Last I checked, I was in Oslo, heading for Orebro, Sweden. And now, here I am in Stockholm. I did spend 2 days in Orebro. Left Oslo in the rain, and the bus tried to outrun it all the way. Unsuccessfully. I did get one morning with some sunshine, but not near enough. Nevertheless, I enjoyed my stay in Orebro. Not as much as I'd hoped I would, but still a pleasure.
The guide books say that Orebro is a picture postcard city. I can see why, with a castle on an island in the middle of a river. Then there's the really big town park, filled with grass, trees and flowers. After that, there isn't too much to talk about, though.
The castle tour is interesting, mainly because of the stories the guide, dressed in period costume, tells. There are many paintings of Scandinavian royalty, and he had stories about most of them. Some were probably very true, and historically accurate. But some, the more entertaining ones, stretched the imagination more than a bit. But who am I to comment on the accuracy of the guides pitch?
Aside from the park, which I spent a good bit of time in, sauntering along at my leisure, another item on the city's list of sights that interested me was called the sculpture walk, or something similar. Decided a walk wouldn't hurt, and there wasn't much else to do. It was about 1 or 2 K from town, through a semi-residential district. Nice area. Then I got to the sculpture walk, nearly another K. Walked the entire length and back, and took photos of all the sculptures I saw. All four of them. And none particularly impressed me, with one possible exception. At least it was a nice area to walk in.
I did visit the town museum, a mix of history and art. Nothing really impressive. One art exhibit was supposedly the 7 stages of life. And no, I don't remember what they were. But the stage on childhood made an interesting point. There is a UN resolution, rule, position, (I'm not sure of the correct term) on children's rights. One of them is the right to not be physically or sexually exploited. The point made was that we live in a world that this has to be stated. Enough editorializing.
There was a hand's on exhibit for children which I participated in. It was on the Runic alphabet, the early Scandinavian means of communicating, primarily on big rocks, rune stones, as memorials. The exhibit had magnetic backed runic characters which could be used to spell things out on a large board. I'm sure most were kyds names and such. This kyd spelled out "Tehachapi". I'll bet there are some confused folk trying to make that one out.
Orebro is really a nice tourist town, but mainly for Swedish tourists. It's the first place I've been to with almost no English in the town brochures, museums, places of interest in general. Even the posted menus were all in Swedish. I had to ask for an English menu. Usually, they have both languages on the menus, or an English menu posted side by side with the local language.
On that subject, I've stopped condemning myself for not knowing the languages. I do have a little bit of condemnation for the US as a whole for not encouraging more foreign language in our schools. They start in the third grade here teaching English. But on the other hand, what language should we teach? English is the second language nearly everywhere I've been. Some English people I met a while back attribute that to the American GI's after WWII being all over western Europe. Good point. More editorializing.
From Orebro I headed for Stockholm. The original plan was to pass through, and go on to Upsalla for a couple of days. But Upsalla is only an hour away, and buses run hourly. So I decided to stay in Stockholm. That way I can stay in the same room for the entire time in this area.
I did go to Upsalla today. Rainy, but that's OK. I will need a new umbrella by the time I get home. This one is getting a lot of use, and is close to retirement, as is my suitcase, and possibly backpack. On to Upsalla.
One of it's main attractions is a site just out of town where there are three huge burial mounds. Interesting museum about the history of the mounds, and walking the area around the mounds. They were excavated sometime in the 19Th century, if I remember correctly. They were on a ridge, and the dead kings were cremated with important possessions to take to the next world, then the entire site was covered with earth. They estimate it took 100 workers three months to complete the process. You can imagine the size. Not a great pyramid, but still impressive.
Also went to the town art museum and castle, combined. Neither impressed me too much.
The 18Th century botanist, Carl Von Linne, or Linnaeus, taught at Upsalla University. There is a museum about his life in his original house. Guests even had to wear plastic booties because the floor and carpets are original. He's the botanist that developed the scientific naming method still in use. He also is noted for something I'm impressed with. When Celsius developed the Celsius scale, he set 100 as freezing and 0 as boiling points for water. Linne was the one responsible for reversing it. I like that.
Yesterday was one of the worst I've had in a long time. I tried to change my return reservations, successfully, eventually. But what a time! If you ever try it, be advised, the airline ticket counters at the airport won't help. I took the 45 minute (one-way) bus ride to the airport to find this out. They'll tell you they are just an agent, and to call the airline. (at least BA and Spanair here did). And no toll free numbers. One even gave me the wrong phone number, and Spanair's web site didn't have their local office's number, only their agent, who couldn't or wouldn't do anything. So find a quiet place with a pay phone, get a WHOLE bunch of coins and get with it. I spent well over an hour on the phone. Admittedly, I had more than just a return flight to change, but what a hassle. Nuf of the bellyaching.
Tomorrow I'll wind up my visit in Stockholm, and then on Monday head for Linkoping, then Goteborg later in the week. And now it's time for dinner.
Friday, July 27, 2007
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Back thru Bergen, then on to Oslo
Am I going backwards? It sure looks that way, doesn't it? But there is a method in my madness. From Stavanger, I took the boat back to Bergen, then hopped on the train for a return to Oslo. My initial plan was quite different, but for several reasons, most important of which was the desire to take that train ride, I adjusted the plan. So now I'm back in Oslo, and will leave here on either Monday or Tuesday for Orebro, Sweden.
Back to Stavanger. Told you about the Oil museum, and again, I was impressed with it. The next day, I decided it was tome to get some culture, so I took in the Rogland Art museum. A nice walk from the town center alongside a lake, and with trees and such buffering the noise form the cars. The museum itself isn't all that big. It mainly promotes one of Norway's artists, raised near Stavanger, Lars Hertervig. His work was mostly landscapes and seascapes, but a few portraits. Not bad, but who am I to say.
A number of other Norwegian artists were on display as well. Some impressed me more than others. Photos were allowed, no flash, so I took some of those that struck me for one or another reason. Also one American "artist", somebody? San Francisco. Not much of his work impressed me. The kind of stuff you'd swear was done in elementary school, or discarded from the hobbyist's wood-shop. Nuff said.
From there, I tried one I didn't think I'd think much of. To my surprise, I enjoyed it, and learned something. Can you believe I enjoyed a museum on how sardines were canned in the early 20TH century? Believe it or not, I found it very interesting. Maybe because at one time, for a very few months, when much younger, I worked in a can manufacturing plant. Did any of you know that Sardines aren't officially from Norway? They are native to the Mediterranean. The ones in a can from Norway are in reality brisling, a close relative of the sardine. Aren't you glad to find that out?
