Norway Fjords with motorcycle :
Day-12 : 15 July 2016  Friday
from NORDKAPP>>>to ALTA via Hammerfest:-Total distance : 350 km

When I woke up in my room in the ground floor, I looked to the sky. Depending to the weather I would decide for making another visit to Nordkapp. Regrettfully, the weather and the sky was not promising. So, I decided to ride to Alta which is the city in the Northern part of Norway. 

I went to the breakfast hall on the first floor of the Hostel Vendererhiem. The breakfast banquet was not bad. As soon as I finished my breakfast I sat at the computer desk there in order to book my hotel in Alta. There was a continueing problem with internet connection 

with my own notebook and Iphone. I couldn 't manage to get connected to the internet.

After the breakfast I put all my stuff to my motorbike. The wind was blowing strongly. There was also a rain sprayed with the wind. I put on my rain gear and departed from the Hostel.

All the way down to the tunnel and then from the tunnel exit to Russenes I took wind from side and the rain was also terrible. The wind, sometimes, was trying to blow me away from the road.

When I came to Russenes and Olderfjord I made a stop at the same coffe shop and I bought a coffee. When I turned to the west direction the wind and the rain became acceptable. The road conditions are well. 

After 20-25 kms I saw the  sign to Hammerfest. It was something around 11:00 and I took the route to Hammerfest which is one of the cities in the North. There were some construction work on the road. In some places I had to ride on the gravel. The road became better when I came to the sea shore on the left. The view to the left over the sea is wonderful. There were a few groups of raindeer at the side of the road.

Backround Hammerfest

In the centre of Hammerfest

In front of the town house.

I parked my motorcycle in the center close to the port. There were a lot of people on the streets. I recognized a market place on the street to the port. I looked around. Hammerfest

is a port city in the North of Norway. The gulfstream is touching this part of Norway and the sea never freezes. The economy is based on fishery. Herring is the most common fish.

I walked  and then I sat in a restaurant in the pier and ordered a delicious pizza. 

After the lunch break I walked to my bike and departed for Alta. I rode back on the same route to the E6 junction. On the junction I took the route E6 to southwest. Untouched nature 

was romantic. Riding further to south, made the weather better. Closer to Alta the sun was shining nicely and heating me up. I did not make any stop even my fuel was going less and less. I decided to buy fuel in Alta.

It was 16:30 when I stopped at the Hotel Thon Vica. Thon Hotel Vica is just at the side of the main road and there is a neighbored fuel station where I bought fuel before registering in the hotel. The city Alta is located at the side of the Altafjorden. There is also a river with the same name ending at Alta. Solmon fishing is very popular. I paid approx. 90.-Euro for one night including breakfast. Privat parking is free.

After resting a little bit in my room I went down and rode to the Alta Museum. Alta Museum is famous with the rock carvings from the very old times of the humankind. 

...taken from Wikipedia ....

"The World Heritage Rock art Centre - Alta Museum is located at Alta in Finnmark, Norway. Norway.^[1]

World Heritage Rock Art - Alta Museum is located in Hjemmeluft, a small bay on Altafjord near the Arctic Circle.^[2] Alta Museum is northern Norway's most-visited summer museum, with more than 1,000 visitors each day.^[3] It presents exhibitions on local culture and historic industries including the nearby prehistoric rock carvings that form a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The museum is situated at the site of early settlement of Finnmark dating from around 11,000 years ago.^[4][5] In 1973, the first rock carvings in Hjemmeluft were found. To date over 3000 figures have been registered here. The museum opened in June 1991 and won the European Museum of the Year Award in 1993.^[3] "

View to the West from the Alta Museum

View from the Alta Museum

On the way back to my Hotel I turned to the right where there is a natural park at the bank of the Alta river. I parked my motorcycle there and walked at the bank of the river. I saw people who are camping and fishing. The weather was sunny and the sky was clear. 

Fly fishing in Alta River.

Alta City 

After I have returned to the Hotel I decided to take dinner at the restaurant on the base floor. The restaurant of the Hotel is one of the recommended food places in Alta. I ate deer meat and also a salad. It was tasty but expensive.

Dinner in The Restaurant Thon Hotel Vica : Deer Meat

During the dinner my Iphone took some messages from my friends in Turkey. It was the moment in Turkey !! The "coup" had been tried unfortunately. I stayed long time connected to the messages of my friends and I talked on the phone to my family a couple of times.

Watching the international news channels I tried to sleep.

With Motorcycle to NORDKAPP-Norway
Day-11 : 14 July 2016  Thursday
from Inari (Finland)>>>to NORDKAPP (Norway) :-Total distance : 422 km
TOTAL DISTANCE from ISTANBUL to NORDKAPP : 4,715 km

After a nice breakfast at the Hotel Kultahovi I started to pack my stuff and prepare my bike for the ride to the North. I departed around 08:50 from the parking lot. I bought fuel at the fuel station which is just at the corner to the main road, a few hundred meters from the Hotel. The road is flat and straight. All surrounding nature is green. 

