The day will come when I will die. So the only matter of consequence before me is what I will do with my allotted time. I can remain on shore, paralyzed with fear, or I can raise my sails and dip and soar in the breeze.--Richard Bode



Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Jessica and I love Norway's fjords

Norway's fjords have to be some of the most majestic and lovely country on earth. Looking down from high up above them is a mind altering experience.


The roads up and down through these mountains are enough to give an eagle vertigo.


Sometimes it is just easier to go right through the mountains. There are tunnels every few miles, and often they are very, very long.  At about 16 miles in length, this tunnel takes 20 minutes to drive through,




Its not all tunnels and mountain roads in Norway. There is a lot of farmland too. And also a lot of sheep "ranching".


There are waterfalls all over the place.


There are also a lot of glaciers. We are told that the largest glacier on Earth is here. This is just a tiny arm of it.


This is not a glacier, but it is a snow covered trail out to an overlook.  This was a tiny bit scary -- a slip here could have a person sliding right off the cliff down below.


It is very cold and often snowy this time of the year up in the mountains. I think I like it better down lower where the land is boggy sometimes, and often filled with sheep.


Despite what we have been led to believe from our movies and TV shows, Norway was a Christian country even during the time of the Vikings. They built some beautiful wooden churches back then. There used to be thousands of them, but now there are only a few of these unique old structures left.


Even back then there were some good craftsmen. Look at the detail of this ancient door.


They did have a little trouble leaving their mythological past behind. Check out the dragon figure here on the church eve.


As a former science teacher, I have been very interested in the rocks around here.  I think I might have to make enlargements of some of these pictures to hang on the walls back home.




Unfortunately, all good things eventually must come to an end. Just another day, and then I have to take Jessica to the airport to catch her flight(s) back "home" to Holland, and I have to take the rental car we have enjoyed so much back to Oslo and pick up my motorcycle from storage. Then I start riding north to the Arctic Circle.  I sure hope it warms up. Brrrr.


I will sure miss traveling with Jessica. She is not only a delightful daughter, but also a superb traveling companion.


I am going to have to do laundry and do some work on the motorcycle once I get back to Oslo, so it might be a few days before I post again.

Ron