Northern Exposure

After Beanies in Norway, it’s Bathers in Munich

2015-07-05T23:19:00.000-07:00

For the last 5 weeks the temperature has been steadily rising. We have gone from wearing beanies, gloves and thermals to as little as possible. Though I’d packed for all weathers with superb guidance from my sister, Elizabeth, we could not have foreseen both the severe cold and now the heat. We needed to top up clothes on both weather fronts. Climate change is definitely here – take heed Richard.

The Blogger

Munich is famous for its beer gardens so we headed to one at the shady Viktualien market where Mark enjoyed a beer and we had a bite of lunch with throngs of locals. Do you call them Münchkins, Müncheners or is that Munichians. We had to fight for a seat as it was packed with drinkers of all ages. It was swelteringly hot and after a cursory visit to a museum, we did not fancy walking around so we decided to visit one of nearby lakes the next day.

At Viktualien Market

This was our last day in Europe, so we wanted to make it memorable. We started early to beat the heat and the crowds. Lake Starnberg is 25km from Munich, where the locals go to cool off and frolic in the water. They come prepared and mostly by train, bringing blow up boats, bikes and the usual picnic fare. We brought one beach towel and a scarf but luckily we did remember the bathers which were well used.

What you need when you go for a dip!

This beer has my name on it

It turned out to be a gorgeous spot. Although Ludwig II (and his psychiatrist) met with a messy fate here, we more than survived the lake.

We trained back to Munich for our last night out in Europe. What could be more fitting than a Vietnamese meal – just like home.

So to Singapore for 2 days, then Home Sweet Home

A Slow Waltz around Vienna

2015-07-04T00:53:00.004-07:00

I know that we've been off the air for a week but it's not through disinterest and no, we weren't kidnapped by aliens or when hitch-hiking. We've just been enchanted with Vienna.

We arrived in Vienna with less fanfare than the Norwegian gymnasts at Oslo airport but my limbs couldn’t stretch that far – what a fun impromptu show they put on.

We had very detailed instructions on how to reach our AirBnB and followed them to a T, arriving easily to find a carpet shop at number 30 – was this our new accommodation? Of course it wasn’t, it seems there are 2 number 30’s for some unknown reason. Christiana warmly greeted us and led us to her/our beautiful apartment. Immediately we knew we’d arrived in a modern day nirvana, Viennese style. It’s a sleek, modern, spacious and bright apartment in the designer zone of Vienna called Neubauer. Comfort we haven’t really seen since ……. I’m not sure when, but I could live here permanently.

Living area

Our courtyard

We rose pretty early (for a Rosenberg) to find our bearings and decide where to first. Mark was frozen momentarily because there is SO very, very much to see. We decided that rushing around Vienna was not going to be on the agenda and we’d do it slowly and start by taking the temperature of the city, especially as the weather was good and we were able to extend our accommodation booking for another 2 days.

Our first impressions were that Vienna is surprisingly green and seems to be encircled by parks full of people using them for all sorts of activities. It’s easy to find your way around with frequent trams, buses and trains - the old trams still work well.

Vienna has everything – grand palaces and museums, music, coffee and culture aplenty.

We saw three palaces – the Belvedere, the Hofburg and Schonbrunn and they were all stunning for different reasons.

The Belvedere, for its art museum and gardens. I wanted to see Klimt’s work in real time especially The Kiss.

No photos allowed. You have to be sneaky

The Hofburg was the city palace of the Hapsburgs and it had immediate wow factor. Their silver crockery and cutlery display was opulent to say the least – HW you are going to have to lift your game on table settings. We put in a bid for the gold centre piece; sadly it was rejected.

HW. This is what we now expect

And this!!

The imperial apartments were of more personal interest as they related the sad tale of Sisi (Empress Elizabeth) who hated court life and reminded us of the life of Diana with similar dietary problems. The displays and audio-guides were fascinating. Her husband, Franz Josef seemed a decent, hard-working emperor and had less luxurious tastes than his wife who he rightly adored. Unfortunately, photography was not allowed (inside), except in the silver collection.

It's tiring waiting for a fare

The Schonbrunn was like a mini Versailles but more appealing to us because it was less grandiose, less crowded and the Austrian audiovisual guides are the best we've encountered. The gardens were sumptuous, vast and manicured but not to within an inch like Versailles where they measured the stems before cutting.

Some like to make a point

Others do it more quietly

Vienna and music go together like apple strudel and cream. You cannot visit Vienna without a visit to the Opera House or a concert hall and to hear the music of Mozart is a bonus. Mozart is the main hero but we forget that Beethoven, Schubert, Strauss and others all found fame here.

At the Strauss monument

We managed to see a Mozart concert in the Golden Hall (of New Year’s Day concert fame), the music was sublime even if it was a performance for tourists – we loved every minute.

In costume at the Golden Hall

While on the music front, we saw The Magic Flute at the Volksopera - the 2^nd opera house of Vienna. The performance was of course, magical.

A Night at the Opera

A room would have been cheaper for this couple

In between all the culture, there was time for walking AND CAKE !!!!

Yes I know we must try the Sachetorte but neither of us fancied it, so we sampled other delights. We had to increase our daily exercise accordingly - well in excess of 10,000 steps, Scott. After much experimentation we found that cake went down equally well with coffee or beer. A fascinating scientific experiment(s).

Michelle G will appreciate this display

A walking tour took us through some charming narrow streets and quaint internal courtyard behind what seemed drab facades. Another secret world.

At Naschmarkt

As the temperature approached 30˚, it was better to be indoors feasting the eyes or finding cooler outdoor places, away from the cobblestones. That meant checking out the Danube which really is blue in one of the main streams where no boats are allowed. The 'Old Danube’ is a pleasure lake and of course we joined in.

