Norway Journal - Ålesund

It was the perfect autumnal day in Ålesund, slightly overcast sky, ideal for wandering the town. Ålesund is on the water, surrounded by islands and mountains, and has a laid back, quieter vibe that I like. All the buildings are built in the art nouveau style, and it adds so much charm to the place.

When we got off the ship, we wandered for a little bit, actually looking for an ATM, found one, and then settled in for some coffee at Racoon Coffee. The town felt a bit sleepy, even with two ships in port. I loved that. Sitting in coffee ships is one of my favourite things to do when exploring and travelling. Ålesund is spread out amongst the watery lands with a lot of inlets, ports, and fishing, but it is very walkable, easily explorable, and very picturesque. Mount Aksla rises high above the center of town, and you can walk up the 418 steps to the top, but after the previous day's adventure of steps in Geiranger, we weren't too keen on the steps.

Two Norwegian gentlemen sat next to us, with coffee and pastries. It was nice to see and hear locals, for I sometimes felt like I was surrounded by tourists (Americans mostly, as they tend to be loud and noticeable, much to my chagrin) and I would much rather get the feel of the locals, even though I could not understand them. By the way, all the Norwegians I encountered spoke to each other in Norwegian, and spoke to me in Norwegian, until they realized I spoke English, then they would switch to English.

The fish industry is a large market for Ålesund, clearly, but it has a lovely feel along the streets, not a fish market feeling. It is a kind of fairy tale town. The buildings all have turrets and spires.When the town burned down in 1904, it was all rebuilt in the art nouveau style, so there is a consistency in the architecture everywhere you walk. It is a cheerful little town, technically it is not big enough to be a city by Norwegian standards. 

After a good coffee break, we ventured out. We visited the park in the center of town, then ate lunch at a cafe that was all gluten free and delicious! We ended up at the Ålesund Kirke, which was a beautiful church, built in 1909 after the fire. It was peaceful inside with a very colourful and ornate altar, and there was a lot of beautiful wood that made me feel as if I was on a ship. Looking up, the wooden beamed ceiling rose like an upside down boat (very Norwegian) and hanging from the ceiling was a boat. I learned that most Norwegian churches have a boat hanging to represent their connection to the sea (largely with fishing) and how they have been able to live off the blessing of the sea.

I really enjoyed Ålesund. It was the northernmost spot on our Norwegian journey, and we were in the Norwegian Sea at that point (part of the Artic Ocean!). From there, we headed back south.