An old lighthouse with a keeper family and a children school: Kjeungskjaer, Norway

Kjeungskjær lighthouse from 1880 is located on an islet off Ørlandet not far from Trondheim in Norway.

Here lived a whole Keeper family with children. Not exactly the worlds playground for the little ones. Own teacher for the children were brought out by boat and she also stayed there intermittently.

The lighthouse is 20.6 meters high.
The lighthouse was automatized in 1987. Today it is also for rent by Kjeungen Kystlag.

Going out from Trondheim with the coast express you will pass this lighthouse after a couple of hours.
As I did this day in January on my way north to the North Cape.

See the complete album from the TOUR to North Cape in Artic Norway >>

Under: A closer look to this lighthouse:

Night by Nidelva, Trondheim, Norway

Only 4.45PM and winter darkness along the shores of the river Nidelva. On my way North to North Cape this was my first stop in Trondheim - the capitol of mid Norway.

See the complete album from the TOUR to North Cape in Artic Norway here >>

Under: Another winter afternoon photo from Trondheim:

Theater Concert: Gasolin, Aarhus, Denmark

Aarhus, an interesting town to visit with lots of culture activities and events going on.

Here we are enjoying a great rocking theater-concert in the fine old Aarhus Theater a cold January evening.

For a live example cut of the performance see my Youtube Video right here (BTW: also filmed with my Lumix GX7):

Find under another photo from the fantastic theater concert in Aarhus:

Night in the Åboulevarden - the pedestrian street in Aarhus, Denmark

Aarhus, an interesting town to visit with lots of well conserved old buildings etc. in the core of the city.
Here we are taking an evening walk in the popular Åboulevard - a pedestrian street along the river/canal.

Below a morning vista to the town from the breakfast room at the 10th floor in Atlantic Hotel :

With the back to: Skagen - the end of Denmark III

The last photo in this series from Skagen. To day looking to a little creek more South - with the back to the sea...

Look to a map of Denmark and you will see that it's Northernmost ending looks like a finger pointing towards Sweden.

It all ends in a tiny small sandbank where the 2 seas the Skagerrak and Kattegat meet.

It is a fascinating experience to stand on the tip of Jutland and the European mainland and watch the waves from the two seas beat together and break the Skaw Reef.

Below - another version looking out to the Skaw Reef:

Skagen - the end of Denmark II

Today - beach details in the low light of a January afternoon.

Look to a map of Denmark and you will see that it's Northernmost ending looks like a finger pointing towards Sweden. It all ends in a tiny small sandbank where the 2 seas the Skagerrak and Kattegat meet. It is a fascinating experience to stand on the tip of Jutland and the European mainland and watch the waves from the two seas beat together and break the Skaw Reef.

Skagen - the end of Denmark

Look to a map of Denmark and you will see that it's Northernmost ending looks like a finger pointing towards Sweden.

It all ends in a tiny small sandbank where the 2 seas the Skagerrak and Kattegat meet.

It is a fascinating experience to stand on the tip of Jutland and the European mainland and watch the waves from the two seas beat together and break the Skaw Reef.

A fine place to visit also on a winterly January day.

Find below also a version with the madam out on this Danish finger tip....

Sailing by the New Älvsborg Fortress in Gothenburg, Sweden

 

After app. 3,5 hrs in the car from our home we have boarded the car ferry Stena Danica on tour from Gothenborg to Fredrikshavn in Denmark. Sailing out the ferry pass this fine old Fortress - protecting Gothenburg.

 

Under: A painting from old times:

 

From the net:

Nya Älvsborg Fortress is in the middle of the sea approach to Gothenbug. In 1644 a Danish naval force blocked the sea approach by occupying the small island of Kyrkogårdsholmen. After the Swedes, with the assistance of the Dutch, succeeded in driving the Danes off, it was decided to build a new fortress. At the same time the old Älvsborgs Fortress, which had fallen into disrepair, would be torn down. Construction of the new fortress began in 1653 according to fortification plans drawn up by quartermaster general Johan Wärnschiöld. Construction was completed in 1677.

In 1719 Nya Älvsborg fortress was attacked and bombarded by the Danish navy for several days, during which it suffered great damage. This was, however, repaired over the following years. The eighteenth century saw several reconstructions and extensions. In 1766 the upper part of the tower was dismantled, and the tower was given its current appearance.

From the end of the eighteenth century until 1866 the fortress acted as a prison. At most there were just over 100 prisoners. In 1868 Nya Älvsborg Fortress ceased to count as a defence facility. During the First World War the fortress was used for storage and accommodation in connection with mobilisation.

 

 

Farm in the January afternoon, Ski, Norway

Some days with snow - some days without. The winterlight as the sun is setting and the moon rising.

A farm outside the village Ski close to Oslo, Norway.

Under: In the forest. Root detail

With iphone 6 plus in the Winter land of Norway and a Million Thank's..

A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL 

I was out the other day just as the morning mist lifted and had the chance for this photo of the cold morning out in the countryside outside my little village southeast of Oslo. 2 photos stitched in PP.

