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Ahmet Erkun
Ahmet Erkun

Ahmet Erkun

📍 Norway Read more
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  • Escape the Heat (August ‘26)
    Interesting way of depicting the buildings that burned down ... not much was left.
    Behind the structure is a panel depicting one of the many fires that destroyed parts of Bergen.L to R: necklace; mini pots, rattles, toys; oil lamp ... against the Wall of Time.Will our "Wall of Time" look like the one on the left or the right? That is the question.Knife sheaths from between 1198-1413 ... probably Northern European in origin.Stove tile from the Middle Ages ... Bryggens Museum — Bergen, Norway.Thunder Stone; pre1332; made when lightning struck; protected buildings against fire & lightning.Wood carving of a woman's head; undated; found in Bergen — Bryggens Museum.Shard from a drinking glass; from between 1476-1702; Bryggen — Bryggens Museum, Bergen.Skate made of bone with attached shoe; undated — Bryggens Museum, Bergen.The Bryggen ship was a 130-foot (40m) long trading vessel; charred remains found in a passageway.Ceramic ware from the Middle Ages uncovered in the ashes — Bryggens Museum, Bergen.Beaker; undated — Bryggens Museum, Bergen.Part of Jug (c. 1280-1350) ... Vågsbunnen — Bryggens Museum, Bergen.Walrus skull with runic inscription that reads "Johan Owns;" likely imported from Greenland.Charter (on parchment) from Bergen dated 8 August 1472 — Bryggens Museum, Bergen.Column capital reused in a wall; found in a grave in Bergen Cathedral — Bryggens Museum, Bergen.Rune Stick with a war fleet carving; Runic inscription reads "Here travels the brave at sea."Wooden stick; perhaps depicting Adam & Eve with the serpent — Bryggens Museum, Bergen.Madonna from Granville Church (c. 1350-1400); Altar Front from Dale Church (pre 1300).Altar front from the Dale Church (built c. 1250); altar front estimated from before 1300.Male skeleton from the graveyard near St Mary's ... Middle Ages — Bryggens Museum, Bergen.Possible gravestone with runic inscriptions; reused in a building — Bryggens Museum, Bergen.Closer look at the runic inscriptions on what might be a gravestone — Bryggens Museum, Bergen.Ring depicting two holding hands; Middle Ages — Bryggens Museum, Bergen.Combs from between 1198 to 1332 — Bryggens Museum, Bergen.Shoe from the Middle Ages — Bryggens Museum, Bergen.Textile fragment from the Middle Ages — Bryggens Museum, Bergen.

    Bergen: Bryggens Museum

    August 8 in Norway ⋅ 🌧 57 °F

    Our ship embarkation day dawned with a deluge. The rain was coming down in steady sheets … forecasted to last all day. We were expecting this and had planned accordingly.

    Check-in for the ship wasn’t until 3:30p. Our bags were already packed. Nothing to do but relax at the apartment until the 11:00a checkout. We had already scoped out a place to store our luggage … just a few feet from the apartment. That worked out beautifully. After dropping off our bags, we headed to Bryggen to visit a museum we’d not been to yet.

    Despite the pouring rain, the waterfront was packed with people checking out the old ships and vehicles participating in the festival. The museum was reasonably well attended though surprisingly less crowded than one might expect on such a wet day.

    The Bryggens Museum opened in 1976 to exhibit artifacts from the Middle Ages … found during excavations undertaken following the fire of 1955.

    As the attendant explained, each time Bergen experienced a devastating fire that turned it into a pile of ashes, the city was simply rebuilt over the top of the ruins, so there were many layers of history to uncover … reaching down over 25 feet (8m). The displays were later enhanced with finds from other excavations in both Bergen and Western Norway.

    Mostly displayed in glass cases, the artifacts included everything from the wooden flooring of tenements, to fragments of glass and pottery; to remnants of leather and fabric; to shoes, socks, and jewelry; to stone and bone carvings with runic writings. All things left behind or dropped as people fled the flames.

    Amongst the most interesting items was a wooden sculpture of the Madonna dated to around 1350-1400; an altar frontal from a church in Luster that was built around 1250; a male skeleton from the Middle Ages … from the graveyard near St Mary’s Church in Bergen.

    As interesting as the archaeological artifacts were, what I found on the second floor was even more fascinating … to me, at least. Coming up in the next footprint.    Read more

  • Escape the Heat (August ‘26)
    Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.
    Steeple of Nykirken (New Church) ... Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Coffee break with fun signs ... Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.This seems to be the equivalent of an ostrich burying its head in the sand ... Nordnes — Bergen.In a gift shop in Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Haakon's Hall and Rosenkrants Tower ... from Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Bryggen ... from Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Built as a steamship, this vessel used to sail the coastal express trip along Norway's coast.Take a book; leave a book ... Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Nykirken ... the "new" church dates back to 1761 ... Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.The pastor has a feline visitors ... Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Kitty cat posing for its portrait ... Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Cute roadside garden with lace tablecloths ... Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.The park at the tip of the peninsula ... Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.2The totem pole is a gift from sister city Seattle to Bergen ... Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Panorama from the park at the tip of the peninsula ... Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Bergen harbor tour and one of the ferries that ply these waters ... Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.The swimming facility ... Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Built as an old age home for seamen, now converted to apartments ... Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Detail from the old age home for seamen, now converted to apartments ... Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Clinging to life ... Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Frederiksberg Fortress & Per Ung's "Kringsmoderen" ... Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Enjoying the views near Frederiksberg Fortress ... Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.View of the Fløbanen track to the top of Mount Fløyen ... from Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Velvety roses ... Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Painting in a gallery ... Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.

    Bergen: Nordnes A-Wander

    August 7 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 55 °F

    After stopping to take photos of the boats along Vågen Bay, we continued down the Nordness Peninsula, to the historic neighborhood by the same name.

    The peninsula, which is about .6 miles (1 km) long, stretches into Bergen Harbor. Back during the time of the Hanseatic League, Norwegian merchants dominated this part of the peninsula, leaving Bryggen on the opposite shore of Vågen to the League members.

    The neighborhood was where judicial decisions were handed down at the courthouse and executions were carried out … including burning witches at the stake during the 16th and 17th centuries. Later, the area became infamous as the red light district frequented by sailors, and the dark alleys that provided a safe place for undercover activities.

    All that is gone now. In fact, the neighborhood is filled with expensive homes … and all the amenities of family-life, including schools, parks, and churches. The Bergen Aquarium sits at the tip of the peninsula, and not far away is the Nordnes sjobad, an outdoor swimming facility that offers locals and visitors alike a chance to swim in the cold fjord waters before taking advantage of the heated pools to warm up.

    Continuing along the waterfront for a short bit, we cut inland when we spotted a park, and continued through the neighborhood streets that were lined with small shops and houses. The streets were all but deserted … offering a peaceful setting for us to explore. At one point, we stopped at Dromedar Kaffebar … get some coffee and rest our feet.

    Energized, we somehow found ourselves back along the waterfront briefly … where a ferry terminal afforded another vantage point to photograph Vågen Bay and all the boats. Then, back inland to check out Nykirken, the parish church. It was locked up tight, however, so we continued our walk from there to the forest-like park at the tip of the peninsula.

    Before sitting down to enjoy the views where the three bodies of water that surround the peninsula come together — Vågen, Byfjorden, and Puddefjorden — we found the Totempæl (Totem Pole). Carved by Duane Pasco, an American artist, the Pacific Northwest style pole, is a symbol celebrating the sister city relationship between Bergen and Seattle.

    On the way back, we followed a meandering route along the west side of the peninsula, passing the Seamen’s Old Age Home, which was originally constructed in 1897. The building has since been converted into residential apartments.

    This route had more of an incline, but nothing that we couldn’t easily handle. At the highest point of the peninsula, we came upon Frederiksberg Fortress … constructed in 1666 following the Battle of Vågen. In addition to being the execution site I mentioned earlier, the fortress was also used as a fire watch station from 1667 to 1926. As I understand it, the fortress is now the headquarters for the youth marching organization.

    We didn’t go inside, opting instead to sit on one of the benches in the small park next door that also serves as an overlook with views of central Bergen. Here we found Per Ung’s “Krigsmoderen” (Wartime Mother) sculpture … which honors the “… crucial efforts of women and mothers on the home front during WWII.”

    One of the reasons we took this route back was because we wanted to check out Jekteviksterminalen … from where we will be embarking our Havila Kystruten ship tomorrow. Weaving our way down via narrow residential streets — some of which were quite steep — we eventually found our way to the terminal.

    Our ship sails at 8:30p … check-in starts at 3:30p, with boarding starting at 4:00p. All fine and dandy, except that we have to check out of the apartment by 11:00a … with luggage. I had read that there were lockers at the terminal, so we were thinking we’d use them. Except that they were few in number, and they didn’t look like they would accommodate medium-sized wheeled bags. We’ll look for a different solution. In the meantime, it was good to get the lay of the land for tomorrow.

    With that, we wrapped up our Nordnes wander, and returned to the Bergen city center in search of lunch. There are lots of seafood places, including the historic fish market, but we didn’t care for the crowds. So we made our way inland. You know our search ended at the Pygmalion Ekocafè, so I’ll call it a wrap for this footprint.

    A pleasant stroll in a quiet, residential neighborhood was the perfect way to spend our rain-free day in Bergen.    Read more

  • Escape the Heat (August ‘26)
    'Gated art' ... not far from the apartment — Bergen, Norway.
    Mural on our way to the city center ... OK, yes, I did a short detour to photograph it — Bergen.Domkirke (Bergen Cathedral) — Bergen, Norway.Memorial stone honoring two prominent Norwegian hymn writers ... Domkirke — Bergen, Norway.1Domkirke — Bergen, Norway.Domkirke — Bergen, Norway.Domkirke — Bergen, Norway.Domkirke — Bergen, Norway.Domkirke — Bergen, Norway.Domkirke — Bergen, Norway.Domkirke — Bergen, Norway.Domkirke — Bergen, Norway.25m long carpet is part of the "Going Grey" art installation @ the Domkirke — Bergen.30 life-sized human figures ... part of the "Going Grey" art installation @ the Domkirke — Bergen.Domkirke — Bergen, Norway."Last Supper" ... at the Domkirke — Bergen, Norway.Colorful side street — Bergen, Norway.Colorful side street — Bergen, Norway.On a side street — Bergen, Norway.On a side street — Bergen, Norway.Mural on a side street — Bergen, Norway.Decorative street lamps — Bergen, Norway.Can you say narrow? — Bergen, Norway.On a colorful side street — Bergen, Norway.The hot dog stand was doing a booming business later in the day — Bergen, Norway.Korskirken ... now a cultural venue — Bergen, Norway.Korskirken — Bergen, Norway.Korskirken — Bergen, Norway.Korskirken — Bergen, Norway.Streetscape with the the steeple of the Domkirken — Bergen, Norway.Looking across Vågen Bay to Bryggen — Bergen, Norway.Looking towards the top of Vågen Bay — Bergen, Norway.Statsraad Lehmkuhl ... a 3-masted barque rigged training vessel — Bergen, Norway.One of the many boats that offer fjord cruises — Bergen, Norway.The sun is out! ... at Pygmalion Ekocafè — Bergen, Norway.Delicious lunch at Pygmalion Ekocafè — Bergen, Norway.View of the Korskirken Square from Pygmalion — Bergen, Norway.Wider view of Korskirken Square ... Pygmalion behind the gelato truck — Bergen, Norway.Mui checking out the flavors at the gelato truck — Bergen, Norway.

    Bergen: A-Wander

    August 7 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 54 °F

    The weather promised to stay dry for most of the day.

    There were no cruise ships visiting the city. It was still crowded, though, because there was a festival along the waterfront in Bryggen … old vessels, buses, cars.

