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Northern Europe 2024
  • Dean Parham

Northern Europe 2024

A 37-day adventure by Dean Read more
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  • Trip start
    July 27, 2024
    Dean ParhamNorthern Europe 2024Traveler
    The cinnamon scrolls are of generous proportions here

    Greetings from Gothenburg

    July 28, 2024 in Sweden ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    We arrived in Gothenburg about 36 hours after leaving home and taking a fog-delayed flight to Sydney, a flight to Singapore and another to Copenhagen and then a train to Gothenburg. Being too early to check in at the hotel, we took in a design museum (v. good) and the shoppified old town. The weather is a pleasant 20 degrees, there's plenty of vivid green around and some interesting architecture. Off to good start.Read more

  • Dean ParhamNorthern Europe 2024Traveler
    The elusive fortress
    1The renovated fish 'market'

    Day 2 Gothenburg

    July 29, 2024 in Sweden ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Two tourist quests of the day were assessing the merits of the Hop-on Hop-off bus and finding the city fortress. Two features of the HoHo bus were waiting a lot and walking a lot. You see, Gothenburg is pretty compact and the bus is a bit infrequent. And they knock off for lunch. So you wait lots and then walk anyway. The fortress was elusive, which is cunning since it has been in the same place for hundreds of years. We got off the bus at this large and beautiful park. We headed up a steep path, figuring that a fortress had to be on top of a hill. But nup, only a Natural History Museum (closed on Mondays). After consulting maps and Mr Google we strode on. Becoming less confident, we consulted other walkers who claimed to be unfamiliar with the fortified structure - until one local gave clear instructions. But to where we don't know.
    It turns out the fortress (Skansen Kronan) was some kilometres away in another park. It offered a panoramic view of the city.
    So then we walked to the old town for a coffee and cinnamon bun and then walked to the fish market (nice but trendified) for a salmon salad.
    Gothenburg is a nice, pretty, small city. Worth a wait and a walk.    Read more

  • Dean ParhamNorthern Europe 2024Traveler
    1Happy hour at our hotel

    Day 3 Gothenburg

    July 30, 2024 in Sweden ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    The feature of today was that it was not Monday, which meant that art galleries and museums were open. So we took in the Art Museum and the City Museum. Tick. Tick.
    The weather has been good. Just a bit of a breeze.
    Things are expensive but not outrageous, which says something about how things have gone up in Oz.    Read more

  • Dean ParhamNorthern Europe 2024Traveler
    The internal courtyard of the building we are staying in

    On to Oslo

    July 31, 2024 in Norway ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Another day, another country.
    But before moving on from Gothenburg, a story of interest.
    Bruce Springsteen attracted a record crowd for his gig at the football stadium. He had the place jumping so much that the stadium was driven into the soft ground on which Gothenburg rests. Apparently cost a bomb for remedial work.
    Anyway, took the train to Oslo today, where it is shorts and t-shirt weather. Staying at quite a nice AirBnB in the old post office building.    Read more

  • Dean ParhamNorthern Europe 2024Traveler

    Cultural and maritime day

    August 1, 2024 in Norway ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Yeah, things are a bit dear here in Oslo. Like $7 for a coffee - which is good but not great. And don't get me started on alcohol, the sale of which must be regulated by the Temperance League. Makes Canada seem like party central.
    Another observation: there's no traffic on the roads - here or in Gothenburg. The Scandinavians must export all their cars or hide them in gloomy bunkers somewhere. It's a pedestrian paradise - except for those silent e-scooters.
    Anyway, we loaded up on the Oslo pass today to get into museums and ride public transport. We took in the Cultural Museum. Apparently a king developed a penchant for shifting buildings of cultural significance from around the country to his backyard. And the State made it a tradition. Actually, the display on the Sami people (once known as Laplanders) was very interesting and informative. Another case of a culturally and physically decimated indigenous population.
    Having mastered the bus service, we rode on to the Fram Museum, which celebrates polar exploration in and out of a wooden ship (the Fram) used by Amundsun and others. A quick tour of the co-located Maritime Museum before catching the ferry back to city central.
    Having pooled our resources and maxxed the credit cards, we bought a small bottle of gin to pre-load before going out to dinner at the Oslo Street Food Market. Should be good.    Read more

  • Dean ParhamNorthern Europe 2024Traveler
    2
    The 23 degree heat brought out sunbathers in parks, boardwalks and waterfrontsThe lithograph version of The ScreamThe paint versionThe Opera House

    More around Oslo

    August 2, 2024 in Norway ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Gee there's a lot to do in Oslo.

