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Europe - Part 1
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  • Blue Brute Adventures

Europe - Part 1

A 150-day adventure by Blue Brute Adventures Read more
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  • Blue Brute AdventuresEurope - Part 1Traveler

    The Coast

    June 29 in Norway ⋅ 🌬 15 °C

    It's time to leave the mountains and head for the coast. We'll be following the coastline for the next couple of thousand kilometres, and there is no better way to start the journey than with Norway's Atlantic Road (Atlanterhavsvegen), where eight spectacular bridges join a series of islands. On the way, we stay at a great fishing campground, complete with a museum, before stopping in Kristiansund. The small city has a lovely waterfront and a great modern cathedral.Read more

  • Blue Brute AdventuresEurope - Part 1Traveler
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    Down Time

    July 2 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    It's time for an admin break, which coincides with our visit to Trondheim, Norway's third largest city. We get an AirBnB, catch up on washing, finances etc, etc, but still have time to explore the town. It's really quite lovely. Nice waterways, churches, pedestrian areas, and history. We even lash out and have a couple of beers at a great brew pub.Read more

  • Blue Brute AdventuresEurope - Part 1Traveler
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    Route 17

    July 5 in Norway ⋅ 🌧 10 °C

    After the big lights of Trondheim we head north, but not via the main route. Rather, we take the amazing Route 17. A road built along the coastline, with countless bridges and seven ferry crossings. We pass stunning coastlines, mountains that rise straight from the sea, glaciers, and too many cute fishing towns to list. Midway along this route we cross the Arctic Circle, and just before its end we encounter the Saltstraume, one the world's strongest tidal bores.Read more

  • Blue Brute AdventuresEurope - Part 1Traveler

    Stunning Lofoten

    July 9 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    One of our key objectives on this trip is the Lofoten Islands. We start by catching the four hour ferry from Bodo to the Southern end of the island chain and visit the stunning towns of A and Reine over the first couple of days. More importantly, on the morning of the second day we complete the hike to Reinebringen, truly one of the world's most stunning hikes. The view from the top, after the 1,500 feet climb up 2,000 stairs, is incredible. And we luck out with the weather. We get a four-hour window of clear weather for the hike - the only good weather for our five days on the island. But, while the bad weather continues to follow us, it only detracts a little from the amazing sights around every bend on our way up the chain of islands.Read more

  • Blue Brute AdventuresEurope - Part 1Traveler

    More of the Same

    July 12 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    After our days on the Lofotens, we catch another ferry (that's nineteen so far on this trip) to the northern neighbour, the Vesteralen Islands. They are no less beautiful, with wonderful little fishing towns and stunning mountains. Unfortunately, the bad weather continues to follow us, and we only manage one hike over the three daysRead more

  • Blue Brute AdventuresEurope - Part 1Traveler

    A Bit of a Disappointment

    July 15 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    After the Vesteralens, we take another ferry to the island of Senja. Also known for its beauty, we had high expectations and a number of hikes lined up for the island. But, it was not to be because the bad weather continues to follow us. We've been reading about heatwaves in Central Europe; but up here, we've had highs of 7-9, winds in excess of 100km/h, and constant showers. We know we should more realistic - we're above the 69th parallel! To put that in perspective, we're over 500 kms north of the Arctic Circle, and if we were at the 69th parallel in the Southern Hemisphere, we'd be standing on Antarctica. So, no hikes, and we hunker down for the evenings, but we still enjoy the scenery.Read more

  • Blue Brute AdventuresEurope - Part 1Traveler
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    A Reprieve and Surprise.

    July 17 in Norway ⋅ 🌧 11 °C

    We planned in advance to have a few days in an AirBnB in Tromso. Some down-time to get on top of admin and spread out for a while. But it was also a welcome reprieve from living in tight conditions in the Troopy in poor weather. We knew it was the central hub for far north Norway, but we were really surprised by its size. It's 2,000 kms north of Oslo, north of Moscow, north of Iceland, and 350km inside the Arctic Circle. In other words, it's a long, long way North. In Australia, we equate remote locations with small populations, but there have been larger than expected communities all the way up the far-north coast of Norway, culminating in Tromso with a population of almost 100,000. So, there is plenty to see walking the streets (in the rain), and there are more than enough expensive pubs to get a beer.Read more

  • Blue Brute AdventuresEurope - Part 1Traveler

    Edging Further North

    July 20 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    As we keep heading north, our Norway ferry-crossing total has reached 20, and the scenery is no less spectacular. Deep blue fjords and snow capped moutains are around each corner. We overnight and resupply at Alta, which claims to be the world's Northern-most city. It's a worthy claim, despite the vagueness around the definition of "city". It's certainly a long way North. It also has another spectacular modern church - the Norwegians must be the world leaders in modern church design.Read more

  • Blue Brute AdventuresEurope - Part 1Traveler

    Almost There

    July 21 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    On our way to Nordkap, we take a diversion to the small fishing town of Havoysund. It's a spectacular drive, and the sun shines for a few hours. Trees are rare this far north, and life is no doubt hard. Reindeers are as common as kangaroos back home.Read more

  • Blue Brute AdventuresEurope - Part 1Traveler
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    We Made It!