    We decided to put into play our plan to check out the historic Nordnes neighborhood, which a friend had suggested would be less crowded. We took a roundabout way to get there, visiting a couple of churches along the way, and enjoying the back streets of Bergen before the crowds descended.

    Our first stop was at the Bergen Domkirke (Cathedral). When we visited Bergen in 2018, the nearly 900 year old church was under restoration, so we’d not visited it then.

    Dedicated around 1150 to Norway’s patron saint, Olaf the Holy, the Domkirke is part of the Church of Norway. Quite understated … inside and out; beautiful stained glass windows. Like so much of Bergen, the building was heavily damaged by multiple fires that ravaged the city starting in 1248. It was rebuilt each time … most recently in 1880.

    Meandering through narrow, cobblestone streets, we passed one of Bergen’s most popular eateries … a hot dog stand. It was quiet at that point, but on our way back to the apartment this afternoon the line was all the way down the street and around the corner.

    Just past the hot dog stand we came to Korskirken (Holy Cross Church). Built around 1150, it was originally in the shape of long church. It wasn’t until the 17th century, after surviving many fires and rebuildings, that it took on its current cruciform shape.

    Used as an inclusive social and cultural venue, Korskirken no longer functions as a parish church. In fact, when we stepped inside today, we noticed they were setting up to feed the needy … which might explain why there was a “no photography” sign. Before we left, I took a few shots … pointing the camera in the opposite direction from where food was being doled out.

    Our steps eventually took us to Vågen Bay. We stayed on the opposite side from Bryggen since we were heading to Nordnes. The UNESCO-listed buildings were mostly hidden behind the historical boats participating in the festival. We stopped to take a few photos anyway.

    I’ll leave our Nordnes meander to the next footprint and wrap this one up with the delicious lunch we had at the Pygmalion Ekocafè overlooking Nedre Korskirkenallmenningen … a square down the street from the church.

    It is housed in an old house that dates back to the 18th century, and we were tempted to sit indoors to soak up the ambiance. But the sun was out, so we decided to eat al fresco. Of course, the sun went into hiding by the time our food was served, but we enjoyed it for a while at least. Delicious food; charming hostess.

    We would have had dessert at Pygmalion, but the one we were tempted by had sold out. So, we picked up some gelato from a ‘truck-gelateria’ nearby instead.

    The day had grown chilly as the breeze off the water had been steadily picking up. Time to head back to the apartment and relax.

    Oh, and yes … the rain did hold off until about 8:00p tonight … but it’s now pouring like crazy.    Read more

  • Escape the Heat (August ‘26)
    Byparken — Bergen, Norway.
    Byparken ... Lille Lungegårdsvannet (Small Lung) — Bergen, Norway.Byparken ... Lille Lungegårdsvannet (Small Lung) from Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway.Byparken ... Lille Lungegårdsvannet (Small Lung) — Bergen, Norway.View of hillside homes from Byparken — Bergen, Norway.Byparken ... Lille Lungegårdsvannet (Small Lung) from Lysverket — Bergen, Norway."Rød Vind" (Red Wind) by Arnold Haukeland; 1978 ... Byparken — Bergen, Norway."Hestebarrikade" (Horse Barricade) by Vibeke Tandberg; 2024 ... Byparken — Bergen, Norway.The Music Pavilion ... Byparken — Bergen, Norway.The Music Pavilion and Permanenten ... Byparken — Bergen, Norway.Edvard Grieg, composer & pianist ... a favorite son of Norway ... Byparken — Bergen, Norway.1Permanenten from inside the music pavilion ... Byparken — Bergen, Norway."Fiskeren" (Fisherman) by Arne Vinje Gunnerud; 1971 ... Byparken — Bergen, Norway.The expression on his face would make more sense if the water feature was working.Mallards on the shoreline ... Byparken — Bergen, Norway.Gulls on the shoreline ... Byparken — Bergen, Norway.Herring Gull reflections ... Byparken — Bergen, Norway.2Pigeons on the shoreline ... Byparken — Bergen, Norway.Pigeon puffed up against the chill and drizzle ... Byparken — Bergen, Norway.Kode Museum across Lille Lungegårdsvannet (Small Lung) ... Byparken — Bergen, Norway.1Quaint gate on the way to the apartment ... Byparken — Bergen, Norway.View through the quaint gate ... Byparken — Bergen, Norway.The Mount Fløyen viewing terrace is visible from the apartment this evening — Bergen, Norway.We get a tiny bit of sunshine around sunset — Bergen, Norway.1Common Gull on the rooftop across the way from us - Bergen, Norway.Common Gull on the rooftop across the way from us - Bergen, Norway.

    Bergen: Byparken

    August 6 in Norway ⋅ 🌧 55 °F

    Our visit to the Kode venues to check out the art included strolling through the Byparken … the city park … a delightful green space even on a drizzly, gray day.

    Bergen is a city that has been through dozens of devastating fires between 1198 and 1855 … 15-20 of them recorded as being “… catastrophic citywide or quarter-destroying.” The last one in 1855 resulted setting aside a clearing to serve as a firebreak. That clearing is now known as Byparken.

    The park, which also serves as the “lung of the city,” is split into two parts … which resulted in the splitting of the pond as well … though the water is still connected by an underground pipe channel. The larger of the two ponds today is a marine bay. The smaller one is Lille Lungegårdsvannet (Small Lung) … the octagonal-shaped pond that I circumnavigated today … despite the cold wind that added an unexpected chill factor.

    When I got back to the apartment, the cup of hot tea Mui prepared was most welcome.

    In addition to the flowers in Byparken that added color to the day, we had a bit of sunshine this evening to brighten things up … though it was short-lived.

    (The photos in this footprint are from throughout the day as I made my way from one Kode venue to the next.)    Read more

  • Escape the Heat (August ‘26)
    The Permanenten Building from the small park across which it sits — Bergen, Norway.
    The glass ceiling from the lobby ... Kode Art Permanenten — Bergen, Norway.Zooming in from the lobby, the yellow and pink in the ceiling glass become apparent — Permanenten.Decorations along the rim of the ceiling ... Kode Art Permanenten — Bergen, Norway.Decorations along the rim of the ceiling ... Kode Art Permanenten — Bergen, Norway.From the third floor staircase ... Kode Art Permanenten — Bergen, Norway.Frits Thaulow (1847-1906) ... wearing his signature cold weather coat ... Kode Art Permanenten."A View of the Normandy Coast" (1875) ... Kode Art Permanenten — Bergen, Norway.Detail from "A View of the Normandy Coast" (1875) ... Kode Art Permanenten — Bergen, Norway."Beach Scene, Jæren" (1879) ... Kode Art Permanenten — Bergen, Norway."In March, a View of Saxegaardsgate" (1880) ... Kode Art Permanenten — Bergen, Norway."Summer Day in the Garden" (1880) ... Kode Art Permanenten — Bergen, Norway."Summer Day" (1881) ... Kode Art Permanenten — Bergen, Norway."Ice Haulers" (1884) ... Kode Art Permanenten — Bergen, Norway."The Doctor's Horse" (1888) ... Kode Art Permanenten — Bergen, Norway."The Old Coaching House" (1890) ... Kode Art Permanenten — Bergen, Norway."Washerwomen at Quimperlé, Brittany" (1901-02) ... Kode Art Permanenten — Bergen, Norway."La Dogana, Venice" (c. 1897) ... Kode Art Permanenten — Bergen, Norway."Foliage, Beaulieu" (1903) ... Kode Art Permanenten — Bergen, Norway."City Street at Dusk" (c. 1890) ... example of mood painting ... Kode Art Permanenten — Bergen."A Street in Kristiania" (1900-01) ... Kode Art Permanenten — Bergen, Norway."Factories Along the River Mesna" (1905) ... Kode Art Permanenten — Bergen, Norway.

    Bergen: Kode Art … Permanenten

    August 6 in Norway ⋅ 🌧 57 °F

    After the interesting collection at Lysverket, I left under a light drizzle — more a mist, really — to continue my Kode Art day. Mui was already home … having sent me a note to say that he was going to take a nap.

    I had two buildings to choose from. I decided to skip Stenersen, which is billed as a space where large-scale exhibitions of contemporary art are hosted. Instead, I continued along the lake, and crossed the street to another small park where I found the Permanenten venue (KODE 1) .. housed in an Italianate Neo-Renaissance building that dates back to 1896.

    Once again, I had my ticket scanned and found the gardrobe to store my rain jacket. The museum, as I understand it, is currently undergoing renovation, so there is just a small, limited exhibition here on the third floor … a one-man show, if you will.

    First, however, I detoured to the fourth floor for a closer look at the glass ceiling panel and decorative elements that enthralled me when I glimpsed them from the lobby. I would have peeked into the Festhallen (ballroom) as well, but the door was locked.

    Walking down to the third floor, I began wandering through the exhibition of paintings by Frits Thaulow, billed by the Bergen Times as being “… full of painterly joy.”

    This Norwegian painter apparently “… shocked and captivated the Norwegian art world and was internationally celebrated for his landscape paintings.” He is said to have played a pivotal role in the development of modern art in this country, and was at the forefront of the “plain-air” painting style.

    I really enjoyed the exhibition of Thaulow’s paintings … all the more so because I didn’t have to scratch my head and wonder what he was trying to express.    Read more

  • Escape the Heat (August ‘26)
    Krone & Kanne: Crowning the North ... Kode Art Lysverket — Bergen, Norway.
    Bridal crown (Jens Pettersen Smith; 1726) ... Kode Art Lysverket — Bergen, Norway.Journeymen Shoemakers' Welcome Cup (Hans Pettersen Blytt; 1711) ... Kode Art Lysverket — Bergen.1"Twisted Folds" (M. Band Espersen; 2021) ... stretched and folded yellow glass — Kode Art Lysverket."Red Form" (Torbjørn Kvasbø; 2003) ... glazed stoneware — Kode Art Lysverket."Silverback" (Cato Løland; 2020) ... cut polyester satin — Kode Art Lysverket."Yellow Telephone to the Right" (Fredrick Nielsen; 2024) ... blown and cast glass."Breaking News" (El Anatsui; 2015) ... aluminum liquor bottle caps stitched with copper thread."Breaking News" detail (El Anatsui; 2015); aluminum liquor bottle caps stitched with copper thread."Liquid Sunshine" (Rui Sasaki; 2025); blown glass, phosphorescent material, broad spectrum UV lights"The Greenhouse from Palmyra" (K. Fornes; 2020); silk embroidery on cotton and linen damask."Blackstar" (Toril Bonsaksen; 2016); stainless steel cutlery ... Kode Art Lysverket — Bergen, Norway"Unknown Soldier" (Konrad Mehus; 2024); upcycled iron, tin, leather, & wood ... Kode Art Lysverket."Steel Dish" (Kjetil Aschim; 2013); hammered and worked steel ... Kode Art Lysverket — Bergen."Box II" (Pål Vigeland; 2004); upcycled mackerel tins ... Kode Art Lysverket.1"Closette" (Torhild Berg; 2005); Upcycled gravy boat, plater, glass mosaics ... Kode Art Lysverket."Kitchen Necklace" (G. Hackenberg; 2006); necklace pieces cut from an old Royal Delft faience plate.From various series by Caroline Slotte; Upcycled earthenware plates, pierced and sandblasted."Return" (Erlend Leirdal; 2011); upcycled chair parts, wood & veneer ... Kode Art Lysverket."Red Garden" (I.J. Rasmussen; 2002); textile intarsia from hand-dyed wool fabric with hand stitching"Daily Spoon" (S.K. Ruud; 2014-2015); carved and sanded wood ... Kode Art Lysverket."Celadon bottle shaped like P.E.T Bottle" (E.J. Too; 2013) & "Work in Progress" (L. Midbõe; 2010)."Untitled" (Vidar Koksvik; 2023); blown glass with white Murano filigree ... Kode Art Lysverket."Container Series" (Liu Jianhua; 2009); porcelain, celadon & sang-de-boeuf glazes.1"Fuel" (Faig Ahmed; 2016); hand-knotted wool carpet & woven cotton ... Kode Art Lysverket."Kitchen Wall" (Hanne Tyrmi; 1998); aluminum thread, crocheted, knitted, and twisted.War & Pieces (B. de Vries; 2019); shards of porcelain; transfer-printed porcelain; gilded/cast steelWar & Pieces Detail (B. de Vries); porcelain shards; transfer-printed porcelain; gilded/cast steel."Absolut Askeland" (Ingrid Askeland; 2015); glazed earthenware with decals ... Kode Art Lysverket."Jug" (Lippa Dalén; 2004); earthenware, white slip, decals ... Kode Art Lysverket."Still Life" (Anne-Helen Mydland; 2007); upcycled porcelain tableware, nesting tables, slides."Glass Laboratory #4-7" (C. Maske; 2023); blown glass joined with discarded laboratory glassware."Banquet (cobalt)" (Bjørn Båsen; 2018); oil & modeling paste on canvas ... Kode Art Lysverket."Animal Bowl with Hippo" (H. Jongerius; 2004); slip-cast & glazed porcelain, hand-painted decoration"Serving Device for Egg" (S. Bronger; 2001); wood, egg slicer; glazed porcelain; rubber tyres, metal"Grasshopper" (Kjetil Aschim; 2016); upcycled metal parts from a motorcycle and a bus."By a Waterfall" (Paul Scott; 2018); upcycled earthenware plates, decals, kitsugi repairs (gilding).2"Ironman" (J.K. Raustein; 2002); linen canvas, machine & hand embroidered, mounted on ironing board.

