By Shane Harms

Last night’s visiting lecture series held at the Swedish hospital in Ballard was sweetened with cake and coffee in honor of the Norwegian King Harald V’s 75th birthday.

The visiting lecture series, presented by the Norwegian American Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, The Ballard Chamber of Commerce. and the Consul of Norway, presented researcher Willy Østreng and renowned polar explorer Liv Arnesen from the Thor Heyerdahl Institute of Norway.

Willy Østreng provided details in the potential for shipping routes through the Arctic Ocean as the polar ice caps melt, and Liv Arnesen told the story and success of her life long dream of skiing across the Antarctic continent.