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Scandinavia trip
  • Dan Bowen
April 2023

Scandinavia trip

A 15-day adventure by Dan Read more
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  • Trip start
    April 7, 2023
  • Dan BowenScandinavia tripTraveler

    St Pancras to Brussels-Midi

    April 7, 2023 in Belgium ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    The new Eurostar trains are terrific. The (rather light) vegan 'meal' was at least tasty and balanced. Well seasoned grains and seeds with slices of butternut squash lightly spiced with cinnamon, followed by fruit and coffee.

    It is a ahame my first visit to Brussels was only 20 minutes long; easily enough time to get over to the international ICE train on the next platform though.

    The train was a decent vantage point to catch a glimpse of the 'Lombard' building with its large billboard of Tin Tin and Snowy pitched on top. Starting to get into the swing of 'ride by tourism' for this trip.    Read more

  • Dan BowenScandinavia tripTraveler

    Late lunch in Cologne

    April 7, 2023 in Germany ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    My late stop in Cologne, necessitated by the need to get a connecting train, doubled as lunch stop and the stage for a series of minor culture shocks.

    The station information was at first glance utterly baffling. Having deduced that displays I had found were showing information only about the immediately adjacent platforms, I went exploring in search of my connecting train. I eventually found displays stating upon which platform various trains can be found are placed only at the station's four entrances, at the very end of the station's dual concourses; less than ideal for making connections. Finding the displays had in any case been an exercise in futility: the single, non-scrolling screen with capacity to display a dozen or so trains was clogged with six-or-so late trains so my train due in about 45 minutes was nowhere to be seen.

    Having resigned myself to remaining in suspense about which platform I should be on, I went in search of food. The station concourse was awash with bakeries selling delicious looking breads, pretzels and sandwiches - closer inspection revealed tragedy - each and every one was slathered in cheese. A closer reconnaissance of the offerings did turn up an intriguing looking bagel and an avocado sandwich; the Eurostar 'meal' having amounting to a meer morsel, I naturally got one of each.

    The station itself was absolutely bustling, perhaps as a consequence of the bank holiday and populated with a very energetic group of beggars (but as heartbreaking as anywhere else you find people begging). Every platform was perpetually crowded, such that one had to weave or retrace one's steps to progress along its length.

    The trains themselves came in all varieties, small commuter electric multiple units, inter city trains with power cars and double decker carriages and the sleek ICE high speed trains. The numbering convention for carriages wasn't very clear, but it appeared that to reduce confusion between trains each service has unique carriage numbers (I was in car 264 of a train I am certain had far fewer carriages than that).

    When my train arrived I was surprised to see that, in contrast to the matrix displays on most every other, it displayed paper carriage numbers and each seat carried a paper slip to indicate if it was booked. Beyond that it gave little sign of its relatively advanced age; as smartly appointed and quiet as any I've ridden. Most importantly it's huge windows have a great view of Cologne's central cathedral and the Rhein river as we headed toward Dusseldorf.    Read more

  • Dan BowenScandinavia tripTraveler

    Hamburg

    April 7, 2023 in Germany ⋅ ☁️ 5 °C

    In Southern Germany, as we travelled along the Rhine the country had appeared to be an unending conurbation. As we headed further north however, woodlands and farmland replaced the omnipresent giant Mercedes logos and concrete. Dome shaped silos that reminded me of the original 'Command & Conquer' and the long

    With the change in scenery came a restoration of good weather. From Brussels to Düsseldorf the weather had been rather grotty, with a leaden sky and dull rain present. As we progressed the sky turned first to a quilt of friendly white clouds with seams of blue, then returned to the clear azure skies of that morning.

    The train's huge windows offered a great view of the sunset, before we eventually arrived at Hamburg. Arriving in the dark, the station's first impression was of modern design with its large elevated concourse, but this was soon revealed to be in a cavernous Victorian age iron framed canopy. I met a homeless man who asked for some food and drink, which I supplied before taking the short walk to my hotel.

