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Published: April 9th 2019
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When we came back from Africa (in August), Europe was still in the midst of an unusual heat wave (95F degrees in Paris ; the average in July is 77F ). We decided to go north again, to Scandinavia, where it should be cooler. Parts of Scandinavia had just gone through their own heat wave, but "heat wave" is relative in Scandinavia. In Oslo, Norway's capital, the average July/August temperature is 56F-73F degrees Fahrenheit; it had gotten up to 90F degrees. By the time we arrived, it was comfortable, in the mid- to high-60's, but extremely rainy. Of the two weeks it took to drive north to the Nordkapp (North Cape, the very tippy top of continental Europe), it probably rained at least every second day and these were downpours, not the drizzle we were used to in Seattle. We thought about turning around and heading back south, where it was hot and sunny, but the sun usually made an appearance, which encouraged us to go just a little bit farther north the next day, and to decide then if we should go back or not. We did make it to Nordkapp, and were really glad we stuck it out. Because
of all the rain/sunshine combinations, we saw lots of rainbows and waterfalls.
We had to drive through Germany to get to Scandinavia; there are no speed limits on some of the German autobahn. Pete usually drove 120/140km/h (about 75-87 mph), but people still kept speeding by, going even faster. He did get up to about 200 km/h (125 mph) a few times, but he only drove that fast for a few minutes at a time.
Many buildings in Scandinavia have grass growing on their roofs; some even have trees growing out of the grass on the roofs (the trees aren't a good sign; it'll eventually help destroy the sod roof). The roofs are made up of sloping wooden roof boards, with several layers of birch bark on top of that, and sod on top of that, which keeps the birch bark in place. All this weight helps to compress the logs, which in turn helps keep the house warm in cold weather; the birch bark also helps keep the roof waterproof. It's a very practical use of natural resources. Although using natural resources makes the roof cost-effective, it's labor intensive. Wikipedia says that it's almost like the old
barn raising in the U.S.; friends and neighbors would be invited to help in the roofing (https://en.m.wikipedia.og/wiki/Sod_roof).
Two things we also saw a lot of in Scandinavia - roundabouts, and creatively decorated bus shelters. Roundabouts are a practical alternative to street lights, and very common throughout Europe. Norway also has many tunnels, we went through a few roundabouts inside a tunnel!! Strange. The bus shelters were also interesting to see; we saw more driving south, those will be in the next blog.
When I took a geology class at the University of Washington, my professor said that although you may forget everything you learned in every other class, living in the Pacific Northwest, you would never forget geology - you can't get away from it because you are surrounded by it. Think Mt. Rainier or Mt. St. Helens, and the other active volcanoes in the area). Driving through Norway, we felt the same way - surrounded by geology - layers of rock upon layers of rock, fjords created by the glaciers. Pete was also amazed by the geology here - we often stopped by the roadside, and look at the exposed layers of rock. Very impressive.
Norway
is a land of "intense" and "unforgettable natural beauty" (Rick Steves,
Scandinavia, pp. 196, 292). The west coast is known for its fjords, which are "long, narrow inlets with steep sides or cliffs formed during the ice age by glaciers advancing and making their way to the sea" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fjord). "Seen from above, they cut deep gashes into the interior; up close, sheer rock walls plunge from high, green meadows into water-filled canyons shadowed by pretty waterside villages" (Lonely Planet,
Scandinavia, 2018
, P, p.11). I flew over the fjords once; so gorgeous! On a beautiful day, a cruise on one of the fjords is absolutely stunning. On a rainy day, you see lots of waterfalls; we saw lots of waterfalls.
Geirangerfjorden is the "world-famous, Unesco-listed, oft-photographed fjord that every visitor to Norway simply has to tick off their bucket list … it is, quite simply, one of the world's great natural features, a majestic combination of huge cliffs, tumbling waterfalls and deep blue water that's guaranteed to make a lasting imprint on your memory" (LP, .p. 333). We stopped at a viewpoint overlooking the fjord one evening, while the sun was making one of its rare appearances. It was beautiful;
the sun was going down, shining on the hillside. We went on a cruise the next morning; the rain had returned in full force; because it was pouring, we didn't see the "deep blue water," but we did see amazing waterfalls.
A stave church is a medieval, wooden church; most of these churches that are in Norway are from 1150-1350.
Farther north, the Lofoten Islands "spread their tall, craggy physique against the sky like some spiky sea dragon. The beauty of this place is simply staggering" (LP, p. 347). "The vistas and special quality of the Arctic light have long attracted artists" (LP, p. 347). We spent a long, scenic day driving along the islands, taking photos when the sun was out, but there was no guarantee the sun would be out ten minutes later. You may see a beautiful blue sky in one direction, but if you turned around, you would probably see dark clouds forming in the background, and you knew you'd be in for another downpour soon. The drive was definitely worth it, though.
The "longhouse" is a Viking structure that could be up to 250 feet long. The one we saw was rebuilt
to show how "Viking families lived in the central hall portion of the building. Rooms were partially set off; one end of the longhouse might be used as a barn to keep cattle and horses in the winter as well as storage for crops and tools. The other end could be set up as a workroom for artisanal crafts or the family's vertical loom" (https://www.historyonthenest.com/the-viking-longhouse-a-crowded-cozy-home).
We did make it to Nordkapp (more than 3,550 miles, or about 5,700 kilometers from Switzerland), driving thirteen days along the Norwegian coast (with a few side trips), through some beautiful scenery. If you don't want to drive the whole distance along the coast, you can take the Hurtigruten, the Norwegian ferry line, which runs along the coast. Because of the vast distances covered, many "locals" take the ferry to get from point A to point B. We did this trip in 2005; it was gorgeous!!! Either way, by boat or car, it was a truly amazing and beautiful trip.
More of Scandinavia (including Nordkapp, reindeer and Santa Claus) coming soon ...
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Rocky Camp
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Great Pics
Looks wonderful, thanks for sharing all the detail!