    July 22 in Norway ⋅ 🌧 11 °C

    To Nordkapp (North Cape) - as far North as you can get by road in Europe. Sitting above the 71st parallel, it's a long, long way North. Not much there - a rocky, treeless landscape, with 1,000 foot cliffs into the Barents Sea. Weather-wise, we lucked out with the sun shining on us when we arrived (it wasn't 60 minutes before, or after). On the way to the Cape, we called into the fishing town of Honningsvag, where we ran into fellow Troopy owners from Switzerland (who had previously taken their vehicle to Australia).Read more

  • Blue Brute AdventuresEurope - Part 1Traveler
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    Last Stop - Norway

    July 23 in Norway ⋅ 🌬 9 °C

    After Nordkapp, we continue to head East across Northern Norway. Our last stop is the fishing town of Vardo and the remote village of Hamninberg. Vardo has seen better days, but is working hard to revitalise. It has a great memorial to the "witches" burned at the stake in the 16th century, and Russia is less than 50km across the Barents Sea. Hamninberg had been a ghost town for a couple of decades (as part of Norway's push to close down remote communities and relocate the inhabitants to larger towns), but some of the old houses have been purchased and used as remote getaways. The single lane road to the village is fun as long as you don't meet someone coming the other way. For our last couple of days the weather didn't give us a reprieve - cold, windy and raining.Read more

  • Blue Brute AdventuresEurope - Part 1Traveler

    It's Been a While - But a New Flag!

    July 25 in Finland ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

    It's been a great six weeks in Norway, but it's time to move on (and we'd really like to find some decent (summer) weather - to this point of the trip, we've only worn shorts on two days). We cross into Finland in Northern Lapland, and it takes us two long days of driving to get through the region. The rain chases us most of the way, but the temperatures slowly increase. There is little of "tourist" value to see on the way. This region is geared up for winter tourism (northern lights, sleigh trips etc) and the towns are very quiet (everyone has headed south for the summer). We see plenty of lovely rivers and lakes, not to mention pine trees. But we also drop in to the Saariselka Ski Resort and Norway's oldest church is on the wayRead more

  • Blue Brute AdventuresEurope - Part 1Traveler

    Old Finland

    July 28 in Finland ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    We hit the coast again at Oulu, which sits on the North East corner of the Gulf of Bothnia. The coastline is an interesting change from the lakes and pine trees of the interior, and this area is home to many of Finland's oldest communities, complete with their streets of colourful wooden houses. We also manage to find some of the nicest campgrounds we've had in some time, made even better by the continued improvement in the weather.Read more

  • Blue Brute AdventuresEurope - Part 1Traveler

    SW Finland

    July 30 in Finland ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    We continue along the coastal roads of SW Finland past the bays and islands of the Southern Gulf of Bothnia. The towns of Pori, Rauma and Turku have a wonderful historical charm about them, and the coastline is fascinating. Most of these towns are located 5-10km from the shoreline, and significant engineering has been undertaken to maintain the historical ports. But this was not always the case. A few hundred years ago, these towns were at the water's edge. But over that time (and for thousands of years prior to that), the land has been rising, and the water has receded. During the last ice age, this area was covered with up to 3,000m of ice, the incredible weight of which pushed down the earth's crust. After the ice melted and the weight was removed, the land has been slowly "springing" back. In a person's lifetime (even now), the land rises by about a metre. So, what was once coastline a few hundred years ago when these towns were established, is now 5-6 metres above sea level. And we finally have sunsets again (even if they are at about 1100pm).Read more

  • Blue Brute AdventuresEurope - Part 1Traveler

    Scandanavia. Done!

    August 2 in Finland ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    After about eight weeks, we wind up our time in Scandanavia in the Southern Finland coastal town of Porvoo and in Helsinki. Porvoo is a trendy little getaway from the capital, with an old town centre dominated by bars and restaurants. Good for an afternoon of wandering around. We seem to have visited Helsinki so many times over the past few years, that we've already covered most of the tourist sights. But, it provides a good opportunity to prepare the Troopy for the next leg of the journey across the Baltic, and down through Eastern Europe.Read more

  • Blue Brute AdventuresEurope - Part 1Traveler

    The Baltics

    August 4 in Estonia ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    With our 22nd ferry on this trip, we cross the Baltic Sea to Tallinn, Estonia. It's been about 18 years since we were last here, and the walled medieval city is just as appealing as we remembered. And lively. But a lot has been happening around the old city. Impressive redevelopments are everywhere, which are welcome escapes from the tourist crowds that swamp the old city every day.Read more

  • Blue Brute AdventuresEurope - Part 1Traveler

    Rural Estonia

    August 6 in Estonia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    After Tallinn, we head East, paralleling the Baltic to the Lahemaa National Park. A lovely area with some fascinating peat bog swamps and coastal areas. We get our first real sunset in about two months, even if it does come at about 11.00pm. From there, we head South through Central Estonia. It's not quite as affluent as Tallinn, but the towns are nice, often with interesting cobble-stoned centres and the occasional castleRead more

  • Blue Brute AdventuresEurope - Part 1Traveler
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    A Second Row!