    Being local transport experts, we took 2 buses to Vigeland Park where sculptures by Gustav Vigeland featured in a quite large formal parkland. He was prolific and seemingly fascinated by the naked human form. And he showed an amazing ability to capture expression.
    The park also housed the Oslo Museum, which provided an interesting history of the city.
    We also popped into the Vigeland Museum because the Oslo Pass meant we could. Moulds for his sculptures were on display.
    We then transferred our transport expertise to the tram and went to the Munch Museum. And what a scream that turned out to be! The guy was prolific to say the least.
    Back to the apartment for a G&T. Ahh.    Read more

  • Dean ParhamNorthern Europe 2024Traveler
    The castle/fortress thingy
    A building in the surroundsView from the fortressDean contemplates the seating plan for the next dinner partyAn exhibit at the Resistance Museum2Sue tries to decide on a frockA copy by an unknown artist in C171Our AirBnB

    How much Oslo can u pack in?

    August 3, 2024 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    How much Oslo can you pack in - especially if, like me, you have the absorption rate of a saturated sponge?
    We started out, of course, on a quest for coffee but the place is dead on a Saturday before 10am. No breakfast eating out here.
    We went to Akershus Castle, which is still used for state occasions. Impressive views. There was also a Resistance Museum nearby, which documented Norway's part in Hitler's downfall.
    Then to the Nobel Peace Museum for some wonderment and inspiration.
    The National Museum was terrific, at least the part showing various stages in Norwegian life and then the evolution of graphic and industrial design. The art parts were a bit befuddling (isn't all contemporary art?) and the Kandinsky section was disappointing (his early work).
    Then another art museum for more befuddlement and a walk around the outside of the palace.
    Really need a month and smaller bites to take it all in.    Read more

  • Dean ParhamNorthern Europe 2024Traveler
    A street in Reykjavik showed more colour than the drab concrete elsewhere

    Iceland

    August 4, 2024 in Iceland ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Another day, another country.
    An early start to catch the nearly 3 hr flight to Reykjavik. The airport is over 50k out of town as it was built by the Americans for their purposes in the war.
    First impressions are: flat, barren and an abundance of rocks. You can see why NASA trained their moon-landing astronauts here. Into civilisation and it seems more Alaskan than European. A frontier feel to it. Lots of dark concrete - presumably because of volcano tinged sand. The centre of Reykjavik was a little more colourful and interesting, but not an inspiring start.
    Went to the National Museum, which told the story of Iceland's settlement from the 800s. An interesting, multi- faceted, multicultural story it is. The history was further embellished at the Settlement Museum, where the centrepiece is the remnants of an early long house that had been discovered in a dig in Reykjavik.
    Whilst most often under the watchful eye and control of Norway and Denmark at different times, the Icelanders have always had a sense of their own identity. They secured independence from Denmark in 1944.
    Not many photos today as they didn't turn out.    Read more

  • Dean ParhamNorthern Europe 2024Traveler
    Note the rocky outcropThis could be the purple lupin introduced from Alaska. But maybe not.

    Golden circle

    August 5, 2024 in Iceland ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    Today we had a good time on a small bus tour of the Golden Circle - the main attractions out of Reykjavik. The driver had an Italian, Polish, Icelandic accent - with perhaps a trace of Scottish - which meant some of the finer points of his commentary escaped me. For example, it wasn't clear at one stage whether he was taking us to see a glacier or a geyser or to meet an East London geezer.
    Iceland sits on the meeting of the Nth American and European tectonic plates. With a bit of tension in the plate department, Iceland has plenty of volcanoes, geysers, hot springs etc.
    So we saw a crater up close and a geyser up close. Pretty speccie. And we saw a fissure line where rock has broken through in formation. This was a treat - a beautiful setting where the Icelandic 'parliament' used to meet out in the open (no buildings). From early times, there was no central government, but chieftains from diierent regions used to come together every summer to agree on a few rules. Rules were not written down but had to be recited by learning specialists. We also saw a pretty speccie waterfall (Gulfoss).
    The country out there was pretty green. They've been doing something to restore the country after practically all trees were chopped down and the land was overfarmed. The forests are young and they apparently say that, if you get lost in the forrest in Iceland, just stand up!. They've also introduced plants from other countries to improve the soil.
    The weather has been cold but not freezing. It might be around 15 degrees but the wind is the chilling factor. We also encountered some rain today. I haven't had need for my doona-with-sleeves jacket yet, but who knows.
    Oslo was a mere stepping stone in the price hike on this trip. Here, a couple of rolls for lunch today cost us $55.    Read more

