More Norway

Left to right: Kayakers on the Sogne Fjord (look closely); Viking ship from about 900 AD; Wooden sculpture of Norse god Odin on his trusty steed, Oslo City Hall.

Some day soon...

Hi everyone! Having a little trouble with the pictures again. I promise I have a whole slew of updates to post when the opportunity presents itself. Anyway, I'm still alive, still traveling, currently in Latvia (oh boy!). Currently watching some kind of coup unfold in Thailand on the news (oh dear!).

Norway (the longer version)

I spent a few days in Oslo and also took a "scenic day trip" down the Sogne fjord (see previous post). Incredible, incredible scenery! Scandinavia as a whole has its own vibe/personality that's definitely distinct from the rest of Europe. Norway was no exception; some words that come to mind are: open, bright, clean, friendly, and uff da! I didn't take in any castles, palaces or churches in Oslo (the Royal Palace was closed to visitors and the Oslo Cathedral was closed for repairs). But I did see City Hall, several viking ships, the Norwegian Resistance museum (covering Norway's struggle against the Nazis), and quite a few Munch paintings. I also stayed in a hotel where Norwegian emmigrants used to stay before heading off for the U.S. The irony!

Pictures: Top- Hardangerjokulen Glacier. View from Myrdal, altitude 867 meters
Middle- Kjosfossen waterfall. Legend has it there's a temptress that lives behind the falls who lures men onto the rocks. So the train stops there and when all the tourists are out taking pictures of the waterfall, they pipe in some mystical-sounding music and two Norwegian girls come out and strike temptress-like poses on the rocks. Gotta love it.
Bottom- Mountain village of Flam, population 400

Norway (in a nutshell)

A little cruise down the Sogne Fjord