Friday, August 31, 2012

Waterfalls & Fjords & Glaciers

What is it about a waterfall? Why is each one a startling, mesmerizing, awe-inspiring moment? The gush of powerful fresh water captured by gravity, the water tumbling downward from towering heights over enormous boulders, the overwhelming force of nature, the sheer beauty?

Our ferry ride through the breathtakingly beautiful Sognefjord and Naerofjord began when the Gudvangen ferry sailed into our dock at Aurland where we had spent the night, opened up its bow, and gathered us in.

We climbed to the top deck as spectacular views of high waterfalls, mountain cliffs, and tiny remote fjord-side villages began immediately. During the cruise we oooed and aahhed at tumbling, gushing, and sometimes free-falling waterfalls on both sides of the narrow waterway formed by a long ago glacier that cut through granite forming cliffs on either side. That glacier then of course melted down providing the fjord on which we sailed.

After the boat's scenic wonders, a bus ride to Voss over a multi hairpin-curve roadway provided even more fantastic waterfalls. It seems that in Norway the scenery never stops!

We saw no live trolls today, but got acquainted with "Sven" when our bus dropped us off at the Voss, Norway train station.

Thursday, August 30, 2012

2 Days, 2 Countries, 2 City Halls

On Sunday we toured City Hall in Stockholm, Sweden (Stadshuset) and then on Monday we toured City Hall in Oslo, Norway (Radhuset). Other than the cool fact of two awesome countries in two days, I know it doesn't sound very exciting to be touring city halls. In fact I'm not sure I've ever toured one anywhere else I've traveled or lived! 

However, we know now that here in Scandinavia a city hall is a more important and elaborate building than a cathedral or palace, as in other parts of Europe. These city halls celebrate humanism and the idea of people working together. They're both impressively large, stunningly ornamental, red brick, towering buildings on their respective gorgeous waterfronts. They hold the cities' assemblies

And our most compelling reason for visiting both of these is they each have Nobel Prize props! The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded every year on 10 December in the Grand Hall in Oslo - and yes, we were just standing right there in that hall! And the Nobel Prize awards banquet is held in the Grand Hall in Stockholm. More later . . . When we find out more!

Westward Through Norway

Even as I write we are traveling by train fom Oslo. The train is comfortable, quiet, smooth, and fast, and the scenery is truly amazing. Yet we know the best will come when we actually get to the Sognefjord area in a few more hours.

We are sliding by an ever changing array of green fields, hilly mountainsides, rippling streams, large clear lakes, tall pines and white bark birch. Pictures would help describe this, but the train is moving too fast for that - sorry to keep making excuses for a photo-less blog! 

Here's what I love: 
  • The gracefulness of tall pine groves creating an upward pattern of parallel vertical lines, 
  • white wispy clouds hanging low in the valley, 
  • the occasional herd of fat white sheep on a green hillside, 
  • small yellow or white tidy houses tucked into a background of rolling hills,
  • red wooden barns, 
  • the quietness of the train as it moves quickly along, 
  • bright sunshine highlighting hilly golden fields of mown oats,
  • inlets of water & harbors with sailboats tucked in, 
  • flatbed cars loaded with cut trees and lumber.
Yes, Norway is all about nature. So why oh why did I feel the need to pack that dress? 



Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Pictures!


Here are a few miscellaneous photos. For several reasons I'm having a rough time posting pics to this blog!

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Stockholm - So Beautiful!


Didn't really expect such peaceful, glowing beauty from a city. Stockholm sits on several small islands, so of course it's surrounded by flowing water. I knew that. And the water is clear, and the town is clean, and the buildings are colorful in a monochromatic, subdued sort of way, and the harbor is full of boats. I had read ahead about all of those elements too. But the sum of those parts make up one spectacular whole - one I'll never be able to capture with a photo. (And besides I'm just not quite ready to upload any yet! Sorry!) 

But let me try again to describe it with words: Massive buildings surround Stockholm Harbor, each more impressive than the next, each adorned in its own hue of saffron or cinnamon or light orange or sandy red stone or brick or stucco. Windows are decorated with wrought iron or stonework balconies, some cascading misty grasses and spiraling variegated green vines and red geraniums, some overhung with dark green or deep red canvas awnings. Every level or two varies in style and pattern of brick or stone arches, and roofs sport cupolas or oxidized green copper ornamental coverings. 

And boats! Wooden boats of fascinating shapes and sizes and vintages, gigantic three masted sailing vessels, enormous ocean liners, sailing skiffs, fishing boats, row boats, sight seeing boats, paddle boats, kayaks, and houseboats float throughout the islands looking well used and well loved.

The whole setting is strikingly lovely and it's really just quite marvelous to be here! I know - pictures please! Yes, soon! 


Tuesday, August 21, 2012

New Trip, New Template

Hello again, Everybody! I'm very excited to be leaving for Scandinavia and the UK in a few days.

I hope you'll enjoy my new blog template. I like the little photo hint of what's inside each posting. Just click anywhere on any posting (try it on this very page) and it will open up in its own window with the formatting I intended (I hope). Thanks for joining me again as I try to make sense of what I'm seeing across the seas. :)

Very briefly, here are the latest plans:
I'll be traveling with Diana, my good friend who adventured through Italy with me a few years ago. We've been planning this trip for several months and we love how sweetly it's coming together right now. Late summer, early fall seems like the perfect time to be heading to the Nordic part of Europe!

Vikings ho! Away we go!