And then on to the museum that I didn't enjoy. Has to be at least one. I guess I've been to to many Maritime museums on this trip. Ship model after ship model after ship model. It was supposed to be about Stavanger's history and connections with the sea, but didn't touch on that aspect very much at all.
After dinner, with time to kill, I went into a bookstore. They showed me to the English language section, in the basement. So I spent time browsing for something light to read. After some time, I finally chose a James Patterson mystery, against my better judgment. Right. Anyway, when I went up to pay, they were in the process of locking up. They forgot all about me down in the basement. If I'd stayed down a few minutes more, I wouldn't have been able to get out until midnight, when they had a Harry Potter sale starting.
Then the highlight of the day. I'd been chasing a concert around all of Norway, it seemed. It was in Trondheim, Alesund, Oslo and Berger but always either before I arrived or right after I left. Finally caught up with it in Stavanger. A Berlin string orchestra, with a two plus hour performance of several noted classical composers, including Norway's own favorite, Eduard Greig. Have to say I enjoyed that.
Getting late, so it's time to put this in the drafts folder for a while.
On to Bergen and Oslo. The next AM, I caught the ferry back to Bergen, then the train to Oslo. I'd decided that the scenic ride was worth watching from the south side of the train, so made a reservation that I was told was on the southern exposure. Wrong! Seat was on the same side as the first trip. But after the train started, I found an unoccupied seat on the other side, and settled in. All was well until I decided I was hungry, and went to the dining car for a hot dog.
I asked a couple if I could share their table. Turns out they were Canadian, but live in Houston. They are here on business, and had taken a weekend excursion. On the good side, it was an interesting conversation. I need to speak English for long periods every now and then, so I don't forget how. On the bad side, I missed all the great scenery I'd taken the train to see in the first place. A very good friend recently said something about still having a lot left to do when you pass on. So I'll add another trip from Oslo to Bergen to my list. I've got a whale of a lot still to do, so I hope that means I'll be here for a long time.
So now I'm in Oslo. Today was a get organized day. Hotel reservation in Orebro, bus ticket to Orebro, do the laundry, etc. Did it all,and still had time left over. So I decided on more culture. Glad I did. I went to the Oslo National Gallery. What a great art museum! It's primarily for Norwegian artists of renown, highlighting Edvard Munch and J. C. Dahl. I preferred Dahl, lots of landscapes and such. Really enjoyable. Munch was an impressionist, and in the same league as some of the notable ones, Gauguin, Manet, Picasso, Manet and the likes.
In a case of locking the barn door after the horse is stolen, two of Munch's most notable paintings, The Scream and Madonna, were stolen from here a few years back, then, fortunately, recovered. Now only those two are on the wall with sheets of Plexiglas bolted over them separating them from the public. Amazingly, much of the artwork is hung on the walls with no separation between the painting and the viewer. They do have alarms if someone touches them. Yes, I did. Security politely asked me not to do that again.
There is one room with Gaugin, Picasso, Degas, Mamet, Renoir, all the names you've heard before. Those are separated from the audience only by a rope strung several feet in front of them. Within easy reach if one wanted to. Another room has noted European artists from the 15Th century on through the early 18Th. I really did feel somewhat in awe of what I saw today. Not sure if it was because I recognized the names and was impressed, or if it was truly the art I was looking at. But whatever it was, it made for a very pleasant experience.
So now it's on to Orebro, Sweden tomorrow AM. We'll see what Sweden has to offer on this pass.
Back to Stavanger. Told you about the Oil museum, and again, I was impressed with it. The next day, I decided it was tome to get some culture, so I took in the Rogland Art museum. A nice walk from the town center alongside a lake, and with trees and such buffering the noise form the cars. The museum itself isn't all that big. It mainly promotes one of Norway's artists, raised near Stavanger, Lars Hertervig. His work was mostly landscapes and seascapes, but a few portraits. Not bad, but who am I to say.
A number of other Norwegian artists were on display as well. Some impressed me more than others. Photos were allowed, no flash, so I took some of those that struck me for one or another reason. Also one American "artist", somebody? San Francisco. Not much of his work impressed me. The kind of stuff you'd swear was done in elementary school, or discarded from the hobbyist's wood-shop. Nuff said.
From there, I tried one I didn't think I'd think much of. To my surprise, I enjoyed it, and learned something. Can you believe I enjoyed a museum on how sardines were canned in the early 20TH century? Believe it or not, I found it very interesting. Maybe because at one time, for a very few months, when much younger, I worked in a can manufacturing plant. Did any of you know that Sardines aren't officially from Norway? They are native to the Mediterranean. The ones in a can from Norway are in reality brisling, a close relative of the sardine. Aren't you glad to find that out?
And then on to the museum that I didn't enjoy. Has to be at least one. I guess I've been to to many Maritime museums on this trip. Ship model after ship model after ship model. It was supposed to be about Stavanger's history and connections with the sea, but didn't touch on that aspect very much at all.
After dinner, with time to kill, I went into a bookstore. They showed me to the English language section, in the basement. So I spent time browsing for something light to read. After some time, I finally chose a James Patterson mystery, against my better judgment. Right. Anyway, when I went up to pay, they were in the process of locking up. They forgot all about me down in the basement. If I'd stayed down a few minutes more, I wouldn't have been able to get out until midnight, when they had a Harry Potter sale starting.
Then the highlight of the day. I'd been chasing a concert around all of Norway, it seemed. It was in Trondheim, Alesund, Oslo and Berger but always either before I arrived or right after I left. Finally caught up with it in Stavanger. A Berlin string orchestra, with a two plus hour performance of several noted classical composers, including Norway's own favorite, Eduard Greig. Have to say I enjoyed that.
Getting late, so it's time to put this in the drafts folder for a while.
On to Bergen and Oslo. The next AM, I caught the ferry back to Bergen, then the train to Oslo. I'd decided that the scenic ride was worth watching from the south side of the train, so made a reservation that I was told was on the southern exposure. Wrong! Seat was on the same side as the first trip. But after the train started, I found an unoccupied seat on the other side, and settled in. All was well until I decided I was hungry, and went to the dining car for a hot dog.
