I have been so frustrated with the quirkiness of blogspot that I went over to wordpress. The last installment of my trip to Scandinavia is at ottorolwing.wordpress.com
Please go there and sign up again to follow me in the future. I will attempt to send my old blogs to this new site. Let me know of any issues.
Thanks for reading, Otto
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Bergen - Artic Circle - Mandal
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| Young Polish girl on the ferry |
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| The sleek Fjord1 ferry |
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| Me at the Arctic Circle |
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| The stupendous and magical waterfall at Odda |
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| Karina's home in Mandal |
Leaving Bergen with freshly laundered clothes, I headed north for more of the famous Norwegian mountains and fjords and was not disappointed. I quit taking photos of both because I have already taken so many and none of them fit into the camera. They are just too magnificent and grand, especially the waterfalls which always find that special spot in my heart and mind.
I took a long ferry boat ride out of town as the guide book said that it was better than most of the guided tour boats going through the fjords. And it was, with waterfalls from way up high and snaking down the walls to the water. I spoke at length to a young Polish girl traveling with a group of 45 other Poles, mainly teachers, one her mother, in a bus that they had ridden from Poland. She was eager to practice her English and to get away from all of the 'old folks,' and she promised to stay in touch.
I checked into a nice hotel in Molde, overlooking the waterfront with the coming and going of ferries and tour boats. I love the look of the ferry boats gliding through the water. The hull is sailboat shaped, but the main platform and upper carriage is sitting atop this hull and the platform seems to just glide over the water with a bare ripple of a wake. I returned to this hotel after riding around the island that Molde is on and took in the Atlantic Highway and a Sculpture Symposium. The Highway was overrated in my opinion as well as the opinions of a father/daughter riding team from Washington DC that I met the next day. I think that the government built it and hyped it to replace the lost cod fishing industry.
Then on to the Artic Circle. I'm not sure why I needed to go, but there I was. I thought the cairn fields were quite interesting and wondered how that got started.
I had debated which way to head back south, further inland in Norway, down the middle of Sweden, or down the east coast of Sweden and into Stockholm. The Couchsurfer that had agreed to host me in Stockholm had canceled out a couple of weeks ago as he had the opportunity to go to Africa. Can't blame him. I had heard good and bad things about all three, rain and boring roads being the main reasons give. So I decided on Sweden because everything there is about half of what it is in Norway and headed east out of Molde on E 12. A great choice! It went high into a surreal lake/mountain/snow/fog condition that was very enjoyable. Very little traffic and cabins stuck in the woods everywhere. The Norwegians do like their winter sports and their cabins in the outback. About half way to the turning south point, I crossed in to Sweden. Then down E45 to Ostersund where I planned to spend the night. But a big football game changed my plans, everything in town being booked up. Since it wasn't dark yet, only 10:30!, I kept going until I stumbled on a restaurant/bar that advertised a hytter (cabin). The new owner said the cabin had not been cleaned yet from the night before, so I chilled with a fish and chips and a couple of beers. A bit of adventure finding it by taking the path along the creek and over the bridge, etc., but I did, and returned by the road to retrieve the motorcycle.
I rode with a couple of Finns and their girlfriends for a bit and then parted after we got off of the ferry. I met the Washington DC father/daughter riding a rented Harley when I stopped for a coffee. She was attending architecture classes in Oslo and he came to visit for a week. We compared notes on what we had seen and done. They were envious of my Fish Festival experience.
I outsmarted myself in Geilo. I stopped for the evening at a decent looking highrise hotel and the clerk quoted me 970 krona. I replied that it was Saturday and that 700 would be better. She accepted and I went to my room. Later, I went out for dinner and as I was returning there was a large banner high up on the hotel that advertised a special rate of 595. Stupid Americans!!
Route 7 going west across Norway again took me high into the mountains with snow and even one lake still having some ice floating on it. There are these marvelous Swiss looking Alpine lodges with large front porches overlooking the valleys that just make me want to pull over and check in and order a glass of wine to go with dinner. But the thought of riding out in the chill of the morning makes me keep on riding to lower elevations. Then left onto Route 13 along the fjord and its narrow road clinging to the side of the mountain. Lots of tunnels and even more waterfalls. One just south of Odda was the most impressive one I have seen in a long time. Such power! And so close that I can reach out and touch it. The only other one that I got this sense from was the one in New Zealand and the third highest in the world.