  • Dean ParhamNorthern Europe 2024Traveler
    Whatchamacallit Waterfall
    Geezer Glacier11Dean soaks up the atmosphere at Black Sand Beack1What a day to have wedding photos!Aren't they cute! And tasty too apparently.Thingmebob WaterfallWhatsaname Waterfall

    South coast

    August 6, 2024 in Iceland ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Today, another small bus tour-- this time to the South Coast from Reykjavik. Waterfalls, glaciers (no geezers), puffins, black sand beaches - to name a few of the highlights.
    We had Melbourne weather. Sunshine, pelting rain, gales, hail - and that was all in 10 minutes!
    With a bit of time, Iceland reveals its beauty. The sunshine brought out the green. If it wasn't the grass or the pasture, it was the moss over the rocks. Of course, there were the attractions that we went to see. But I'm finding the cragginess very appealing. The mountains and rock formations are all jagged with interesting folds. In Oz, the hills are old and smooth. Here, the formations are new and rugged.    Read more

  • Dean ParhamNorthern Europe 2024Traveler
    Gullfoss Waterfall
    Thingvellir National ParkGeysir geyser at Haukadalur Geothermal AreaReynisfjara Beach1We had rain, hail, gale force winds and sunshine - all in a few minutes at Reynisfjara BeachReynisfjara Beach - in colour not black and white!Scenery from the bus, including Solheimajokull Glacier in the distanceWalking behind Seljalandfoss WaterfallFrom the bus in the early evening - moss on the rocksGljufrabui Hidden Waterfall inside a narrow canyon

    Sue's photos

    August 6, 2024 in Iceland ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    Here are some of Sue's photos from the past 2 days.

  • Dean ParhamNorthern Europe 2024Traveler
    From the church tower
    1The church (photo taken before summer came)Taken from the ship1The churchThe concert hall and convention centreAn unusual house in Reykjavik

    Onto the ship

    August 8, 2024 in Iceland ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    Yesterday, Reykjavik had its summer - warm, sunny, no wind. Yesterday, summer finished. Today, it is doona-with-sleeves weather.
    We went up the tower of the (Lutheran) church yesterday morning and got a great view of the city. About 150,000 live in the city with another 100,000 in the surrounds.
    We rocked up to the ship in the afternoon. I must admit I wondered whether we had checked into a floating aged care facility. We went along to a briefing on excursions, and a clear message was that you would only spend 45 minutes at a time on a bus. I reckon this took account of the bladder capacity of most of the clientele. All seems pretty good on the ship so far.
    We stayed overnight at port and went on an excursion this morning around Reykjavik. We spent the most time at the Arbaer Open Air Museum, where we took in the cold and a series of buildings transported from other times and places, including some turf houses and a wooden church. We got off in the centre of town, where I encountered the impossible task of persuading Sue to go to the Penis Museum.    Read more

  • Dean ParhamNorthern Europe 2024Traveler
    1
    More likely the purple lupin. It fixes nitrogen in the soil but takes other nutrientsThe shoes of a guide dressed in traditional fisher outfitThe Viking Venus1Two seafarers on board

    Isafjordur

    August 9, 2024 in Iceland ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C

    Pulled up in Isafjordur, a town of about 4,000 on the western fiords. We went on an excursion, which was good enough without being highly enriching. The town itself was pretty sleepy.
    One thing of interest is where they used to source wood once they had chopped everything down on Iceland. Logs from Siberia landed as driftwood on the north coast.
    The Icelandic cuisine seems to be more like comfort food than high cuisine. Lamb or fish soup is readily available, and you can find a fish stew. We didn't though try specialty restaurants, which were a bit up market. Traditionally, there were not a lot of vegetables because they didn't have many. Now, they are grown in hothouses powered by heat from the ground. Like most places, burgers are everywhere. No McDonalds or Starbucks. The coffee is fair to ok.    Read more

