Trains, trains and trains to Norway...

26 hours travelling on 3 separate trains, whew, so how did we get into this predicament? Well originally we were going to stay much lower in Norway but after talking to Gitte we decided it would be nice to go up really high where the really speccy scenery might be. First off we were looking at Tromso, but the train did not go that high so we would have been on a 4 hour bus trip on top of a very long train trip. Also against that idea was that the train would go up Sweden and then cut across missing all the fjords. In the end we settled on Bodo (pronounced Buder) because it was as far as the train went up the west coast of Norway. Because of the effort to get here we gave the place a solid 5 nights, longest we have been at a place since  Cappadocia.

Elizabeth being interviewed

In the spirit of enjoying the journey we thoroughly enjoyed the adventure of such a long train trip. First leg from Stockholm took us to Lillehammer in Norway (around 7 hours), nice daytime journey. Second leg started at 11:30pm and was a 7.5 hour journey to Trondheim. We booked a crouchette (little sleeping quarters) and slept on the train, really cool as you can see in the photo. The last part of about 10 hours was straight up the west side of Norway with spectacular views and a superbly comfortable train that did not disappoint and with about an hour to go we crossed into the Arctic Circle withlittle markers denoting the achievement by the tracks. To add to the adventure there was a Norwegian film crew on board from their version of the ABC doing a doco on the journey. We were interviewed for the program and might be on Norwegian television screens this December.

Bodo is a little gem of a town, built right on the corner of the coast and surrounded by little islands visible from the town and surrounding bush. Our hotel overlooked the marina across the road. First day we hit the tourism office as we knew so little about the town, and gave the bewildered lady the instruction to tell us what was worth seeing, with the caveat that it had to be something we could not see or do anywhere else and we did not like shopping. We left with a bundle of leaflets, timetables, maps and a curious table giving times for a maelstrom that was the biggest in the world. Too late for that one today so we started walking to the highest spot we could get to on foot from the town. Typically it was virtually straight up for over an hour but at the top the views were incredible, of the town and some large nearby islands.

The next day we took the bus to Saltstraumen, home of the WORLD'S MOST POWERFUL MAELSTROM. Sounds really scary but actually it is just a tidal current. Every 6 hours 400 million cubic metres of current travel into or out of the sound (it alternates). The times change depending on the moon (as well as the strength) so you get a schedule, but it is not a sudden rush. for about 3 hours the current moves in getting slower and slower and then to nothing until it starts moving out. The times on the schedule are the optimum period, see movie below to get an idea. The location itself was brilliant and we ended up wandering around for about 3 hours. Fascinating is the amount of buildings with complete gardens on the roof, we even saw a small tree growing out of one building in Norway.

Check out the bird on the chimney

Where's Elizabeth?

Day 3 we took the ferry on its round trip to have a look at the islands. A very Greek island feel and look, just much, much colder. At one point the boat stopped and the crew came out taking photos, we looked around and saw a fin out of the water. Apparently it was a whale but it didn't come up to say hello, will have to add whale watching trip to the bucket list. 

On the last day we just had a wander around the town itself finding such gems as the town's oldest church, complete with wedding (so we did not go inside) and a huge hiking trail along the ocean finishing at an outdoor museum, basically a lot of really old buildings near the water's edge. Unfortunately Elizabeth did not get a chance to see the place at night (something she generally insists upon) because it doesn't get dark at this time of year. We did go out at midnight as it was generally the darkest time and took a picture of what must have been a sunrise, considering it was east according to my compass. This place comes across as fairly untouched, clean air, and cold, just what the doctor ordered.

Midnight sunrise right outside our hotel

Stockholm in a day

Parliament

Free City Tour

We had decided after our talks with Gitte to spend 5 nights in a little town high up in Norway and as a consequence had to cut back our visit to Stockholm in Sweden to 2 nights (1 day). So this meant packing in a lot of stuff in a short amount of time, so what did we do? we found two walking tours. The picture is of our city tour group, I am not in it because I offered to take the picture so our guide could be in it (mu haha (evil laugh)).

Nobel Prizes awarded here

The first walking tour was of the new town where we were taken around to the major stops of historical or contemporary significance, such as the spot (commemorated by plaque) where Prime Minister Olof Palme was assassinated in 1986. One of my favourites was the Stockholm Concert Hall, the place where the majority of the Nobel Prizes are awarded. Alfred Nobel was the inventor of dynamite (very rich) and apparently became concerned (after reading an obituary of himself when wrongly thought killed) at how he would be portrayed when he did die. So he instigated a set of awards including the Peace Prize. The walking tour people are really good at setting the mood and telling a yarn (their tips depend on it).

