Going places ; just like that

We went away, again. This time to the big city of Bergen, which is not very big at all to any foreigner. It's still the second largest city in Norway, holding something like 278 000 people inside it's borders. It's a fine city, for sure, and I like to stroll around the streets of this place. There's something here that really speaks to me, somehow. I think it's about the fine history and the lovely old woodhouse architecture scattered around the city centre. There's a lot to see, and a lot to put on film. And there's a lot of great people living here.
It's a fairly long drive down to Bergen from Ålesund. Loads of ferries and narrow roads, just to make everything go real slow. It's a 440 km, or something like 270 miles drive.
One of the apprentices connected to my wife's office had just passed through to the final of the national competition, and my wife wanted to go to Bergen to see her compete on the final. As she checked the flight tickets for the next morning I thought Bergen would be nice for me as well... 
A couple of hours later we found ourselves inside the car heading south. The time was around 11 pm. We parked outside the arena around 6.30 am. Plenty of time before the event started.
I was a bit tired of the driving, but when it comes to being awake for long periods of time I'm usually the one to go for...
She became second, btw. the apprentice. Only 1/2 point behind the winner. Quite great, I must say.

Must be a couple of years ago I was up here now, snapping this one with what I think was a Nikon F3. Maybe about time to take another trip to see if this old stadium entrance shed has fallen a bit more apart, don't you think? We used to go through this place a lot back in the days, as there used to be a very nice running field with the latest red, rubberized fashion cover on the running track and everything. Many years have passed since then, and these days I guess most of the old track is way beyond any kind of repair. My own personal records on 60 meters and 100 meters was done on this track... some time in the very early 80's. As I said, a few years has passed since then... 

And what would you not be willing to do for your readers only? This is a tiny bit of the bunch who used the afore mentioned running track through the first years of the 80's. This snap was taken of a journalist from the local newspaper some time in May, probably 1982 or 83 as our very well selected team happened to be the winners of this years big event when all the schools in town raced each other through the streets of Ålesund relay on the 17th of May. Of the 9 sprinters, 5 of us was from the same class at school. Cool, huh? Yours truly in the first row, no.2 from left. Built for speed back then...

I never go to Bergen without visiting the great vintage camera shop and it's owner Mr. Antonio Stasi. This man is a living legend in Norway, and owns the only place in Norway you can get more or less whatever you like to any of your cameras. At least if your cameras are of a certain age. Mr. Stasi is an Italian living in Norway for many years, and with a genuine interest in anything photographic. We had a nice and long chat about a couple of great Leica lenses, and one not so great Leica lens... I also had the pleasure of trying a few very rare but great rangefinders of different origins. 
He also happened to privately own a M3 with a serial number extremely close to the one I got. 
I did not buy anything big this weekend, but went away with a yellow filter fitting a Summicron lens, and a yellow filter for the Rolleiflex. I'm in more need of yellow filters than a new camera these days, to tell you the truth... 

It's up there as well, standing just beside the old race track. They might have removed it by now, or maybe straightened it up a wee bit. I will find out when I take the trip next time. I will put it on my list of things to do in the near future. 

So, I put the filters on the cameras and went out snapping. Not that I snapped a huge lot these few days, as I used a lot of time just walking around looking as well. As I said earlier, I really like to just stroll around through these streets just looking. 
The few snaps will show up when I get a few films developed. Could take a few days as I got a few other things to take care of as well... But it will happen, so stay tuned :))