I arrived late in Mandel and managed to find Karina's house with only one bit of advice from a pedestrian. Speaking of advice, there is no 'c' in the Norse language, and I go through the senter of town. Her brother, Pol, is there also. He has Downs Syndrome and is normally in a care facility in Bergen, but was down visiting her. So for several days, we rode bikes, went for coffee, and cleaned up one of her workshops. I did some bachelor style cooking for them, real American food! I find it interesting just seeing what people do with their trash.
After leaving Mandal yesterday afternoon and taking the ferry out of Kristiansand to Denmark, I spent the night in another lovely town and hotel. They are all just so! So neat, so well kept, so well signed and laid out, so quiet and well mannered, so easy just to be in. Today, I took in the galleries of Herning in Bilk Central. Two different galleries with sculpture gardens, landscaping and extra large sculptures. Check out Kronhammer's Elia and Abyss sculptures, and The Gate, which was my favorite.
I found Christian's place here in Westerland, Sylt, Germany by stumbling around a bit and then coming across his street. The key was under the door mat, so I let myself in and then went out and bought some beer to stock the empty refrigerator. He lives in Hanover, but keeps this apartment up here in the tourist area. He and a friend of his should be up later on this evening.
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| The Norwegian cairn field at the Arctic Circle |
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Fish Festival in Vevring
When I originally contacted Karina and Wenche and told them that I was coming to Scandinavia, they immediately invited me to the Fish Festival and gave me the dates. I had spent some time with them when I was in Skopolos two years ago. I had no idea what a fish festival was, so it was a nice surprise.
I met up with Karina after getting lost in Bergen. The town is similar to San Francisco, but much smaller and built on the hill sides surrounding the bay. The downtown is quite old and has several inlets coming in from the fjord. Cruise ships stop by and the cruisers do whatever cruisers do when they are not on the ship. Karina drove me around and then we went up to her home about two thirds of the way up the hill. This was her parents estate, a large home and several outbuildings, that they had purchased long ago. He was an archaeologist that refurbished and saved many of the old German homes along the waterfront. The Germans had originally come to do trading with the fishermen. Karina now rents out rooms in the main house and in one of the outbuildings that has been converted to apartments. Needless to say, it has a great view of the town, the bay, and the surrounding hills.
I left the bike there and the next day we drove four hours north to the village of Vevring, located on one of the fjords, where Wenche (pronounced Ven-ka) lives along with her brother, mother, cousins, uncles, aunts, etc. The festival was started 40 years ago as a sort of home coming, keeping the old friendships alive, and keeping the old customs and ways alive. There was only 60 or so participants, half local and half from out of town, either past residents, friends of locals, or relatives that had moved out.
The grand scheme of things was to go catch fish, get together and eat them. So I teamed up with Einar, a man about my age, and rowed the boat and he laid out the nets. We did this each evening for three days and went out each morning to see what we caught. Day one and two were disappointing, but we scored on day three with five cods, a couple of trout, and a St. Peter's fish, an oddity in this area. Fortunately, Einar and I were not the only ones fishing.
We had a fish expert on hand who would gather together the day's catch, explain to everyone what was what, open then up to see what they had for breakfast, and then pass them over to the cook. We all shared in kitchen duties with a semi formal work roster. I learned a new way to fix carrots and got pretty good at filleting fish. The cod and salmon were cooked/smoked in various ways by the men of the village and there always seemed to be a pot of coffee going and the great pancakes that they make on a large griddle. Lunch and dinner were communal affairs and we had breakfast in Wenche's home along with two other couples and whatever strays came around. Did I mention it was raining all week. I had my rain jacket from the bike, but had to borrow rain pants and the proverbial nor eastern rain hat.