How many good luck
charms do I have to rub
to win lotto?

Also fascinating was the story of the origins of the Stockholm Syndrome. In 1973 a bank robbery went wrong and a hostage crisis ensued that lasted several days, during which the police made some really stupid decisions (like letting the bank robber's friend out of jail and into the bank). Afterwards most of the hostages sided with the robbers, saying they were more afraid of the police. An urban legend says that one of the bank robbers married one of the hostages (might be true).

The dragon is Denmark
they have a love/hate
relationship.

The new section was full of such old buildings that I was really looking forward to old town. The buildings and atmosphere of old town were like a step back to the 1500's with cobblestone streets and included Stockholm Palace. We also took a river cruise which skirted around the amazing royal park. Stockholm is very green in more ways than one and it is surrounded by many beautiful and large park areas. Stockholm in one day came across as very peaceful, atmospheric and historical. It was a pleasure to meet you.

Elizabeth was getting tired of my Grizzly Adams look but we did not want to spring for a hairdresser. So me after Elizabeth with her first haircutting attempt and beard trimming all with a little pair of nail scissors.

Water and Ice

As usual we went by train to Copenhagen that astonishingly enough drove straight onto a ferry to be transported to Denmark from Germany. Really cool to get off your train and step onto a ferry and walk up to the deck. Cruising into Denmark we were amazed to see the amount of wind turbines that were visible.

We were surprised again at the kindness of strangers as we arrived in Copenhagen as guests of a local called Gitte who we met in Mt Fuji, Japan. We stayed at her place and she even made me some gluten free bread to take on my travels (it lasted until Norway). As usual we picked her brain for some travel information and again changed our plans to dump a place (I won't say where in case of offence) and instead decided to go to Bodo in Norway for an extended stay later on. Bodo is quite high up Norway and the train there goes right up the west side through all those famous fjords you hear about. We spent our first day in Copenhagen resting, washing clothes, shopping etc. Domestic days like that are really rare when travelling extensively like we are, it's all go go go without even a weekend off and as for clothes, well, if you both smell then you don't smell each other.

Where OUR Mary now lives

Our visits in Copenhagen included the free walking tour that we have become fond of in Europe, a lot of the major European cities have them and it is a good way to explore the heart of the city with a large dose of history and humour at a really good price (although tips are encouraged)! We also took a harbour cruise of the city that gets you to areas you don't see just by walking. There are canals snaking all around the city but without the peeling onion shape of the canals of Amsterdam. In the evening Gitte took us out for a traditional Danish (comes with chocolate covered whipped egg white) icecream near the cruise ships and we went to see the little mermaid in the land of Hans Christian Andersen.

Time to smell the roses

The next day we went to the small seaside village of Dragor. This little town has lovely old buildings, a lot of them still with thatched roofs and beautiful gardens for a relaxing walk around. From here you can see Sweden and the bridge that links the two countries together.

The bridge to Sweden

Apparently this guy discovered America 700 years before Columbus

The day after that we had a sudden departure from our current form of travel and after 2 months had to take a plane to Iceland. Unfortunately trains don't go there. We stayed in the capital Reykjavik even though I wanted to get out into the middle somewhere. I had emailed a few places to try to find somewhere to stay and transport information but nobody replied. Unfortunately most of the really good scenic places to visit are a day trip or more away from the capital and they do not have much of a transport system so the best thing to do if you come here is hire a car.

Who he is

We didn't realise that in time and had not allotted enough time anyway but we did do a day trip by coach to the golden circle. A round trip that takes in the major sites only several hours away from the capital. Best part of the tour for us were the magnificent waterfall of Gullfoss and the incredible geyser and bubbling pools at Geysir. I will upload a film below of an eruption, be patient as it is about 20 seconds in. I filmed continuously at 30 second intervals to get it so as not to have dead space too long. Awesome to realise that it does that every day all day at about 2 to 6 minute intervals.

