Ny-Ålesund is an extreme place, probably the northern-most inhabited place on Earth.

Post Office in Ny Alesund by Tom Phillips.

Photo by Tom Phillips.
Post Office in Ny Alesund. CC License A-2.0

It has a post office and a hotel. It is an international research station on the island of Spitsbergen, in the Svalbard archipelago, north of Norway. I came to know about this place at a recent beautiful art expo by Osvaldo Budet and Shonah Trescott, where a gorgeous series of images of this arctic region where shown. These images document the man-made changes, which are often irreversible, upon the environment.

Osvaldo Budet & Shonah Trescott, 40 Days in the Arctic

I always daydream about the North (and –by symmetry– the South), its clear lightness, cold brightness and infinite waters. So, my family and my travels have often involved Canada, with its lovely Price Edward Island and Nova Scotia, and of course the coast of British Columbia. I dream about visiting Iceland and southern Patagonia. However, this post is not about traveling. But about the curious coincidence that a TV series I am about to watch, just recently broadcast in the UK, is precisely set there –but shot in Iceland. The series’ title is Fortitude,  played by the great Sofie_Gråbøl of the memorable Forbrydelsen (The Killing). OK, thus spins the world.

Antonio Vantaggiato
av@qmail.com