    Novum hotel provided a basic but pleasant enough little room, which the first physical hotel room key I've had in over 15 years. I justified bringing so much computing gear by connecting up to the TV to stream Picard before turning in.    Read more

  • Dan BowenScandinavia tripTraveler

    Nykøbing Falster

    April 8, 2023 in Denmark ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C

    Whilst I'm unsure about the luck:judgement ratio, I figured out German rail replacement buses sufficiently to make my way further North (though not with as much time to spare as I might have liked). Whilst I'm not usually fond of replacement bus services using this one did let me see the experimental lorry pantographs that Germany are trialing. If successful it will allow electric lorries to be lighter, have less down-time and use fewer rare earth metals in their construction.

    As we travelled north through this delightful, forested part of Europe the cloud ceiling remained low, merging with ground fog. Wind farms could be partially seen in the mist; the lowest blade of each turbine peeking through into the visible world like the sweeps of some great galley piercing an ocean of cloud.

    I had expected to enter a tunnel or bridge to cross the straight, but when the bus parked up by the Baltic shore, it dawned on me that the crossing was in fact a ferry (which also takes the trains). We travelled in Danish flagged MF Princesse Benedikt, one of a fleet of hybrid ferries that ply back and forth along the 45 minute route between Denmark and Germany. A modest improvement in visibility was such that the German coast seemed to fade in symmetry with the appearing Danish: the moment the view of one crystallized the other finally disappeared.

    A short push on to the town of Nykøbing Falster; we arrived earlier than scheduled which gave time for a look around the town. The area around the station didn't look particularly appealing, but two minutes walk into the town revealed pedestrianised cobbled streets lined with cafes and boutique shops in traditional looking buildings. The streets opened periodically into squares and plazas; one contained a gnarled tree that made me think of Yggdrasil, the world tree.    Read more

  • Dan BowenScandinavia tripTraveler

    Copenhagen

    April 8, 2023 in Denmark ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    I stepped out the Copenhagen central railway station, to be immediately faced with the intriguing looking ‘Trivoli Gardens’ - which I later learned is the world’s second oldest amusement park. Encumbered as I was with my bag, I started walking towards the downtown and (even) more historic areas of the city heading vaguely towards some of the green spaces marked on the map. During the stop in Nykøbing Falster the weather had turned bright and warm; in consequence I soon encountered throngs of people who had come out to enjoy it.

    The time pushing well into the afternoon, I picked up lunch at ‘Vital Foods’ - a lovely and clearly very popular all vegan place in the main shopping area of town. Having collected a jackfruit chipotle burrito  and delightful still lemonade (along with a miso ‘ceaser’ salad for later) I pressed on to the park. I found a spot in the sun and sat up against a tree to eat and read the first chapter of the new(ish) Alistair Reynolds (it being about a voyage along the coast of Norway now seemed like a good time to start).

    I wound through various parks and gardens to my hotel for the 15:00 check in time, so that I could dump my modestly sized but still encumbering backpack and get to proper exploring. The hotel has a smart, urban feel to it and was very comfortable, but I was keen to make what I could of the rest of the afternoon. I packed my day sack with a rain jacket incase the weather altered, then changed into my shorts, and plimsoles (my feet which had remained in heavy walking boots for a few days were very grateful for this).    Read more

  • Dan BowenScandinavia tripTraveler

    Exploring & Museum of Danish resistance

    April 8, 2023 in Denmark ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    A brisk walk through Copenhagens delightful, eclectic buildings brought me to the Museum of Danish resistance, a neat little structure with a rusted industrial quality near the harbour. The exhibits are all on dimly lit basement levels, giving the whole exhibition an appropriately claustrophobic feel - literally going underground to learn about an underground. The chronologically ordered exhibits are well curated, with all manner of multi-media elements alongside carefully chosen, often poignant artefacts.

    Among the exhibits are concentration camp uniforms marked with the star of David to mark Jews or the red oblong marking political prisoners (particularly communists). Other cases contained the clothing of resistance members - still showing the holes made by the bullets that killed their owners. A display on Danish sailors who took their ships to join allied merchant navies or signed on with the Royal Navy caught my eye; it included four British service medals: the Atlantic Star, Pacific Star, Africa Star and Italy star awarded to Danes for their service with Britain in those theatres of war. Only the Arctic Star (created retroactively only about 10 years ago) was missing.

