Vikings!

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A shorter entry today, but that's how it works when I find FREE INTERNET two days in a row. =)

So I was feeling lazy this morning, but that was ok. There's a large viking reconstruction area / museum on my way through the islands, so I decided to check it out. Some farmer found pottery shards in his fields a number of years ago, and the archaeologists moved in and discovered the remains of the world's largest known viking longhouse, over 80 metres in length. You can see the original location of this and other buildings, as well as the reconstructed versions of a few of them.

The reconstruction of the longhouse is really neat. 2/3s of it are as it would have looked 1000 years ago. One area has a bunch of workshop type displays, and there are 'real' vikings at work weaving, carving, drying fish, preparing food, playing a chess-like game over a mug of mead, and so forth. The central portion is a dining hall, where you can buy a $20 bowl of lamb soup. You can also play with the various weaponry and armor that's lying around! The final portion of the longhouse is more a museum, largely focused on viking vs modern diet and health. Very interesting!

A 10 minute walk away from the longhouse is a reconstructed smithy, again fully functional and with a smith at work! This was always built away from other buildings due to the risk of fire. In the nearby harbour on the fjord is a viking longship that goes out with tourists every afternoon - and you have to do the rowing! I was forced to skip that since the only other bus connection today was too early, but that's Saturday for you.

Now I'm camping near Kabelvag and Svolvær, a couple bigger places. Tomorrow I'll probably go hiking again if the weather's good, and after that I'll keep heading back towards the mainland and then south to new adventures!

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Photos

Viking Longhouse
Sure is long!

Workshop area
Food drying and vikings at work!

Liam the Bold!
Or something like that!

Some mountains
Because you know I can't resist mountain shots! These two peaks are right near camp tonight, and look VERY much like a couple of familiar Rockies peaks!

Comments

[Alessandro]

Hiya!
w00t! Exciting adventures all the time. Viking lore is so fascinating, I hope you took notes. Leave it to you to don garb indicative of a typical Paladin. Level your subs!