I asked a couple if I could share their table. Turns out they were Canadian, but live in Houston. They are here on business, and had taken a weekend excursion. On the good side, it was an interesting conversation. I need to speak English for long periods every now and then, so I don't forget how. On the bad side, I missed all the great scenery I'd taken the train to see in the first place. A very good friend recently said something about still having a lot left to do when you pass on. So I'll add another trip from Oslo to Bergen to my list. I've got a whale of a lot still to do, so I hope that means I'll be here for a long time.
So now I'm in Oslo. Today was a get organized day. Hotel reservation in Orebro, bus ticket to Orebro, do the laundry, etc. Did it all,and still had time left over. So I decided on more culture. Glad I did. I went to the Oslo National Gallery. What a great art museum! It's primarily for Norwegian artists of renown, highlighting Edvard Munch and J. C. Dahl. I preferred Dahl, lots of landscapes and such. Really enjoyable. Munch was an impressionist, and in the same league as some of the notable ones, Gauguin, Manet, Picasso, Manet and the likes.
In a case of locking the barn door after the horse is stolen, two of Munch's most notable paintings, The Scream and Madonna, were stolen from here a few years back, then, fortunately, recovered. Now only those two are on the wall with sheets of Plexiglas bolted over them separating them from the public. Amazingly, much of the artwork is hung on the walls with no separation between the painting and the viewer. They do have alarms if someone touches them. Yes, I did. Security politely asked me not to do that again.
There is one room with Gaugin, Picasso, Degas, Mamet, Renoir, all the names you've heard before. Those are separated from the audience only by a rope strung several feet in front of them. Within easy reach if one wanted to. Another room has noted European artists from the 15Th century on through the early 18Th. I really did feel somewhat in awe of what I saw today. Not sure if it was because I recognized the names and was impressed, or if it was truly the art I was looking at. But whatever it was, it made for a very pleasant experience.
So now it's on to Orebro, Sweden tomorrow AM. We'll see what Sweden has to offer on this pass.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Been to Bergen, and Beyond
Yep, I'm now in Stavanger, after a 4+ hour boat ride from Bergen this morning. And that boat really moves. Stavanger and Bergen are 185 K apart. That's an average of 40 K/h. And we stopped to drop off and pick up passengers at least 5 times. Really moves.
The train ride to Bergen was really nice. Not quite as spectacular as I'd been led to believe, but that's because my seat was on the north side of the train, and the majority of scenic stuff was on the south side. But then, you've all heard the story of the grass being greener..... Anyway, I'll find out. I take it back to Oslo on Saturday. More on that later.
Bergen was pretty nice. Would have been nicer if it had had some abnormal weather. One source says it rains there 275 days a year. The other says the sun shines 60. That leaves 30 at question. I think drizzle will be correct for the missing 30. I can predict the weather accurately. If it's raining, it will stop soon. If it's not raining, it will start soon. Except when you plan on leaving. Then the sun comes out to wish you a fond farewell.
I took several nice tours while in Bergen. One of the Bryggen area, the area the Hanseatic League merchants lived and worked in. All the buildings in this area are replicas (on the outside) of the period when the Hanseatic League dominated trade throughout northern Europe. The tour included 3 separate buildings, a nice museum, a building that was their common room, and another that was their sleeping area. None too attractive to me. Glad I'm in the 21st Century. Our guide did a really good job. The League stayed completely separate from the Norwegian community, which wasn't appreciated too much by the Norwegians, but the League was pretty powerful.
Also visited King Hakon's Hall, really Hakon's castle, and Rosenkrantz' Tower. Hakon's from around 1200 and the tower from around 1500, I think. Both damaged and reconstructed several times. And it's easy to see which parts are original, and which are the newer sections. Interesting to see the differences, both in style and constructions methods. The last time they were destroyed was in 1944 when a freighter (one story says German, another says Dutch) loaded with ammunition blew up in the harbor adjacent to them, and pretty much destroyed them, and a good part of the town. They initially thought it was sabotage, as it happened on Hitler's birthday. but eventually ruled that out.
I think the highlight of the trip to Bergen was the trip up to Mt. Floyen (302 M high) on the Funicular. The clouds below cleared enough to allow a good view of the city and harbor. Really a spectacular view. Second to that, might just be walking around the old section around Bryggen. Wooden buildings, cobbled streets, narrow passages, real old world look and feel.
Bergen so far is the winner for meeting fellow Americans. Met a couple from CO on the way up the Funicular, two young ladies from MN on the way down, a couple from a town about 10 miles from where my Dad was born in MN while I was on Hakon's Hall tour, and then at dinner last night, met a couple from Grass Valley, CA, where my daughter Lynda once lived. And she's right next door in Nevada City now. This guy was a real talker. Says he grew up in Sunnyvale, CA, and that Jobs and Wozniak built the first Apple in his garage. Claims he was bosom buddies with both. One wonders.
Today, as I said, I took the boat to Stavanger. I'll be here until Saturday morning, when I do some step retracing. Boat back to Stavanger, then the train to Oslo. This time I'll have a seat on the south side, so we'll see about that green grass.
Stavanger is the Houston or Dallas of Norway, the oil capital. It's the 4Th biggest city, and that's primarily because of North Sea oil. There is a really good Oil Museum here. They go all the way from describing how oil was created to current day practices for getting it out, and some next generation exploration ideas. I found it very interesting. Of course, most of the examples were of Norwegian/North Sea oil platforms, etc.
That's about it for my recent escapades. Now you can suffer through some of my musings.
I've noticed that a lot of people here in Scandinavia use walking aids of some form or another. Can't believe they are more accident prone, or more susceptible to arthritis, etc. But I can't think of an explanation, either.
On the way here from Bergen, I realized just how many Norwegians live on islands, at least in this part of Norway. And I didn't see many power lines running out from the mainland as we traveled by. There were too many large communities to do without. I just wondered how they get power, water, all those necessities to so many islands. Probably very easily, but not apparent to me.
Looking back over recent days, I've really had an international diet. Pizza, Fajitas, Japanese, Indian and a few McD's since I left Alesund. Did mix that in with some good local fish and shrimp dinners.
I've figured out why everything is so expensive here. It's because they have to pay for all those bridges and tunnels to get to all the islands and through the mountains. I've never seen so many bridges and tunnels in such a small area before.
You've suffered enough. I'll close for now.
