Oslo To Flam

We ate breakfast, then went out to explore a little more before hitting the road. It was Sunday, the weather wasn't as warm and sunny, so with that the park was practically vacant! There was a cool tree that had flower pedals falling gracefully down as the breeze shook them loose from their stems. We took turns standing underneath and shook the trunk and enjoyed the "snow" as it fell over us. After our time in the park, we headed back to the B&B. Along the way, we looked for a place to buy ice for the cooler (we borrowed Brad and Natalia's’ cooler on wheels). Yeah, good luck with that! With all of these 7-11's, you would think they sell bags of ice, but no. Yes, there are more 7-11's here then in your typical, small southern town!! The last 7-11 we tried sold small bags of cubed ice... US equivilent? ~ about $6!!! Sucked it up and bought a bag to hold us over until we reached our cabin which had a fridge. We walked the 5 or so minutes to our B&B, checked out, and drove to the 7-11 to get the ice and then we were on our way!

We drove from Oslo, leaving around 2pm heading to a small town named Flam where we arrived about 7:20pm. We stopped several times of course to take pictures of the scenery. On place had snow accumulated in the grass. So I grabbed some of that and filled up the cooler with it. I should've known there would be "free" ice along the way in a country like Norway!!! The drive wasn’t as slow as I expected, and the roads were in better condition, and the speeds could be relatively high at times. The place we stayed in had a hostel, place for tents, section for caravans, and cabins. Our cabin was #7. Directly behind us was a vertical rise reaching into the sky that supported no fewer then a dozen waterfalls from ice melt. Gorgeous!!! There was a common building where there were showers, toilets, and sinks all in new and clean condition. Not like in Belize when we stayed in the rain forest where they were a little more “rustic” and there was a bat colony hanging upside down 20 feet above your head as you showered. I know… cool, right!!! At least I thought so. Anyway, we immediately cooked our dinner, as I packed hamburgers, chicken, pepperoni slices, frozen potatoes and vegetables, etc. There's no water in the cabin, so I went to the common area to wash them. New experiences...cool. It didn't get dark up there until around 11:30pm, so we walked around a little and then crashed. The next morning we got up, but R didn’t sleep too well because we were on the bottom bunk of bunk beds, and she didn’t have enough room. I slept quite well, squeezed up against the wall. It was May 12th, and we we went on a small hike around the lake and then took a ferry ride to Gudvangen. The 4 hour ride took us down the middle of the narrowest fjord in Norway with countless waterfalls from the spring melt. It was a great day with plenty of sun and the ride was relaxing and enjoyable. One particularly robust waterfall was a close encounter of the best kind. The captain put the nose of the ship literally inches away from it while a member of the crew eased a long pipe with a funnel at the end into it. The other end dispensed the coldest, cleanest tasting water!!! Everyone came to the front of the ship where we were already stationed to get a glass. How COOL this was!! On the way back to Flam, we stopped in a small town to drop off 2 passengers, and there were 2 little girls playing at waters edge in only shirts with their little white butts popping out. They were waving the ship off as they were concerned the boat was going to come where they were playing and spoil their fun. It was quite cute! When we got back, we took the car out for a drive around the area. There is a lookout high up on a mountain that was recently completed. The signage to find it is not the best, but after asking a boy on a bicycle, we found it after riding past farmhouses and around many, tight switchbacks. The view was great, but the late-in-the-day weather conditions were pretty bad. We decided to come back tomorrow now that we knew how to get there!

NORWAY!

It's a good thing I kept a journal of sorts during our 2 weeks up north, because so much happened but my memory is not what it used to be. Norway is incredible! We have never seen such scenery. Alaska comes close. The attempt I will make to describe with words or 2 dimensional images falls so short of what we experienced. I'll just get on with it and do what I can.

We left Amsterdam just before 10pm Friday night, with R driving the first leg of the trip. She drove until she got tired, which was about 12:30am, when I took over. We drove through Germany and Denmark, where the sun started to rise a little after 4am. By 5am it was plenty bright out. The landscape of southern Denmark is quite lovely. It rolls and undulates like green waves... it's very pastoral. Crossing one of the bridges between the islands of Denmark, we stopped so I could take a few pictures. I believe it was around 6am. Radhika took over driving again at 7am. I was tired and went right to sleep, waking up about 9:40 when we were in Sweden. It didn't look like much in this area. Not as attractive as southern Denmark had appeared 4 hours earlier. I took over again after a little while, making our way into Norway and reaching Oslo. We found ourselves in the city center on a very warm day. People were everywhere and spirits seemed high! On the way into Oslo, we passed a beach where people were relaxing and enjoying themselves. We even passed a park where Radhika said she saw women sunbathing topless (I think I'm going to like Oslo). Anyway, back at the city center, there was some serious bustling going on. The streetside cafe's were packed, the grassy areas were full of people sitting and talking. Sidewalks were full of tourists and locals, alike. I reprogramed the TomTom to take us to our B&B, finally getting there about 2pm. It was about 16 hours, but we were delayed about 30 minutes outside Amsterdam due to traffic, we made several stops for gas and breaks, not to mention a couple of photography stops. So, the resources I used said the trip was about 15 hours, so I got to say it was right on! We were a good team on the drive so it didn't seem bad at all. "Mission Accomplished"... right George?

