tourist flocks to the Arctic to see Aurora Borealis.
But when is the best time and where is the best place to see them, Alaska, Iceland, Northern Norway …?
There is an app for that:
Hurtigruten offer regular cruises directly from Hamburg throughout the winter:
PS> Not that many tourists around this year as usual. (Especially many Chinese tourists are normally coming to Norway at this time of the year)
I thought that many Chinese loved to celebrate New Year in Norway … as it occurs six hours later there.
Time difference between Norway and China is 7 hrs. during the winter months. (UTC+1 vs UTC +8)
FYI: The Chinese celebrate New Year 01. Febr. in 2022. (AKA; Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival):
The Coastal Express Terminal in Bergen has been re-named to reflect the fact that there will now be more than one company running the service again. (at one time there were 5):
Dawn in Ålesund as seen from Godøy this morning:
Photo: Magnar Lyngstad via FB.
You can see why the mountain on my home island of Hessa is named Sukkertoppen (Sugarloaf)
PS> Not so early morning, Just after 9AM
(Sunrise was at 09:53 hrs. and sunset at 15:04 hrs. today)
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Pre-Christmas pictures contributed by readers of smp.no:
Vigra church 10-12-2021 when the sun went down in the sea !!
Phote: Karin Roald Strandhe
The blue hour over Valldal. The center is atmospherically decorated with lights under the auspices of “Christmas in Skomakargata in Valldal”.
Photo: Kristi Linge Stakkestad
Nice pre-Christmas time in Liabygda 
Photo: Stian Simonnes
Night over Ålesund inner harbour in Christmas mood
Photo: Fred Øie
A new one today:
Ålesund’s coolest Christmas tree can be found at Klokkersundet.
Photo: Camilla Kristiansen
Ombugge,
I have just discovered your thread. Many thanks for an interesting and informative read. 
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Not blue hour. Today it is purple:
Hurtigruten’s cruise ship Otto Sverdrup (ex Finnmarken) on one of her regular visits to/from Northern light spotting in Northern Norway.
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From a different time of the year:
A picture from sometime in July,2016
Photo: Magnar Lyngstad
Just to remember that the sun will soon turn and the days will be long. the nights short and the air warm(er)
Yes, the Norwegian sky is the most beautiful in the world … except at Bergen where it rains all the time.
From smp.no today: (Behind paywall. Google translation)
Lights shines from quiet hamlets:
Skarbø’s garden has become a talking point. (Photo: RANDI ANSOK / NYSS)
Hooked on lighting
André Skarbø’s garden has become a talking point in recent years, and most recently last year he won the prize for the finest Christmas lighting in the district when NRK Møre og Romsdal announced a Christmas lighting competition.
Beautiful: The garden seen from the office roof of Hofseth Aqua. (Photo: RANDI ANSOK / NYSS)
The garden is the size of a park, and is located in Opshaugvika on Stranda, but still there are many who take a car ride in the evening to see the illuminated garden and harbor.
- We now add a little to it ourselves, and it’s just nice that people come by. If we can make others happy, then it makes us happy too, says André.
Christmas in the carp pond: Of course, the bridge over the carp pond is also lit.
PHOTO: RANDI ANSOK / NYSS
Light setting - a passion
André says that lighting has been a passion he has had for a long time as light creates his own atmosphere. Not only when it comes to Christmas lights, but also other forms of lighting both inside and out. Those who have been visiting him either privately or in his office can confirm this. Here you will find candles in all colors and shapes.
Colorful view: The diamond in the garden is the beautiful fountain that changes light and height according to music if you want. PHOTO: RANDI ANSOK / NYSS - Decorating with light in the darkest time of the year is just absolutely fantastic, and not least during the ongoing pandemic and all the negativity one finds around it. Then we think this is nice and it gives us a little extra joy, he says.
Relaxation and recreation - Both Elisabeth and I do a lot ourselves, but luckily we get help from the rest of the family and some friends as well. We start by getting the lights up already at the end of October when it takes about three weeks until all the lights are in place. But we do not stress. We like to work in the garden summer and winter, and take this as a cozy relaxation to all the stress otherwise in the day. It simply gives me peace of mind to puzzle with this here, says André.
One easily gets into the Christmas mood in André Skarbø’s garden. PHOTO: RANDI ANSOK / NYSS
When Nyss asks if there is enough light now or if he has plans for even more light, André laughs and says he thinks it is enough now. - I think it’s probably approaching light now. This year we have added a little light down at the harbor and up on the office roof, and there I now only need two luminous reindeer…
Otherwise, I am very impressed with the new light sign we have got up on the lion wall. It is a trout of 8 x 3 meters, which we have drawn from an original trout from the fish farming facility out in Storfjorden. Here I got help from Bjørnar Engeset and Kai Elling Os to make a steel frame to attach the lights to, he says proudly.
The boathouse and quay have also been decorated for Christmas. PHOTO: RANDI ANSOK / NYSS
Many people want to feel bright and nice around them these days, but at the same time save energy. Electrician Simon Grønningsæter in EL 24 says that there is much less current today with LED lights than what it did before.
The garden of André and Elisabeth Skarbø is a dream for those who love Christmas lights. (Photo: RANDI ANSOK / NYSS)
Does not require as much power as before
- Today’s LED lights 7-8 watts did not use much power compared to the old halogen bulbs which were often 50 watts. If you absolutely must save electricity, save other towns, such as switching off the hot water tank for a few hours in the middle of the day. Or check other good advice on Timber, he says.
Quiet in the harbour. three service boats are idle for the holiday season:
PHOTO: RANDI ANSOK / NYSS
It is Winter Solstice today and the sun has turn (at 1658 hrs. CET)
This event was celebrated in pagan days as the “vinterblot”, which turned into “jul” (Christmas) in Christian time.
Today and tomorrow sunrise here in Ålesund (62.5N) is at 1004 hrs. and sunset at 1503 hrs. CET for a day lasting 4 hrs. 58 min.
But from now the days will get longer and brighter, (although not necessarily warmer for the first 2-3 months) thanks heaven.
This is our second winter in a row and (my third full winter in Norway since 1967).
I don’t know if I will get used to the winter darkness ever again.
But gloom and doom aside, now it is Christmas and lights all over the place.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL ON GCAPTAIN FORUM!!!
Well it could have been worse, we could have been living in Longyearbyen, where they don’t see the sun for months:
Too many electric cars, whats happened?
Goverment aid to keep the lights on?
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-11/norway-to-subsidize-households-for-rising-electricity-costs
That is an old article, (Sept.2021)
The prices are a lot higher now:
Lots of rain in the lowlands in Eastern Norway resulted in floods, but didn’t do much for filling the reservoirs are in the mountains and there it came as snow, which will not melt before spring/early summer
Luckily we live on the NW coast where prices are still low by most standards.
Besides, we have a fire place and plenty of wood to keep warm:
PS> Today’s price here in Ålesund:
6008 ÅLESUND - PRICE AREA CENTRAL NORWAY. Electricity price (23.12.2021):
49.12 øre / kWh (0.49 NOK)
Monthly amounts, surcharges and grid rent are in addition. Future prices will affect the final electricity bill.