The train ride to Bergen was really nice. Not quite as spectacular as I'd been led to believe, but that's because my seat was on the north side of the train, and the majority of scenic stuff was on the south side. But then, you've all heard the story of the grass being greener..... Anyway, I'll find out. I take it back to Oslo on Saturday. More on that later.
Bergen was pretty nice. Would have been nicer if it had had some abnormal weather. One source says it rains there 275 days a year. The other says the sun shines 60. That leaves 30 at question. I think drizzle will be correct for the missing 30. I can predict the weather accurately. If it's raining, it will stop soon. If it's not raining, it will start soon. Except when you plan on leaving. Then the sun comes out to wish you a fond farewell.
I took several nice tours while in Bergen. One of the Bryggen area, the area the Hanseatic League merchants lived and worked in. All the buildings in this area are replicas (on the outside) of the period when the Hanseatic League dominated trade throughout northern Europe. The tour included 3 separate buildings, a nice museum, a building that was their common room, and another that was their sleeping area. None too attractive to me. Glad I'm in the 21st Century. Our guide did a really good job. The League stayed completely separate from the Norwegian community, which wasn't appreciated too much by the Norwegians, but the League was pretty powerful.
Also visited King Hakon's Hall, really Hakon's castle, and Rosenkrantz' Tower. Hakon's from around 1200 and the tower from around 1500, I think. Both damaged and reconstructed several times. And it's easy to see which parts are original, and which are the newer sections. Interesting to see the differences, both in style and constructions methods. The last time they were destroyed was in 1944 when a freighter (one story says German, another says Dutch) loaded with ammunition blew up in the harbor adjacent to them, and pretty much destroyed them, and a good part of the town. They initially thought it was sabotage, as it happened on Hitler's birthday. but eventually ruled that out.
I think the highlight of the trip to Bergen was the trip up to Mt. Floyen (302 M high) on the Funicular. The clouds below cleared enough to allow a good view of the city and harbor. Really a spectacular view. Second to that, might just be walking around the old section around Bryggen. Wooden buildings, cobbled streets, narrow passages, real old world look and feel.
Bergen so far is the winner for meeting fellow Americans. Met a couple from CO on the way up the Funicular, two young ladies from MN on the way down, a couple from a town about 10 miles from where my Dad was born in MN while I was on Hakon's Hall tour, and then at dinner last night, met a couple from Grass Valley, CA, where my daughter Lynda once lived. And she's right next door in Nevada City now. This guy was a real talker. Says he grew up in Sunnyvale, CA, and that Jobs and Wozniak built the first Apple in his garage. Claims he was bosom buddies with both. One wonders.
Today, as I said, I took the boat to Stavanger. I'll be here until Saturday morning, when I do some step retracing. Boat back to Stavanger, then the train to Oslo. This time I'll have a seat on the south side, so we'll see about that green grass.
Stavanger is the Houston or Dallas of Norway, the oil capital. It's the 4Th biggest city, and that's primarily because of North Sea oil. There is a really good Oil Museum here. They go all the way from describing how oil was created to current day practices for getting it out, and some next generation exploration ideas. I found it very interesting. Of course, most of the examples were of Norwegian/North Sea oil platforms, etc.
That's about it for my recent escapades. Now you can suffer through some of my musings.
I've noticed that a lot of people here in Scandinavia use walking aids of some form or another. Can't believe they are more accident prone, or more susceptible to arthritis, etc. But I can't think of an explanation, either.
On the way here from Bergen, I realized just how many Norwegians live on islands, at least in this part of Norway. And I didn't see many power lines running out from the mainland as we traveled by. There were too many large communities to do without. I just wondered how they get power, water, all those necessities to so many islands. Probably very easily, but not apparent to me.
Looking back over recent days, I've really had an international diet. Pizza, Fajitas, Japanese, Indian and a few McD's since I left Alesund. Did mix that in with some good local fish and shrimp dinners.
I've figured out why everything is so expensive here. It's because they have to pay for all those bridges and tunnels to get to all the islands and through the mountains. I've never seen so many bridges and tunnels in such a small area before.
You've suffered enough. I'll close for now.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Oslo, not Christiana
I just finished typing for an hour, and the computer shut down on me,so I lost everything I'd typed about the last few days. So I'm not in the mood to stay on line too long.
First the subject. Oslo was renamed Christiana by King Christian the ?? I guess kings have a right to some ego.
Briefly, I made it to Oslo on Friday the 13Th, found a hotel, and wandered about town. Saw the Akershund Slott, Fortress, Festning, whatever.
Also the Nobel Museum, which is really something. Well worth the visit.
Saturday was the Kon Tiki museum, where I saw the original Kon Tiki, the Ra II, and a lot about Thor Heyerdahl. Then on the the Fram museum, about the polar explorer ship. She's been further north and south than any other ship, barring nuclear subs. Lots also about Roald Amundsen. He did more than just go to the poles. Then to the Viking Ship Museum. 3 viking ships found by farmers, two in pretty good shape. Only problem was the rain. Left the umbrella in the hotel.
Today was a visit to the Vigeland Park. Sculptor in lifelike statues, but some awfully weird poses. Not really my thing. Then on the the Norwegian Folk Museum, rally an outdoor park where there are reconstructed or relocated buildings from Norway's past, Learned a little about their construction from observation.
Also had a performance by some folk dancers. They were accompanied by a fellow playing a hardanger fiddle. Yes, I recorded it for you.
Last stop was at the Maritime Museum, where the main attraction for me was a Cinerama like video of Norway. Other than that,it's a whole bunch of ship models, from viking days to the present. Never saw so many models in one place before. More than I could take.
I leave tomorrow for Bergen. Wanted to take what I've been told is a superb train ride through the mountains. I'll let you know. Time to spell check this and send it before I get bumped off again.
First the subject. Oslo was renamed Christiana by King Christian the ?? I guess kings have a right to some ego.
Briefly, I made it to Oslo on Friday the 13Th, found a hotel, and wandered about town. Saw the Akershund Slott, Fortress, Festning, whatever.
Also the Nobel Museum, which is really something. Well worth the visit.
Saturday was the Kon Tiki museum, where I saw the original Kon Tiki, the Ra II, and a lot about Thor Heyerdahl. Then on the the Fram museum, about the polar explorer ship. She's been further north and south than any other ship, barring nuclear subs. Lots also about Roald Amundsen. He did more than just go to the poles. Then to the Viking Ship Museum. 3 viking ships found by farmers, two in pretty good shape. Only problem was the rain. Left the umbrella in the hotel.