I told you the Danube was blue

At play on the Danube Island

The 'Old Danube'

Finally, my turn to drive

We left the Kunsthistorisches museum until our last day.


Outside the museum. Empress Marie Therese, ruled for 40 years

Klimt murals

We thought 2 hours would be enough for the paintings. WRONG! We started with the usual suspects of the Italian, Dutch and German masters we had previously met.

We were becoming a little blasé until we hit the decorative art section. Those Hapsburgs knew how to acquire quality and better still, the Viennese know how best to show it off.

Cellini's salt 'n pepper cellar

Gem encrusted backgammon on one side and chess on the other side

We arrived soon after lunch, and found the place surprisingly empty – where were the tour groups? We came across one poor lost American soul who said she’d been there all day and couldn’t drag herself away. We reassured her that the exit was nearby and I felt like holding her hand and gently coaxing her out the door. Too little time to fully take in the antiquities but what we saw was good.

That left time for a very quick and late dinner before heading home to pack. Happily, it wasn’t to be. We were seated next to a lovely young couple (yes Tam, 40’s is young to us old fogies). The food was delicious but the company was the cream on the cake. And after dinner they invited us to join them at a local wine bar where Mark and the others sampled the local vino. We made it home by 11 pm to pack, clean up a little and collapse for our last sleep in Vienna.

We’ll be back – there is so much more to see and experience in Vienna.

The Big 'O'

2015-06-27T14:56:00.000-07:00

We reluctantly left the Lofoten Islands for the big smoke of Oslo. My time was running out, the clock was about to strike 12 and I may turn into a wrinkled pumpkin - the big '60'. I needn't have worried. It's not so bad and I'm just the same sparky young person I was the day before.

Mark pulled out all the stops (as if he hasn't been doing this for the entire trip). That evening we did celebrate, despite getting drenched on the way to the restaurant but when you turn 60 in Norway and are having a wonderful holiday, who cares.

We had two days in Oslo and it's not all that easy to fully assess a city in such a short time. But I'll try. The highlight (also another big 'O') was the Oslo Opera House. Its a modern, white glass shaped building with a sloping roof where visitors are encouraged to wander and even, sunbathe - not that there was all that much sun. The roof has held 10,000 people viewing the big screen of a live performance. It's not just for opera but also for ballet. The glowing white exterior by the water reminded us of the Sydney OH.

Needs some sun to show it off

60 is great especially when the sun comes out

Now for the inside story:- we took a guided tour of the OOH, conducted by a current singer. Some of the curved walls are made of oak giving a lovely warm feeling. Back stage was immense and had hugely sophisticated equipment to coordinate all the scenery props and move the performers. The other part of building housed rehearsal areas and we could hear them practising. It also housed teams of milliners, costume makers and set designers/producers. Quite an army of workers.

Cycling on the roof is not encouraged

Budding ballet dancer

The other highlight was the Nobel Peace Museum. We listened to Malala's speech and Mark and I were blown away by her courage and intelligence.

Then we did the rounds of the Norwegians' proud shipping history covering the Vikings, the Polar explorers and the Kon-Tiki raft. Why is it that when we 'had' to read the 'Kon-Tiki' at school, it seemed so dull. To see the raft and imagine spending 101 days in the Pacific Ocean brought the story to life. Even more impressive was the polar ship, 'FRAM' which took Norwegians to both north and south poles.

The Fram

Kon Tiki raft

That's how to keep a ship from falling apart

While I'm talking about extremes, one Norwegian artist has to take prominent position. Edvard Munch - the Scream, not the prettiest of paintings but it has high impact. Some of the sculptures in the park were also a bit quirky.

Vigelund's sculptures in Frogner Park

We also visited the local ski jump. I would have done it had there been snow.

Holmenkollen ski jump

A last extreme is the cost of everything in Norway especially Oslo. BUT, on leaving for the airport the kindly attendant at the train station gave us senior's discount even though Norway's senior card doesn't kick in until 67 - If you get a Senior's Card in your country, that will do. With that saving, we can have a Sachertorte in Vienna on our next stop.

Above the Arctic Circle and in the Midnight Sun

2015-06-23T22:05:00.002-07:00

An hour's flight from Trondheim and already we could see from the air how stunning the Lofoten islands would be.

We flew north and if you know Melbourne is at 38˚south, then Lofoten is 68˚north and is above the Arctic Circle (don’t get pedantic here GLS). However, it has a more temperate climate than the fjord area. Its light for 24 hrs and now the sun has finally come out; it’s a permanent fixture in the sky. Very strange and messes with your sleep pattern unless you have sleeping masks which we do.

We are staying in the small town of Kabelvåg at a summer hostel/hotel which is run as a school for 9 months of the year (for college aged kids who ‘study’ surfing, skiing). Surprisingly, it’s proved to be a really comfortable spot to stay with a communal kitchen to cook dinner and they serve an excellent breakfast with smoked salmon, trout and other usual breakfast fare. Here we’ve met other travellers of varying ages from Germany, Switzerland, France and Holland and it’s lovely to share our daily tales of each other’s feats or discoveries – language issue provide hilarious moments.

Kabelvag

Kabelvag Cathedral. Cathedral???

Lofoten is a group of islands connected by bridge or tunnel. It’s remote with craggy mountains everywhere. It’s full of quaint fishing villages and even has a 24 hour golf course but here, the scenery dominates everything.

Hurtigruten coastal ferry - Norwegian icon

Golf course at Hov

However, it has been over-run by the grey armies of Europe and Scandinavia, mostly travelling in large motor homes that dominate the narrow roads and creep over the centre line causing gasps of horror, mostly from me. Mark prefers facing trucks and buses – they’re better drivers. These homes have everything – bikes, kayaks and even a dog or two.