    Bergen: Kode Art … Lysverket

    August 6 in Norway ⋅ 🌧 55 °F

    One venue at the Kode Art Museum down … onto another one.

    I mentioned that we could see the museum buildings from the apartment. I was especially intrigued by one of them as it had a banner that read Kunsthåndverk … which I took to mean handicrafts … literal translation, Art Hand Work. Intrigued, I headed there when I left the Rasmus Meyer venue.

    The steady rain that was falling earlier had dwindled down to a drizzle. But the wind had picked up a bit to add a chill factor that was missing earlier. No matter, it was just a short walk to Kode 4 … formally, Lysverket. Dating back to 1938, before it was converted into exhibition space, the building housed the former municipal power company, Bergen Lysverker.

    The woman at the front desk scanned my ticket, I cloaked my rain jacket at the gardrobe, and went off to explore the current exhibition … with a detour to check out a small, single-room temporary exhibition.

    Entitled “Krone & Kanne … Crowning the North,” it was dedicated to Bergen’s “…unique position in the history of Norwegian silver.” Apparently, Norway’s first goldsmiths’ guild was founded in Bergen. It held a monopoly on the production of both gold and silver works … serving as the goldsmithing hub for Norway for some 300 years.

    Next, I continued on to the main exhibition, which ends on 16 August … “Crafted.” It took just a moment to realize that the collection wasn’t going to be the type of handcrafts I was expecting.

    The goal of the exhibition is to give “… visitors the opportunity to explore the field of Norwegian craft through a rich selection of works … . More than 100 artists are represented, in a wide range of materials, formats and forms of expression. The exhibition explores contemporary crafts and challenges us to see things – and the world around us – in constantly new ways.”

    The displayed works focus on the shift in the art scene during the past 25 years … a shift that allows artists to move freely between disciplines and materials in order to try their hand at something different. The works are displayed in what the museum describes as themes “… of materiality, craft traditions, everyday life, decoration, reuse and post-industrialism.

     An interesting wander through crafted art!    Read more

  • Escape the Heat (August ‘26)
    Blumentahl Room ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway,
    Blumentahl Room ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway,Blumentahl Room ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway,Blumentahl Room ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway,Blumentahl Room ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway,"Villa Borghese, Roma" (Johan C. Dahl) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway,2"An Eruption of Vesuvius" (Johan C. Dahl; 1821) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway,"Shipwreck on the Coast of Norway" (Johan C. Dahl; 1830) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway,"Nigard Glacier" (Johan C. Dahl; 1844) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway,"View of Lysekloster near Bergen" (Johan C. Dahl; 1827) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway,The gilded-leather room ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway,The gilded-leather room ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway,Longcase clock (Master of Buskerud; 1750-1800) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway.The Baroque dining room ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway.The Baroque dining room ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway.Sideboard (late 1500s) ... the Baroque dining room ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway.One of the wrought iron stoves ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway."Dying Trees" (August Cappelen) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway.2"Grapes" (Frants Bøe; 1845) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway."Study for a Pirate (John Eskeland)" (Olaf Isaachsen; 1858) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway."Fjord Landscape with Cattle" (Anders Askevold; 1869) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway2"Farmhouse Interior" (Bernt Grønvold; before 1895) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway."Youngest Son's Farewell" (Adolph Tideman; 1867) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway."Bridal Procession on the Hardangerfjord" (Johan F. Eckersberg; 1866) ... Kode Rasmus MeyerStaircase decoration ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway.2"Village of Nevlunghavn" (Gerhard Munthe; 1881) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway.1"On the Lookout" (Eilif Peterssen; 1889) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway."Head of a Child" (Ingebrigt Vik; 1910) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway.Left: "Mother & Child" (C. Krohg; 1904); Right: "In the Bathtub" (C. Krohg; 1889) — Kode."Interior from Udval Stave Church" (Harriet Backer; 1909) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway.From the "New Colors and Lines" collection ... Kode Rasmus Meyer.Tiffany glass works; USA (3 center pieces) ... from the 1900 Paris Exposition — Kode Rasmus Meyer.Liqueur decanter (Émile Gallé; France) ... from the 1900 Paris Exposition — Kode Rasmus Meyer.Alpine landscape embroidery (Sweden) ... from the 1900 Paris Exposition — Kode Rasmus MeyerJewelry (Maison Vever, France) ... from the 1900 Paris Exposition — Kode Rasmus Meyer."Self-Portrait in the Clinic" (Edvard Munch; 1909) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway."At the Death Bed [of his sister]" (Edvard Munch; 1895) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway."Evening on Karl Johan" (Edvard Munch; 1892) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway."Spring Day on Karl Johan" (Edvard Munch; 1890) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway."Garden with a Red House" (Edvard Munch; 1882) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway.

    Bergen: Kode Art … Rasmus Meyer

    August 6 in Norway ⋅ 🌧 57 °F

    Woke up to pouring rain. No surprise since the forecast had been calling for that to be the case all along.

    We took our time with breakfast, enjoyed relaxing with the city views providing a peaceful background to go along with our coffee and tea … taken indoors instead of on the terrace, of course.

    When the rain decided to give us a longish-break, we headed out to put the day’s plan into play.

    We’d start out at the art museum. Then we would go our separate ways. I would continue enjoying the art at a slower pace. Mui would head out to do something he enjoys and I don’t … wander through the shopping district. Not that he planned to buy anything. It’s just something he likes to do in big cities.

    Kode is “… one of the largest art, craft, design, and music museums in the Nordic region.” The museum’s history dates back 200 years. It boasts some 50,000+ pieces in its collection … ranging from paintings, to sculptures and furniture, to installations, to works of fine craft and design, and more.

    The venues that are under the Kode umbrella include three historic composers’ homes … which we did not get to today. Instead, we visited the venues along the Lille Lungegårdsvann Lake in Byparken … the city center park we can see from the apartment … a 5-10 minute walk away.

    Following neighborhood streets, we arrived at Byparken and made our way around one side of the lake to the Rasmus Meyer venue … referred to by some simply as Kode 3. Purchasing our tickets — NOK 200 = $21 at today’s exchange rate — we began our day of ‘Kode Art’. The woman at the desk set up an audio guide for me that I could activate at will by touching it to buttons near several of the more important pieces.

    Rasmus Meyer had a dream … for a public building where his collection of art could be “… exhibited for a larger audience.” After he passed away in 1916, his children donated the works he had collected to the city — art from the period referred to as the Norwegian “Golden Age” (1880-1905) and historical furniture.

    The building looks deceptively small from the outside, yet there is quite a bit to enjoy across the two floors … starting in the Blumentahl Room where we found scenes painted on the walls and ceiling. My kind of place.

    Kode has the world’s third largest collection of Edvard Munch’s paintings and works on paper … some 100 pieces. Though the collection has increased with additional purchases and gifts, the nucleus is the pieces Rasmus Meyer collected in collaboration with Munch. His intent was to follow Munch’s artistic development over the years … and the exhibition is set up that way … assuming you enter the Munch wing on the second floor first when you get to the top of the stairs.

    In addition to the “Golden Age” paintings by Norwegian painters, there was a special thematic exhibition featuring the museum’s international Art Nouveau pieces from the 1900 Paris Exposition. From what I understand, these pieces are being shown together for the first time to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the arrival of the objects at the museum.

    By the time I completed my wander through the exhibited art works, Mui was long gone. No worries. I had made sure to keep the key to the locker, so I collected my rain jacket and bits and pieces and headed out to the next venue.    Read more

  • Escape the Heat (August ‘26)
    The city station for the funicular to the top of Mt Fløyen — Bergen, Norway.
    Entertainment as we wait our turn to ride the funicular — Bergen, Norway.We score one of the two seats at the front of the funicular car ... aboard the Fløibanen.Our Fløibanen ride to the top of Mt Fløyen — Bergen, Norway.A "we made it up to Mt Fløyen" selfie — Bergen, Norway.View of the city from the Mt Fløyen viewing terrace — Bergen, Norway.View of Byparken, which we can see from our apartment — Bergen, Norway.The arrow points to our apartment way down there — Bergen, Norway.Can't resist taking a photo of m/s Havila Pollux ... completing the Kirkenes-Bergen run — Mt Fløyen1A delicious meal at Fløirestauranten on Mt Fløyen — Bergen, Norway.Fløydis chewing cud at the goat barn ... Mt Fløyen — Bergen, Norway.Mui with Alex (L) and Pippi ... two of Mt Fløyen's cashmere goats — Bergen, Norway.1Keeping Waldemar company on the bench he has claimed for himself ... Mt Fløyen — Bergen, Norway.Clockwise from top left: Pippi; Alex & Pippi; Waldemar ... Mt Fløyen — Bergen, Norway.Meet the Mt Fløyen Troll near the playground — Bergen, Norway.Can't come to Norway and not take a selfie with a troll ... Mt Fløyen — Bergen, Norway.Mui with the three bears of the Troll Forest ... Mt Fløyen — Bergen, Norway.1I make a friend in the troll forest — Bergen, Norway.Not to be short changed, Mui finds a friend in the troll forest — Bergen, Norway.Some of the many trolls in the troll forest of Mt Fløyen — Bergen, Norway.Finally heading down the trail to the city center — Bergen, Norway.A glimpse of m/s Havila Pollux confirms the location from which we will embark m/s Havila Castor.Hope to stroll around the Nordness neighborhood on the peninsula one day — Bergen, Norway,The oldest part of Korskirken belongs to a Romanesque long church known as Mariakirken — Bergen.A pop of beautiful color on a rainy day — Bergen, Norway.Residential street on our way down from Mt Fløyen — Bergen, Norway.Residential street on our way down from Mt Fløyen — Bergen, Norway.Residential street on our way down from Mt Fløyen — Bergen, Norway.Residential street on our way down from Mt Fløyen — Bergen, Norway.Residential street on our way down from Mt Fløyen — Bergen, Norway.Residential street on our way down from Mt Fløyen — Bergen, Norway.

    Bergen: Fløibanen & Mt Fløyen

    August 5 in Norway ⋅ 🌧 66 °F

    Bergen has always welcomed us with rain and cool temperatures.