After 33 kms I came to a junction to the left. It was 09:12 and I took the direction to Karasjok which is a Norwegian city on the way to Nordkapp.The border between Finnland and Norway is without any procedure. It is only 100 km away from Inari. On the Norwegian side the road follows the Karasjohka River. The flatness of the earth surface is changing in Norway and curves are getting more.

In Karasjoki I visited an open air museum. It was a historical village of the Sami people.Sami are the native people of this part of the world.

.....this part is taken from Wikipedia :

The Sami people (also Sámi or Saami, traditionally known in English as Lapps or Laplanders) are an indigenous Finno-Ugric people inhabiting the Arctic area of Sápmi, which today encompasses parts of far northern Norway, Sweden, Finland, and the Kola Peninsula of Russia. The Sami are the only indigenous people of Scandinavia recognized and protected under the international conventions of indigenous peoples, and are hence the northernmost indigenous people of Europe.^[8] Sami ancestral lands are not well-defined, and span an area of approximately 390,000 km² (150,000 sq. mi.),^{[citation needed]} which is approximately the size of Norway, in the Nordic countries. Their traditional languages are the Sami languages and are classified as a branch of the Uralic language family.
Traditionally, the Sami have pursued a variety of livelihoods, including coastal fishing, fur trapping, and sheep herding. Their best-known means of livelihood is semi-nomadic reindeer herding. Currently about 10% of the Sami are connected to reindeer herding, providing them with meat, fur, and transportation. 2,800 Sami people are actively involved in herding on a full-time basis.^[9] For traditional, environmental, cultural, and political reasons, reindeer herding is legally reserved only for Sami people in some regions of the Nordic countries.^[10]

.......thanks to Wikipedia

Open-air museum of Sami culture

Sami Village

Kitchen hut of the Sami village

It was around 11:50 when I reached to the Norwegian city Lakselv. It is a small city and most of the buildings are located on the side of the main road. I wanted to buy fuel and to change some of my Euro notes into Norway Krones. Keep in mind !!! It is almost IMPOSSIBLE to change money in Norway. Even the banks are not helping for this purpose. I visited a bank branch in Lakselv and they declined to sell Krones to me. The only way to have Krones is to draw money at the ATM. But DO NOT be pesimistic !!! Someone may pay with credit card everywhere and for every amount.  

I bought a small glass of champagne (Moet & Chandon) in a liquor shop. In Norway, alcoholic drinks are only sold in monopole shops. Then I departed for Nordkapp. The weather was rainy and I had my rain gear on.

I followed te route all along the west bank of the Porsangerfjorden. The view is very romantic and greyish. The water is less due to tide. There are a few huts distributed on the bank. I passed the towns Igeldas, Kalvik, Kistrand and Olderfjord and stopped at Russenes at the shop Lind & sons. I drank a coffee and bought a few stickers for my motorbike.

In the direction of Nordkapp the people on the road is getting more. This is a touristic route.
getting closer to the island of Honningsvag the routes are getting curved. The weather was windy and rainy. There is a underwater tunnel for passing to the Honningsvag. It is a long tunnel (maybe 4,5 kms). The naked surrounding earth is very alone and romantic.

When I came to the T-junction close to Honningsvag I took left branch n order to proceed to the Nordkapp. It was approx. 15:30 o'clock and it is fine to ride to the North. The distance is roughly 30 kms. The road conditions are good but the weather was terrible. Foggy and windy  weather caused me to slow down. There was also rain with wind which was hurting my chicks when I opened windshield of my helmet. 

15 kms before Nordkapp, view to the Northwest.

The temperature was around 8,5 degC when I reached to the Nordkapp. To enter the Nordkapp facility I paid approx. 27 Euro. There are lots of tourist buses and many cars and bikes who were visiting. It is a good job to collect money.

Just in front of the main entrance to Nordkapp

At the Nordkapp

Ready to celebrate at 71 deg 10min 21sec

The wind was very terrible outside. I took some pictures and then I walked to the building.

It is warm inside but very crowded. There are a lot of tourists from the Cruise Ships which are in the port of Honningsvag.

After one hour I decided to ride back to Honningsvag where there should be my Hostel I am going to stay for one night. I had arranged this Hostel on the internet maybe 2-3 days ago. It is very complicate to find free accomodation in tis area. The prices are also very high. The weather was much more terrible on the way back to the town. It is mostly downhill but the side wind was pressing me to the left. 

Finally I was in front of the Vandererhiem Hostel. It is located 3-4 kms away from Honningsvag and almost at the junction to the Nordkapp direction.I paid 65.-USD incl. breakfast. They gave me one room on the ground level close to the WC and shower. The room was enough big. 