We unloaded the car for our 1 night stay, and then after getting directions, we walked to a nearby park where one of the first things we saw was a blond woman sunbathing topless. After I got over my revulsion at such a disgusting sight (wink, wink), we continued on. The park was a sea of flesh, with folks soaking up the UV rays as fast as the sun was putting them out. Almost 8 of 10 blades of grass were covered by pale Norwegian epidermous (that's skin for you goobers) What a great atmosphere it was to be in!! We walked all the way through this park, exiting on the other side into a busy street, still looking for the post office to get some Norwegien Kroners as Norway is not part of the EU. It was closed when we found it, so being a little hungry, I convinced R to share a chicken sandwich at a BK (free refills on soda in Europe?!?!?!?). We just wandered some more in the area, and then took a tram to the central area where we first stopped when coming into Oslo.

Once there, we walked to the waterfront where a castle stands high on a ridge along the bay. Being hungry we started eyeballing the local cuisine. Bypassing the $25 chicken sandwich at TGI Friday's, we picked a nice, outdoor restaurant right on the water. Always wanting to eat local fare, R had fish soup and I had a salmon dish which was yummy! We lingered over dinner and enjoyed dessert, soaking up the late sun and scenery. We walked some more in the area after eating, and started looking for the bus that would take us to our B&B. Using the TomTom, we got dropped off right in front of it! We were a little too proud of ourselves, perhaps. We got a good nights sleep and planned our day tomorrow.

Berlin

The morning after Queens Day, we made the 6+ hour drive to Berlin. Actually, we stayed a little outside Berlin in Potsdam. The drive took a little longer then expected due to some lane closures and traffic. Also, strangely enough at one point, the highway passed through the center of a small town with several traffic lights (think I-95 cutting through Deland). The German sense of humor, I guess? Anyway, the western landscape between Amsterdam and Berlin is quite nice. Gently rolling hills with small villages dotting the terrain. That's how you know you've left Holland... the land actually has variations in the elevation! I thought Florida was flat until driving out into eastern Holland. An ant hill could be considered a "peak" in eastern Holland! So, small, picturesque German towns and villages... very nice. We arrived at our hotel around 2:30pm, checked in, relaxed a bit, then drove and parked the car to the train station 4 kilometers away. Catching a train, we were in Berlin about 15 minutes later. There was still plenty of light as it gets dark here around 9:30pm now. We walked around checking out the Brandenburg Gate, Potsdamer Platz, the outside of the Jewish Memorial, and the surrounding area. It was May Day, and the city was finishing up the celebration they had, with food booths and stages being disassembled. We grabbed a bite at a German restaurant, with both of us having "Curry Wurst". Yeah... east meets west. Quite an unusual, unexpected, but tasty combination! We got back to the hotel around 11pm or so, and crashed. The next day, we went back to Potsdamer Platz and toured the Jewish Memorial Museum (3-4 hours). Quite interesting and moving by the stories they told. We also went to the top of the German Parliament building where they have a glass cupola which provides a beautiful 360 degree view of Berlin. These 2 sights took up most of our day as the line for the cupola was long. But they were well worth it. Again a little late, we found a place for dinner.
Back at the hotel before 11, I went to the sauna for a little heat, sweat, and relaxation. Laying there I was loving the pretend Florida heat, when someone came in. I opened my eyes and there she was right in front of me... some naked German woman! Okay. I just turned back and closed my eyes, wondering if I should leave, checking my towel making sure I was covered, wondering if she thought I was a dufus for wearing a towel, checking the towel again, listening to her breathing heavily, wondering why is she breathing heavily, listening to the wood creak every time she shifted, then the door opened and I thought she was leaving... but no... now a naked man has come in... this is not cool. My Florida dream has vanished. They start talking and it's obvious they know each other. So, I'm the only chump in their with a towel, which offers me comfort in one way but also tells me "Idiot... you're not supposed to have a towel in here!". Now it's not like I had a full body towel from armpit to calf and another in my hair like the ladies do. Just a regular towel around the "man zone". But just as I thought I could make an easy exit, I hear the boards creaking loudly in their direction, and they left! I was thinking maybe they came in there for some "sweaty fun" and I gummed up the works. But before I could vacate, they called it a night. I exited 5-10 minutes later when I thought enough time had passed, and immediately told R my predicament for her amusement.
The next day, waking up, I noticed that R had made little happy birthday signs, a little paper crown and boats, even floating one in a cup of water! She's got the creative juices in her too! Today, we went to Checkpoint Charlie, and found it and the area surrounding it to be very cheesy. It was poorly organized, and really a blown opportunity to tell the story of one of the most compelling events of the last century. The line was long, handled poorly, and the entry price was high and unposted, causing a good number of people to turn around and leave when they got to the counter and saw the price. We had a negative vibe by the time we got there too, but went in anyway. There's a lot of information inside, but it seems haphazardly displayed and constructed. I am mixed on saying whether to see this, or not if you are ever in Berlin. We went to the Bauhaus Museum as I studied about this movement in photography classes (thanks, Rick), but they were closed. But it was good to check out a different section of Berlin. The city is big, and we only scratched the surface on this visit. We found a really cool place to eat, and Radhika managed to sneak away from the table to tell the server to bring a slice of chocolate tarte with a candle in it for my birthday. That was really sweet! And, there were about 12 have drunk young Germans who had just attended a football game who sang "Happy Birthday"... sorta... as the slice came out. One even ran over, grabbed my camera, and took our picture after he pretended he was going to run off with it. Back at the hotel, another sauna session (this one without my friends) and then a good nights sleep. The next morning, we visited a castle a park nearby Potsdam, and spent several unexpected hours there as it was quite tranquil, and there were 2 nice cafes nearby to eat lunch. Unfortunately, we ordered what we thought was one thing (we wanted), but got another thing (we didn't). A big hunk of pig meet on a tiny piece of bread. Oops! Mustard, ketchup, and a waffle with ice cream made it better. We left around 2pm, not getting back to Amsterdam until around 10 due to no fewer then 4 major, long, slow downs due to lane closures, construction, and traffic. Then, we discover that my bicycle has been stolen! It's always something, isn't it?