    That has gotten in the way of accomplishing two things.

    Bundled up as the women were against the elements, Mui has not been able to confirm the claim made by an 82-year-old British gent that Bergen is home to the world’s most beautiful women. (We were on a Celebrity cruise at the time, and his wife’s reaction when the man made this proclamation is still something that makes us smile.)

    Kidding aside, the weather conditions on those previous visits led to the cancelation of our plans to ride the Fløibanen. This time, we were bound and determined to ride the funicular that takes visitors up to the top of Mt Fløyen (1,050 feet/320m asl). Since the rain looked like it was going to give us a break, we decided to go up today despite the lack of blue skies and sunshine.

    The plan was to hike down, so we joined the short queue to purchase one-way tickets to the top station. If the weather got in the way of doing so, we could always purchase return tickets at the top.

    Tickets in hand, we joined the longer, but fast-moving queue of people waiting to board the funicular for the 6-minute ride to the top of the mountain. We didn’t have to wait long to take our turn. Mui had scoped out the funicular while we were waiting and we decided to take the bottom car since the top car was set aside for persons with disabilities. We even managed to score one of the two-person seats … a great vantage point to videotape the ride.

    At the top, we wandered over to the stepped-terrace to enjoy the views. Yes, blue skies and sunshine would have made for some magnificent scenery, but the moody ambiance of the expansive views was more representative of Bergen.

    Before setting off on our hike, we
    decided lunch was in order. There’s a café and a restaurant from which to choose. We headed to Fløirestauranten, slightly fancier — though still casual. Despite the chill, we would have sat on the terrace, but the only food service there was burgers and sandwiches from the bar. Not what we wanted. Luckily, even though we didn’t have reservations, the hostess was able to seat us in the dining room.

    Yes, it was touristy. Yes, it was expensive. But it was worth it.

    I wasn’t very hungry, so I ordered the tomato & ricotta sandwich … local tomatoes, rucola pesto, and crunchy seeds on a rustic bread … open face … sort of like an Italian bruschetta with a twist. When Mui noticed the halibut on the menu, his decision was quickly made … served with amandine-style green beans and steamed potatoes. Dessert consisted of three scoops of ice cream served on a crunchy chocolate crumble base … chocolate, vanilla, and a Nordic berry known as sea buckthorn (aka seaberry) … slightly tart. It was all yummy, yummy!

    There are a number of trails that one can follow to hike down the mountain … we opted to take the one marked for the city center … our waitress said it had the best views.

    But before we began our descent, we went to meet the goats of Mount Fløyen.

    The 6-year old cashmere goats were born on Radøy … bred primarily to clear vegetation. They are free to wander on the mountain … within an area restricted by a virtual fence that is commonly used for grazing livestock in Norway. Visitors are encouraged to play with them … and the goats seem to welcome the attention … or at least stoically accept the multitude of hands petting them. The only rule one must obey … no feeding of the goats!

    After that bit of fun, we headed toward the trailhead … walking past a children’s playground … quite large, and very popular. We let the kids enjoy the equipment, but could resist neither the photo op with Fløytrollet (the Fløyen Troll) … nor a wander through Trollskogen, the troll forest filled with mystical, enchanted wood carvings.

    Eventually, we found ourselves on the trail. Down, down, down for just about 2 miles … at first dirt; paved the closer we got to the city center. At this point, the rain that had given us a break started once more to fall. But it was light, and the trees provided enough coverage that we needed umbrellas only part of the time. Never did break out our rain jackets.

    The last bit of the trail either winds through narrow residential streets … or we somehow took a detour. The streetscape with wooden houses and cobblestone alleys was charming. We had planned to stroll through the hillside neighborhoods, so we enjoyed ourselves … eventually coming out right next to the Fløibanen city station.

    Thus wrapping up our day, we headed back to the apartment. Arriving just before the skies opened up in a downpour that is still continuing. Mui prepared dinner to kick off a quiet evening … need to rest up for more Bergen exploration tomorrow.    Read more

  • Escape the Heat (August ‘26)
    2Det Gamle Rådhuset (the Old Town Hall) was originally built as a residence in 1558 — Bergen, Norway.
    The Seamen's Monument; sculptor Dyre Vaa — Bergen, Norway.Seamen's Monument; unveiled in 1950 to honor achievements of Norwegian seamen through the ages.Seamen's Monument; this side is dedicated to the 17th-18th century sailors — Bergen, Norway.Seamen's Monument; relief panels ... Viking longships (top); encounters with indigenous Americans.The Seamen's Monument — Bergen, Norway.A pigeon visiting the Seamen's Monument — Bergen, Norway.Having fun with a decorative column @ Torgallmenningen, the city's main square — Bergen, Norway.The white-trimmed building at the far end is Kjøttbasaren, a restored meat market from 1875 — BergenVågsallmenningen ... the statue is of Ludwig Holberg; writer, playwright — Bergen, Norway.Across Vågen, a natural harbor in Bergen's historic core, is the UNESCO heritage site of Bryggen.The colorful buildings form the iconic wharf of Bryggen — Bergen, Norway.Bryggen was the trading hub of the Hanseatic League — Bergen,, Norway.Glimpse of the Rosenkrantz Tower ... which is part of Bergenhus Fortress — Bergen, Norway.Fresh seafood; at Mathallen, the indoor fish market overlooking Vågen; opened in 2012 — Bergen.1Fresh king crab anyone? ... Mathallen — Bergen, Norway.Mui heading over to the Fisketorget (fish market), which dates to the 1200s — Bergen, Norway.1Anglerfish at the Fisketorget — Bergen, Norway.Sometimes you find a gem when you look down ... decorative manhole cover — Bergen, Norway."Homeless" ... sits on the corner on the street ... outside an expensive shopping mall — Bergen.Traditional costumes — Bergen, Norway.

    Bergen: A Meander …

    August 5 in Norway ⋅ 🌧 64 °F

    This is our third time in Bergen … the first two visits were cruise ship stops … just for a day.

    When Celebrity Eclipse called here in 2017, we wandered the UNESCO heritage site of Bryggen, enjoying the colorful buildings dating back to the time of the Hanseatic League; had a delicious fresh seafood lunch at the fish market; and just wandered around.

    We returned two years later on Oceania’s Nautica. This time, we hopped on a public bus to go out to Gamle Bergen [Old Bergen] … an open-air history museum in the Sandviken district where 55 reconstructed wooden houses from the 18th and 19th centuries allow one to step back in time.

    With that in mind, before we left the apartment this morning, we perused the map I picked up at the airport yesterday and marked up a bunch of places we’d not been to before. Did we visit any of them? No. Somehow our day turned into a meander, and then we went completely off the books. I’ll leave that portion of our day for another footprint, and focus on the first part of our outing.

    In fact, no sense trying to describe in words what we saw on our meander. I’ll just let the photos do the work for me.

    By the way … August is prime time for cruise ships in the Scandinavian countries. Today was a two-ship day in Bergen. There was an NCL mega ship, which was relegated to the less-desirable berth, and a ‘Norway’s own’ Viking Ocean vessel, which was docked in the heart of the city. We expected that Bergen would be crowded when we made the decision to come to Norway at this time of the year. But hey … places around the world where you can escape the heat are getting fewer and fewer, so cooler temps trumped crowds in this instance.    Read more

  • Escape the Heat (August ‘26)
    When the rain lets up, I head out to enjoy a cup of tea on the terrace — Bergen, Norway.
    Panorama of the view from the terrace — Bergen, Norway.Across the way from us is the Kode (art/music complex ... with the cupola) and the Kunsthall.Part of the scenery across the way from our building — Bergen, Norway.Glimpse of Småstrandgaten from the terrace ... we'll be walking in that direction later — Bergen.Neighboring building ... I like the little attic balcony — Bergen, Norway.Looking back at the hills behind the apartment building — Bergen, Norway.A glimpse of Mount Ulriken from the apartment — Bergen, Norway.Time to head out ... our neighborhood from the door to the apartment building — Bergen, Norway.Cute little cottage next to the apartment building — Bergen, Norway.

    Bergen: At the Apartment

    August 5 in Norway ⋅ 🌧 57 °F

    We went to sleep to the rain pitter-pattering on the terrace. If it stopped at any point after midnight … well, we were asleep.

    We woke up this morning to rain pitter-pattering on the terrace. At times heavy; at times barely a drizzle. Filmy clouds wreathed the hills across the way … as well as those behind our building.

    An easy morning was part of today’s plans so we didn’t mind the rain one bit. With the thermostat turned up just a bit to ward off the morning chill in the apartment, we were cozy.

    As the morning progressed, the skies started to brighten. We saw a few patches of blue amongst the clouds that never entirely went away. We even had a glimmer of sunshine at one point.

    With the rain drying up, it was time to head out … with no real plan but to wander around the city.    Read more

  • Escape the Heat (August ‘26)
    Welcome to Bergen, Norway.
    Bergen? That question mark tickled my funny bone ... at BGO — Bergen, NorwayOn the light rail from BGO into the city — Bergen, Norway.Apartment with a lovely terrace — Bergen, Norway.The apartment has all of the amenities we need — Bergen, Norway.View from the terrace — Bergen, Norway.

    Welcome to Bergen, Norway

    August 4 in Norway ⋅ 🌧 61 °F

    Are we in Bergen? Yes, we are. Though it was funny to see the ‘big letters’ near the airport with a question mark following the name of the city!

    Following our uneventful flight, LH874 was on the ground by 4:30p. Again, being a Schengen-to-Schengen flight, there were no formalities required to enter Norway … even for us as US-passport holders.

    There are three ways to get to the city from BGO … light rail, flybussen, or Uber/taxi … from the least expensive to the most expensive … from the longest ride time to the shortest.

    We opted for the light rail … the trains leave from the airport … there are easy-to-follow signs directing arriving passengers to the station.

    Mui had already downloaded and set up the Skyss app, but we had not pre-purchased our tickets since we weren’t sure of our timing. Thus, we skipped the train that was already at the station when we stepped off the escalators, and used the 8 minutes between trains to buy our tickets for the 5:00p departure … using ApplePay to complete the purchase.

    The ride was smooth … easy peasy. Mui said that we’d be getting off at the 24th station … 52 minutes later at the Nonneseter stop … not far from the apartment we booked for our four-night stay in Bergen.

    AI had suggested that the 5-minute walk from the light rail stop to the apartment was flat. It was … except for a tiny bit of incline at one point at the start of the walk … nothing that we could not manage, even with luggage in tow. What AI did not mention, however, was that the street was cobblestone. No worries … it was just a ‘noisy’ walk as the wheels bumpity-bumped over the pavement.

    We’re in a modern apartment building in what is mostly a cute, older neighborhood. At least that was our impression during the short walk. We’ll verify that when we go out to explore.

    The apartment is on the 6th (top) floor with an amazing terrace … with city views. Lots of floor-to-ceiling windows and doors makes the place feel light and airy … even on an overcast, rainy evening. The decor is streamlined Scandinavian … think IKEA. Oh wait, the furnishings are from IKEA 😄. And the cleaning crew did their job well. No complaints.

    After checking out the kitchen amenities, we went out to shop for groceries for our self-catered meals. There is a Coop within 2-minutes of the apartment … very convenient and had pretty much everything we were looking for.

    The rain, forecasted to start around 6:00p, held off until we were back at the apartment. The light drizzle that was falling on the walk back from Coop is now coming down in earnest. I am enjoying the pitter patter of the rain on the terrace.

    The forecast for Bergen this week is rain, rain, and more rain … we don’t really mind, though I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the wet stuff will give us enough of a break to enjoy the terrace for at least a couple of hours over the next few days.