"A million thank's" refer to my Flickr account where I the last day of the year 2014 have had 1 million hits to my photos. A screendump from my stat. page below:

I have the understanding that some people think that fancy titles and or use of tags is a main factor for having lots of hits to your flickr photos. What do I know...

It is for sure a fact that the photo I have with most hits is really not outstanding in neither the title or in use of tags. Have a look your self:

Last summer for the summer mountain farm II - app. 27.000 hits

Tags used for this photo: 

• norway
• norge
• valdres
• seter
• seterdrift
• summer farms
• mountain farms
• canon g1x
• tisledalen
• fløten

Probably not the most exciting tags you may have seen....
BTW The remains from this old summer farm is to be found in the low mountains in the South of Norway.

GPS:N 60.845005, E 9.094809

Norway: Blue frosty December afternoon

Norway: Close to the Arctic region the days are short, dark and cold up here in the Northern part of Europe.
As here 4pm in the afternoon as the sun has set and the daylight already fades.

Photo from Spydeberg, Norway

Norway: Mother of Pearls clouds

High up in the stratosphere, frozen and with ice crystals within you will find those typical winter clouds.

From wiki: Polar stratospheric clouds or PSCs, also known as nacreous clouds (/ˈneɪkriːəs/, from nacre, or mother of pearl, due to its iridescence), are clouds in the winter polar stratosphere at altitudes of 15,000–25,000 meters (49,000–82,000 ft). 

They are best observed during civil twilight when the sun is between 1 and 6 degrees below the horizon. They are implicated in the formation of ozone holes. The effects on ozone depletion arise because they support chemical reactions that produce active chlorine which catalyzes ozone destruction, and also because they remove gaseous nitric acid, perturbing nitrogen and chlorine cycles in a way which increases ozone destruction.

The day God painted the sky - Winter solstice. Spydeberg, Norway

At 4pm this afternoon in December - there was a few minutes where it seems as God was painting the sky in the most wonderful colors.

...and if it not was him there was some magnificent Mother of Pearl Clouds above 20-30km above the Earths Surface containing some ice crystals where the light was playing and making those fantastic light play for 5-6 minutes...

Christmas at the mountain house in Valdres, Norway

App. 3,5 hrs. NorthWest of Oslo we have our mountain house. Perfect to visit in the Christmas days. While there is little snow in Oslo, up here in the low mountains we have plenty for a white Christmas. A local farmer have plowed the road making it possible to drive right up to the door.

With no electricity we have to fire up our wood ovens for a couple of hours before the place is warm and comfy.
The lights come from our in house batteries loaded by solar panels.
 But of course also from lots of candle lights to have the moody setting up here in the winter darkness.

And then after some cold nights it is always exciting to see if the car will start (which is usually does - problems may occur if the temperature drops to under -30C (which is not expected this year)).

A Merry Christmas to all of you

Under: The small cottage for our guests

Cross country skiing in Valdres, Norway

A fine day for skiing - the tracks are fresh, the sun is shining - simply perfect for the grandma and her two grandchildren 6 and 10 years old.  In  our country it is common for the small children to go skiing from the age of 3-4 years.

The tracks here follow along the shores of the river Tisleia - an area with some cottages and mountain houses some 3 hrs. Northwest of Oslo.

Under: Another photo along the river Tisleia

Winter river in Valdres, Norway

Even in the winter the trout river Tisleia is open (free for ice - due to the running water).
A ski trail along the river gives a great opportunity at such a fine winter day to enjoy the fine nature in this part of our country.

This photo from January this year - but even now in December there is some 30cm with snow up there.

iphone6plus: Along an elk trail in a Norwegian forest. Spydeberg, Norway

This is what Norwegian likes: Go out of your house for a hike in a forest within 5 minutes from where you live.

Like here hiking the slightly cultivated "Elk trail" just near the big river Glomma.
Passing this point, late in the afternoon, where probably some active Beavers have felled some trees.
Or maybe it was the last autumn storm passing some days ago. Whatever; You may enjoy this option to be alone in the silent forest - still only a short way from your home.

Another example photo from my new iphone6 plus - with some PP in Corel PaintShop.

Under: The madam register the visit to the trail in the Visitor book

The off season beach at Canet de Rousillon, France

In the South of France it is interesting to see the empty large beach outside the summer village Canet de Rousillon in the start of the winter season.

Only some footsteps and the tracks of some passing 4-wheeler. Even the light those days indicates another season and climate for the winter days to come.

Stitch of 2 photos.  Under: The Port in Canet de Rousillon:

iphone6 plus: A cold morning in Spydeberg, Norway

Out for a walk in the cold frost morning on way to my village. Temperature around -5C. The frost and ice is still there in the shadows while the sun slowly warms up the upper part of the field in this photo. Another sample photo from my new iphone6 plus. Another version right here:

iphone6 plus: Macro test:Frost in the forest. Spydeberg, Norway

Today another photo from my new iphone6. Impressive close up detail as the camera can focus only some centimeters from your object. Here a detail from a winter forest.

Another example here: