Finnsness
8. September 2017 in Norwegen ⋅ 🌬 13 °C
Small port, short stop. Hard to b believe from the scenery that we are well above the arctic circle, near 70º North latitude.
Tromso
8. September 2017 in Norwegen ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C
Largest city in northern Norway. Two "cathedrals." The Domkirke which us the only cathedral in Norway built of wood and the so-called Artic Cathedral with one oftge largest stained glass mosaicsWeiterlesen
Finnmark
9. September 2017 in Norwegen ⋅ ☀️ 9 °C
Northern most county in Norway. Today it looks and feel more like the artic, at least on the water. Walking in Honningsvag today in shirt sleeves at 71º North latitude in September is I'd unusual.Weiterlesen
Finnkirche
9. September 2017 in Norwegen ⋅ ☀️ 8 °C
Unique natural formation on the north coast of Norway that resembles a church. We we're told that this was a site for sacrificial worship for the ancient Sami people. The pics are hard to see as theWeiterlesen
Nordkyn
9. September 2017 in Norwegen ⋅ ☀️ 8 °C
Northernmost point of land in continental Europe. Amazingly stark and barren. As soon as we past the Nordkyn, the Barent Sea became a lot rougher, more like the reputation I thought it had
Rovaniemi
12. September 2017 in Finnland ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C
Small town in North central Finland. Administrative center for Finnish Lapland. Labels itself Santa's home town. I didn't visit any of the Santa stuff, though there is plenty here. Pics are of theWeiterlesen
Oulu
15. September 2017 in Finnland ⋅ ☁️ 6 °C
City at the north end of the Gulf of Bothynia, the body of water between Finland and Sweden. The Market Patrolman statue stands outside the central market and has become a symbol for Oulu. The cityWeiterlesen
Arija RestbergsI'm surprised the leave are not turning color? Here in Lowman/Elmira you are seeing orange and yelllows now. Give it two more weeks and this area will be in full color. Autumn is early this year!
skip's retirement travelIts only this week when I've seen highs in the 40s, and it is supposed to be 55 again today.
Tampere
18. September 2017 in Finnland ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C
A few pics around town. Including the first signs of fall I've noticed
Turku
19. September 2017 in Finnland ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C
More interesting city. Former capital, seat of the Lutheran church in Finland. Major cultural center.
Turku cathedral
19. September 2017 in Finnland ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C
13th century building. Largest Lutheran church in Finland and mother church for the nation. There are pics of the ceiling and some of the frescoes in the chancel. Notice that the crucifix is headless.Weiterlesen
Sibelius Museum
19. September 2017 in Finnland ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C
Great place. Listened to a lot of Sibelius' music. They also have a large collection of collection of musical instruments from around the world. I spent a couple hours here. This doesn't do justice,Weiterlesen
Turku castle
19. September 2017 in Finnland ⋅ 🌧 7 °C
Best castle I've seen. Took me 2 1/2 hours and that included short changing some stuff. The tour is in 3 sections--the medieval castle, the renaissance castle and the bailey. That is basically theWeiterlesen
St Isaac's cathedral
21. September 2017 in Russland ⋅ 🌧 15 °C
Another church. From the outside, this looks more western than Russian. But inside it is clearly Russian Orthodox.
Saint Petersburg
21. September 2017 in Russland ⋅ 🌧 15 °C
This is one beautiful city. 6 pics can't do justice to this. So there will be lots of posts. In this one, the first is the building where I'm staying--a 19th century, tsarist building. Not bad, andWeiterlesen
Church of savior in the spilled blood
21. September 2017 in Russland ⋅ 🌧 15 °C
This is the most Russian place I've seen so far in this highly European city. All of the art--walls and ceiling-- is mosaics, except the altar screen and a couple icons. The last pic is aWeiterlesen
Peterhof
22. September 2017 in Russland ⋅ 🌬 14 °C
While the building is stunning, the real stars of this place are the fountains. I hope all the gold stands out in the pics. The grounds are huge. I walked for almost 2 hours and didn't come close toWeiterlesen
St Isaac's colonade.
22. September 2017 in Russland ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C
This is around the outside of the dome and is supposed to be the only place to get a view over the city. I was uncomfortable with the height, especially when the wind cane up and was buffeting meWeiterlesen
Hermitage
24. September 2017 in Russland ⋅ 🌙 9 °C
One of the world's great museums. Shown are a DaVinci, Michelangelo, Rembrandt, phoenix clock and a venus. The Winter Palace is now part of the Hermitage. Spent 2 1/2 hours, and barely scratched theWeiterlesen
Arija RestbergsSorry to hear your phone was stolen. The new i8s is suppose to be awesome. So far the picture you have taken are great
Cathedral of Sts Peter and Paul
24. September 2017 in Russland ⋅ 🌙 9 °C
Located in the fortress of the same name and is how St. Petersburg got started--when Peter the Great decided he needed a seaport on the Baltic. Both Greats--Peter and Catherine--are interred here (theWeiterlesen
Arija RestbergsI'm still amazes with all the gold leaf that are in the churches. When I was in Europe in 69 I thought they -the churches were the richest people in the world -- little did I know. Lol
Yaroslavl
29. September 2017 in Russland ⋅ ☁️ 6 °C
Ancient city (founded 1010) at the confluence of the Volga with a major tributary. Part of the Golden Circle around Moscow. Pics are of the park at the confluence (If you've been to Pittsburgh, thisWeiterlesen
skip's retirement travel
A lot of the weather was like that--overcast, dreary, but not too much rain
Uglich
29. September 2017 in Russland ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
Be sure to pronounce it OOg-lich. Another old tow with important history. Ivan the Terrible came here during his brief abdication. Pics are the palace of crown prince Demitry, the TransfigurationWeiterlesen
Yaroslavl 2
29. September 2017 in Russland ⋅ ☁️ 6 °C
The former governor's palace, now a museum. All the young women guides present themselves as daughters of the governor (using real names and costumes, staying in character). Here we were met my aWeiterlesen
Folk Show
5. Oktober 2017 in Russland ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C
Cossack dancing. Good show. Excellent Russian singing and energetic dancers
Catherine's Palace
5. Oktober 2017 in Russland ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C
Summer palace of the czars, built by Catherine I. (Catherine the Great was Catherine II. She remodeled part of this.) Spectacular (maybe even gaudy) palace used only in the summer. Some of the gardensWeiterlesen
mandrogui
7. Oktober 2017 in Russland ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C
Mandrogui is really more of a living museum. Only a few folks live here, mostly local artisans.. It features a collection of old wooden houses that have been moved here, to show what a traditionalWeiterlesen