Saturday they had an opening of an art show in the room behind the quick shop and Saturday night there was a one woman play (in Swedish!) put on in the room above the old milking parlor. We had dinner in the milking parlor that had been converted to a dining hall by adding picnic benches and tacking on a kitchen at one end. This village, like many in the world, has seen a conversion from farm life to working in the city and just living on the farm. But there is still home made beer and wine and smoked salmon! Some traditions just can't be stopped. Saturday, Stig took us out in his covered 35 foot boat for a three hour cruise around the fjord.
I taught the group in the house how to play 'Oh Hell' and we played til 2 am. Speaking of which, one never has to worry about getting any thing done before it gets dark - it just never does. The sun will go down around 10:30 and its back up again at 3, but it just seems like a long twilight.
Karina and I returned to Bergen on Monday afternoon, I did my laundry and repacked, ready to head further north. Karina was headed south to her other home in Mandal.
There are lots of photos at:
https://picasaweb.google.com/109078628479246209734/FishFestivalJune2012?authkey=Gv1sRgCMK6uYW0icnhaA#
Otto
I met up with Karina after getting lost in Bergen. The town is similar to San Francisco, but much smaller and built on the hill sides surrounding the bay. The downtown is quite old and has several inlets coming in from the fjord. Cruise ships stop by and the cruisers do whatever cruisers do when they are not on the ship. Karina drove me around and then we went up to her home about two thirds of the way up the hill. This was her parents estate, a large home and several outbuildings, that they had purchased long ago. He was an archaeologist that refurbished and saved many of the old German homes along the waterfront. The Germans had originally come to do trading with the fishermen. Karina now rents out rooms in the main house and in one of the outbuildings that has been converted to apartments. Needless to say, it has a great view of the town, the bay, and the surrounding hills.
I left the bike there and the next day we drove four hours north to the village of Vevring, located on one of the fjords, where Wenche (pronounced Ven-ka) lives along with her brother, mother, cousins, uncles, aunts, etc. The festival was started 40 years ago as a sort of home coming, keeping the old friendships alive, and keeping the old customs and ways alive. There was only 60 or so participants, half local and half from out of town, either past residents, friends of locals, or relatives that had moved out.
The grand scheme of things was to go catch fish, get together and eat them. So I teamed up with Einar, a man about my age, and rowed the boat and he laid out the nets. We did this each evening for three days and went out each morning to see what we caught. Day one and two were disappointing, but we scored on day three with five cods, a couple of trout, and a St. Peter's fish, an oddity in this area. Fortunately, Einar and I were not the only ones fishing.
We had a fish expert on hand who would gather together the day's catch, explain to everyone what was what, open then up to see what they had for breakfast, and then pass them over to the cook. We all shared in kitchen duties with a semi formal work roster. I learned a new way to fix carrots and got pretty good at filleting fish. The cod and salmon were cooked/smoked in various ways by the men of the village and there always seemed to be a pot of coffee going and the great pancakes that they make on a large griddle. Lunch and dinner were communal affairs and we had breakfast in Wenche's home along with two other couples and whatever strays came around. Did I mention it was raining all week. I had my rain jacket from the bike, but had to borrow rain pants and the proverbial nor eastern rain hat.
Saturday they had an opening of an art show in the room behind the quick shop and Saturday night there was a one woman play (in Swedish!) put on in the room above the old milking parlor. We had dinner in the milking parlor that had been converted to a dining hall by adding picnic benches and tacking on a kitchen at one end. This village, like many in the world, has seen a conversion from farm life to working in the city and just living on the farm. But there is still home made beer and wine and smoked salmon! Some traditions just can't be stopped. Saturday, Stig took us out in his covered 35 foot boat for a three hour cruise around the fjord.
I taught the group in the house how to play 'Oh Hell' and we played til 2 am. Speaking of which, one never has to worry about getting any thing done before it gets dark - it just never does. The sun will go down around 10:30 and its back up again at 3, but it just seems like a long twilight.
Karina and I returned to Bergen on Monday afternoon, I did my laundry and repacked, ready to head further north. Karina was headed south to her other home in Mandal.
There are lots of photos at:
https://picasaweb.google.com/109078628479246209734/FishFestivalJune2012?authkey=Gv1sRgCMK6uYW0icnhaA#
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| Einar and me after our big day fishing |
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| Talking about the day's catch |
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| Wenche's house on the fjord |
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