Author: wolfesbuketlistscom

OSLO NORWAY

AFTER DINNER WE WALKED TO THE OPERA HOUSE. THE PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY GRANITE ROOF AND SIDES SLANT 20 DEGREES TO THE WATER.

STANDING ON THE ROOF

THE GLASS AND STAINLESS STEEL STATUE IN THE HARBOR NEAR THE OPERA HOUSE

WE PASSED FLOATING SAUNAS NEAR OUR SHIP. YOU ENJOY A HOT SAUNA AND THEN JUMP IN THE ICY WATER

THE MARITIME MUSEUM HOSTS THE FAMOUS KON-TIKI RAFT THAT IN 1947 CROSSED THE PACIFIC FROM PERU TO POLYNESIA. THE CROSSING TOOK 101 DAYS

HOME FOR 5 ADVENTURERS

THE MUSEUM IS BUILDING A WOODEN VIKING WARSHIP USING PERIOD ACCURATE TOOLS. IT HOPESTO LAUNCH IN 2026

KRISTIANSAND NORWAY

ENTRANCE TO THE HARBOR IS PROTECTED BY STEEP CLIFFS

WE DOCKED AT A COMMERCIAL PORT WITH CRANES MOVING CONTAINERS ONTO VESSELS.

BOARDING A SMALLER FERRY WE CRUISED THRU PRETTY ISLANDS AND CHANNELS.

LILLYSAND IS THE SISTER VILLAGE TO KRISTIANSAND. REFERRED TO AS THE RIVIERA OF NORWAY IT HAS EXTENSIVE SHOPPING, SAIL AND PLEASURE BOATS.

LILLYSAND HARBOR

TO FACILITATE TRAVEL NORWAY HAS AN EXTENSIVE NETWORK OF TUNNELS. THEY’RE CURRENTLY BUILDING A LARGE ONE THAT CAN ACCOMMODATE A CRUISE SHIP.

RETURNING TO THE SHIP WE PASSED OVER THE WORLDS LARGEST FREESTANDING CLIMBING TOWER AT 47 METERS

STAVANGER NORWAYS OIL CITY

APPROACHING FROM THE NORTH WE NAVIGATED BETWEEN RUGGED ISLANDS AND THE COAST TO REACH STAVANGER AND WERE GREETED WITH AN OIL DRILLING RIG THAT WAS BEING MOVING TO OFF SHORE.

OIL WAS DISCOVERED IN 1969. EXPERIENCED OIL WORKERS FROM HOUSTON TEXAS IMMEDIATELY RELOCATED. ON OUR CRUISE ONE EXTENDED FAMILY OF GRANDS, PARENTS AND KIDS ARE REVISITING WHERE GRÄND DAD LIVED AND WORKED.

NORWAY A NATO MEMBER HOSTS COMBINED LAND, SEA AND AIR MILITARY READINESS EXERCISES TO REMAIN VIGILANT OF INVASION THREATS FROM THE EAST.

WE TOURED THE NEAR ISLAND COMMUNITIES AND STOPPED IN HAFRSFJORD AT A STATUE OF THREE 10 METER HIGH BRONZE SWORDS THAT LOOK LIKE THEY WERE STABBED IN GRANITE. IT’S BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN THE SITE WHERE IN 872 KING HARALD FAIRHAIR UNIFIED THE TRIBES OF NORWAY UNDER ONE CROWN.

ALESUND NORWAY

THE COAST OF NORWAY WITH ITS STEEP AND RUGGED CLIFFS LOCATES HER CITIES DEEP WITHIN THESE PROTECTED SITES. IN VIKING TIMES IT ALLOWED A MEASURE OF SAFETY FROM ATTACKS.

FISHING HAS ALWAYS DRIVEN THE ECONOMY. ITS HISTORY DATES TO 800 AD. IN 1904 FIRES DESTROYED LARGE PARTS OF THE TOWN. IT HAS BEEN REBUILT IN ART NAVEAU STYLE WITH MANY PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY SHOPPING AND WALKING STREETS.

WEATHER IS NORMALLY RAIN AND OVERCAST. (THIS IS NORWAY.) WE WERE BLESSED WITH CLEAR AND SUNNY 29C HIGHS (83F). IT’S A 6 YEAR RECORD.

DON’T FIGHT CITY HALL IN NORWAY

I INQUIRED A GUIDE IF THERE WERE BREWPUBS IN ALESUND. HIS RESPONSE…..THERE IS ONLY ONE. BUT IT’S CLOSE TO THE SHIP.