    August 8 in Latvia ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    With our crossing into Northern Latvia, the Troopy gets another flag, starting a second row. It's fair to say that it's starting to get some real "street cred" as a well-traveled vehicle. We have a couple of quick stops in the north of the country. The first is at Cesis, which has a great castle and some real charm. The second, after passing through Gauja National Park (Latvia's largest) is Sigulda, which also has a surprisingly "grand" appearance.Read more

  • Blue Brute AdventuresEurope - Part 1Traveler

    Time in the Capital

    August 10 in Latvia ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    We were impressed with Riga last time we visited, and it didn't disappoint this time around. It has a great history mixed with modern development and a vibrant feel. The new library is fantastic and we manage to dodge passing storms as we explore both the old and new city centresRead more

  • Blue Brute AdventuresEurope - Part 1Traveler
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    Family Roots

    August 12 in Latvia ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    After Riga, we head South to visit locations related to Lisa's dad. Her father, and both his parents (and many generations prior to that), come from the Bauska region. Ivar's place of birth doesn't really count as a town (more a farming community), likewise for his mother. But his father, and most of the family come from the town of Bauska. The town is neat and tidy, with an old centre trying (hard, but slowly) to re-establish itself. It does have a great 15th century castle that's well worth a visit, and just outside of town is Rundale Palace, which is quite magnificent (the traditional owners, unfortunately, are no relation to the Secis clan).Read more

  • Blue Brute AdventuresEurope - Part 1Traveler
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    Lithuania's Second City

    August 13 in Lithuania ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    After Latvia, we continue to head South into the final Baltic State, Lithuania. Our first objective is Kaunas, the second largest city in the country. But on the way, we stop briefly at Kryziu Kalnas, the Hill of Crosses. It's a pilgrimage site on a small hill in the middle of farmers' fields. It's a bit eerie, with over 100,000 crosses left by visitors over the past 130 years. After that, it was on to Kaunas, which has one of the best pedestrian malls we've come across, extending for about 2km and connecting the old medieval city to the new city. We're also rewarded with a spectacular sunset. And, or course, another flag for the Troopy.Read more

  • Blue Brute AdventuresEurope - Part 1Traveler

    Vilnius

    August 15 in Lithuania ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Our final stop in the Baltics is Lithuania's capital, Vilnius. The old town makes for an interesting visit, but it is the modern development across the rest of the city that is becoming the identifying factor of this capital. It's neat, clean, lively and organised. It strikes us as a very liveable city.Read more

  • Blue Brute AdventuresEurope - Part 1Traveler

    Warsaw

    August 17 in Poland ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    After Vilnius it's a day of travel to get to the Polish capital. The roads are great, and we make good time. Warsaw is a city going places. The amount of construction within the city is extraordinary. Of course, that's been the case since 1945, when the city was nothing more than rubble. While the Museum of Polish Jews is interesting, the Warsaw Rising Museum is a must for visitors to the city. It provides an amazing amount of information, pictures, videos etc telling the story of the Warsaw Uprising against the Nazis in 1944. This key battle in WWII is not known well enough outside of Poland. We visit the Old City, which really is new, having been rebuilt after 1945, but was carefully reconstructed to look exactly the way it did prior to the war. The new, old city is equally interesting. It seems to be a city heading in the right direction.Read more

  • Blue Brute AdventuresEurope - Part 1Traveler

    Krakow

    August 20 in Poland ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    Poland's second city, Krakow, managed to avoid the complete destruction suffered by Warsaw in WWII. The city square dates back over 500 years, and it's become a lively, popular destination. We encountered more tourists than we had seen for quite some time. But it was certainly worth visiting, as were the famous underground salt mines to the south of the city.Read more

  • Blue Brute AdventuresEurope - Part 1Traveler

    Eastern Czech Republic

    August 22 in Czech Republic ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    It's a matter of selective sightseeing at this point, as we grind through the kms to get back to the English Channel before our permitted 90 days in Europe expires. In addition, we need to get to Prague by the weekend so we can get the Troopy serviced early next week. So there isn't a lot of time to explore the Czech Republic, but we do have a very pleasant afternoon in the medieval town of Olomouc. Plus, another flag!Read more