  • Dean ParhamNorthern Europe 2024Traveler

    Akureyri

    August 10, 2024 in Iceland ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    We moved on overnight to Akureyri, a major town of about 20,000 in the north, although we didn't see much of it as we went on a very good all-day tour.
    First stop was Godafoss (God's Waterfall). Legend has it - and there are many legends, myths and sagas in Iceland - that it was named when the folk threw their pagan idols into the waters after converting to Christianity around the year 1000.
    After a surprisingly good lunch (served at a surprisingly early morning tea time), we stopped at some mud springs. The landscape and springs themselves were pretty amazing. (I was walking behind Sue at the time, but I'd put it down to the sulphur from the springs.)
    Next, some rocky basaltic outcrops formed from lava flows 2,400 years ago. Quite unique interesting formations. Then, a series of mini craters formed from underground geothermal explosions. Kinda unusually weird.    Read more

  • Dean ParhamNorthern Europe 2024Traveler
    1
    1Quirkiness is definitely not out of place1For some reason they call it the blue church

    Seydisfjordur

    Aug 11–19, 2024 in Iceland ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

    Today, we are at the charming village of Seydisfjordur. It is at the end of a rather long fiord on the eastern side of Iceland. Because it is surrounded on 3 sides by steep mountains, there are 4 months of the year in which the town gets no direct sunlight. The population swells to 700 in summer.
    Since it is a small village, 2 hours for a walking tour was a bit of a stretch and so they took us to the community centre for some tasting treats, refreshments and a folksy concert from a local duo. Here, and generally in the town, you got a sense of a genuine, warm welcome.
    A cute place worth a stop-off.    Read more

  • Dean ParhamNorthern Europe 2024Traveler
    1Leaving Iceland last night
    1Today out in the Atlantic (in true colour)

    All at sea

    August 12, 2024, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ 🌬 13 °C

    A sea day on our way to the Faroe Islands.
    Iceland was great - a good place to visit. It is very different, with a lot to offer in history, landscape and (often quirky) culture. We had the feeling we really only skimmed the surface.
    Tourism is getting bigger. There were about 400,000 tourists 20 years ago. Now there are 2 million. It will be interesting to see how many more the country can take. Tourism has liften them out of a big hole that opened up in the GFC. It sits along fish as the major export earners.
    Interestingly, Iceland is a foundation member of NATO but doesn't have a military. But it is not a member of the EU. Apparently, it doesn't want any other country to have access to its fisheries.    Read more

  • Dean ParhamNorthern Europe 2024Traveler
    Torshavn
    Another villageThe farmhouse21The building in foreground is an old military base turned into a prison! Not a bad view.

    Faroe Islands

    August 14, 2024, Norwegian Sea ⋅ 🌬 12 °C

    After a pretty rough night - the captain reported 20 ft waves - we tied up in Torshavn, the capital of the Faroe Islands.
    We did a couple of tours, basically taking in the vistas, although the second tour included a stop-off at an old farmhouse and a church.
    The place is very picturesque. Lush greenery, steep mountains into fiords, sheep grazing on the slopes, etc. The Faroe Islands were formed tens of millions of years before Iceland and so the landscape is more weathered and less craggy. Also, grass roofs are still reasonably popular.
    Now on another sea day heading for Norway.    Read more

  • Dean ParhamNorthern Europe 2024Traveler
    Isafjordur, West Iceland
    Hevrir Geothermal Area, IcelandLake Myvatn near Akureyri, IcelandOne of the quirky galleries in Seydisfjordur, East IcelandLots of flat hilltops and green grass on the Faroe IslandsAlso lots of deep valleys and waterStone buildings at the tiny (11 residents) remote village of Saksun on the Faroe IslandsFaroe IslandsVery old turf roofed church on the Faroe IslandsAnother view of the church

    More Sue photos

    August 14, 2024, Norwegian Sea ⋅ 🌬 12 °C

    Here's a catch up on some of Sue's photos.

  • Dean ParhamNorthern Europe 2024Traveler
    1

    Geiranger, Norway

    August 15, 2024 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    Another Krone, another country.
    Now back in Norway, down the end of a fiord at the village of Geiranger (population about 200 without cruise ships and 5,000+ with cruise ships).
    A very picturesque place with the steep mountains dropping into the water. And TREES!! They haven't cut them all down.
    We took a boat ride in the morning up the fiord to view some waterfalls and a bus tour in the arvo to take in speccie vistas from on high.
    Beautiful, even though there was a bit of rain and cloud about.    Read more

  • Dean ParhamNorthern Europe 2024Traveler
    1A viking boat1A good coffee. Better than on the ship.