After resting for half an hour and having shower I took my bike and I rode to the city Honningsvag. There is a big Shell fuel station on the way. I filled my tank. 

This city is popular with fishery and tourism. Beside these two things there are also military bases here around. Especially the entrance of the city was smelling like a fish market.

Main part and port of the city Honningsvag

One of few restaurants in Honningsvag: Good for crab soup and sea food.

In the parking lot of the Vandererhiem Hostel.

With Motorcycle to NORDKAPP-Norway
Day-10 : 13 July 2016  Wednesday
from Oulu (Finland)>>>to Inari (Finland) :-Total distance : 566 km

The breakfast at the hotel Cumulus Oulu was very rich. Before having the breakfast, I took my motorbike from the private parking of the hotel and went to the fuel station Neste just  50 meters away at the corner of the hotel. I filled it up and then I parked the bike in front 
of the hotel. 
The weather was looking to be good. No rain and partly cloudy. Also good temperature to ride. I also prepared a couple of sandwiches with cheese and ham and I took an apple for lunch. The distance to Ivalo is more then 500 kms. Today 's route will take long. I plan to stop in Ivalo even I did not do any booking. 
I departed from the hotel at 08:35 and took the North direction to Kemi. There is a good highway in the near circle of Oulu. After 5 kms I had to stop because of the rain. I put on my rain gear at the side of the highway. I was just a little wet. Then I followed the route to Kemi.
Kemi is a small town at the north coast of the Baltic sea where the routes are splitting to the border of Sweden and also to northeast in the direction to Ivalo and Inari.

After Kemi, maybe in 3-5 kms I took the route to the direction Rovaniemi. The sky was changing positively. Riding away from the Baltic Sea, the rain stopped and the sky got clear.

I saw a country road on the right and stopped there at the bus stop in order to take off my rain suite. It is 20-21 degC. Sunny. I hope that it continues like this today.

There are a lot of fuel stations. No need for being concerned about shortage of fuel. My tank is full though. I continue to ride. The roads are good but straight. No curves and no up and downs. It is boring and I felt sleepy. I stopped at the Neste fuel station in Rovaniemi. There were approx. 220 kms left behind. I filled my tank and I sat there at their coffee shop. I ate my sandwich and drank a coffee. There was also one Finnish motor rider with whom we chat a little. He is also heading to Ivalo where his brother is working. 

Around 11:50 I departed. Going further to the North the plantation turned into forest. There are tall birch trees in the surrounding. I met also a few deers on the street and also on the side of the street. I passed the city Sadankyla around 13:07. 

It started to rain again. I stopped at the side of the street wherete there was the entrance for a couple of houses. I put on my rain  gear where there were post boxes of the houses.

Usually there are several houses located at the side of the street but they are behind the trees. They are not visible from the street. Someone can only see their postboxes at the side of the street. The post service is given upto that point.

45 km before Ivalo I stopped to buy fuel at the SEB fuel station. This station is also the reception of the camping area. I asked the price. The lady offered 35.-Euro/night excl. breakfast for the "cabin". Cabin means a kind of small room or bungalow.

I rode further in the direction of Ivalo. I saw the bridge at which there is the Hotel about which Bahri from Oulu (Istanbul Restaurant) had mentioned yesterday. It is well established Hotel with a wide parking area in front of it.  It is just at the junction. Even it is 85.-Euro there was no free room for me. The restaurant in the basement was also looking nice.

Then I asked the lady at the reception to advise me another hotel. But the situation was really bad. Because there are a lot of tourists in the city and the hotels were full. I rode the the Husky Guesthouse. ıt is located far in the country side. ı had to ride about 5-6 kms on the side roads away from the main road.I came to a bad looking guesthouse in the middle of the rural region. It is 75.-Euro for one night. I decided to ride back to Ivalo in order to search further hotels. There is only one last chance. Hotel Ivalo which is located on the road Oulu.

It is a nice looking touristic hotel. Regrettfully, no free room. The lady at the reception suggested to me to ride to Inari and to look at the Hotel Kultahovi there.

The road from Ivalo to Inari is approx. 40 km. The view is very nice and the road conditions are well for riding. After 1/2 an hour I had been in Inari at the Kultahovi Hotel. The hotel is very nice not far from the main road. I made approx. 566 kms today from Oulu to Inari. It was 16:30 when I put my stuff in my room on the first floor. Someone can walk to the town centre in 10 minutes.

This area is well known by the camping and trekking fans. In winter time there is alot of snow in this area. It is part of Lappi. Even it is summer time now, it is cool outside. Something around 18-20 degrees C. 

After 1/2 hour I started to walk to the town centre. Do not imagine a real down town. There are only a few houses at the side of the street. The town is located at the side of a big lake called Inari.