    Oh, by the way. It was 61F (16C) when we arrived in Bergen. That compares to 91F (33C) in Bologna at about the same time yesterday. So, for now at least, we’ve found the cooler temps that brought us up north.    Read more

  • Escape the Heat (August ‘26)
    Arrival at FRA on LH283 ... Lufthansa still has a number of Boing 747s in its fleet.
    Condor Airlines has interesting livery; we also saw green, orange, and beige striped planes — FRA.LH283 on our way to the gate — FRA ... Frankfurt, Germany.Aboard LH874 ... the emergency exit through which passengers embark the A321 — FRA.Our primo exit row seats on LH874 ... on the flight from FRA to BGO.Celebrating 100 years of flight service with Lindt chocolate — Aboard LH874.Once below the cloud deck, we get to enjoy the scenery ... on approach to BGO — Norway.Looks like a fish farm is being repositioned ... on approach to BGO.Aerial scenery on approach to BGO — Norway.

    FRA ➡️ BGO

    August 4 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 63 °F

    The remainder of our BLQ-FRA flight was uneventful. LH283 was at the gate by noon … 5 minutes ahead of schedule … deplaning through a jetway into Terminal A.

    This being a Schengen to Schengen flight, there were no formalities to go through. Checking the nearest departures board for the gate information for our next flight, we verified that LH874 would be departing from the same terminal … from gate A20 just down the concourse a bit.

    Time to find ourselves some lunch.

    We ended up at a place that had a variety of hot dogs on the menu … from bratwursts to frankfurters. That there was sit down service as well was a bonus. Our ‘dogs’ came with warm potato salad, and lemon-lime sodas completed our lunch. Not an outstanding meal, but we were satisfied.

    With boarding for our FRA-BGO flight scheduled for 1:50p, we found a nearly empty gate not far from where we expected to board LH874. No sooner were we seated that a series of text messages from Lufthansa started popping up on my phone. First our gate changed to A16 … across the concourse from where we were. Ten minutes later there was another gate change … this time to A15, just down the concourse from where we were whiling away our time. I kept an eye out for more texts, but that was the last change.

    Boarding began on time. Since we were once again in Group 2, we got in line at the priority lane. We have no standing with Lufthansa, so I think the perk is a result of being Premier Silver on United.

    Anyway, there was no aircraft at the jetway … a clear indication that we would be bused to the Airbus A321 that would be taking us to Bergen. The reason for this became apparent soon enough … the aircraft was parked at a jetway on the non-Schengen side. Taking us to the aircraft by bus and boarding us via the mobile stairs meant we could be kept in the ‘secure zone’ and not have to go through security. OK by us.

    When I was selecting seats for this flight, I lucked out with what has to be two of the three primo seats on the entire aircraft! On this version of the A321, passengers board from what is the emergency exit door between rows 9 and 11 … no row 10 on the portside of the aircraft. Seated in 11A/B, there’s at least five feet of legroom. I did say that these were primo seats.

    The aircraft pushed back 10 minutes late at 2:30p. FRA is a big airport, so it was another 15 min before we were wheels up for what the cockpit announced would be a flight that is 1 hour and 35 minutes long.

    We’ve received our complimentary bottle of water. Waiting for the bite-sized Lindt chocolate. In the meantime, we’re flying above the clouds, so not entertaining views to enjoy. I’m going to put away the iPad and do some reading.

    More when we get to the apartment we booked in Bergen …

    P.S. Yes, the flight attendant has come around with the complimentary chocolate … honoring the 100th anniversary of the founding of Lufthansa.

    P.P.S. On approach to BGO, we were below the cloud deck, so we did end up getting some enjoyable views after all.    Read more

  • Escape the Heat (August ‘26)
    Italy's Südtirol Region ... from our Lufthansa flight from BLQ to FRA.
    Italy's Südtirol Region ... from our Lufthansa flight from BLQ to FRA.A different perspective of Italy's Südtirol Region ... from our Lufthansa flight from BLQ to FRA.On approach to Frankfurt Airport ... from aboard our Lufthansa flight.

    BLQ ➡️ FRA

    August 4 in Germany ⋅ ⛅ 86 °F

    At first it looked like boarding LH283 would be chaotic, adding to today’s ‘zoo’ experience.

    There were two lines at Gate 7 … Priority and All Passengers. What happened to boarding by groups … of which we were assigned to #2. With no expectation of priority privileges, we were about to join the very long All Passengers queue, when a gate agent put up signs directing groups 1 and 2 to the Priority lane. Whew!

    There are no jetways at BLQ. You either walk to/from your aircraft or you are bused. Today, was the latter. Soon enough, we were in our exit row seats. Not much legroom advantage as it turns out … just a tad bit more than the rest of the rows.

    Once we were settled into our seats, the flight attendant stopped by to give us our emergency evacuation briefing. We had stored our carry-on bags and personal items in the overhead bin — a requirement for exit rows on most airlines these days. Being compliant earned us a bravo from the flight attendant 😉.

    The aircraft — an Airbus A320 — pushed back at 10:40a … just 5 minutes late. We were in the air by 10:45a. The service cart came through soon after the aircraft had leveled off at its cruising altitude … water and a bite-size Lindt chocolate complimentary; everything else at a price.

    We are now almost an hour into the flight and it has been uneventful thus far. The scenery outside the window is hazy — has been that way since we took off from BLQ … smog? summer heat haze? both perhaps? I’ve clicked a few ‘memory shots’ of what I think is Italy’s Südtirol … where we were in July for our ‘escape the heat’ mountain trip.

    We’re scheduled to land in about 30 minutes. More later …    Read more

  • Escape the Heat (August ‘26)

    The ‘Zoo’ @ BLQ

    August 4 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 86 °F

    Not a literal zoo, of course.

    We’ve flown in and out of BLQ before … all but one flight all non-Schengen. The one time we arrived into the ‘Schengen’ side, it was in the early evening. We went directly to baggage claim and then left the airport. All good.

    Today we got to experience what the Schengen side is really like. Total controlled chaos until we got to the security checkpoint. That was the easy part of our morning … even with Mui’s carry-on bag detouring to the hand-check lane of the conveyor belt for the charging brick he had packed. Of course August is “ferie” time in Italy … the exodus for summer vacations may have had something to do with our experience.

    The good news is that we were ready ahead of schedule, so left the apartment before 7:30a. Half an hour later we were exiting the taxi at BLQ … with plenty of time before our scheduled departure.

    There is no bag drop off per se for Lufthansa passengers … which is all that we needed to do since I checked in for the flight online yesterday. Five or six check-in counters were open to handle a mixed queue of Lufthansa, Austrian, Swiss, and Air Dolomiti passengers. The line stretched way back and around the corner. At least it moved steadily. A lovely check-in agent with a great sense of humor efficiently took care of the formalities when our turn came.

    Next step, up the moving sidewalk to the first floor of the terminal to go through security. All in all, it was an hour from the taxi drop off to our gate.

    Since we had an early start, we skipped breakfast at home. So, we found a café and got ourselves some caffè — cappuccino for me; doppio espresso for Mui — and a couple of cornetti. Not the best pastries … but they’ll hold us for a while.

    Waiting for boarding to be called. More later.    Read more

  • Italy: Ciao Bella

    One More Sleep …

    August 3 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 97 °F

    … and then we’ll be off .. once more in search of cooler temps.

    🔹 Bags are packed … zippers to be secured with zip ties tomorrow morning … just in case we have something to add at the last minute.

    🔹 Check-in is completed for Lufthansa — the carrier that will take us from Bologna to Bergen tomorrow … via Frankfurt. Boarding passes are saved to the iPhone wallet for easy access.

    🔹 Mui took the recycling out to the street bins; he’ll take the trash down after breakfast.

    🔹 Most of the ‘temporary shut-down’ checklist for the apartment has checkmarks in the completed column. We’ll take care of the rest before we lock the door tomorrow.

    To follow along … https://findpenguins.com/8pccjefaitoru/trip/6a3….    Read more

  • Escape the Heat (August ‘26)
    Off on another adventure ... this one will require flying.

    One More Sleep …

    August 3 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 97 °F

    … and then we’ll be off .. once more in search of cooler temps.

    🔹 Bags are packed … zippers to be secured with zip ties tomorrow morning … just in case we have something to add at the last minute.

    🔹 Check-in is completed for Lufthansa — the carrier that will take us from Bologna to Bergen tomorrow … via Frankfurt. Boarding passes are saved to the iPhone wallet for easy access.

    🔹 Mui took the recycling out to the street bins; he’ll take the trash down after breakfast.

    🔹 Most of the ‘temporary shut-down’ checklist for the apartment has checkmarks in the completed column. We’ll take care of the rest before we lock the door.

    See you at the airport!    Read more

  • Italy: Ciao Bella
    1Gallery on piano nobile (main floor) — Palazzo Corsini, Roma.
    Entrance to the National Gallery of Antique Art — Palazzo Corsini, Roma."Cleopatra" (Pietro Paolo Olivieri; 1574) — Palazzo Corsini, Roma.1"Ploughman with Oxen" (ancient Roman mosaic; 3rd-4th century) — Palazzo Corsini, Roma.Front panel of a 3rd century sarcophagus with grape harvest scene — Palazzo Corsini, Roma.1"Isole Borromee" (Vantivelli) ... we visited the islands in August 2025 — Palazzo Corsini, Roma.The First Gallery is the hall one enters from the antechamber — Palazzo Corsini, Roma.A peek into the Green Chamber at the end of the First Gallery — Palazzo Corsini, Roma.1"Dancer with Finger on Her Chin" (Luigi Bienamé after Antonio Canova) — Palazzo Corsini, Roma."Mystic Marriage of St Catherine with St Anthony of Padova" (Scarsellino) — Palazzo Corsini, Roma.Niche with a putti fresco background in the First Gallery... by Ginesio del Barba — Palazzo Corsini."Vanitas" (Angelo Caroselli) — Palazzo Corsini, Roma.1"Winter Landscape" (Lucas van Uden) — Palazzo Corsini, Roma.Door in the First Gallery with scenes from Roman ruins (Piazza Pietro; 1736-38) — Palazzo Corsini."View of the Tower of Capo d'Anzio" (Anesi Paolo; 18th century) — Palazzo Corsini, Roma.Gallery of the Cardinal — Palazzo Corsini, Roma.The Corsini Throne (2nd or 1st BCE) in the Room of the Fireplace — Palazzo Corsini, Roma.The Corsini Throne (2nd or 1st BCE) in the Room of the Fireplace — Palazzo Corsini, Roma.1"Head of an Old Man (Peter Paul Rubens) in the Room of the Fireplace — Palazzo Corsini, Roma."Genius Fishing" (Pietro Tenerani) — Palazzo Corsini, Roma."Genius Hunting" (Pietro Tenerani) — Palazzo Corsini, Roma.1Room of the Alcove — Palazzo Corsini, Roma.Ceiling of the Room of the Alcove — Palazzo Corsini, Roma."Story of Moses" ... ceiling detail from the Room of the Alcove — Palazzo Corsini, Roma.Ceiling detail from the Room of the Alcove — Palazzo Corsini, Roma."Meeting of Rebekah and Eliazar at the Source " (Carlo Maratta) — Palazzo Corsini, Roma."Story of Solomon" ... ceiling fresco from the Room of the Alcove — Palazzo Corsini, Roma."Story of Solomon" ... ceiling detail from the Room of the Alcove — Palazzo Corsini, Roma."St Sebastian Healed by Angels" (Peter Paul Rubens) — Palazzo Corsini, Roma.Roman funerary urn made from marble (1st century) — Palazzo Corsini, Roma."Personification of the Tiber River (16th century) — Palazzo Corsini, Roma.1Peeking through to the First Gallery — Palazzo Corsini, Roma."Preparations for Dinner" (Christian Berentz) — Palazzo Corsini, Roma."Judith with the Head of Holofernes" (Gerard Seghers) — Palazzo Corsini, Roma.Mui studying "Psyche Carried by the Zephyrs" (John Gibson, student of Canova) — Palazzo Corsini.1"Psyche Carried by the Zephyrs" (John Gibson, student of Canova) — Palazzo Corsini.Detail from one of the zephyrs of "Psyche Carried by the Zephyrs" (John Gibson, student of Canova).Door decorated with grotesques (Marchetti Giovanni Battista; 1776-78) — Palazzo Corsini, Roma.Architectural details from around Palazzo Corsini, Roma.Igea — ancient Greek goddess of health, cleanliness, & prevention of illness — Palazzo Corsini, Roma

    Roma: Gallerie Nazionali @ Corsini

    July 29 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 97 °F

    Rome’s National Gallery of Antique Art was born at Palazzo Corsini soon after the palace was sold to the Italian State in 1883.