    I stayed until the museum’s 17:00 closing time, and then headed to the famous statue of the little mermaid from Hans Christian Andersen’s novel. It was predictably crowded with people seeking a selfie and I felt no particular desire to trade my currently good mood for the agitation of queueing, so strolled north along the harbour side with no particular destination in mind. The city seemed very empty, I have no idea what this part of town is actually called but I thought of it as ‘the ghost quarter’ because it was like a ghost town (albeit one with beautiful marinas and public art) - cruise ships dock in this area, so it is probably very different if one is in port.

    I spent about an hour wandering a beautiful part of town with barely a soul around, before pushing backwards the centre of town. I spied a lady wearing the emblem of the Sea Shepherds conservation society, which I imagine is a bolder move than it would be at home given the cultural attachment to fish etc in this part of the world. Sadly, a Google maps hit for vegan waffles turned out to be a false promise, but I found an adequate bite on my way back to to the hotel for the evening.    Read more

  • Dan BowenScandinavia tripTraveler

    Copenhagen Skyline

    April 9, 2023 in Denmark ⋅ ⛅ 4 °C

    The Scandic Norreport, followed the pattern of others in the chain by having a rooftop restaurant with a terrace. I was was first in for breakfast at 07:00 and had a lovely mixed beans in tomato sauce (apparently this place is a cut above a can of Heinz), chia pudding and fresh bread.

    I finished with a second cup of coffee out on the terrace; it was a cool morning (around 3 or 4 celsius indicated) but the crisp low humidity of the Baltic and lightness of the breeze deprived the air of any power to chill - no need for my jacket. The city was peaceful early on a bank holiday weekend, and the hotel commanded a good view over its mid-rise towers, punctuated by a few spires and domes.

    I returned to my room, and spent a while catching up on writing for this journal, some work stuff and my miscellaneous side projects (doomed by the number and varied nature of their fellows to never be completed). I repacked my bag, dropped it in the luggage room and then headed towards the museum via the canals and royal palace - which you can pass right through.    Read more

  • Dan BowenScandinavia tripTraveler

    National Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen

    April 9, 2023 in Denmark ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C

    The National museum of Denmark has locations around the country; in Copenhagen they have repurposed one of the lesser, former royal palaces to provide exhibition space. Notable displays include early Danish spiritual beliefs and a collection of rune stones.

    Peoples of the world and ethnographic treasures exhibits were fantastic, displaying distinct creations from cultures around the world; Samurai armour from Edo Japan, Polynesian fertility statues and a collection of Indian sari are among the eye-catching displays. Their exhibits on Innuit and Navajo culture in some ways rival those of ‘the Smithsonian Museum of the Native American Indian [SIC]’ in Washington DC; there are many artefacts, including displays of full size canoes, and fascinating titbits about the egalitarian culture of the Navajo similar to those in Washington.

    The centre piece of the museum’s viking exhibit is a frame representing the outline of a full-size viking longship, a few surviving original timbers are fixed in their proper places (perhaps a Danish solution to the ship of Theseus problem). The exhibit opens with an excellent visualisation of how various powers rose and fell during the Viking period - including the various English kingdoms (Wessex, Mercia etc). It closes with a series of short films which tell the story of a great Viking king and his (unsuccessful) quest to raid Rome. Throughout are hundreds of artefacts, many in gold or silver with surprisingly detailed art work and runic designs.

    Some of the more recent (and quirky) exhibits include one on the influence of Japanese culture on late 20th/early 21st century Denmark with a focus on cosplay and manga. Their toys exhibition includes an entire ‘street’ of dolls houses, each exquisitely furnished and lit, their open backs made viewable by placing viewing aisles parallel to the street scene.

