Cheery red flowers on barren trees in Kirkenes, Norway
Kirkenes is in the farthest reaches of Norway, only 9.5 miles from the Russian border and 250 miles north of the Arctic Circle. In November, that means cold, dark and snowy. Did I say dark?
The subject: On a few hour break from our Hurtigruten ship, the Midnatsol before it would depart the dock to head back south along the Norwegian coast toward Oslo, we took a little walk through Kirkenes. Although mid-day, it felt more like twilight and everything was icy and snow-covered. We ended up along the banks of an inlet with Nordic skiing tracks.
The inspiration: Then, there were suddenly these trees, these amazing trees! No leaves, but still covered in bright deep red flowers set along barren twigs shooting up from the snow-covered ground. The fluffy red bursts looked like origami art that some busy person had hung along the branches. But no they were real. Being a gardener, I wished I knew what they were, so stunning were the clusters of red petals against the dark early-winter sky of Kirkenes so far north of the Arctic Circle.
Artist’s tools: Still scratching my head why I didn’t shoot with my “big girl camera” (Nikon D90) instead of my Samsung mobile phone. What was I thinking? Slap myself now. Nevertheless, the shot on my Galaxy S4 (it really wasn’t so old in 2014) didn’t turn out half bad. No zoom, just a little crop later. And there you have it. A bright spot in Kirkenes on a dark winter day.
Check out our other stories on photo-worthy places to visit in Norway!
There are so many wonderful places in Norway that inspire art and photography. Trondheim, Alesund, Bergen, Kirkenes and Roros. Be sure to read Eight reasons to visit Trondheim, Visit Roros, Norway: UNESCO World Heritage Town, Beautiful Alesund inspires artists and photographers, Kirkenes Travel Tips: An Arctic frontier at road’s end, and What to do in Bergen: The ultimate Bergen city guide.
Thinking about a Hurtigruten cruise up the coast of Norway for a spectacular adventure? Then be sure to read our entire Hurtigruten cruise advice series: Hurtigruten Cruises: Travel booking tips; Planning Your Hurtigruten Cruise Excursions; Hurtigruten Cabins: Differences, Details; Food and Drink on Hurtigruten Cruises in Norway;and Hurtigruten Video Tour – Planning Your Next Trip.
Our Most Recent Travel Stories
Walkable downtown Raleigh rich in history, museums, and public art
Raleigh, North Carolina, is known as the “Smithsonian of the South,” a nod to its proliferation of museums celebrating art, culture, and history. Get a taste of its history and museums as well as its art on a walking tour of downtown Raleigh.
What do you do with lots of lemons? Make super zesty French Lemon Cake!
If you are swimming in lemons during harvest, the question arises: What to do with so many lemons? What I call my “French Lemon Cake” comes to the rescue. I enjoyed this cake in France, but had to develop the recipe myself, of course using lots of juice and lemon zest.
Grass Valley travel bloggers win multiple gold medals for photojournalism
For the fifth consecutive year, the HI Travel Tales team of Michael Hodgson and Therese Iknoian earned top honors for their photography and photojournalism skills, taking home four gold medals and one bronze in the 31st annual NATJA awards competition.
Walkable downtown Raleigh rich in history, museums, and public art
Raleigh, North Carolina, is known as the “Smithsonian of the South,” a nod to its proliferation of museums celebrating art, culture, and history. Get a taste of its history and museums as well as its art on a walking tour of downtown Raleigh.
What do you do with lots of lemons? Make super zesty French Lemon Cake!
If you are swimming in lemons during harvest, the question arises: What to do with so many lemons? What I call my “French Lemon Cake” comes to the rescue. I enjoyed this cake in France, but had to develop the recipe myself, of course using lots of juice and lemon zest.
Grass Valley travel bloggers win multiple gold medals for photojournalism
For the fifth consecutive year, the HI Travel Tales team of Michael Hodgson and Therese Iknoian earned top honors for their photography and photojournalism skills, taking home four gold medals and one bronze in the 31st annual NATJA awards competition.
Don't Let The Sun Set On You!
Join our subscriber club today and never miss an award-winning story or photograph. Plus you'll receive our monthly newsletter and get full access to FREE downloads of e-books, recipes and more -- no spam, ever, promise.
As an affiliate for Get Your Guide, Amazon.com, iVisa, Global Rescue, Think Tank, 5.11, Kuhl, Adorama, and others, we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you should you choose to purchase through the links in our posts. It is essential to mention that we only endorse products we believe in and personally use. Your support for HI Travel Tales through these purchases allows us to maintain a sustainable platform for creating valuable and relevant content for you.
Are you protected IF a travel emergency happens?