Today was a visit to the Vigeland Park. Sculptor in lifelike statues, but some awfully weird poses. Not really my thing. Then on the the Norwegian Folk Museum, rally an outdoor park where there are reconstructed or relocated buildings from Norway's past, Learned a little about their construction from observation.
Also had a performance by some folk dancers. They were accompanied by a fellow playing a hardanger fiddle. Yes, I recorded it for you.
Last stop was at the Maritime Museum, where the main attraction for me was a Cinerama like video of Norway. Other than that,it's a whole bunch of ship models, from viking days to the present. Never saw so many models in one place before. More than I could take.
I leave tomorrow for Bergen. Wanted to take what I've been told is a superb train ride through the mountains. I'll let you know. Time to spell check this and send it before I get bumped off again.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Alesund, and Beautiful Fjords
Well, I made it to Alesund today, Monday the 9Th. First let me finish telling you about Trondheim.
I went to a museum that, if you like music, you'd really enjoy. It's the Ringve Museum and botanical gardens. Strange combination, but it started as an estate with many acres, so when it was converted to a museum, they continued to maintain and expand the gardens around it. The original owners, a Russian lady and her Norwegian husband loved music and, it appears, collected musical instruments. They wanted it turned into a museum on their passing, as they had no heirs. At least i think that's the story.
Quite a collection of instruments. Seemed weighted toward the strings, including piano-like instruments. There are guided tours of their house, with a large number of very old instruments on display. The tours are conducted by music students who play some of the instruments for the guests. I was very fortunate, as I was the only one on my tour. That tour took an hour or more. Then the regular museum is still there for you to stroll through. Only problem is that it's very dimly lit, and at times difficult to read the material. No photos allowed, either, so bring along a good memory.
The gardens were nice, not really impressive, though. They're divided into 5 sections, a Park, an arboretum with trees from much of the world, a section that tries to show the evolution of different plants (I didn't get it), a primrose garden, and a geometric floral layout.
After all that walking and listening and reading, I was hungry. Found what looked like a nice restaurant on a float on the river, so I tired it. Atmosphere was very comfortable, except for the gulls. I decided I'd try the peel and eat shrimp. I expected around 6 or so good sized shrimp. I got about 100, very small. And peeling included not just the shells, but the entire shrimp. Tasted good, in spite of the mess, but a lot of work, believe me!
Today was the bus trip to Alesund. If you ever (and I'm sure tons of you will) travel by bus from Trondheim to Alesund, sit on the left had side of the bus. That's where all the scenic fjords are. For the most part, the right hand side provides a view into the hills.
Norway isn't my country for hotels. Don't remember if I mentioned it, but there was a mix-up at the hotel in Trondheim. Won't go into that. When I arrived here, I had a reservation. Seems the hostel has two different locations. The single rooms are three blocks away from the main hostel. Not a problem, I can walk it OK. But when I found it, they were in the process of spring cleaning in my room, three people, buckets, mops, the works. The previous tenant had been there 6 months, and wasn't the greatest housekeeper. No phones, so I went back to registration, and they gave me a key to a different room. When I got back, as you might have expected, that one wasn't ready either. But the original was. So back again to get the original key. Oh well, it's got to get better.
Time to do some trivia. If you ever travel in Norway, make sure you have a reasonable amount of local currency. Everyone accepts VISA. Problem is some of the merchants accept only Norwegian VISA, none other. And on the subject of getting cash; ever notice that when you're looking for an ATM there's never one around. Until you find one. Then they pop up all over the place. Why is that?
Since none of you scientists has come up with an answer to my question, I looked it up on Wikepedia. The Arctic Circle is at 66 degrees 33' 39". A degree of latitude varies from 111.3195 to 110.9462 MK, but the accepted norm is 111.3195 KM. So now that I've done most of the work, how far was I from the pole?
That's it for the present. The sun it trying to come out, so it's time to check the town out. Back to the drafts folder for this.
The sun didn't make it, at least not for very long. Can't let that hold me back, tho. First off, I found the local Tourist Information Office. They are usually a good bit of help in finding what to do and where it is. They offered a walking tour of the city, which turned out to be pretty good. I learned a lot about art nouveau, which cleared a few things up. I thought it was simply early 20Th century buildings painted in bright colors. Partly correct, but the colors came later.
Alesund had a terrible fire in 1904. 800 of it's 850 buildings were totaled. The entire town was rebuilt, with assistance from all over the world, and art nouveau was in style then. Quite frankly, I can't really describe it here, just think I'd recognize it if I saw it. In Alesund, the color wasn't a factor until the '50s. Until then, nearly all the buildings remained their natural stone or concrete color. Paints of the day didn't hold up in the damp salt air here. Anyway, it was a nice tour, and I enjoyed seeing and hearing about the town.
Later on, i took the recommendation of the guide, and climbed the 418 steps (no, I didn't count, took her word for it) to the top of Aksla, 150 metres or thereabouts above sea level. Magnificent views of the city and surrounding islands. I'll try to post some shots on the blog soon.
Tomorrow I've got reservations for an all day boat/bus trip up two fjords. That sounds like it will be a really nice trip. I just hope it clears up. It's been trying to drizzle, with little success ever since I've been here.
The trip up the fjords was really wonderful. I can say that I enjoyed this at least as much, and probably more, than I did Milford Sound, in New Zealand. Unfortunately, the weather both in NZ and here was the same, drizzly/rainy. I can't imagine how nice it would have been if it had been sunny. Actually we were in two fjords. The hour and a half were going up Hjorund fjord. Then we took a bus across a pass to Geiranger fjord, and another hour and a little on a ferry. Both great. Spent two hours in Geiranger, then reversed course. Hard to say which one was best, but If I had to rate them, I'd probably go with Geireanger. I believe it's a UNESCO World Heritage site. I'll try to post some of the photos if I get a chance. Don't miss it if you ever get the chance.
Tomorrow is a finishing up day in Alesund, then I take the nite bus to Oslo, take another bus to Kristiansand, and spend several days there.
What a way to spend a birthday!!
Saturday, July 7, 2007
Trondheim, and very soon, Beyond
The first few days in Trondheim have been pretty nice. I've decided to stay here until Monday, the 9Th. Originally, I planned on leaving on Saturday or Sunday, but decided I'd rather spend the time here sightseeing in a leisurely manner. Leaving on Sunday would have been OK, but I would have arrived in Alesund much later than I'd like. Sounds like an excuse, doesn't it?
One of the nice things about Trondheim, and this leisurely pace, is their library. Several English language newspapers and magazines available, something I haven't seen since Helsinki. Internet access is free, and there's rarely a waiting line for a computer. And compared to some I've used lately, they are blazingly fast. Anyone remember 1200 baud modems? I swear one computer I used had one, with a high error rate to boot.
First day here, I just toddled around, as I've said, getting the feel of the town, the lay of the land, some such cliche. No fireworks, parades, etc., as I think I've said. Ate a strictly American diet on the 4Th. Sausage and eggs for breakfast, Burger King for lunch, and a pizza at Dolly Dimple's for supper. And it's not just beer that's expensive in Norway. It's at least 10% or more higher to travel here than in the other countries I've visited on this trip. And as many of you know, Scandinavia is probably the most expensive part of Europe for travelers.
So far I've taken in the Nidaros Cathedral, the Archbishop's Palace, and the National Regalia. All in the same area, and all covered by one all inclusive ticket.
The Cathedral is really something to see. Rebuilt, of course, as many buildings are in Europe, after several devastating fires. It's as big as any I've seen, or at least very near that. The inside is very dim, and no photography allowed. Outside is very photogenic, if a building can be photogenic. The English guided tour was very good. The tour guide's name was Lena, same as my youngest granddaughter. Have photo of her and me. She's going to be tall when she grows up, if names have anything to do with it,. She gave a very good tour. Intermixed history and humor, and was honest if she didn't know something.
The Archbishop's Palace was also a plus. Again a very good guide. very small group, only 4 of us. Two were Norwegian, and added to the history when the guide was unfamiliar with something. Seems the Danes ruled Norway from the 15Th to the early 19Th century. And, in the Norwegians view, much like the English rule over Ireland, very suppressive. That's one of the reasons little is known about the Archbishop's Palace, as the Danes destroyed what written history there was, and used the palace as a barracks/headquarters. There were some very detailed models of what they believe the Palace looked like during different periods. These were based on excavations, and Danish info where available.
The National Regalia was a display of the crown jewels, or more likely, replicas. Also a brief bio on each of the kings of Norway since around 900 AD. I covered this pretty quickly.
I also climbed the tower of the cathedral, 172 steps. They were explicit before starting, don't start unless you are sure you'll make it, 'cause there's no place to turn around. And they were right! But the view was worth it.
After dinner, I was walking around the town square when I spotted the fourth member of the tour through the Archbishop's Palace sitting in a sidewalk cafe. He was an American, who works as a supervisor on one of the North Sea oil rigs. Quite interesting to talk to, about a number of subjects. Good job if you can get it. Lots of time on the rig, working hard, but also a lot of 3 or 4 week breaks to do as you please.
Friday was a fairly relaxed day. I took the ferry to Munkholmen, and island in the harbor. Initially a monastery in the 11Th century. But later it became the prison, then the customs house. Now it's just a place for tourists to visit and locals to sunbath on the small beaches and grassy areas. Passed up the museum, as it didn't look like it held much of real interest.
From there, I walked up the steep hill to Kristiansten Fortress. Quite an imposing fortress in it's day. As with many medieval structures, there's been a lot of destruction and reconstruction. The museum tour for 50 NOK ($8.00) wasn't worth it. Great views of the city and harbor, or fjord, as most bodies of water are referred to here.
On the way up the hill, I passed the world's first bicycle tram. The cyclist deposits a coin, a rig jumps out for the cyclist to put a foot in, and the rig pulls the cyclist up the hill. More interesting to see than to read a description of, I'm sure.
The last event of the day was a wander through an older section of town, where it seemed all the houses were built in the 19Th or even earlier century. Very well maintained. Much of the wooden construction is vertical planking. I see it everywhere. There were a number of warehouses along the river, now converted to businesses and apartments, of the same era. And the two most popular colors here by far are yellow ocher and red.
Decided to send this, as I don't know when I'll next get a chance on the Internet, and I know all of you are waiting with bated breath for the next episode. NOT!
One of the nice things about Trondheim, and this leisurely pace, is their library. Several English language newspapers and magazines available, something I haven't seen since Helsinki. Internet access is free, and there's rarely a waiting line for a computer. And compared to some I've used lately, they are blazingly fast. Anyone remember 1200 baud modems? I swear one computer I used had one, with a high error rate to boot.
First day here, I just toddled around, as I've said, getting the feel of the town, the lay of the land, some such cliche. No fireworks, parades, etc., as I think I've said. Ate a strictly American diet on the 4Th. Sausage and eggs for breakfast, Burger King for lunch, and a pizza at Dolly Dimple's for supper. And it's not just beer that's expensive in Norway. It's at least 10% or more higher to travel here than in the other countries I've visited on this trip. And as many of you know, Scandinavia is probably the most expensive part of Europe for travelers.
So far I've taken in the Nidaros Cathedral, the Archbishop's Palace, and the National Regalia. All in the same area, and all covered by one all inclusive ticket.
The Cathedral is really something to see. Rebuilt, of course, as many buildings are in Europe, after several devastating fires. It's as big as any I've seen, or at least very near that. The inside is very dim, and no photography allowed. Outside is very photogenic, if a building can be photogenic. The English guided tour was very good. The tour guide's name was Lena, same as my youngest granddaughter. Have photo of her and me. She's going to be tall when she grows up, if names have anything to do with it,. She gave a very good tour. Intermixed history and humor, and was honest if she didn't know something.
The Archbishop's Palace was also a plus. Again a very good guide. very small group, only 4 of us. Two were Norwegian, and added to the history when the guide was unfamiliar with something. Seems the Danes ruled Norway from the 15Th to the early 19Th century. And, in the Norwegians view, much like the English rule over Ireland, very suppressive. That's one of the reasons little is known about the Archbishop's Palace, as the Danes destroyed what written history there was, and used the palace as a barracks/headquarters. There were some very detailed models of what they believe the Palace looked like during different periods. These were based on excavations, and Danish info where available.
The National Regalia was a display of the crown jewels, or more likely, replicas. Also a brief bio on each of the kings of Norway since around 900 AD. I covered this pretty quickly.
I also climbed the tower of the cathedral, 172 steps. They were explicit before starting, don't start unless you are sure you'll make it, 'cause there's no place to turn around. And they were right! But the view was worth it.