We’ve spent two days driving through the hamlets and one day, hiking a nearby peak.

Heningsvaer

Surf's up at Unstad - it was but waves were tiny today

We picked a perfect day for the hike - a cool breeze and sunny skies. The deal was that this was the sort of 'walk' suitable for children, 3km each way and up 380m – we’d done a harder walk in Balestrand. Ha! The brochures lied.

Mark & I walked through spongy undergrowth, mud, rocks & dirt tracks before we reached the ascent. We saw no others, just their footprints. Once we started going up, the path quickly changed to rock hopping. Even the goats gave up the goat. We passed a small number of folk (mostly German) but hey, where were the kids they promised (? ! !)

Do we have to keep going?

It appeared we had taken the very steep route. Again, Mark promised me cappuccinos and, would I like fries with that!!!! We reached the top after about 2 hours walking and the 360˚ views were stunning. Once again thanks Kitty for loaning us the walking poles.

Svolvaer is below us

The views were worth the climb

I could see the easier path down the other side and after a bite of lunch some oohs & aahs, we took this gentler path. There were some kids taking this rocky path but they were speedy and quickly left us behind, despite the risk of toppling. My knees we beginning to ache but I had little choice but to walk on for the next hour.

We were up there!!!

When we finally reached the main road neither of us was too pleased to realise it would be another 4km to walk home. What to do? It was a Sunday, no sign of a bus. So we decided after much procrastination, to hitch a ride whereby, who should pick us up but the young cook from our ‘hostel’. We’d actually spotted a few hitch hikers and decided that it was good practice to pick them up in the future – so if you hear of 2 Australians missing ‘on tour’ that’d be us. Magnesium was on the dinner menu to cure the cramps.

On our many drives around Norway you can’t help but wonder about the effect of almost 24 hours of daylight and huge amounts of sunlight on the vegetation. The profuse flowering at this time of year is beautiful to say the least and even the weeds look luscious and dare I say, pretty. You can see the locals out whipper snipping and mowing often but usually on a ‘ride on’ mower. Tulips do wonderfully in this climate with cold winds and sunny days.

Lofoten is famous for cod fish, cod liver oil made popular in the 50’s/60’s for health benefits and mackerel. Just about any town you drive to has racks of fish drying in the sun – up close they are smelly, ugly and scary looking things with little sharp teeth. Some is exported to Africa as a delicacy but Mark suggested they use them for ‘voodoo’ ceremonies (I’m not gullible).

Drying cod on huge racks

Today we drove to the end of the islands of Lofoten, to a town named Å (pron O), stopping at every turn for photo opportunities at Reine, Nusfjord and Ramberg (white beaches). The 2 hour journey took considerably longer but this didn’t matter, we had our lunch with us and could stop just about anywhere and it was a photographer’s paradise.

Fishing cottages at Reine - expensive accommodation

White beach at Ramberg

At Å

The town’s bakery is famous for its cinnamon buns and this is where we once again, bumped into a couple who are following us all around Norway – they’ve stayed in 4 or 5 hotels we have frequented. They were American and not ASIO agents.

We tried to catch the midnight sun but fate was against us. The perfect day we were too tired after our hike and the next “night” we had minor car trouble and didn’t want to be stranded in the middle of nowhere with a flight to catch the next day. The car turned out to be a switch malfunction. Nevertheless, the sky was bright and coloured to an impressionist’s palette.

The Lofotens have been a highlight with a little hard work to reach them, but it has been worthwhile.

Cafe by the water, Svolvaer

Now to Oslo, where I will be formally presented with my senior’s card in the hall where they hand out the Peace Prize – rather have the latter.

Ålesund to Trondheim

2015-06-21T10:13:00.001-07:00

After Trollstigen, we had too little time in Åndalsnes and the weather was against us doing any of the spectacular walks they have. There's one where, after a climb, you walk out on an exposed ramp (like at Eureka Tower).

So we rested and next day, drove to Ålesund. It was refreshing to get to the coast, especially to find blue sky and the temperature at a 'warm' 15˚ - enough to get us to dump our bags in the hotel and set out on foot to explore. Ålesund was rebuilt in Art Nouveau style after a fire in 1904 – like the Napier in NZ of Norway.

Canal in Ålesund

They still have phone boxes!!

That meant walking the cobble-stoned streets and climbing up to the lookout for a good view.

An easy 418 steps up

There was a cruise-ship in town and though it looked huge, we met a couple of passengers from Williamstown who said it only had 450 passengers and extolled the virtues of cruising but we’re not ready for that yet.

It was lucky that we did the walking that afternoon because the next day was cold and wet – time for a slower pace and indoor activities – the aquarium (though we had to venture outside to see the seals.

I caught one this big...

Who wants a 2kg lobster for lunch?

They start them yabbying at a young age

We also took in the Art Nouveau centre, housed in what originally was a pharmacy. It had wonderful displays and AV presentations. We were flabbergasted to hear that they rebuilt the town in 3 years and in a modern style.

Lovely wooden spiral staircase


Apothekary's chests

Not much to do at night for us so we played rummy in the hotel lounge. A Dutch fellow approached Ruth, asking if he could ask an embarrassing question - "Can we entice you into a game of bridge?" As Anne A has commented, such solicitations can be dangerous, so we politely declined, talked a little about Amsterdam and resumed our game - so far, the score is about even. The hotel (the yellow building in one of the previous photos) was from about 1907 and was quite quirky with exposed beams and sloping floors - but was comfortable and they provide afternoon waffles for the weary travellers.

The drive to Trondheim took most of the next day as we had numerous stops along the Atlantic Tourist road. It’s billed by Lonely Planet as one of the best scenic drives, on par with the Great Ocean Road. It was very scenic but as a loyal Aussie, my vote is for the GOR.

Islands are connected by these bridges

Trondheim looked interesting as it’s got a big university population and the old part reminded us of Carlton, with lots of eateries. We had a wonderful baked casserole there. Sadly, the baristas in Norway (and in Paris) are no match for home but with all the wonderful things to see, we can forgo the cappuccinos for the time being.

We’re now in the Lofoten Islands but more of that in the next installment.

Geirangerfjord - So Gorgeous

2015-06-17T00:51:00.001-07:00

It’s summer in Norway but you wouldn’t know it. They’ve had a very cold winter so there’s lots of snow and it’s been the coldest May for 60 years. June is also cold and while that presents a challenge, it also provides great scenery too.

Unni-Marie (our host in Balestrand) advised us to take a slow scenic detour on the route to Geiranger and boy, did that pay-off. We climbed (by car) a not so difficult switchback and found a white carpet in the high plains, together with lovely waterfalls and rapids which were full and fast-flowing, thanks to the snow.

The road had a few ascents and descents and from the high points, the valleys and lakes looked great and when down below, the mountains enhanced the picture.

Along the 25km shore on the lake near Skei, hundreds were out fishing – men, women, kids and teenagers. We stopped there for lunch and then saw this thing hovering above us. UFO or drone? The latter. It hovered for a minute, then when it saw that all we were having for lunch was smoked salmon sandwiches, it scooted back to base 500m away.

Another climb and descent with magnificent views of the Nordfjord but the road was narrow and we were trying to dodge cyclists coming the other way. There was a race going on and with the gradients varying between 6-10%, it was no place for the faint-hearted. It took 30 mins to clear the field.

At Stryn, we had to choose whether to drive over the next mountain to Geiranger or head to Hellesylt and take the car ferry in through the fjord. Thanks to Unni-Marie’s weather forecast, we chose the water route and it was stunning.

View from Hellesylt

Falls at Hellesylt

Entrance to Geirangerfjord

Though it was a car ferry, they gave commentary all along the fjord. It was clear but COLD and the wind blew the plastic chairs around the deck. But us Aussies are made of stronger stuff (sometimes) and stuck it out. The pictures don’t do it justice. It was like coming into Venice by ferry.

Just holding on

The Wooer waterfall - took to the bottle when unloved

The added bonus was that we saw our hotel as we entered the ‘port’ area. We also saw 3 cruise liners there. We’d booked a room with a fjord view but were very pleasantly surprised to find it was on the top floor. The lady at the desk said we could have a lower room if we were not happy – she must have been kidding!!


We're top right, under the gable. Who'd be unhappy with that view!

The liners left and the place went quiet. One amusing aside; the Italian ship (Costa something or other but not Concordia), played “Con te partiro” – “time to say goodbye” as it left. Another Costa ship did the same the next night – must be company policy but it was enjoyable for those ashore too.

Ruth's favourite hut - serves chocolate

Fruit trees

The next day, we were determined to get the views of the fjord from on high and get there before the cruise boat arrived but the weather had turned. We headed up towards Dalsnibba (nearby peak) but with a white-out, a wet/winding road and Ruth gripping the supports for dear life, we turned back. We got views from lower down and from the other side of the fjord (the start of the Eagle Road).

Eagle Road, rising from our hotel

View from Eagle Road

A lovely Norwegian girl took pictures of us at both sites – her family was having the same problems as us. Two hours later, the weather cleared and we tried the Dalsnibba road again (we are persistent). The ship had arrived and the buses were on their way up. I’ve never been so happy to stay behind a bus as I was then. Nothing was going to run into me.

Ruth lightened her grip on the handle to snap this from inside the car

Dalsnibba was fantastic – see photos, and again we bumped into the Norwegian girl.

Plenty of snow on Dalsnibba

View down to the fjord

Finally, it was time to leave Geiranger and more switch back roads – The Eagle going out of Geiranger.

Later, the Trollstigen Road down to Åndalsnes. We had time to explore along the way.

Forlorn Aussie on walkway from gorge

How much is that doggie in the window. We should have brought Penny

But nothing prepared us for Trollstigen. It had snowed the night before and when we got there, it was 3˚, raining and misty and we had to drive down this steep narrow road with 11 hairpin bends.

The lake is mostly frozen

Trollstigen viewing platform

The road down

It's narrow

Don't argue, I'm bigger than you

At the top of Trolstigen, we saw lots of these stone mounds - a pagan sacrifice for a safe trip down or tombstones of those that didn't make it?

Norwegians love their trolls. Cant understand it.

We made it to Åndalsnes and guess what, another big cruise ship.

PS. Mark has done this post as Ruth is still recovering from the Dalsnibba and Trollstigen experiences.

Sognefjord – Simply Stunning!

2015-06-14T09:50:00.001-07:00

While Mark is soaking in the bath I can collect my thoughts and roll back the camera to relive our time in the small town of Balestrand where we stayed for 3 nights.


First sighting of Sognefjord

Sometimes you have to climb for the best view

Ferry to Balestrand

Balestrand is on Sognefjord (Norway’s largest fjord). It’s accessible by road and a small ferry. It gets one car ferry per day which docks early to pick up the locals and take them to work on the other side. We took this ‘secret ferry’ at 7.30am but more on this later.

One of the beautiful homes in Balestrand

St Olaf's Anglican Church. Anglican ???

Our first day in Balestrand, Mark and I took up the challenge to walk the rugged path up to an observation point - Burasi at 575m high (Balestrand is at sea level). Metres don’t mean a whole lot to me either but it was a daunting prospect for a non-hiker. Kitty and Graeme assured us that it was easy peasy. When I saw a group of toddlers and their crèche minders taking them on a similar path I was delighted. It wasn’t long before they were seated in a little picnic area near the bottom and we were left to do the climb.

View from where we left the creche kids

The cooler weather was in our favour because once you start hiking, you heat up and start to remove the layers. The higher we walked the muddier and rougher the path became but I was determined to get through the mud. Mark motivated me and carried my jackets, back pack and camera but he wouldn’t carry me. Where was Sir W Raleigh when he’s called for!?!

Our trekking guides

There were a couple of other walkers but as we got higher, there were just the odd one or two. Like one not so young woman happily running down and she raised a smile, or was that a snigger, to us. About 10 minutes later her husband (it turns out) was “running” up the hill. He is 67 and said this climb is his daily medicine - it takes him 21 minutes. We had been walking already for an hour and still had not reached our goal but he does mountain running for a sport, so face was saved.

By this stage, we had reached the snow line. Snow was not part of my contract with Mark. Nevertheless onward we marched until we spotted shovels and snow shoes and knew this may be the end point. The sign said, Klukkshaug 489 metres. I was pretty much exhausted at this level and didn’t fancy walking knee deep in snow just to get the last 80m. So we clinked plastic bottles and went back down. Running man turned up shortly after with shovel in hand saying it was to dig out the signage – even he stopped at the deep snow point.

Proof we made it

The view was worth the climb

I was very motivated going up the hill but going down was not an enjoyable prospect. It’s hard on the knees, hunger was taking over and all I wanted was a chair lift …………. Again Mark started with the positive motivational talk and a few jokes thrown in - now this walk will definitely cover 20,000 steps that Scott BW aims for.

Hard road down

Then into town for a bowl of hot thick fish soup to fill up our stomachs and a quieter afternoon around town.

Back at the hotel, the owners were telling us that they mostly get Americans, British and German tourists but while we were in the common area, we could hear the ‘Strine’ – 2 couples from Boroondara and 1 from Adelaide. The Boroondara boys were both Ken and one of ladies was a Barbie. I kid you not. They were all off to dinner but we were off to bed as we had an early start the next day so goodnight Ken and Barbie.

We wanted to get to the other side of Sognefjord to go up the Flåm railway – 20km of zig-zag track going up more than 1000m to Myrdal. The only way we could get there was by car and ferry. The train trip is a major tourist attraction and was interesting but the real highlight was getting there.

We caught the ‘secret ferry’ (it’s called the secret ferry because it’s intended for the locals), then an hour’s drive to Kaupanger to catch another car ferry to Gudvangen. This took 2¾ hrs through some of the most beautiful parts of Sognefjord.

Gudvangen is at the end of the very narrow, Unesco-listed, Nærøyfjord, - an offshoot from Sognefjord, with 1000m cliffs along the shore.

bad hair day

Then to Flåm by car and catch the train.

Stopping at the station on Flåm railway

Checking no one's jumped

Getting back to Balestrand was also interesting as we drove through a 25km long tunnel like something out of a sci-fi or a James Bond scene. The Norwegian tunnels are phenomenal but you can’t stop to take photographs.

Stave church at Kaupanger on the way back

I have to mention a new knitting buddy Uni-Marie a lovely Norwegian woman and her American husband who run the hotel where we stayed. U-M took a fancy to my Nanna Rae socks and there were deep discussions on the topic of knitting. She soon became our new best friend. It was interesting to stay in her hotel as her family was clearly big wigs in town and we learned that her father saved the enormous and grand old hotel from demolition and as you see from the photo it would have been some loss. U-M also helped us plan our tour around the region.

Kvikne's hotel saved from demolition

Kvikne's - new section added in the 70's

On a more practical matter; at the start of our Norway trip we’d often work out the cost of the ferry, a meal, entrance fees etc and quickly learned that ‘don’t ask’ was the pragmatic response. Things are expensive and there is no alternative unless you want to lose a dramatic amount of weight or swim. One young ferry ticket collector was seriously apologetic and he took pity on us but happily took our money.

This brings me to the sweet nature of the Norwegians. They are incredibly nice and one person in Balestrand commented that they ‘welcomed 10 refugee families’ recently. Some of the places we visit, Norwegians are also holidaying and they are often chatty and helpful.

Even the bikies are polite and wait their turn

Mark commented (in his usual manner) that there are very few obese Norwegians – either they can’t afford to eat their own food or they are more active. Let’s go with the latter. He’s also thankful on how polite the drivers are on the roads a blessing after 1000 km of the road trip.

Hardangerfjord - Heavenly

2015-06-11T08:57:00.000-07:00

Mark is at ease with the VW Golf despite driving on the right side of the road – no crunching of gears either. I was a bit nervous for the first couple of hours because he seemed to be driving just a touch too close to the edge.

When he reassured me there is no life insurance policy once you hit 60 – I relaxed. Only a couple of weeks to go until that milestone, as my friend Deborah reminded me; then I guess I fall off the radar or into a Norwegian fjord. I better kick up my heels while I can, tho’ these days it’s more flats than heels.

Almost a senior but still up for an ice-cream

Yesterday, my mother would have turned 100 if she were still here - thought I’d just raise a glass of gin & tonic for the occasion. Thanks Mum.

Meanwhile, Mark and I have spent two glorious days in Hardangerfjord, using Eidfjord as our base. From the moment we first saw the fjord, our spirits soared (except for when larger vehicles approached on the narrow roads).

Getting to Eidfjord was an adventure – windy roads and lots of tunnels. The last was 8km long with an internal roundabout and our exit led to a long suspension bridge – breathtaking.

Steinsdalsfossen

You can walk behind this waterfall

Eidfjord is at the end on the Hardangerfjord and is surrounded by snow-capped mountains but is at sea level.

View from our room, Eidjford

We stayed at a small 8 roomed B&B with a tiny but comfortable room and delightful hosts. They bake the bread daily so it is warm when we have breakfast and with salmon and cucumber - we packed lunch too.

We took a short drive to see a farm where a woman has lived alone for 40 years. Her companion was the mountains, the fjord and the occasional bus load of tourists. When we visited, not a soul was there not even the old lady who maintains the property. If I said it brought tears to my eyes, you probably wouldn’t believe me but it was surely heaven on earth. I’m not even sure that photos can do justice to this place. This old lady may have gone to the real heaven.

Views from Kjeasen farm

The high plains continue to beckon us to see some falls whose names are way too complicated for me say let alone write. Maybe Mark will fill them in – maybe not. Water and mountains play a major part in Norway’s beauty and at Hardangerfjord it’s easy to see why.

Vøringsfossen

Downhill putts are treacherous on this roof

Can't get your Victa on the roof? Get a goat

Kitty would be proud of us as we hiked uphill along a very rocky path to see more waterfalls - thank you for loaning us the hiking poles which were very helpful (even on rocks).

The drive from Hardangerfjord to Sognefjord was fascinating - some spectacular views along the way.

View from Stalheim Hotel.
They say its one of the best views in Norway

We had to cross a mountain pass which, given the cold weather, still had so much snow. Yet, when you arrive down at sea level the temperature rose from 3 to 12 degrees and seemed balmy.

You want me to drive up that!!!

Grieg's Bergen

2015-06-08T01:41:00.002-07:00

It could be a seaside town with the sounds of seabirds piercing the airwaves but its Norway’s second city of over 200,000 people.

From fishing village to city

We're staying in a small apartment in Nordnes - the finger-like peninsula on the edge of town - a charming area with lots of steep and narrow cobblestone streets/alleys.

We're half way down this street - no cars


Cobbled street of Nordnes

You can walk the streets of Bergen for days but when you need sustenance a good feed can be bought at the fish market. This is the cleanest fish market I've seen serving crays, lobster, salmon, king crabs and a variety of caviar and smoked fish. So far we've only eaten fish in Norway, maybe after 3 weeks we will tire of it.

Big fish

We are experiencing 20 hours of daylight and it’s a very strange feeling, so the eye masks come in handy. Obviously the days are longer and we can do more or at least that is how it feels and since we can't figure out how to work our host's TV, we write this blog. Midnight comes around very quickly when it's still light at 11pm.

Bergen can be bustling when cruise liners dock, disgorging 2000 tourists (yesterday) but today we saw there were none and it was relatively quiet. Yesterday they descended for a very good reason; to see this quaint town which was once a small fishing village lined with wooden houses. Very few of the originals remain due to fires over the centuries but they have resurrected a row along the harbour.

Ships - old & new

While the sun was shining we thought it prudent to take the funicular up to view Bergen from above. It was a short ride up the steep hill but there were not many tourists at this early hour of the morning, thankfully.

View from lookout - Nordnes in centre

There was an International festival in the town with parades, performers and a gay march (not sure what for) making its way down the mall. Very colourful and lively.

Despite what Mark and I thought about the cold chill in the air, the locals seem to wear t-shirts and bare legs. Obviously they have warm blood running through their veins.

You can’t miss the fact that Edvard Grieg is a favourite son of Bergen as there are dozens of statures dotted around the city. (He is most famous for Peer Gynt).

Edvard Grieg - looks like Einstein

We caught the tram to what we thought was a nearby stop of Grieg’s museum and summer house, but it turns out we needed to walk another 30 mins. With sore muscles from previous walking this proved to be slightly more than we had bargained for. Regardless, we made it and toured the house and museum set by the water.

Grieg's summer house by the sea

His Steinway

In the grounds

A beautiful spot to compose beautiful music. We were hoping to hitch a ride back to the tram stop and a couple kindly offered to drop us off.

Rhodies by the road

We’d also bought tickets for an evening performance of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra playing Grieg’s piano concerto No. 1 (in A minor Mark tells me). It was majorly wonderful. The performance night was a special night to perform music from Scandinavian composers so we were told by an elegant, Norwegian well-spoken woman.

At concert - 9:00pm and it's quite light


Sculpture of a guitar with a quote from L. Cohen. 'There is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in'

Statuesque MC
in a magnificent dress

This was the only time we saw his face - dramatic and brilliant pianist

The only down side was, we had to sit through some modern music which sounded like to was written for a horror movie – it hurt the ears.

On leaving the concert hall at 10.30pm, Mark and I burst out laughing because it was daylight outside.

Today is our last full day in Bergen. We walked around the old Bryggen area with its multicoloured wooden buildings and visited the Rosenkranz castle.

Historic Bryggen

Little Fish

A Norwegian fox for Tam (instead of a jumper)

Rosenkranz tower

Rosenkranz vs Rosenberg

By now the light rain had set in and it was getting cold so sheltering in a museum and a gallery hosting paintings by Munch was the obvious and enjoyable answer. Kitty and Graeme had much warmer weather this time last year and the locals say this cold weather is unseasonal. Norwegians blame melting ice caps in Greenland.

The Bryggen Museum had old and new. Fascinating archeological material and on the modern side, work by a woman who cuts out paper to make works of art in very fine detail - like an original big doiley hung between glass. Exquisite.

Tomorrow we pick up a car to drive to see the wonderful fjord’s of Norway, starting with Hardanger fjord so we’re heading to the town of Eidfjord for a few days. It seems fitting to buy a CD of Grieg’s music to listen en route and view his inspiration.

Over to you TomTom ………….

Last Tango in Paris

2015-06-06T08:28:00.000-07:00

Back in Paris after Giverny (with only 2 days to go), the weather has warmed up and the crowds are out in even greater force, especially at Versailles and along the Champs-Élysées.

The impressive boulevard is twice the width of St Kilda Road (to be exact it is 1.9km long and 70 metres wide). In front of the Arc de Triomphe there are 6-8 lanes of traffic going both ways and some idiotic tourists brave the traffic to stand in the middle to take equally impressive photos of this huge structure. I was about to point this out to Mark and turned around to see he’d gone. Guess where, to the middle of the road to join the other idiots risking their lives dodging traffic!!


Mid Champs Elysees


less life-threatening view

He survived to get me out bed at the crack of dawn to go to L’Orangerie to see Monet’s Water Lily murals. As you all know, early morning starts and me are rare but it was worth it to be one of a handful of people in the elliptical rooms where the magnificent murals are displayed. Crowds would have destroyed the peacefulness and serenity of the paintings.


Monet's water lillies

At the crowded Musee D’Orsay, getting in was easy with pre-purchased tickets on our Iphone. We couldn’t print tickets and getting them to be viewable on the phone without wifi was not so easy until Mark worked out that pdf files and downloaded images could be stored on iBooks. Thanks Steve Jobs.

What you can do with a station

Rather than rush from room to room, we took a tour with a very knowledgeable guide who explained the roots of Impressionism before showing us the Masters’ works.


A brilliant blue

All this walking and gallery time was taking its toll. We needed to head home before I collapsed from exhaustion but thought that if I sat down for ½ hour somewhere I could recuperate enough to continue. So I took refuge in Notre Dame and this is where I put my feet up for nearly an hour until our next walking tour was to begin. God almost struck me down.

Inside Notre Dame

Two young uni students showed us and 3 others around some unusual haunts and talked about interesting facts about life in the area around Notre Dame and St Germain. We visited a hospital right next door to Notre Dame where you can stay as a guest rather than a patient; just make sure the bed’s not in the psych ward.

Hospital garden

You only go to the Police HQ for 3 things the young ones pointed out.

1.) to be arrested

2.) to apply for a driver’s license (which is extremely difficult to pass in Paris – they take you to Champs-Élysées)

3.) for a baker who must apply for permission to go on holidays –. French bread is sensational. It must be fresh and Parisians can never be without their bread. For doctors, that’s a different matter – they’re lower in the pecking order (GLS would concur).

Our Guard of Honour - Blvd St Germain

Our walk concluded around the St Germain area where one half of this very long street is dedicated to very pricy shops, like toddler sandals for 150Euro. I didn’t even bother going in to any of the shops they appeared outrageously expensive. However, we did stop at a café/bar for refreshments, sitting side by side facing the street to observe the passers-by (as our guides told us Parisians would do).

QE11 Flower Market - the French miss their Royals

Our final day was a trip to Versailles. We thought we’d be the clever dicks - entry/travel pass pre-purchased and out at 8:00 to beat the crowds. Best laid plans…..The train stopped half-way after a major incident. One generous local passenger played ‘pied piper’ to 100 tourists, we took a different route and met at the bus stop. Clearly, we all wouldn’t fit on said bus so reverted to plan B and hitched a ride to within walking distance of Versailles. (the things we do to see the sites).

Versailles was spectacular and so were the crowds. We were almost pushed through the rooms as if on a very slow conveyor belt. The Hall of Mirrors and the royal apartments were fantastic. We tried to re-enter later but the crowds were even worse and almost at a standstill and this was on a slow day!!!!!!

Hall of Mirrors + the hoards

The immaculate gardens were more peaceful and I transformed my chef to a gondolier and took to the water and later, we lay in the shade to rest up before heading back to Paris and a last supper.

Now you see me

There are crocs in this lake

Slave labour

View from the lake

Siesta under the trees


At home in our apartment


view of the bridge club opposite


our French bath

As I write this we are sitting in our Bergen apartment having had our first taste of fish of the 3 week tour of Norway. I cooked it as my chef has officially gone on strike. (it’s so hard to find good staff these days)


Bergen - typical narrow streets

At home with Monet

2015-06-03T14:03:00.001-07:00

A quieter day. We headed to Monet’s Garden at Giverny, a 45 mins train trip out of Paris. Oh what a difference a few days make when you can navigate around an unfamiliar city. We caught the train at the civilized hour of 9:30 to Vernon and then, shared a taxi with two American women to Monet’s home and garden.

Monet's house

French oven

View from house

Lots of visitors, including school groups and one kinder group - was that smart? Probably not but they were cute.

We’ll leave it to the photos to show the beauty of the garden. Mark is not such as a keen gardener but he was blown away. The lily pond was probably the highlight but the simple house was also impressive. We’ll go to the D’Orsay Museum and L’Orangerie tomorrow, having seen his inspiration before we see the paintings.

That's a big rose

PARIS - First Impressions

2015-06-03T13:03:00.001-07:00

It’s my third night in Paris, its 10pm and I’m about to have dinner cooked by my personal chef. I’m not sure how I arrived at this scene so sit back and relax and I’ll see if I can retrace our steps to this exact spot.

This is not an ad for Singapore airlines but it was smooth, efficient and very polite service followed by a wonderful moment choreographed by Naomi wanting to surprise and embarrass her Dad for his recent birthday. A small tray arrived complete with a small chocolate cake, 2 glasses of champers and a cup bubbling with dry ice (no candles allowed mid-air). Very tasty and very nice.

