May 30, 2017

Road trip from Bergen to Oslo, Norway


There is some mountains between Bergen and Oslo.
Some days ago I had a road trip home from Bergen after picking up my wifes new car in Bergen. 
On the photo the last leg before crossing over the mountain range app. Halfway on my way back.
App. Distance Bergen - Oslo 500km


Farm between mountains (in backlight). Borgund, Norway West


After visiting the Tvindefoss waterfall I continued along the highway E16 through one tunnel app 16km and the world longest road tunnel some 24km long. And then coming up this valley leading up to the mountains to be crossed between West and East in Norway.

Going East I had the sun in my back - but stopping for a small walk it was worth turning back and shoot to the west with the backlight there. Again the camera in the iphone6 surprises with an interesting result (with a little help from the PP treatment in the app Camera+

Tvindefoss Watererfall by Voss, Norway


Just by the highway E16 close to Voss in the West part of Norway. 150m high a great view now in May/June when the melting snow contributes to the powerful impression.

I was returning from Bergen where I landed in the morning to pick up the madams new (lightly used) car. The trip back home was app. 500km with an option to spend one night at our mountain place app. Half the way from Bergen to Oslo. BTW a very touristic and popular road trip in Norway.



May 25, 2017

Meet the late Swedish Trubadur Evert Taube in the harbour of Gothenburg. Sweden


Gotenhenburg harbor one of the most busy in Scandinavia. I am not sure why the placed this statue of the in Sweden word famous trubador Evert Taube right here - also close to the Gothenburg Opera building. Here some more from the net:

Evert Axel Taube was a Swedish author, artist, composer and singer (1890-1976). He was born in Gothenburg, and brought up on the island of Vinga, where his father, a ship's captain, was the lighthouse keeper. Taube is best known for his folk songs.
The sculptor was Eino Hanski (1928-2000) and this monument was erected on 10 August 1996 by Västanvind, the Taube Association.
In the background is the barque Viking (see the associated Ships & Harbours web site), and the Göta Älvbron bridge, linking the two halves of Gothenburg.


Gothenburg, Sweden - Åvagen (the river road)


Moody along the Å - the river - in  the city of Gothenburg - close to Svenska Mässan


A fine day for biking in Gothenburg, Sweden


I was coming in to the city of Gothenburg - biking from my camp at Lisebergsbyn. On my way I passed one of the entrances to the big entertainment park: Liseberg.

Later I went down to the harbour and other places of interest in this town next in size next after Stockholm. Biking this day was app. 25km - inclusive a stop for a lunch by the harbour.

Some history from the net:
Gothenburg was founded as a heavily fortified, primarily Dutch, trading colony, by royal charter in 1621 by King Gustavus Adolphus. In addition to the generous privileges (e.g. tax relaxation) given to his Dutch allies from the then-ongoing Thirty Years' War, the king also attracted significant numbers of his German and Scottish allies to populate his only town on the western coast. At a key strategic location at the mouth of the Göta älv, where Scandinavia's largest drainage basin enters the sea, the Port of Gothenburg is now the largest port in the Nordic countries

May 12, 2017

The hanging and freezing Wood Anemone. Østfold. Norway


The month of May have been rather cold up here in Norway. The last two days we even waked up to snow on the ground. No problem to understand the Wood Anemone who will not open their flowers - instead keep them closed like a tent protecting themselves from the uninviting weather.

From the net of Anemone Nemorosa:
Anemone nemorosa is an early-spring flowering plant in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae, native to Europe. Common names include wood anemone, windflower, thimbleweed, and smell fox, an allusion to the musky smell of the leaves. It is a herbaceous perennial plant growing 5–15 centimetres (2–6 in) tall. 

From my forest walk this morning in May I also include a photo of this tiny new branch on a young Spruce fir:

Photos with my iphone 6+

This little branch is also a part of the The taiga, which is also known as the boreal (meaning northern) forest region, occupies about 17 percent of Earth’s land surface area in a circumpolar belt of the far Northern Hemisphere. Northward beyond this limit, the taiga merges into the circumpolar tundra. The taiga is characterized predominantly by a limited number of conifer species—i.e., pine (Pinus), spruce (Picea), larch (Larix), fir (Abies)—and to a lesser degree by some deciduous genera such as birch (Betula) and poplar (Populus). These trees reach the highest latitudes of any trees on Earth. Plants and animals in the taiga are adapted to short growing seasons of long days that vary from cool to warm. Winters are long and very cold, the days are short, and a persistent snowpack is the norm. The taiga biomes of North America and Eurasia display a number of similarities, even sharing some plant and animal species.

May 11, 2017

Another walk along the cliffs by Cap Bear. France Sud


Today another look and walk with a view to the Naval Station and the old lighthouse at Cape Bear, backed by the Mediterranian.  

A most popular area for hiking along the cliffs from Port-Vendres and further to Banyuls sur mer.
This time of the year (springtime) the vegetation is green and the first wild flowers is starting to come.

From France-Voyage.com 
The Lighthouse of the Cap Béar is a monument in the municipality of  Port-Vendres (Pyrénées-OrientalesOccitanie). It is an attraction for holidaymakers staying in the region.