    I regretted that I had only a couple of hours to spend in the museum, but it was time to head to the ship.    Read more

  • Dan BowenScandinavia tripTraveler

    MS Pearl Seaways

    April 9, 2023 in Denmark ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    I picked up my bag from the hotel, and took a last walk across Copenhagen. Being Easter Sunday, a lot of businesses were closed so I ended up going more or less directly to the ferry terminal. A 3 meter long lego model of the Jubliee Seaways greets passengers at the terminal- a 1/4 scale model of the original Jubilee Seaways, world record holder for largest lego ship. Check in was surprisingly quick, so much so that it would be some time before cabins would be ready for passengers, so once I had crossed the gangway onto the ship, I began to explore the various public spaces.

    Decks 7 and 8 are dedicated to restaurants, bars, a cafe, club and large duty free shop. Along the port side of Deck 8 cased models of the vessel’s various predecessors on the Copenhagen-Oslo route are displayed. Most of the outside deck space is at the very top of the ship (on decks 11 and 12). I found a spot outside at the aft end of deck 11 to sit and eat some lunch, enjoying the cloud diffused sun. A crew member was using a power sander to restore the finish on the tables in this area, but thankfully noise cancelling earphones reduced it from intolerable to barely inconvenient.

    A quarter of an hour before departure I headed below to stow my bag in my cabin, which was compact but comfortable and efficiently laid out.    Read more

  • Dan BowenScandinavia tripTraveler

    The Øresund straight

    April 9, 2023 in Sweden ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    I arrived back at the rail on Deck 12 at the exact moment the ship got underway, the wake just beginning to foam between the ship and quayside. As I had expected, with about 16 knots of way on the ship the exposed deck began to feel distinctly chilly so I donned my scarf and jacket. We headed out past the old fortress that once guarded the entrance to Copenhagen’s port, and past the the large wind turbines which stood just off shore onto waters that were calm as a millpond.

    A few small container ships were heading into port - the relatively shallow waters of the Baltic presumably creating a niche for them as coasting vessels that can’t be filled by 'mega' containerships with their deep drafts. One moving quickly into Copenhagen was sitting very high in the water and obviously in ballast - when I looked through my binoculars I saw her name was ‘Star Nina’ - the same sake of the friend I’m on my way to see. Once we were a couple of miles out from shore the crowd that had gathered on deck started to disperse, but the Øresund straight, one of the Denmark straights was something I wanted to see.

    Much to my delight, once we had stood out from Copenhagen, our course took us to the east of the island of Ven (not to the West as the route indicated on Google maps had suggested*). Normal rules of navigation compelled the ship to keep to the starboard (right hand) side of the channel - this placed us on exactly the same track taken by Commodore Hornblower’s squadron in C.S. Forester’s novel ’The Commodore’ (albeit on the opposite - northbound - course and, at nigh on 17 knots, traveling nearly twice as fast as Hornblower’s fictional force).

    Even with binoculars, I couldn’t make out any remnants of the batteries that would have stood on the shores during the Napoleonic era; that didn’t prevent me replaying the events of that endlessly re-read book in my mind as passed the key landmarks. It was easy to imagine Napoleonic cannon wreaking havoc from mounts on the crests of Ven’s relatively high hills, or the dismasted ketch Moth struggling past the low island of Saltholm, which I had just been able to make out far to our south.

    In all, I spent nearly two hours out on deck, punctuated only by a brief dash below to fetch food and place my phone in the warm (as the cold on deck was causing it to lose power). I obtained a surprisingly tasty ‘vegansk sanwich’ before returning with it to the open deck. I sat at the aft end of the ship, reading and munching the sandwich (avocado with tasty pickles on a soft roll whose flavour carried a ciabatta-like hint of olive oil) until the straight was behind us.

    *PSA, do not use Google maps for maritime navigation; Google’s track would have sent our ship aground on the shoals west of Ven. Navigate by novel instead.    Read more

  • Dan BowenScandinavia tripTraveler

    The Kattegat

    April 9, 2023, Skagerrak

    The Oresund straight opens out into the Kattegat, the area of the North Sea that separates Denmark and Sweden. This would be the longest segment of our crossing. I felt my choice of a cabin with a sea view was vindicated; had I not had a window I wouldn’t have spotted the enormous offshore wind farm with over 100 turbines, which prompted me to take another spell on deck. Our passing the wind farm coincided with sunset, 

    With night fallen, vessels (or possibly platforms) passed silently, their red port side lights visible but giving little indication of the types of vessel or structure I was seeing. Around midnight we called at the city of Frederikshavn at the northern end of the Kattegat. The platform that marks the passage through the outer break water was populated by a huge colony of seabirds, illuminated in red by the marker light.

    The port stop was very brief, barely time to embark whatever passengers and cargo were joining; I headed to sleep as the ship headed out across the Skagerrak towards Oslo Fjord.

         Read more

  • Dan BowenScandinavia tripTraveler

    Oslo Fjord

    April 10, 2023 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 3 °C

    When I first awoke, we were still in the Skagerrak, with no land visible outside of my window; by the time I had showered though we had entered Oslo Fjord - the shore rapidly approaching as the channel narrowed.

    I dressed in anticipation of cold and headed up on deck; the water ahead was glassy smooth whilst astern our wake slowly spread until rebounded off the sides of the Fjord. All was quiet in the early light; I could make out another passenger ship in the dawn mist a long way astern, closer at hand were low forested slopes wreathed in patchy clouds like we get in the valleys of South wales. The first snow I had seen this trip lay in patches all the way down the shoreline.

    I used GPS to check our position, and EIS to identify the ship in our wake; she was the Colour Magic, on the Keil-Oslo route. One of the main reasons I chose to travel this route was to see Drøbak Sound (site of a famous battle on the 9th April 1940 - 83 years ago almost to the day); satisfied that it would be some time before we reached Drøbak I headed below for breakfast.

    This was my first occasion to visit the main restaurant, which featured huge windows right at the front of the ship. As is typically the case on Scandinavian vessels, there was lots of meat, fish, cheese and eggs on offer; I managed to satisfy myself with a leisurely breakfast of fresh fruit, delightful fresh baked bread with jam and, most importantly, a pot of coffee.

    When I arrived back on deck, Oscarsborg fortress was just coming into view ahead. Through my binoculars I could just make out the large caliber guns pointed menacingly down the fjord. Those same 11inch guns, already obsolete in 1940, had crippled Blücher, one of the most modern cruisers of world war II with their salvo which commenced the battle Drøbak Sound. As we came alongside the island fortress I saw the command area and rangefinder for the equally ancient, but much more secret torpedo battery that had sealed Blücher’s fate - sending her to the bottom of the sound, with as many as a thousand of the ship’s company and embarked troops. Seeing in the flesh the menace those torpedo tubes (only finally retired in 1993) would pose to a large ship in this narrow passage with no possibility of maneuvering.

    We zigged and zagged through the channel and soon Oslo itself was in view. Colour Magic had maintained a knot or two more speed than us, so she was close astern when we headed into dock.    Read more

  • Dan BowenScandinavia tripTraveler

    Oslo

    April 10, 2023 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C

    I disembarked into a quiet Oslo, very still and mostly closed for the bank holiday Monday. I started a wander to get my bearings, noting the locations of the hotel and Central Station, before making for the royal palace. I passed by the cathedral, the up market shops and strolled through the royal parks before heading down to the harbour.

    I sat and read on a bench in an older part where tall ships were moored (three brigs and three ship-rigged vessels). Wrapped up in my jacket, I enjoyed the cool air and all manner of birds took interest in me once my snacks emerged. After a time I headed past the Nobel peace centre and along the opulent water front; I stumbled on the anchor of Blücher and walked around the Tjuvholmen skulpturpark.    Read more

  • Dan BowenScandinavia tripTraveler

    Akershus fortress

    April 10, 2023 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

    My meanderings then took me to the Akershus fortress - an ancient fortification sat atop one of the few prominences at the shoreline. Approaching from the landward side I noted the minor batteries positioned with the brutal logic of fortifications to enfilade any force attempting to asail the walls. Much like the tower of London, whilst open to the public it is still considered a military fortification; the first sign of this was a pair of soldiers in cam apparently guarding the fortress’ large colour.

    Further along the fortress, at the centre of the concentric fortifications, is the original Akershus castle (which also inspired an attraction at Disney World’s Epcot https://findpenguins.com/3lx1trbrfcwso/footprin… )    Read more

  • Dan BowenScandinavia tripTraveler

    Oslo Central

    April 11, 2023 in Norway ⋅ 🌧 5 °C

    After a quiet evening and morning in with some takeaway street food, I headed out for a walk around the Oslo opera house before my train. It was wet enough that areas of the opera house roof had modest flooding, and the cool air, about five or six Celsius was bracing. The opera house roof offers an excellent view of the harbour; Crown Seaways, sister to Pearl Seaways was berthed at the DFDS terminal.

    I took lunch at the same Afro-Carribbean food stand I gotten my takeaway the previous night; a tasty, but not over spicy, jerk jackfruit with bulgar wheat, a tangy well seasoned salad and plantains. Then it was off to the train station, I took a quick look around the mall of Oslo before heading to the platform. Shunting the train involved some proper old-school railway shenanigans, with a guard stood in the open gangway of the last car to guiding the train to a halt over the radio.    Read more

  • Dan BowenScandinavia tripTraveler

    Olso to Tronheim train

    April 11, 2023 in Norway ⋅ 🌧 6 °C

    The imaginatively named 'F6' train (so close to being a 'refreshing' name) runs direct from Oslo Sentralstasjion to Tronheim Sentralstation making 16 stops on the way: 9 conventional, 4 request stops, two 'boarding only' and one 'disembarking only'. Irritatingly, my rear facing window seat was adjacent to a blank bulkhead rather than an actual window.

    Initially we headed north east so as to head up the Lillehammer side of Mjøse, Norway's largest lake. In the countryside outside of Oslo the snow was mainly just the remnants of drifts, whose concentrated bulk the spring thaw hadn't quite overcome; over the first 90 minutes of the journey this transitioned to an unbroken carpet of snow and most of the lakes were frozen over.

    By the time the train was pulling up the gentle climb out of Lillehammer, the thermometer read 3c. At this point the train began to follow the steep sided valley of the river udbrandsdalslågen - Mjøse's main tributary. Whilst it isn't a particularly wide valley the clouds drifting through it meant the far side was visible only intermittently; at other times smaller whisps of cloud snaked between the trees on the valley sides.

    A little before 18:00 the sun rallied briefly, in an attempt to dispell the clouds; it quickly disappeared below the valley tops (now full mountains, rather than mere hills). A few deer or reindeer could be seen near the track, in groups of six or so, most didn't seem to mind the train, but looked on curiously.

    The railway itself was a curious mix of old and new - Oslo Sentralstasjion is an ultra modern structure, but beyond Olso's commuter belt stations had an almost Victorian quality. Stations had low, exposed platforms and shunting yards and even made use of traditional red danger flags (perhaps more reliable than battery electronics in the cold). Traditional and well kept station houses looked like something out of 'The Railway Children', only the overhead power cables revealing the undeniable modernity of the trains themselves.

    The weather remained various shades and textures of grey through most of the journey, even producing a brief flurry of snow around 19:00. It hadn't dampened the impact of the towering peaks, vast lakes and rushing rivers, even lending them a mysterious quality. Around 6 hours into our not quite 7 hour journey the sky finally turned blue in the failing light, although dark clouds remained on the horizon.    Read more

  • Dan BowenScandinavia tripTraveler

    60 minutes in Trondheim

    April 11, 2023 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C

    I had a short time between trains so gave my self an hour to wander around Trondheim's seafront, marinas and town centre. Whilst it may be my memory and a difference in time of day at fault, the area seemed hugely regenerated since my last brief visit to this part of town over 10 years ago. Mid to high rise buildings adorned with tech and consultancy logos now seemed to dominate, including a marine robotics company whose autonomous boats shared the marina with very expensive looking yachts.

    The town is quaintly lit, with the usual mix of upmarket shops and student focused fast food joints found in these prosperous northern towns.

    As I wandered around the area, I noted the extensive freight sidings associated with the station; at home these have largely become separate facilities from passenger stations. With it's challenging topography, Norway by necessity makes full use of its railways - the cars bear iso containers with the logos of the post service and super market as well as the usual bulk freight companies. The whole area is overlooked by a signal box atop the ultra modern station building, which looks more like an airport control tower than the dilapidated railway infrastructure of stereotype.    Read more

  • Dan BowenScandinavia tripTraveler

    Into the Arctic Circle

    April 12, 2023 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ -2 °C

    The sleeper train departed a few minutes late from Trondheim, heading out on the through line towards the north. The sleeper compartments are efficiently laid out with two bunk bed style berths, a fold out ladder recesses to hang clothes and a sink. The luggage storage is a nook above the corridor, whilst the corridor itself is equipped with fold-down seats, tables and larger windows than the sleeping compartments.

    When I woke up, we were almost precisely on the Arctic circle, the morning had dawned brightly and thick snow covered the landscape. The famous 'E6' Arctic Highway could occasionally be seen far below us at the bottom of the steep valleys the train passed through. The train trundled to a stop occasionally, mostly at halts, without proper platforms or station buildings until we reached Fauske a modest town by a frozen fjord.    Read more

  • Dan BowenScandinavia tripTraveler

    House plants

    April 12, 2023 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 6 °C

    We rolled into Bodø station precisely on time despite a touch of delay on departure. I headed straight up to my friend Nina's place and saw her stood on the balcony.

    Having not seen eachother since 2019 it was great to see Nina again. Ross wouldn't be arriving until late afternoon, but we got straight down to the errands and tasks we had come to help out with. First one was re-potting house plants and assembling flat-pack furniture.

    The flat-pack is a much maligned and often despised type of project; this one stood out from the class as a source of frustration. Joints were out by several millimetres of tolerance, dowels were wrong diameters and holes did not line up - the various pieces apparently having come from different batches or machines that were imprecise.

    Having valiantly successes in not throwing the dratted thing off the balcony, a trip to the garden centre for more supplies and collecting Ross from the airport rounded out the day's progress.    Read more

  • Dan BowenScandinavia tripTraveler

    Bodø harbour

    April 12, 2023 in Norway ⋅ 🌬 7 °C

    We finished the day with pizza at Norwegian pizza chain Peppe's (imagine pizza hut, if it involved some fresh ingredients). A stiff arctic wind had blown up by the evening blasting between buildings and confining small boats to harbour.

    I capped my day's travels with a walk around the harbour and sea wall shortly after sunset. It was pleasant to listen to the harping rigging of the many boats in the marina and feeling the bite of the wind on my face.

    The day finished back in the guest room with Ross watching the latest chapter of the Mandalorian, for this is the Way.    Read more

  • Dan BowenScandinavia tripTraveler

    PC rebuild and sewing

    April 13, 2023 in Norway ⋅ 🌬 8 °C

    Today's main tasks were rebuilding/upgrading Nina's PC, installing a plant hangar and moving some furniture. On the sustainability theme for this trip, I also finished patching my work trousers with my terrible Frankenstein-style hand stitching and the knee from an old pair of mountain biking shorts. This means I'm now ready to start the paining jobs.

    Its been a mostly straight forward day, other than hitting my head repeatedly on that cursed lump of pig iron Nina calls a lampshade; it hangs at precisely the right height to bash me in the temple, and I think has managed to bash most of the circumference of my head.

    Rounded out the day with a walk in the direction of the tip of the peninsula upon which Bodø sits. Bodø is a growing city hemmed in by water and mountains; our walk took us around a relatively new development that built both up and out: tower blocks set on reclaimed land built up from the rocky shoals near the harbour entrance.    Read more

  • Dan BowenScandinavia tripTraveler

    Heating refit part 1

    April 14, 2023 in Norway ⋅ 🌬 6 °C

    With another busy day ahead, the first order of business was to see the latest episode 'Picard'. With the action well and truly dissected and predictions laid for next week it was time for more errands (partly to places we hadn't yet been and partly because we always miss at least one item off our lists). The mountains that frame the town in every direction were almost sparkling in the morning sun as we went about fetching and carrying bulky boxes with new radiators and other supplies.