After dinner, I was walking around the town square when I spotted the fourth member of the tour through the Archbishop's Palace sitting in a sidewalk cafe. He was an American, who works as a supervisor on one of the North Sea oil rigs. Quite interesting to talk to, about a number of subjects. Good job if you can get it. Lots of time on the rig, working hard, but also a lot of 3 or 4 week breaks to do as you please.
Friday was a fairly relaxed day. I took the ferry to Munkholmen, and island in the harbor. Initially a monastery in the 11Th century. But later it became the prison, then the customs house. Now it's just a place for tourists to visit and locals to sunbath on the small beaches and grassy areas. Passed up the museum, as it didn't look like it held much of real interest.
From there, I walked up the steep hill to Kristiansten Fortress. Quite an imposing fortress in it's day. As with many medieval structures, there's been a lot of destruction and reconstruction. The museum tour for 50 NOK ($8.00) wasn't worth it. Great views of the city and harbor, or fjord, as most bodies of water are referred to here.
On the way up the hill, I passed the world's first bicycle tram. The cyclist deposits a coin, a rig jumps out for the cyclist to put a foot in, and the rig pulls the cyclist up the hill. More interesting to see than to read a description of, I'm sure.
The last event of the day was a wander through an older section of town, where it seemed all the houses were built in the 19Th or even earlier century. Very well maintained. Much of the wooden construction is vertical planking. I see it everywhere. There were a number of warehouses along the river, now converted to businesses and apartments, of the same era. And the two most popular colors here by far are yellow ocher and red.
Decided to send this, as I don't know when I'll next get a chance on the Internet, and I know all of you are waiting with bated breath for the next episode. NOT!
Photos from Austria and Copenhagen
Pamela and Ralf at MinimundeSt. Peter's Basilica in the background.
The canals of Copenhagen
Copenhagen from on high
Copenhagen, but I can't remember where
Along the way to Kirkenes, Norway
Just a nice view of Norway from the Hurtigruen
Midnite n Tromso
Another view of the FjordsWednesday, July 4, 2007
Toddling around Trondheim
Well, I'm back on dry land again, after several days on board the M/S Richard With, one of many Hurtigruten ships. I wondered what Dick did to rate having a ship named after him. Saw his name on a street and a town square, as well. Now I know. Want to? You have no choice, unless you skip the next few lines. Richard With, it turns out, is the founder, back in the 19Th century, of the Hurtigruten line. I guess that qualifies him to have a ship named after him.
A bit more on the Hurtigruten decision. Only two hotels in Honningsvag, and both were booked. The only way out of Honningsvag, other than the ship, was a bus to Alta, arriving late. It's not a lot larger than Honningsvag, and I had no way of knowing if I could get a room there. I'd heard good things about the Hurtigruten, and decided it was a reasonable option, so booked myself through to Trondheim. No regrets, or very few.
I could have had a cabin, but decided to play the backpacker, so I bedded down at night in the lounge, after everyone else went to bed. Late, but late is relative when the sun never goes down. Not too bad, either. Almost like a 7Th deck stateroom, and with windows on both sides. There is a sauna with a shower on board, so I was able to stay clean. The ship is almost a cruise liner. The primary difference is that folks get on and off all along the route.
Meals confused me. I wasn't particularly hungry the first nite, so I just had a sandwich in the cafeteria. For breakfast the next day, there was a fellow at the entrance to the dining area, and I had to pay for my meal. The posted lunch and dinner menus all had prices attached. Dinner didn't look great the next nite, so I ate in the cafeteria again. The next morning, everyone was just walking into the dining area, so I did as well. And every day thereafter.
I made a dinner reservation, enjoyed dinner with two glasses of wine, and had a nice conversation with a German gentleman. He thought I was English. Said I didn't sound like an American, accent was English. Is this trip getting to me? At the end of the meal, I expected to pay for the wine and meal. All I had to pay for was the wine. I checked at the reception desk when I left, to make sure I didn't have the meals attached to the boarding pass they gave me, but no additional charges. Maybe I should have asked for a refund on the breakfast???
A few thoughts before I move along with the travelogue. When I was at Nordkapp, the latitude (longitude? I can never remember) was 71degrees 10' 21". Which one of you scientific minded recipients can tell me how far that is from the north pole? Or at least how many miles per degree? And while researching that, can you find out which is correct for the Arctic Circle, 66d 33' 07" or 66d 32' 35"? And now I'm south of the AC, so the sun actually went down last night, and stayed down for around 2.5 hours. Longer than I thought, but I guess the ship made more miles than I thought.
The price of beer here in Norway is the most expensive I've ever seen. 54 to 56 NOK, which translates to around 9.00 US (no dollar sign on KB) for a .41 lire glass. And not that good.
Which one of you told me drivers in one of the Scandinavian countries drove on the wrong side of the road? You're wrong. They all drive like sensible people do, if I can be included in sensible.
I couldn't get over the maneuverability of that big ship. She was nearly 300 metres long, and able to spin around on her axis. Moved sideways to get to some piers. We went through one long dredged channel that was less than 100 metres wide, and 7 metres deep. She was better than 20 metres wide, and drew 5 metres, if my memory is anywhere near correct. A lot of ship to keep going in the right direction.
It's July 4Th, and past my lunch time. I'm going to finish this later. Time to go out and look for some lunch. I doubt I'll find a 4Th of July parade, picnic, or concert, but I'll look around.
No parades,picnics or fireworks evident.
The scenery on the way from up north to Trondheim was really something. I won't use superlatives, 'cause everyone does. Suffice to say I really enjoyed it, and can't remember having seen anything quite like it. The glaciers are still at work in some parts of the world and something to behold. Come here to see the great work they did long ago. Nice work, glaciers.
It was really interesting to watch the terrain changes as we headed south (once the clouds lifted). Not quite, but you could almost see the tree line rising as we moved along. If I stopped looking for a while, than renewed my interest, it was very noticeable. Around Honningsvag, Nordkapp, Kirkenes, there was no tree line. All that grew was some very hardy grass and lichen.
Much of the trip northbound through Sweden and Finland I saw mixes of pine and birch. Seems I haven't seen any pine along the Norwegian coast, only what looks like birch. I'll be on land for the rest of the trip (probably, you never know), so maybe I'll get back to the pine when I get more inland or south.