    The sale included the art collected by Cardinal Nero Maria Corsini and members of his family, as well as the gifts they acquired due to their prestigious standing in the city. This nucleus of art has since grown through donations and includes paintings from the 14th to the 18th century.

    To be honest, we didn’t know about this venue of the gallery. We have the attendant at Palazzo Barberini to thank for this segue to our day. After he handed Mui a plastic coin to insert into a locket at Palazzo Barberini, he mentioned that the admission we paid would also gain us entrance to the Palazzo Corsini venue.

    And thus it was that we set out toward Trastevere. I must admit that the walk was long. Well, not really … but the broiling hot afternoon heat made it seem so. Despite guzzling water along the way — supplemented with electrolyte packs — the going was tough.

    Luckily, at one point, we spotted a branch of the gelateria that we first happened upon in 2015 … La Romana dal 1947. Nothing like a delicious, creamy, cold treat at one of our favorite gelateria to give us enough energy to complete the walk to Palazzo Corsini.

    This venue is smaller than Palazzo Barberini … the collection is housed in the piano nobile (main floor) rooms. That’s not to say that it was second rate. Not at all. There were fantastic pieces being exhibited … and, once again, frescoed ceilings to enjoy. In fact, I liked the art here better as there were more pieces that were not religious in nature.

    By the time we were ready to leave at 4:30p, Mui had decided that we’d be taking a taxi back to our apartment. No more walking in the heat.

    While I did a quick second round of the gallery for some detail shots, he download the itTaxi app. The app recommends booking your ride at least 30 minutes prior to when you want to depart, but we lucked out with a ride within 5 minutes of ordering it. The car even had a working A/C!

    And so our visit to Roma is a wrap. We were thinking of going out for a wander in St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican tonight, but we’re too drained to do so. Best to rest up before tomorrow’s departure to Bologna … where more hot temps are waiting to welcome us back.    Read more

  • Italy: Ciao Bella
    2Fontana del Tritone — Piazza Barberini, Roma.
    Our lunch spot ... one of our favorites in Roma for the food and local ambiance.Delicious lunch at Hostaria Romana — Roma, Italy.Galleria Alberto Sordi, named for the actor by the same name, was originally Galleria Colonna — RomaInaugurated in 1922, Galleria Sordi has a beautiful art nouveau style decorative glass ceiling.Crossing the Tevere — Roma, Italy.2Crossing the Tevere — Roma, Italy.The Tevere (Tiber River) from the Trastevere side — Roma, Italy.

    Roma: Repast & Ramble

    July 29 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 97 °F

    After our visit to the Gallerie Nazionali di Arte Antica in 2018, we happened upon a hostaria off on a side street. It was packed. We didn’t have a reservation. But they managed to find us two seats in what we referred to as the ‘dungeon room’ … only because it was at the back of the building and down a couple of stairs. The food was delicious; the ambiance was local. In other words, it was the kind of place we always look for when searching for a place to eat.

    And that’s how Hostaria Romana came to be one of our favorite restaurants in Roma. We’ve since had lunch there every time we’ve been in Roma … except the one time we were in the city on the day the restaurant was closed.

    Though we’ve managed to get in without reservations on previous occasions, this time we decided to be safe rather than sorry. Mui made a reservation for 1:00p, and when we arrived, we were seated at a two-top in the glass-enclosed front room. It didn’t take long for every table to be filled … most with locals.

    We skipped the wine because of the hot temps and ordered water — “frizzante, per favore” — and homemade lemonade.

    Although I knew what I would be ordering, I still perused the menu. That’s how I found a house specialty that I knew Mui would enjoy … ossobucco with mushrooms and peas … a different preparation of the braised veal shank dish. He raved about it throughout the meal and even shared bits with me.

    My choice, as always was, another house specialty that happens to be one of the four pasta dishes that are synonymous with Roma … cacio e pepe … prepared with a type of pasta called tonnarelli. Delicious ... though you have to like black pepper as it is a prominent part of the dish. Yes, I did share with Mui.

    Comfortably sated with our meal — we had a light breakfast this morning just so we would be hungry by lunchtime — we ordered what was described as a ricotta cheesecake … really a ricotta crostata with a layer of wild cherry jam. Yummy … and very light.

    Following our excellent-as-usual lunch, we thanked Ivano — who married into the family that runs Hostaria Romana, and was our host today — and began the second jiggle of our day … which took us across the Tevere (Tiber River) to the neighborhood of Trastevere.    Read more

  • Italy: Ciao Bella
    Palazzo Barberini ... one of two venues of the National Gallery of Antique Art — Roma, Italy.
    View through one of the arches on the ground floor entrance of Palazzo Barberini — Roma, Italy.Ceiling detail from Taddeo Barberini's apartment (nephew of Pope Urban VIII) — Roma, Italy.Ivory chest ... National Gallery of Antique Art — Roma, Italy."Virgin & Child" by Michele Giambono (1450) ... National Gallery of Antique Art — Roma, Italy."Barberini Annunciation" by Filippo Lippi (1440-45) ... National Gallery of Antique Art — Roma.Palazzo Barberini — Roma, Italy.The Bernini square staircase ... Palazzo Barberini — Roma, Italy."Vestal Virgin Tuccia" (Veiled Woman) by Antonio Corradini (1743) ... Nat'l Gallery of Antique Art.Portrait of Henry VIII by Hans Holbein (1540) ... National Gallery of Antique Art — Roma, Italy.Fresco entitled "Triumph of Divine Wisdom" by Andrea Sacchi (1649-30) ... Palazzo Barberini.Frescoed ceiling with pastoral scene in the central medallion ... Palazzo Barberini — Roma, Italy.Bronze (head) and porphyry and serpentine bust of Pope Urban VIII by Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1630-31).Chapel of the Crucifixion ... altar fresco by Pietro da Cortona ... Palazzo Barberini — Roma, Italy.While the Barberini Chapel was designed by Bernini, the dome was painted by Cortona's workshop.Ornate hallway ... Palazzo Barberini — Roma, Italy.Vault painting detail from the ornate hallway ... Palazzo Barberini — Roma, Italy."A Collector's Cabinet" by Frans Francken II Il Giovane (1616) ... National Gallery of Antique Art .Beautifully frescoed ceiling ... Palazzo Barberini. — Roma, Italy.Detail from a ceiling fresco ... Palazzo Barberini — Roma, Italy."St Jerome" by Trophime Bigot (1625) ... master of candlelight effects on different surfaces."Narcissus" attributed to Caravaggio (1597-98) ... National Gallery of Antique Art — Roma, Italy.2"Woman in Blue Reading a Letter" by Johannes Vermeer (1662-64) ... National Gallery of Antique Art.Van Gogh's impression of Vermeer & Woman in Blue Reading a Letter ... Nat'l Gallery of Antique Art.Pietro da Cortona Salon ... Palazzo Barberini — Roma, Italy."Triumph of Divine Providence" ceiling fresco in the Pietro da Cortona Salon ... Palazzo Barberini.Hercules drives off the Harpies; Justice & Plenty aid the beggars ... "Triumph of Divine Providence"Sketches used to create the 17th century tapestries by the Barberini Tapestry Factory (1625-1680).Sketch for a Barberini workshop tapestry depicting the Consecration of St. Peter's Basilica.Ornate door handle ... Palazzo Barberini — Roma, Italy.Sketch for the Constantine series of tapestries ... depicting Constantine destroying pagan idols.Sketch for the Constantine series of tapestries ... depicting Constantine fighting the lion.Shoes that were a symbol of identity, seduction, domination, and elevation — Roma, Italy.Gilded oriental panels ... Palazzo Barberini — Roma, Italy.Looking up into a crystal chandelier and ceiling medallion — Palazzo Barberini.Supports (hand/finngers) indicate Bernini did not finish the bust of Pope Clement X Altieri."Finding of Moses" fresco by Rominelli ... Palazzo Barberini — Roma, Italy."Venice with the Rialto Bridge" by Canaletto (1735-40) ... Palazzo Barberini — Roma, Italy.Borromini's oval staircase; tight, helicodal shape; in stark contrast to Bellini's square staircase.Palazzo Barberini — Roma, Italy.

    Roma: Palazzo Barberini … Woman in Blue

    July 29 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 93 °F

    It was nearly 1:00a when we got back to the apartment from the opera last night. Mui was in bed within minutes of returning. Not me. A-buzz with the excitement of the performance, it took me awhile to wind down.

    Hence, a short night for me. “No problem,” I figured. The only thing on the calendar for our second full day in Roma was lunch … at 1:00p. We’d sleep in, relax, and then head out with enough time to make our reservation.

    A fine and dandy plan. Except that before I turned in, I came across a promotional list of current events and activities in Roma. The dates for most of the things on the list did not work with our schedule. But one did. So, no sleeping in and relaxing this morning.

    With a jiggle added to our day, we had breakfast and then headed off to Palazzo Barberini … one of the two venues of Roma’s Gallerie Nazionali di Arte Antica (National Gallery of Antique Art). We didn’t know it when we set out this morning, but as it turns out, we’d also be visiting the other venue. So, I guess you could say that we jiggled our plans twice today.

    Anyway, we knew exactly how to get to Palazzo Barberini since we had visited the gallery in 2018. Coincidentally, that visit also followed a musical performance that let out after midnight! Two metro rides — changing from one line to the other at Termini — put us at Piazza Barberini. From there, it was a short walk to the palazzo, which is said to be the prototypical Baroque palace.

    The building was commissioned by Pope Urban VIII Barberini as a family residence. Three of the most important architects of the 17th century had a hand in the design … of whom I only knew the name of Gian Lorenzo Bernini. The interior decorations were a work in progress through the middle of the 18th century. In 1953, the palazzo became the second venue for the National Gallery of Antique Art … featuring works from Italy and Europe that date from 1200 to 1700.

    Once we purchased our admission — €15/adult (no senior rate) — we explored the various rooms. Not much of the art looked familiar. That came as a surprise since we’d been to this gallery before. Then I remembered that the rooms on the second floor had been closed in 2018 to reorganize the exhibited works, so we didn’t see everything at that time.

    So, for all intents and purposes, this turned out to be a new-to-us gallery visit. With a bonus. We got to see Johannes Vermeer’s “Donna in blu che legge una lettera” (Woman in Blue Reading a Letter) … the painting on loan from the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam … which is what we came to see in the first place!

