There Once Was @fullcognition - Tumblr Blog

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Lijiang, China

#travel #Lijiang #China #Asia #Culture #Nature #HIstory

A man about to go out further into the sound to pull up king crab cages.

Kirkenes, Norway

January 2009

#kirkenes #norway #scandinavia #europe #travel #winter #the past #2009 #landscape #PolarWeek

Somewhere outside of Kirkenes, Norway

January 2009

#kirkenes #norway #scandinavia #europe #winter #the past #2009 #snowmobile #PolarWeek

A mid-day sunset somewhere near the Nordkapp.

The trip to Norway in late December 2008 until January 2009 was arguably one of my most memorable journeys, albeit it wasn’t the most well thought out as I arrived smack in the midst of an Arctic Winter. Even the immigration officer in Oslo asked me who in their right mind would want to go that far north during this time. From the first moment I stepped into Norway, I knew this was going to be an experience like no other.

I was aboard the Hurtigruten for a week, sailing from Bergen all the way north to Kirkenes. Without question my main reason for visiting the north of Norway in the middle of winter was the Aurora Borealis. What I didn’t expect (due to lack of research) is that during late December and January, the Arctic winter is in full force; blizzards, bone chilling wind, VERY rough seas, and constant cloud cover both day and night.

This particular picture shows a rare occasion in which I got to see the sky. It was taken around 14:00 if my memory serves me right. It was darkness for about 80% of the day, which was an experience all itself coming from a tropical country. But of course, the arctic winter shows little remorse as it enveloped the area with clouds soon after.

As I’ve said before, even with all the miscalculations, the journey ended up on my most memorable list. When I finally got to the Arctic Circle monument on Day 4 or 5 of the journey, I had already seen what seemed to be the worst of the Arctic winter and I began to develop a huge respect for the people actually living in these areas their whole lives. At first glance I was amazed at how they’ve managed to keep it together for that long. I came to realize the importance of home, that we weren’t born in a certain location by choice, and the willpower of humans as a whole race. You make do, you at least try to adapt to what you were given with.

Home will always be there whether you admit it or not. That one place where you first set your foot on the ground. Be it a treasure trove of natural wonders or a dirty, bustling metropolitan. Regardless, we will always cling on to that inherent beauty that we associate with the place of our birth. A beauty that prevents us to ever truly disown our home.

January 2009

#norway #scandinavia #europe #nordkapp #ocean #sea #the past #2009 #travel #PolarWeek #north pole

Ålesund, Norway

December 2008

#alesund #norway #scandinavia #europe #travel #the past #2008

Ålesund, Norway

December 2008

#alesund #norway #scandinavia #travel #winter #the past #europe #cityscape

Somewhere north of Java. #clouds #sunset #airplane #travel

#sunset #airplane #clouds #travel

A collection of the best damn cocktails I've ever tasted. No sharp unpleasantries, right amount of kick, and seamless integration of base alcohol with all ingredients involved. The man's a genius. (at BAR Gen Yamamoto)