WITH A LITTLE SEARCHING WE FOUND THE PLACE. IT’S A LITTLE PLAIN WITH CONCRETE WALLS. LACKING WERE THE FANCY BEER TAPS, POSTERS ON THE WALLS AND THE MANDATORY JUKE BOX IN THE GORNER.

TALKING TO THE SERVER BEHIND TGE COUNTER I LEARNED NORWAYS ALCOHOL COMMISSION PROHIBITS ADVERTISING OR PROMOTING ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION.

THEY CANNOT HAVE LOGO T-SHIRTS, HATS OR ANY MERCHANDISE THAT COULD PROMOTE THEIR BUSINESS. THAT MEANS NO HAPPY HOUR OR. DARTS

THEY WERE FINED ONCE WHEN A PHOTO OF A GLASS OF BEER WITH THEIR LOGO MADE ITS WAY ONTO FACEBOOK.

SO IN NORWAY IT’S A GOOD IDEA TO NOT FIGHT CITY HALL.

TRONDHEIM NORWAY

AFTER 2 DAYS AT SEA WE ARRIVED AT THIS PICTURESQUE TOWN. THIS IS OUR MOST NORTHERN STOP. TODAY THE SUN SET AT 11:15 PM AND WILL RISE AT 3:30 AM.

SPECTACULAR CATHEDRAL

SUMMER SHOPPING STREET

NORWAY ADOPTED ELECTRIC VEHICLES. EVEN OUR BUS.

NORWAY HAS INVESTED THEIR OIL FINDS TO BENEFIT CITIZENS. THEY CANNOT TAP THE PRINCIPLE ONLY THE ANNUAL INVESTMENT EARNINGS.

THE BUS RIDE RETURNING TO THE SHIP WAS VERY INTERESTING. THE ROAD ENTERED A TUNNEL THAT RAN UNDER A RIVER AND INCLUDED A ROUND-ABOUT WHILE IN THE TUNNEL UNDER THE RIVER.

MAKING WAY NORTH

DEPARTING KIEL VIA THE CANAL TOOK 12 HOURS TO REACH THE NORTH ATLANTIC.

THIS IS THE BUSIEST CANAL IN THE WORLD. CONSTRUCTED BETWEEN 1887 AND 1895. THIS FRESH WATER CANAL STRETCHES 61 MILES AND CONNECTS THE BALTIC SEA AND NORTH SEA. NEXT STOP NORWAY

WITH 24 HOURS SAILING TO REACH NORWAY THERE WERE ACTIVITIES: SHUFFLEBOARD, PUTTING, NEEDLEPOINT, BLACK JACK TOURNAMENT AND RED WINE TASTING.

WE SHARED A TABLE AT 1600 HIGH TEA WITH A LOVELY COUPLE FROM COLORADO THAT RAN TO HAPPY HOUR 2/1 REFRESHMENTS UNTIL 1830.

MEMORIES OF KIEL:

THERE ARE EXTENSIVE BIKE PATHS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. IT’S OBVIOUS ELECTRIC SCOOTERS ARE A PROBLEM IN SOME AREAS

THE KIEL UNIVERSITY HAS STUDENT ROWING PROGRAMS

A BUSY PORT

ENTERING WE SAW 3 MILITARY SHIPS HEADING TO SEA.

KIEL IS HOME TO GERMANYS NAVAL SHIPS AND SUBMARINES

EVERY JUNE KIEL HOSTS WORLD CLASS SAILING COMPETITION. OUR DRIVER SAID IT WAS A WEEK LONG PARTY

DEPART KIEL VIA THE CANAL

VISITED A NAVAL MEMORIAL COMPLETE WITH A WALK THRU GERMAN U-BOAT.

JULY 6 OUR LAST STOP IN POLAND

THIS IS AN INDUSTRIAL SEAPORT THAT WAS BADLY DAMAGED BY BOMBING IN WWII.

TODAY WE OPTED TO TOUR ON OUR OWN AND RODE A TRAM TO A MUSEUM.THAT FEATURED TYPEWRITERS, SEWING MACHINES AND EARLY AUTOMOBILES BUILT IN POLAND

TOUR STOPPED AT CATHEDRAL. THE MASSIVE ORGAN WAS IN CONCERT. PEWS WERE FILLED.

GDANSK CREATED A BEAUTIFUL RETAIL PEDESTRIAN WALKING AREA WITH OLD AND NEW.