    The main task in the flat was replacing an electric radiator with a higher efficiency (and more beautiful) unit. We explored the question of 'how many engineers does it take to unplug an appliance' when it turned out the original had been connected with wet paint on its plug, adhering it firmly to the socket. That hurdle overcome, we found that the radiator needed to be in the most awkward spot: directly in front of the main vent. With some modification, in the form of removing the cross brace and adding some quickly made wooden spacers we were able to mount the radiator in front of the vent - but not before it drew at least a little blood of its own.

    This evening it was taco night so as team cook I headed to the kitchen, whilst the other two battled with the tech to get us set up for a movie night. Cooking a spiced dish is a great way to test out how well you apply plasters to the various cuts on your fingers from fitting radiators: based on the burning feeling in those cuts, turns out I suck at it. Having discovered in discussions the previous day that at least one of us hadn't seen various great classics like 'Casablanca', '2001: a Space Odyssey' it was settled that it was my omission that was most egregious and pressing, so our movie was 'Happy Feet', which I had not previously seen.    Read more

  • Dan BowenScandinavia tripTraveler

    Heating refit part II and study part I

    April 15, 2023 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 6 °C

    The day began relatively early with emptying the study for today's jobs which center on the study. The intent was to replace the study's radiator, completing the heating refit; paint a feature wall; replace the light fittings; and wrap the desk to give it a new look.

    Unlike it's living room based cousin, this radiator had the good sense not to be in front of a vent and could be mounted without modification; it was up in a flash. When we popped the can open, the paint was the most separated I've seen; so separated it was probably in a protracted custody battle. Even so, after putting some elbow grease into mixing it, the first coat of paint was applied without issue.

    You might imagine this would start us on a roll... it did not. Vinyl wrap, might have been more aptly named vile wrap; it is a member of the class of inanimate objects that makes you feel like there is a vindictive and stubborn quality to the ways it goes wrong. I would say that trying to wrap the desk left us in a sticky situation, but since the problems were largely caused by the 'self adhesive' film's complete disinterest in adhering to the wooden desk it was more just irritating.

    We'll leave the first attempt overnight to see how it looks but may have to start from scratch tomorrow; it will be a case of double, double toil and trouble - vinyl learn and do not bubble!    Read more

  • Dan BowenScandinavia tripTraveler

    Keiservarden (The Emperor's Cairn)

    April 15, 2023 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

    This afternoon I headed out for an hour or so with Nina's sister, whose acquaintance I made on previous trips. We headed up Keiservarden (roughly translating to the Emperor's Cairn) a 366 meter peak a short way outside Bodø itself. Being a bit more inclined towards outdoorsyness than the friends I'm with it was a great chance for a scenic leg stretch and to catch up with someone I've not seen in years.

    We used a popular trail which starts at about 150meters above sea level. Despite a week of (relatively) warm weather, there was still plenty of snow around, much of it compressed to ice on this popular walking trail. Despite being a fairly experienced hiker, I rarely have to do it on snow, so I was immediately nervous that I would slow down my surefooted Norwegian companion.

    Fortunately the trail had been improved by a team of Nepalese Sherpas for the city's centenary in 2016, so natural stone steps now provide purchase on many steeper sections. Quickly we up the top making small talk as we went. The top, save for the provided walking shelter, gave play to a fierce wind, but offered excellent views in every direction.

    To the south west a clear view of how compact this little city is, and the geography that forces it to be so. To the north west, a great view of Landegode a moderately sized island featuring huge pair of peaks (and site of some of my more precarious Norway adventures in the past). To the south east, across the expanse of the Saltfjord, lies Saltstramen, the world's most powerful maelstrom.    Read more

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