The pine were rather strange, in my mind. The trees had what looked like regular thick, rough grayish bark 1/4 to 1/3 of the way up. Above that, it appeared that the bark was all but gone, and there was nothing but a thin layer of fairly smooth orange bark. Once in a while I'd see a tree with what I think of as bark all the way up, but not often. They may have been a different species, also.
With the change in plans, I missed staying several days each at Tromso, Bodo and Svolvaer. But the ship did stop in all three for long enough to get out and wander, saunter, walk, stroll around. From what my guidebook says, I didn't miss much in either Tromso or Bodo. And I did get to see, for short periods of time, at least 4 other small villages. Actually, I skipped Bodo. We arrived at around 1:00 AM and left at 3:30 or so. Liked my couch too much to get off it at that time of morning. I did stroll around Hammerfest, the northernmost city in the world. There are other communities further north, I know, I've been there, but they aren't classified as cities. I'm not certain what it takes to be a city, but apparently Hammerfest does. I would like to spend some time on the island chain, Lofoten, I think, that Svolvaer was on. Lots of small towns and villages, lots of places to explore.
I think that's about it for now. Lots of exploring to do here in Trondheim. And planning. I'm now 4 days ahead of my somewhat flexible itinerary. I need to decide whether to spend more time in some spots, or add a few that I'd left out.
A bit more on the Hurtigruten decision. Only two hotels in Honningsvag, and both were booked. The only way out of Honningsvag, other than the ship, was a bus to Alta, arriving late. It's not a lot larger than Honningsvag, and I had no way of knowing if I could get a room there. I'd heard good things about the Hurtigruten, and decided it was a reasonable option, so booked myself through to Trondheim. No regrets, or very few.
I could have had a cabin, but decided to play the backpacker, so I bedded down at night in the lounge, after everyone else went to bed. Late, but late is relative when the sun never goes down. Not too bad, either. Almost like a 7Th deck stateroom, and with windows on both sides. There is a sauna with a shower on board, so I was able to stay clean. The ship is almost a cruise liner. The primary difference is that folks get on and off all along the route.
Meals confused me. I wasn't particularly hungry the first nite, so I just had a sandwich in the cafeteria. For breakfast the next day, there was a fellow at the entrance to the dining area, and I had to pay for my meal. The posted lunch and dinner menus all had prices attached. Dinner didn't look great the next nite, so I ate in the cafeteria again. The next morning, everyone was just walking into the dining area, so I did as well. And every day thereafter.
I made a dinner reservation, enjoyed dinner with two glasses of wine, and had a nice conversation with a German gentleman. He thought I was English. Said I didn't sound like an American, accent was English. Is this trip getting to me? At the end of the meal, I expected to pay for the wine and meal. All I had to pay for was the wine. I checked at the reception desk when I left, to make sure I didn't have the meals attached to the boarding pass they gave me, but no additional charges. Maybe I should have asked for a refund on the breakfast???
A few thoughts before I move along with the travelogue. When I was at Nordkapp, the latitude (longitude? I can never remember) was 71degrees 10' 21". Which one of you scientific minded recipients can tell me how far that is from the north pole? Or at least how many miles per degree? And while researching that, can you find out which is correct for the Arctic Circle, 66d 33' 07" or 66d 32' 35"? And now I'm south of the AC, so the sun actually went down last night, and stayed down for around 2.5 hours. Longer than I thought, but I guess the ship made more miles than I thought.
The price of beer here in Norway is the most expensive I've ever seen. 54 to 56 NOK, which translates to around 9.00 US (no dollar sign on KB) for a .41 lire glass. And not that good.
Which one of you told me drivers in one of the Scandinavian countries drove on the wrong side of the road? You're wrong. They all drive like sensible people do, if I can be included in sensible.
I couldn't get over the maneuverability of that big ship. She was nearly 300 metres long, and able to spin around on her axis. Moved sideways to get to some piers. We went through one long dredged channel that was less than 100 metres wide, and 7 metres deep. She was better than 20 metres wide, and drew 5 metres, if my memory is anywhere near correct. A lot of ship to keep going in the right direction.
It's July 4Th, and past my lunch time. I'm going to finish this later. Time to go out and look for some lunch. I doubt I'll find a 4Th of July parade, picnic, or concert, but I'll look around.
No parades,picnics or fireworks evident.
The scenery on the way from up north to Trondheim was really something. I won't use superlatives, 'cause everyone does. Suffice to say I really enjoyed it, and can't remember having seen anything quite like it. The glaciers are still at work in some parts of the world and something to behold. Come here to see the great work they did long ago. Nice work, glaciers.
It was really interesting to watch the terrain changes as we headed south (once the clouds lifted). Not quite, but you could almost see the tree line rising as we moved along. If I stopped looking for a while, than renewed my interest, it was very noticeable. Around Honningsvag, Nordkapp, Kirkenes, there was no tree line. All that grew was some very hardy grass and lichen.
Much of the trip northbound through Sweden and Finland I saw mixes of pine and birch. Seems I haven't seen any pine along the Norwegian coast, only what looks like birch. I'll be on land for the rest of the trip (probably, you never know), so maybe I'll get back to the pine when I get more inland or south.
The pine were rather strange, in my mind. The trees had what looked like regular thick, rough grayish bark 1/4 to 1/3 of the way up. Above that, it appeared that the bark was all but gone, and there was nothing but a thin layer of fairly smooth orange bark. Once in a while I'd see a tree with what I think of as bark all the way up, but not often. They may have been a different species, also.
With the change in plans, I missed staying several days each at Tromso, Bodo and Svolvaer. But the ship did stop in all three for long enough to get out and wander, saunter, walk, stroll around. From what my guidebook says, I didn't miss much in either Tromso or Bodo. And I did get to see, for short periods of time, at least 4 other small villages. Actually, I skipped Bodo. We arrived at around 1:00 AM and left at 3:30 or so. Liked my couch too much to get off it at that time of morning. I did stroll around Hammerfest, the northernmost city in the world. There are other communities further north, I know, I've been there, but they aren't classified as cities. I'm not certain what it takes to be a city, but apparently Hammerfest does. I would like to spend some time on the island chain, Lofoten, I think, that Svolvaer was on. Lots of small towns and villages, lots of places to explore.
I think that's about it for now. Lots of exploring to do here in Trondheim. And planning. I'm now 4 days ahead of my somewhat flexible itinerary. I need to decide whether to spend more time in some spots, or add a few that I'd left out.
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