TULIPS, TULIPS, TULIPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Man... I have never been much of a flower guy... or so I thought. Gardenia's always did it for me!! Best smelling flower by far, and delicate white. But tulips... damn... how can you not like tulips?!?!? We have had an enjoyable time during the tulip festivities that last about 3 weeks or so here. As you may know, tulips are one of the symbols of Holland, but they have been surpassed by other flowers here in terms of production. But the tulip in all it's varieties (I believe I saw 600 somewhere) remains close to the hearts of the Dutch. We made 2 trips to the northern growing area about 45 minutes from Amsterdam, one with Dolly and John, and then a return the very next weekend. You can buy them there, or if you're willing you can pull over and harvest them yourself as they have somehow spread to the sides of the roads and shoulders in some places. Our apartment was home to about 60 flowers at one point. They have all wilted and died since we returned from our 4 day trip to Berlin (watch for the next post on that!), but what a joy to have them in our place for as long as they lasted. I'll see if I can keep from killing the bulbs I have for next year (as my non-stop struggle with my lawn and shrubs at home attests) as my luck with any vegetation has never been much above abismal. Driving around the 18 kilometer circuit through the farm country is almost like the wine country route above San Francisco. We had a nice time, a little adventure, and massive color in the apartment for a couple of weeks. We look forward to doing it again next year!

Queen's Day 2008

Okay, brief history. The present Queen's Mother was born on this day, April 30th. When Beatrice became Queen, she decided to keep Queen's Day on the same date, as her birthday is during the winter. And who really wants to be out in that mess trying to have a good time??!! So, festivities start the night before, with boats trolling down the canal, people in the streets, taverns, pubs, and every type of social gathering place occupied by revelers. On the canals, one will see anything from a small kayak to very large boats with stocked bars, full kitchens, grills, DJ with high end audio systems, and plenty of people. The streets are just as packed. People are generally friendly, having a good time being out in the middle of it all. Radhika and I walked around the major points in the morning. Vondelpark next to our place, is devoted to the children, and that was quite enjoyable seeing the kiddies playing games, selling their toys, performing for donations. I forgot to mention that this is the one day a year where you can set up a place on the sidewalk and sell anything you want! There were booths and tents set up everywhere. After Vondelpark, we went to Museumplein, which is behind the Rijks and next to the Van Gogh museums. It's a big grassy area where a main stage was set up for performers throughout the day. Food and drink vendors were everywhere, and most people sported a little orange in their clothing, in their hair, on their skin, or all over! From there, we went to the Leidseplein which is also near our place, and it had a small stage set up for performers, as well. People were all over the place here too. We continued our walk to Rembrandtplein where there was yet another stage. You could not pass through with any ease. It was the worst body-to-body night club experience only outdoors! It took forever to creep the length of the square. Grateful to be outta there, we grabbed 2 somosa's for a snack from a street vendor, and walked along until we squeezed into a good spot on a bridge to watch the endless procession of boats going past. Those people were having serious fun... and not one fool fell into the water, although there were several close calls during a few slight collisions. The people who piloted the boats couldn't enjoy themselves as much as their passengers, because they had to react to the 50 boats within inches of their own!! It was fun to watch... such a spectacle! I would encourage all to plan if they can, including Queen's Day into their schedule when thinking about Amsterdam in the future. I have NEVER seen anything like it in any celebration event!!! Times Square several years ago was a poetry reading compared to Queen's Day!!!!