The city of Aalesund is not a big city, but what it lacks in size, it compensates in cultural stature and historical significance, in Norwegian history. Like London, it is infamous due to a conflagration that swept through its center, but its rebuilding history is just as famous. It is my favorite city in the world, and luckily, I was born and raised there. In my first years, my family lived on a mountain that lies next to the city. We eventually moved further in to the city, but I played soccer for a team who had their training sessions and soccer field on the back side, on the top of the mountain. That, and the fact that all my relatives lived there, makes Aksla a mountain very dear to my heart. I eventually quit the soccer team, but have always found reasons to go to the mountain: a jog, family visits, or just the magnificent view you get of the city. It is as if I feel drawn towards the mountain, whenever it has been a while since I have been there. In the process of growing up, I have noticed the changes Aksla has lived through, which are mostly cultural.
If you have seen a photo of Aalesund, you have most likely either seen an overview picture of the city center, featuring one of its islands in the back (picture attached, #1), or a picture of the bay of Aalesund, where hundreds of boats dock in the summer (picture attached, #2). They are both taken from significant locations in the city, but picture #2 is of more importance to this landscape paper, than the other. That is because the photograph is taken from the city-side of Aksla. There are multiple ways of getting to the top, but due to the fact that this mountain features my running route, I will describe it from my running route’s point of view. I will describe, in details, the environment and view around the route, and the cultural significance of the location.
If you want to run, or jog, up a mountain like Aksla, you have to be prepared. Of all the multiple ways of getting to the top, there are...