A unique view of the Arctic

My cross-cultural view tends to focus eastwards and southwards to South East Asia and the Far East - inevitably, since my roots are in Malaysia and Chinese culture. But there is of course so much more world out there. So from time to time, I’m going to explore blogs from other countries and cultures here on Fusion View to widen my horizon and learn a bit more about the world beyond.

To start off this globetrotting journey, I came across the photoblog, A Unique View of the Arctic by Thomas Laupstad in Norway, who says on the About page, “I want to show you northern Norway from my point of view.”

He has some fantastic photos of Norwegian landscapes and captures that special northern light beautifully.

He writes that he took this photo in February. “At this time of the year the sun is only shining for a hour or two and in this photo the sun has disappeared below the horizon. The golden reflections are coming from sunshine higher up in the snow filled mountains. It was a very beautiful sight.”

I’ve never been to Norway and it seems unimaginable to me to go through months on end where there is only an hour or two of sunlight. I find it difficult enough here in the UK when it gets dark at 3.30pm in December. It must be so strange to wake up in the dark, spend the day in the dark and go to bed in the dark.

Thomas also has other amazing photos on his blog - one of a pine forest covered in snow, also taken in February. Of this one, he writes, “I think the scene looks like it is taken straight out of “The Chronicles of Narnia” with all the snow hanging on the Norway Spruce.”

If you’re a reader from Norway or a Scandinavian country - or with family or roots there, I’d love to hear from you - do add a comment or email me.