Running in Andenes

I like running in new places. It’s a nice way to get to know the surroundings, and you see something new all the time. And you get around much faster - or farther - then by just walking. So it’s also what I do in Andenes. I run northwards to the harbor. On the main road are some stores. A hairdresser, a flower shop, a pharmacy, a shop with children’s clothes and toys, two sports outfitters for all the tourists who didn’t bring proper clothes. On the way to the lighthouse, I pass the receptions of Whalesafari and Whale2Sea and the Polarmuseet where you can buy the tickets for the lighthouse. Reaching the seaside, I must take a short break. The view of the bay with white sand, turquoise blue water, small islands, and mountains in the back with a few snow fields left is breathtaking.

I then follow the beaten track along the shoreline, which is lined with white sandy beaches. At some point I should come here for a quick dip in the water. Right now, the beach is mostly occupied by kittiwakes and the occasional oystercatcher.

On my way back, I take the main road and pass by the guarded gate of the airbase. I feel watched by all the little automatic lawnmowers rolling around in the front yards along the road. And then I see a very special outdoor decoration: flower pots standing on top of whale vertebrae. No, I’m not kidding. I wish I were. I mean, it’s cool to see how huge they are, but if you ask me, they would rather belong in a museum than a front yard.

View from the bottom of the lighthouse and the beach in Andenes