Naomi's surprise, mid-air birthday cake

Getting to our lovely, quirky apartment on the 5^th floor on the edge of the Marais district was a piece of gateau thanks to the wonderful Metro.. My goodness, Paris has changed her spots since I was here in the 70’s, none of this ‘get lost if you won’t speak French’ attitude. Almost all and sundry are happy to give English a go; neither Mark nor I speak the lingo so this is a welcome blessing. However, the Parisian attitude is still like being one of the chosen & elite, especially when draped with the mandatory silk scarf from infancy.

At the Seine

We have been settling in, resetting the body clock and walking our 20,000+ steps/day. The first 2 days were cool and wet at times but the excitement of just being in Paris triumphed over inclement weather and with the sun emerging since then, it’s Parisian heaven and still light until almost 10:00pm - plenty of time to explore.

We’ve both been here before but not together so we’re not heading for the A List. The crowds around the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower are off-putting – it looked like an army of ants scrambling over a wonderful mechano construction. Navigating online booking sites is almost as bad. Grrrrh!

Crowd pleaser

So we’ve tramped the pavements, rode the Metro and used the hop on hop off river boats and crawl into bed each night, vowing to take it easier the next day. But in Paris, such vows are meant to be broken.

Louvre in the background

The Marais is beguiling - narrow streets, with bars, bistros, cafes and restaurants interspersed with chic shops and a few museums, plus the less salubrious flea markets (Rick L would be at home). There’s a small street with 7 falafel outlets – it was the Jewish Quarter after all.

Ruth in Tulleries

Notre-Dame is stunning but getting through the crowd on Saturday was more than we could bear so we’ll head back for a proper look. Almost everything was closed on Sunday so we walked around the Left bank, the Sorbonne, the Pantheon and the Luxembourg Gardens. We took refuge in the St Sulpice Church where American students from Julliard School of music and the Yale choir were rehearsing a Beethoven Mass. While the church was unimpressive the music was lovely.

Rehearsal at St Sulpice

We still had some energy left and headed to a museum that HW had recommended - Musee Carnavalet, the museum of the history of Paris. There was a special exhibit about Napoleon. It’s about time I learnt something of French history and this was a great starter (at least for me, Mark filled in several gaps). It appears Napoleon was instrumental in the layout of Paris and Tamara could learn from the master and study Urban planning French style.

I want to dance the Can Can

We joined a walking tour of Montmartre. Our guide (Louise) was brilliant and knew her stuff or at least we fell under her spell and believed every word as gospel. We started at the Moulin Rouge, walked up the little side streets past the café where Amelie was filmed. There is a large photo of her on the wall. Louise filled us in on anecdotes about the artists and characters who frequented the area - Toulouse Lautrec, Picasso and Renoir.


Cafe where "Amelie" was filmed

Sadly, gentrification is creeping in and it’s becoming too expensive for the artists or odd bods who made the area famous. One studio loft recently sold for 12m Euro, in a building where Dalida (a famous Egyptian born, Italian/French/Hebrew/Japanese/Spanish +5 other languages singer lived). We walked past all these tempting fruit shops with sumptuous strawberries and bought some to take home – they were delicious and sweet. In fact the aroma of the food stalls wafted throughout the neighbourhood. The tour ended at Sacre Coeur with a great view of Paris below.

Sacre Coeur

Deciding where to eat is pot luck weighing up the clientele, the price and the charm of the staff. French food is delicious and with tables so close together, you start conversing with fellow diners. An odd coincidence was that on the 2 nights we ate o.ut, we ended up talking to 2 mother/daughter combinations. We’ve also eaten in, – hence the need for a personal chef.

Street art in Montmartre

Almost Paris

2015-05-27T05:59:00.000-07:00

The niggling little flutters are increasing as the count down approaches for our departure to Paris in less than 48 hours.

Still lots of small hurdles to jump like seat allocation and packing. How did we end up sitting in different locations (?) Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Why do the small annoyances take up so much space in your mind (?). An hour on the phone sorted one segment and I gave up for the remainder of the flight. I may regret it - mid flight stuck between 2 sleeping fellow travellers.

I might have to call in the expert (Elizabeth) to help with my packing. It is challenging to choose clothes for the cross section of weather conditions. Paris will be mild, Norway, much cooler and Vienna/Munich a little warmer and Singapore positively hot and humid. So it will be thermals to sundress over 6 weeks. As Mark said, 'as long as you can carry it, you can wear it'. That's just cruel !

Planning Stages - Early May

2015-05-07T01:32:00.000-07:00

Mark and I leave for Paris at the end of May for a 6 week tour of Paris, Norway (3 weeks), Vienna, Cesky Krumlov, Munich and home via Singapore. There are no travelling companions this time - what have we done to scare them away ? ! *. Nothing, I believe; timing is everything in life and our times didn't match.

Most of the planning has been completed (much to my horror). However, common sense tells me that it's not advisable to arrive in Paris in peak tourist season without a booking. Hence a new type of travel accommodation - AirBnB has crept into our schedule. AirBnB offer an entire apartment albeit someone's home. Firstly in Paris, then Bergen and Vienna. We are looking forward to this new experience. The remainder of our time we will stay in good old fashioned hotels.

We will hire a car in Norway and drive from Bergen northwards to Trondheim where we fly to the Lofoten Islands in the Arctic Circle.

What inspired us to undertake such an intrepid tour of the Northern Hemisphere? Well, I blame Kitty and Graeme. Their stunning photos and stories of scenic beauty were so convincing that we had to outlay good money to prove them .............. right.