    P.S. You’ll notice in the photos that I focused a great deal on architectural details/ceiling frescos. The art, with few exceptions, was mostly religious in nature. Thus, my attention wandered quite a bit.    Read more

  • Italy: Ciao Bella
    Circo Massimo ... 2800 years of spectacle — Roma, Italy.
    Circo Massimo ... Torre della Moletta sits inside the site — Roma, Italy.The opera stage is at the far end of Circo Massimo — Roma, Italy.Sunset on our way to the opera ... Circo Massimo — Roma Italy.Teatro dell’Opera di Roma at Circo Massimo — Roma, Italy.Promo of Aida on the big screen at Teatro dell’Opera di Roma at Circo Massimo — Roma, Italy.Triumphant Return ... Aida ... Teatro dell’Opera di Roma at Circo Massimo — Roma, Italy.Aida ... Teatro dell’Opera di Roma at Circo Massimo — Roma, Italy.Radamès accidentally revealing a secret military route to the King of Ethiopia ... Aida.Radamès being condemned to death for treason ... Aida ... Teatro dell’Opera di Roma at Circo MassimoScenes from Aida ... Teatro dell’Opera di Roma at Circo Massimo — Roma, Italy.Members of the dance troupe taking a bow ... Aida ... Teatro dell’Opera di Roma at Circo Massimo.The principals of the cast taking a bow ... Aida ... Teatro dell’Opera di Roma at Circo Massimo.The principals and the conductor taking a bow ... Aida ... Teatro dell’Opera di Roma @ Circo Massimo

    Roma: Which Opera?

    July 28 in Italy ⋅ 🌙 86 °F

    And the answer is … Aida … the tragic opera by Giuseppe Verdi, which appropriately debuted in Cairo … in 1871.

    Our opera outing was another ‘bambino memory journey’ for Mui.

    Back in the 1960s, he’d gone with his mom, aunt, and sister to see this very opera … performed amongst the ruins of the Baths of Caracalla. The memories that stood out for him were the scenes of the triumphant return of the Egyptian army. And more so, the white horses that came galloping on stage towards the audience … reined in at the last minute to the accompaniment of gasps from the people sitting near the stage. He didn’t remember that elephants came lumbering onto the stage as well … until his sister recently reminded him.

    Mui has one more memory from that evening … but I’ll reveal that at the end of this footprint.

    Aida continues to be performed at the ruins of the Baths of Caracalla. However, that venue is closed for restoration now, so Teatro dell’Opera di Roma had to move to a new venue … Circo Massimo … the site of spectacles for 2,800 years!

    And now you know why we booked the apartment at which we are staying on this trip … convenience, convenience, convenience. That we could walk to and from the opera tonight … well, that was priceless.

    Anyway, our decision to see Aida in Roma came about when we were in Türkiye in June. Mui saw a promotional notice for it, and the rest is history.

    We researched the seating chart for the venue at Circo Massimo before purchasing our tickets for the last performance of the season … opting for row 15 … the first row after the first aisle … primarily because we’d read that the first section was flat. Turns out that it isn’t … there is a slight incline. But the aisle provided a slight advantage for me, the shortie, so we were happy with our seats … except for when the ‘baldy’ in the last row of the first section raised his arm — repeatedly — to rub his baldpate like it was the tummy of Buddha!

    The opera is in Italian, of course, but there were large screens on either side of the stage where the lyrics were displayed in English as well as Italian. Though I knew the story, it was nice to understand the gist of what was being sung.

    The days of true stage spectacles are gone it seems. At least in this case. No elaborate sets … the changing scenes are projected onto the panels at the back of the stage … more to reflect the ambiance of the moment. No horses rushing onto stage … no elephants joining them either. That said, the triumphal scene had something like 150 actors, dancers, chorus members, trumpeters on stage in addition to the main cast, so it was pretty impressive.

    Did this more modern presentation of the opera detract from our evening? No. The music was wonderful … the singing beautiful. And unlike the time Mui took his mom to see Aida in Paris, the story had not been modernized to the 21st century and the costumes fit the period in which the story is set.

    Speaking of the story, you can Google it for an in depth version. In the meantime, here’s a quick recap.

    Aida is an enslaved Ethiopian Princess in the service of Amneris, the Egyptian Princess. She and Radamès, the Egyptian military commander deeply love each other. Princess Amneris also loves Radamès and suspects that he cares for Aida.

    When war breaks out between Egypt and Ethiopia, Radamès is chosen to lead the Egyptian army, leaving Aida torn between her love for him and her homeland. Radamès returns victorious, bringing Ethiopian prisoners, including King Amonasro, Aida's father … who is in disguise. The King of Egypt grants Radamès's wish to free the prisoners. As an additional reward, the King also decrees that Radamès will marry Princess Amneris.

    Desperate to flee so they can be together, Aida and Radamès meet secretly. Tricked by Aida's father, Radamès unintentionally reveals a secret military route. He can’t forgive himself for being a traitor … though it is unintentional. He does not try to clear his name, and accepts the judgment of the priests that he be condemned to death by being buried alive. Unwilling to live without Radamès, Aida hides inside the sealed stone tomb to die alongside him, and the two lovers pass away together in each other's arms.

    I did say that it was a tragic opera.

    Oh, yes. Mui’s other memory from his first Aida experience.

    They were returning home after the performance when they walked past some women. When 8-year-old Mui asked his mom who they were, she was at a loss as to how to explain that they were prostitutes. His aunt stepped in and told him they were “buonasera teyzeler” … buonasera = good evening in Italian; teyzeler = aunts in Turkish!!!

    No, we did not see any “buonasera teyzeler” on the way home tonight 😂.    Read more

  • Italy: Ciao Bella
    Running track near the ruins of the Baths of Caracalla — Roma, Italy.
    Glimpse of the ruins of the Baths of Caracalla ... restoration work is underway — Roma, Italy.Ash cicada Mui almost squashed when he went to lean on a tree; no worries, the bug is alive & well.Glimpse of the ruins of the Baths of Caracalla from Via Antonina — Roma, Italy.Clementino ... our lunch spot on Largo del Tritone — Roma, Italy.2Clementino ... delicious lunch — Roma, Italy.Mosaic mural inside the Spagna Metro Station — Roma, Italy.Mosaic mural inside the Spagna Metro Station — Roma, Italy.Mural at the Circo Massimo metro station ... celebrating the 80th anniversary of FAO — Roma.1The shoes that begged to come home with me 🤣 — Roma, Italy.

    Roma: Food & Footwear

    July 28 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 97 °F

    The original plan after our visit to the FAO MuNe was to return to the apartment … and stay there until it was time to leave for the opera. Instead, we decided to add a jiggle.

    I’ve been on the hunt for some comfy, yet stylish, white footwear. No luck in Bologna. Continuing the search in Roma, we figured, would increase my chances of finding what I was looking for. We knew there was a Vivaia shop in Roma — one of only two in Italy … the other one in Milano — it made sense to check it out. And that’s how we ended up in the neighborhood of our old haunts from previous stays in Roma.

    First, a quick stop at the apartment to re-fill our water bottles and add electrolyte packs to replenish the fluids we had already lost through copious amounts of sweat. Then, we went down the steps to the metro entrance in front of our building. We hopped on the train in the direction of Termini … and hopped off at the Cavour Station.

    From there, it was a rather long and hot walk. Luckily there was plenty of shade to take advantage of and a traffic tunnel that afforded the occasional breeze from vehicles passing by at speed. Not that it was ‘chill’ in the shade, but every means of dropping the broiling temperature down a degree or two was welcome. The handheld fan I picked up in Japan in 2023 got a workout today!

    When we arrived at Via del Tritóne, we decided to take a break and stop for lunch. Spying a place called Clementino nearby, we decided that it would do. We knew nothing of this restaurant — except that the ambiance reminded us of the old world charm of the Old Ebbitt Grill in Washington, DC. And it had a good star rating and reviews when we checked online.

    Excellent choice. The service was attentive; the food delicious; and the A/C was providing the right amount of cooling comfort. In really hot weather, we skip wine, so fizzy water and lemonade were our beverages of choice. I ordered a spinach salad … light and perfect for a summer day. Mui ordered the calamari … perfect texture. We shared both plates … as well as the mango sorbet served with panna in what the menu described as a wafer, but was more like a crispy, caramelized tuile shaped like a basket … delicious, refreshing, and beautiful presentation.

    Our tummies sated, we continued our walk to complete the shopping portion of our day. We stopped in at La Rinascente to check out their footwear department … nope, not spending €750 for a pair of sandals … Ferragamo or not! But the A/C was a welcome respite. We continued on … stopping it at other shoe stores … for ‘A/C shopping’ the displays inside. Nothing! Nada!

    Our actual destination was Via Frattina, a narrow street that branches off from Piazza di Spagna. The Vivaia store had a good selection of shoes … no white ones that fit my requirements, however, so the search continues. But I did find a couple of other pairs on sale that begged to go home with me 😂.

    Totally drained by this time, we walked back to Piazza di Espagna. It was packed with tourists from all around the world, standing under the broiling sun to take photos of the Spanish Steps. The smart ones had hats on or were using umbrellas to provide their own shade … yet others were sitting around Fontana della Barcaccia, the Baroque fountain in front of the steps, their feet in the water.

    We didn’t dally. We hotfooted it through the crowd to the Spagna Metro Station … hopped on the blue line in the direction of Battistini and switched to the orange line at Termini for the short ride to Circo Massimo.

    Time to rehydrate … rest … and relax before our opera outing.    Read more

  • Italy: Ciao Bella
    Mui with the FAO HQ where MuNe is located ... before crossing over from the apartment.
    Welcome to the FAO MuNe — Roma.In the lobby outside MuNe ... at the FAO HQ — Roma.Virtual welcome to MuNe ... at the FAO HQ — Roma.Collection of photographs showing some of the FAO projects ... MuNe — Roma.Jeju Haenyeo represents a 1000 y.o. fishing tradition practiced by women divers on Jeju Island.A page from Ippolito Salviani's groundbreaking work on the history of aquatic animals.Tree of Knowledge; dynamic symbol illustrating how culture and learning shape future generations.Traditional Uzbek tandyr; clay oven central to Uzbek cuisine for bread and stuffed pastries — MuNe.Traditional atlas and adras silk textiles embody the living heritage of Uzbek silk-weaving — MuNe.2Issued for the UN observance, this is a €5 limited coin — MuNe, Roma.One of several posters promoting special FAO sponsored events — MuNe, Roma.3D printed model of a fish smoking and drying method ... FAO-Thiaroye Processing Technique.1"Food in Hand, Calm in Mind" embroidery from the Hubei Province of China — MuNe, Roma.What we wear has an impact on the environment and people, just like what we eat — MuNe, Roma.From Slovakia; features folk and agricultural motifs — MuNe, Roma.4Made by a FAO GIAHS site in China; the 80th anniversary plate is inlaid with 10,000+ local pearls.1A carved ebony canoe figurehead representing ancestral deities ... from the Solomon Islands — MuNe.Knowledge in Bloom; a Hortus Wall; brings to life a rare 18th century Italian botanical masterpiece.Bill Reid silk screen print; representing the killer whale; Haida symbology — MuNe, Roma.A publication celebrating the International Year of the Woman Farmer; bridging a century of history.FAO's celebrated David Lubin Memorial Libraryhas some 1.5 million volumes in its collection.Russian peasant costume reflecting agrarian heritage & women's artistry dating to the 12th century.Presented by Pope Leo; reproduction of an illustrated pharmacopoeia manuscript dated to 1400.2Khökhüüri to churn fermented mare's milk (L); dairy bucket; & horse saddle ... presented by MongoliaKamdhenu Cow w/Calf; symbol of nurturing animals in rural communities & practice of organic farming."Living Heritage" ... Journey around the world in three minutes ... an immersive experience — MuNe.Screenshots from "Living Heritage" ... Journey around the world in three minutes — MuNe, Roma.The Vine; each leaf releases its natural tannins, imprinting itself on the fabric; by Chiara Camoni.3FAO & Italy Room — MuNe, Roma.Screenshots from multimedia presentation on FAO — MuNe, Roma.1Close to the Edge; balance is not stillness, but a constant search for harmony b/w opposing forces.Mountain Elm: branches for grazing animals; wood & furniture for domestic life.The "Hope" room offers Indigenous Peoples a platform to share their stories on their own terms.Replica of 11th century Agriculture Romanesque calendar of the Museum of St Isidoro of León."Maize is Our Plumb Line" (Betsabeé Romero) ... to guide us back to our roots.1Creating the Third Paradise; Pistoletto; poplar wood = balance & birth ➡️ conscious dialogue.Green Vestige; body becomes both landscape & memory; nature is not an ornament, but a symbol — MuNe.1A 22-year old Turkish woman who went into beekeeping ... FAO's Food Heroes exhibit — MuNe.2Fish waste to fashion; from Cabo Verde; bags crafted using sustainable fish leather.Woven art from Lesotho — MuNe, Roma.1Visitors can attach their names/images to various causes; we chose "save water" — MuNe, Roma.

    Roma: FAO MuNe

    July 28 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 91 °F

    A good night’s sleep in air conditioned comfort! Blissful!

    With our tour scheduled for 11:15a, we had an easy morning at home, relaxing after breakfast and mentally preparing ourselves to step into the ‘oven’ … to go out, that is.

    The good news? We didn’t have far to go. Our tour was at the FAO MuNe (Food and Agriculture Organization Museum & Network) … practically across the street and around the corner from the apartment.

    I’ve mentioned previously that Mui lived in Roma when he was a bambino. What brought the family here was his father’s job at the FAO HQ … he was an agricultural engineer. When Mui took his mother to Italy for a week in 2018, they tried to visit the FAO building … to no avail. Times had changed and places you could freely enter back in the 1960s, now sat behind secure fences that allowed entrance only to those who had a need to be there. That is still the case today.

    When we found mention of a FAO tour during our trip prep, however, Mui’s hopes were raised that he’d be able to wander the halls he’d walked with his father back in the day … maybe have lunch at the terrace café. As it turns out, a minimum of 15 people are needed to organize a tour. We didn’t have 13 more people to form a group. As for dining at the café … well, you have to know someone there. We knew no one.

    But, we could go to MuNe … which was inaugurated last year to coincide with the World Food Day and the 80th anniversary of the FAO.

    I’ve been referring to our visit as a tour, but it was more a DIY experience at our own pace, with an escort to and from the museum … who gave us a preamble in front of the wall that outlines the three pillars of the FAO charter in the six official languages of the organization — the eradication of hunger, the elimination of poverty, and the sustainable management of natural resources. That this oldest of the United Nation’s agencies has its work cut out for itself goes without saying.

    The website describes MuNe as “… a journey through art, nature, and culture to explore the past, present and future of food and agriculture.” Reservations are required … free. This ensures that there are no more than 30 people inside during any time slot.

    We were lucky in that we were the only two in our 11:15a slot … which gave us a head start over some of the larger groups that followed. Most were in and out of the rooms quickly. Our pace was such that a volunteer had to remind us that the museum would be “… closing in 10 minutes … at 1:00p.” Luckily, we had just one room left to go 😃.

    There’s a lot to see and do at MuNe … reading info panels; watching multimedia presentations; checking out interactive displays and ‘virtually’ flipping through old manuscripts; enjoying an eclectic collection of art donated by member nations.

    We also spent quite a bit of time at the immersive experience that was opened just a week ago. Designed as a way to discover FAO's Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS), the experience is an “… audiovisual journey across living agricultural landscapes and traditions. …” It’s not unlike the immersive art exhibits we’ve gone through over the years … images displayed on the walls and floor of a room where one can sit or stand and let the visuals and narration/music tell the story.

    I wasn’t sure what to exactly expect when I agreed to accompany Mui to the FAO MuNe. It turned out to be a great experience.

    For anyone interested in more information: https://www.fao.org/museum-network/en.    Read more

  • Italy: Ciao Bella
    1Mui had a canine companion sleeping in the aisle next to his seat — Aboard Frecciarossa to Roma.
    Porta Maggiore, built in 52 AD by Emperor Claudius ... as the train approaches Roma Termini — Italy.Our apartment in the San Saba neighborhood of Roma — Italy.Our apartment in the San Saba neighborhood of Roma — Italy.Our apartment in the San Saba neighborhood of Roma — Italy.Our apartment in the San Saba neighborhood of Roma — Italy.The view from our apartment in the San Saba neighborhood of Roma — Italy.A glimpse of Circo Massimo from this afternoon's walk — San Saba, Roma.2Honoring Jews arrested and deported to Auschwitz, where they were killed — San Saba, Roma.Pyramid of Caius Cestius & Porta San Paolo (275 AD) ... from Mui's stroll to the supermarket — Roma.Terme di Massenzio on Palatine Hill and pinettas ... our view as night starts to fall — Roma.

    Welcome to Roma

    July 27 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 90 °F

    The train was a few minutes early arriving into Firenze … but also a few minutes late departing. From that point on, we traveled backwards all the way to Roma. So much for checking in advance the direction the seats face!

    Our ride was uneventful. Following a route that went through Pisa, we turned south to travel along cities we’re familiar with … Livorno, Tarquinia, Civitaveccia, and a few others. Glimpses of the Tyrrhenian Sea had Mui remembering visiting the beaches on the coast when he was a child.

    Although there were no stops for passengers to detrain once we left Firenze, we did come to a halt at several points to let trains traveling from the other direction pass us. We made up most of the delays caused by these stops along the way. Nonetheless, we were six minutes late arriving into Roma Termini. No biggie.

    Once we detrained, we made our way underground to the metro station at Piazza dei Cinquecento, directly beneath Termini. Mui had read that you can use ApplePay to purchase your fare, so we did not mess with getting tickets. A quick tap with our phones and the gate to the platform opened like magic.

    We arrived at the platform for Line B just as the metro train in the direction of Laurentina pulled alongside. Excellent. Two stops — Cavour and Colosseo — and we got off at the third one … Circo Massimo. Making our way above ground, Mui was now in familiar territory … right in front of FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization), the United Nations agency where his father worked for several years back when Mui was a bambino.

    A short walk across the road and we were at the apartment we rented for our short stay. Convenient for sure.

    The apartment is well situated for our opera night … just a short walk away. We have a nice view of the ruins of Terme di Massenzio on Palatine Hill — baths for the rich, or so I read … situated so that they could watch the chariot races at Circo Massimo while they bathed. Of course, there are pinettas as well … the umbrella trees we associate with Roma.

    The apartment itself is in need of a good dose of TLC … tender loving care. Overall, it looks worn and dated … though the en suite has obviously been renovated in recent years. While I would not say the place is dirty, more attention to detail by the cleaning crew would not have gone amiss. Will it do for three nights? Yes. But I am glad Mui picked up some paper towels and a multipurpose cleaner so I can give things a quick swipe where necessary.

    We stepped out for a quick wander before calling it done for the day. It was rather hot, and there wasn’t much shade. Our outing was a short one. We circled around Circo Massimo and returned to the apartment.

    Next on Mui’s agenda was a quick shopping trip while I got us settled in. But first, he had to wait for a rep from the management company to show up and check out the A/C … which didn’t seem to be cooling things down as it should. Not sure what all the guy did, but we are comfy now … cool without being cold.

    Except for a tour, the opera, and lunch at one of our favorite restaurants, we have no other planned activities on the calendar for the few days we’ll be here. We’ve been to Roma before … spent 3 weeks here, in fact, in 2015 … and a week in 2019. So, this time around, we’ll let the temperatures dictate what we do … or not.    Read more

  • Italy: Ciao Bella
    2Cappuccino & cornetto ... Dispensa Emilia @ Bologna Centrale.
    2Mui's like a little boy in a candy shop ... oh wait, he is in a candy shop! — Bologna Centrale.Aboard the Frecciarossa train to Roma Termini — Somewhere in Italy en route to Firenze.

    Frecciarossa to Roma

    July 27 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 77 °F

    Yes, we are on the move again.

    But why on earth would we head to Rome now?!? In August of all times!

    It’s the height of tourist season. It’s crowded. It’s hot. And it is going to get swelteringly hot in the days ahead.

    Well, try as we might, the opera company refused to schedule the performance that is the reason for this 3-night trip to a different time of the year. I’m kidding of course. We have no pull with the opera company, so we just had to accept the performance date as scheduled.

    Anyway, we specifically chose a mid-morning train departure from Bologna to coincide with the check-in time for the apartment we reserved through Booking. A relaxing start to our travel day.

    After making sure all the rolling shutters were down, the boiler was turned off, and the electric appliances were all unplugged, we left the apartment around 8:45a. A short walk on a comfortably cool summer morning put us at the Via Farini bus stop … from where we hopped on bus #30 to Bologna Centrale. None of the pay-terminals on the bus were operational, so we got a free ride today … confirmed with the driver just to be sure.

    It was still too early for our train to show on the departures board. We expected that this would be the case, and had planned our morning to give us time to grab a cappuccino & cornetto … this time at Dispensa Emilia. Tummies sated, we stopped in at the OD Store to stock up on Lindt chocolate bars … they have the best prices in Bologna.

    By the time all that was done, our train was listed on the board … with binario 19 showing as the departure platform. We were more or less expecting that we’d be leaving from the underground section of Bologna Centrale. It takes a bit of time to get there … going down elevators and escalators … crossing under the rail tracks. So, we had given ourselves plenty of time to do so.

    The high-speed Frecciarossa train #89123 arrived 15 minutes before the 10:27a scheduled departure. Waiting within the carrozza 5 zone, we had an easy embarkation from the door closest to our seats in row 19.

    An on-time departure from Bologna. And here we are now. Zipping in and out of tunnels, the scenery a blur where we get a chance to see it … on our way to Roma Termini … with a stop in Firenze.

    The train is packed. Some are likely just going to Firenze … others probably staying on until Napoli, where this train terminates. When we booked our tickets, we managed to get two seats that are not part of a booth set-up, so we expect a comfortable trip.

    Now to sit back and enjoy the ride.    Read more

  • Escape the Heat (August ‘26)
    Our itinerary for the NCL Sun cruise.

    NCL Sun: Cha-Ching!

    July 23 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 82 °F

    I haven’t written much thus far about the short cruise we’ve booked on NCL Sun. The lack of words was primarily because until final payment, there was a chance we might cancel for something better. Especially since the ship was experiencing propulsion issues that were heavily impacting the itinerary.

    As it turns out, the issues were resolved by 3 July. Which was a good thing since I found myself with no spare time to research alternatives, so we’re sticking with it.

    The final payment was made today.

    Now that we are locked in, here’s a bit more information.

     We’ll be embarking the Sun on 22 August in Copenhagen; disembarking on 29 August in Helsinki. The cruise is seven days long. No days at sea. Unlike on our Havila voyage, we’ll be calling on just one port each day 😄. Five of the ports are new-to-us … two of them in countries we’ve not traveled to before. Not a bad ratio for such a short cruise. The ports we’ve been to before have plenty of experiences for us to enjoy, so we don’t mind returning.

    When we disembark m/s Havila Castor in Bergen on 19 August, we will fly to Copenhagen for a few days pre-cruise. We have not added post-cruise time when we disembark in Helsinki as we spent about a week in the city before and after our 2014 icebreaker voyage to the North Pole. So straight back to Bologna once we are back on land.

    I still need to do some research on the ports we’ll be visiting. But finding time to do so is at a premium. I have a feeling we just might have to wing it! Any suggestions on things to do would be welcome … leave a comment.    Read more

  • Italy: Ciao Bella

    PdiS Fingerprinting … ✅

    July 21 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 81 °F

    Another step in the formalities for our Permesso di Soggiorno application is completed!

    This morning we went back to the Questura in Bologna to be fingerprinted.

    We arrived early, so had a bit of a wait. Nonetheless, we were done and on our way back before our actual appointment times of 11:05a and 11:10a. Once our names were called by the fingerprinting tech, it took about 2 minutes each for the process to be completed.

    The tech had no clue how long it might take for our cards to be ready. “Above my pay grade,” was essentially what he said. Someone else working at the Questura said the average is 8-9 months.

    So, now we wait!

    In the meantime, we have a link to check the progress of our application.    Read more

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