    Alesund

    August 16, 2024 in Norway ⋅ 🌬 15 °C

    Today, it was Alesund, a city spread over 5 islands. It was burnt down in 1904, and reconstruction was in the architectural fashion of the time - Art Nouveau. That and fish are the city's claims to fame.
    We started off with a walking tour, which spent the first 10 minutes on the architecture and then used a rather tedious commentary to eke out the allotted 2 hours. We listened more than saw.
    The afternoon was much better, with an interesting visit to an open-air museum of buildings from earlier times. We then stopped at a building high on a hill overlooking the city.    Read more

  • Dean ParhamNorthern Europe 2024Traveler
    1

    Flam

    August 17, 2024 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    Down another fiord to a small place called Flam (pronounced 'Flom').
    Speccie vistas were the order of the day. In the morning, we took the Flom Railway up the mountains and back. It's UNESCO listed and alluring it is. The weather was a little unkind to get the best views and photos, but still very impressive.
    In the afternoon, we took a bus tour up another mountain. Besides spectacular views, a feature of the trip was a switchback road, 1.3 lanes wide that had to cope with 2-way buses, motorhomes, cars, a triathlon race, police cars, ambulance, fire truck. It was pretty hairy and my top tip would be to steer clear of a career in bus driving in the Norwegian fiords.    Read more

  • Dean ParhamNorthern Europe 2024Traveler

    Bergen

    August 18, 2024 in Norway ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    Pulled up in Bergen, the second biggest city in Norway, with a population of around 300,000 (excluding cruise ships).
    One of Bergen's features is rain. It rains on average 240 days a year. Today was one of them.
    We had a bus and walking tour this morning and discovered Bergen burned down several times - about every 70 years on average. Some of the buildings have 3 dates on them corresponding to construction and reconstruction. We saw an old church that has had a few incarnations depending on fires and Catholic/Lutheran predilection of the rulers.
    In the afternoon, we took the funicular up one of the surrounding mountains for an impressive view and recreation area.
    There's a lot of tourists here. Apparently, the locals hate cruise ships. Oh well...    Read more

  • Dean ParhamNorthern Europe 2024Traveler
    Back of the buildings in Bryggen which was the trading centre
    Some residential houses

    Leaving Bergen

    August 20, 2024 in Norway ⋅ 🌧 17 °C

    Let's go back to Sunday night, when we were still on the ship. Remember that Monty Python sketch where the diner points out his fork is a bit dirty and it ends up the chef comes out and commits suicide. Well, Sue mentioned to the waiter that we thought the between-course granita was not quite as good as it was 2 nights previous. He was very concerned and apologetic. Next thing, the restaurant manager came over and, once he cottoned on to the issue, was most concerned and apologetic. Then the chef came out and he was more than concerned and apologetic. He offered to make us something else. We don't know if he went off and committed suicide.
    Monday morning brought disembarkation. We pushed our suitcases around to the hotel and set off exploring. We had 2 main tasks. First was to shop for raincoats. Dean found his was not up to Norwegian conditions and needed to be upgraded. Sue wanted to augment her collection. The other thing was to go to the Hanseatic Museum. Bergen was an outpost of the Hanseatic League (13-17th C's). Unfortunately, the permanent museum is closed for renovations and we were just shy of its reopening in 2027. So we had a tour of one of the associated buildings, which was more about what life was like for the Leaguers than about the history, economics, geo-politics and intrigue.
    That evening, we had a very nice dish of fish - would you believe it was COD - at the modern fish markets.
    Today, Tuesday, we were grateful for our raincoat purchases and trudged on to the Maritime Museum and Bergen Museum until your correspondent was officially overwhelmed.
    It became clear why the Independent Tour Director (Sue) had chosen the hotel. It is a very short puddle hop to the light rail, which has taken us out to the airport for an overnight stay before an early morning flight.    Read more

  • Dean ParhamNorthern Europe 2024Traveler
    1The local McDonald'sView out the AirBnB window

    Trondheim

    August 21, 2024 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    We flew up to Trondheim, a city of about 200,000 mid way up the Norwegian coast.
    Two things to mention:
    1) rain, rain and more rain
    2) the city is hosting a fishing conference.
    Because of 2), we couldn't get a hotel room. So Sue booked us into an AirBnB (and left no chances by booking dinner tonight). So we had to find somewhere for our suitcases while we went on a walking tour. The railway station was accommodating but exorbitant. The walking tour was good. The place seems charming enough, although 1) above dominated the ambience.Read more

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