We also saw the Nesjavellir geothermal power plant as Iceland meets 100% of its power needs from a combination of hydro and geothermal energy, even most of the hot water comes direct from hot thermal springs and their cold water comes from glaciers. Pretty weird that their cold water is world class, better than bottled water while you are told not to drink the slightly sulphurous smelling hot water.



On our return trip we travelled on WOW airlines. They have a slightly different way of saying the safety talk than most, what follows was what was said as best as I can remember it. 'If an accident occurs an air mask will magically appear, at that point stop screaming and put the mask on' and 'under your seat you will find a beautiful yellow life vest...it comes with a light to make you look super cool and I hope it matches your shoes'.

Iceland has a few really common sense laws, for instance embarrassing names are not allowed, if the name is not on the registry you have to make an application. It can be rejected on the grounds 'a forename may not be such as to cause its bearer embarrassment', all those Hollywood stars would fail. Iceland may need more investigation in the future, especially as it has one of the largest glaciers, but with a lot more time and a hire car.

Ping-Valley where Iceland is ripping itself apart at the rate of 5cm per year. On the left is the American plate and on the right the European plate.

Each romantic but in their own way

You and me both fella

Big tip for anyone going to Paris, DO NOT GO ON BASTILLE DAY. Seriously write off the next several days in huge long lines and claustrophobic crushes as well as risking life and limb getting on the metro (nearly 2 weeks later my forearm is still tender where the door tried to shut on it). I estimate 2 billion people are in this city during this period (Elizabeth thinks my estimation skills need practice).

Eliz helped untangle his bike

On the plus side it is a time of military parades, fireworks over the Eiffel Tower, firecrackers in the streets, lots of energy and excitement. The choice of day was coincidental and matches the same time I was here 20 years ago (also coincidental, snap).

So near but so far...

The first day started with the long walk along the Champs-Elysees to the Arc de Triomphe. Then we continued on to the Eiffel Tower which had just been closed to prepare for the night's festivities. We completed the round trip back to the hotel by going to the Notre Dame Cathedral.

We decided to see the fireworks and took the metro, with standing room only and squashed up so tightly people near the doors or trying to squeeze in were regularly getting stung by the doors. At the stop we just flowed like a river with the crowd to the best available vantage point. What followed was near on an hour (to midnight) of a phenomenal fireworks display and light show on the tower. The theme was disco with classics like I Will Survive, Dancing Queen and other memorable hits of the 70's, in English. The tower came complete with a huge mirror ball and glitter lights that would flash periodically. Really strange but amazing and very cool.

Getting home was difficult, the subway we came in on was shut down with military in front and we kept getting herded to 'the next subway', which never eventuated. Around 1:30 we pulled out the map and the phone compass and headed in the general direction of the Arc de Triomphe and home on foot. Finally we did find an open subway and took it the rest of the way, very tired and having clocked up 28km for the day according to my pedometer, a new record.

Hall of mirrors

The next days were a bit more normal just incredibly busy, we visited the Palace of Versailles, the highlight being the hall of mirrors (King Ludwig tried to copy it) and the huge gardens. The Louvre was huge and as ornate as the Palace, and included the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo statue among its artworks. Finally we did get up the Eiffel Tower, all the way to the top, staying there to witness the sun go down on Paris before the next day's train whisked us to Amsterdam.

The giant has a missus

Gardens at the Palace

Elizabeth on the Eiffel Tower 

From the Eiffel Tower

The red light district

Amsterdam has got to be one of the strangest cities I have ever been in. Scantily clad beautiful ladies behind windows kept smiling at me and beckoning and a strange smell kept wafting out of 'coffee houses' that did not sell coffee (seriously they were called coffee houses and had their own tour) and Elizabeth became strangely protective and would not let me out on my own.

Where else in the world can you do a tour during the day and witness an orchestra in the main square playing the classics and also do a tour at night through the red light district witnessing two sides to a city that live in harmony and peace with each other and without the seediness and danger prevalent in other cities? Large crowds of people, couples, families etc wandering cheerfully and safely through what is normally the seedy and dangerous underbelly of other cities.  In fact the tour guide says the hard drug scene is nearly non existent and sexually transmitted diseases are low compared to other similarly sized cities. If this is a great big social experiment then it seems to be working.

We also took a delightful cruise through the canals and visited the Van Gogh Museum in a city that must be one of a kind in the world. So as I drifted lazily and strangely calm taking in the strange smells of the city I reflected on what our next stop, Copenhagen, will have in store for us.