While walking at the bank of the lake I took some pictures.There are a few people around.
I saw a lady in "very pink" jogging style. I asked her where to eat. She suggested Hotelli Inari and advised me to eat trout. I walked to the Hotelli Inari. The reastuarant was looking nice. I sat there at the window and ordered some food.  
First I ordered a salad with deer meat and a GinTonic. 

Salad with deer meat.

Gin and Tonic

Then I continued with the trout.

Grilled trout

The waitress in the restaurant serving me was from Bulgaria. One year ago she came from Bulgaria and speaks good German and english. She was sympathic and funny.

View from my Hotel

After buying some small gifts from a big shop just adjacent to the Hotelli Inari I walked to my Hotel Kultahovi.There is a wide river just at the side of the Hotel. 

It could be also a nice option to visit Inari in winter,too. Snow and cold weather would be giving a romanthic atmosphere. I sat in the restaurant of my Hotel and drank a couple of shots of Finlandia Vodka with wild berries flavor. meanwhile I bought some postcards and wrote to some of my friends including my family. It is nice to get involved with nostalgic behaviours like postcard sending.

It is not getting dark here. I went to sleep to my room around 22:00 o'clock. Tomorrow will be a long day between Finnland and Norway. I will pass over the border and ride to Nordkapp.

With Motorcycle to NORDKAPP-Norway
Day-8 : 11 July 2016  Monday
from Tallinn (Estonia)>>>to Helsinki on the ferry

This morning, at 10:00 o'clock I have to take the ferry from Tallinn to Helsinki. I had bought the ticket yesterday on the internet. The ferry departs at 10:00 and I have to be at the port 1/2 hour ahead. I woke up early in the morning and have got my breakfast in the Hotel. After the breakfast I walked in the Old Town and took some pictures. I walked through some of the streets. Yesterday it was Sunday and the streets were crowded. Today is much more better. On the Pikk Street close to the centre there is a fine coffee shop. I sat there and drank a coffee. Later on I walked back to the hotel and I packed my stuff and  checked out from the hotel. The weather was sunny. There was some rain during the night but it is dry in the morning. It was 09:12 when I stopped my bike at the ferry port in the queue. There were some bicyclists and motor bikers at the top. We talked a little bit. 

There was a German family and they were planning  a day trip with their own bicycles in Helsinki.

Waiting for the ferry from Tallinn to Helsinki

Our ferry leaving Tallinn Port

The voyage on the ferry takes 2 hours. The weather was very nice and the Baltic sea was very calm. I enjoyed my trip on the sunny deck. I met also an Estonian lady with the name Ülli. She was very nice and friendly. We talked a lot during the voyage. She was on the road to her daughter who has been living in Finland. Ülli was a well educated lady and was giving lectures about body language and consultancy to the companies in Estonia. www.bodylanguageacademy.ee is the address of her company.

I arrived at my Hotel Cumulus Helsinki around 13:25. It was a big city hotel on the Kaisaniemenkatu. The main problem in Helsinki is parking !!! Even for bikes it is not allowed to park outside on the street or in the pavement. I talked with the receptionist and they said that I have to park my bike for 24 hours in the underground parking place. It costs 34.-Euro.

After leaving all my luggage in the lobby I took my bike and looked for parking. 

Almost all underground of Helsinki ( I may exegerate) is a huge cave for cars. There are thousands of park places in the earth. I parked my bike and came back to the hotel. It took something around 1/2 an hour to park my bike and to come back to the hotel.

Around 15:30 I left the hotel in order to walk in Helsinki and to see some heighlights.

First I walked through the big square of the Main Station.

Helsinki Main Station

On the way to the Sibelius Park I stopped in a Sushi restaurant and ate a lot of sushi and similar stuff. It is fixed price restaurant and I paid 15.-Euro plus the beverage. Someone may eat as much as he can for 15.-Euro. After the Sushi restaurant I walked in the direction of the Rock Church ,Temppeliaukion kirkko, Lutheran church in Helsinki, Finland .      

    

Rock Church

"The Temppeliaukion kirkko is a famous church in the heart of Helsinki, it was built out of solid rock in 1969. Natural light enters this cave-church through the skylight in the dome. There is an organ at the church, but there are no bells - the chimes are imitated by loud-speakers. "

After visiting the Rock Church I walked to the Sibelius Park which is only 30 minutes walk from the church. It is a big park at the sea side. Right in front of the Sibelius monument it started to rain. It was not heavy though.

Sibelius Monument

Then I walked down to the sea side and I went the path all along the coast. I walked through a playground and watched te children playing football. Then I took the street Arkadiankatu.Throgh the Mannerheimvaegen I walked down to the Esplanadi.There are a lot of shops and luxury brand shops. In a change office I changed some Euro into 450.-Norwegian Krone. Then I walked to the Halli Square.