Wednesday, September 30

Congratulation Asbjørn, 65 years young

I had to start today´s blog by showing an almost 45 years old photo of me and my friend Asbjørn.
Time has run and today he (still some years young) can celebrate his 65 years birthday. CONGRATULATION!!
I will pay tribute to his day by presenting some nice photos of the man in some of his favorite environments.First a photo taken on his 30th birthday in front of his homemade beer barrel and good old but still friends (Helge, Per Helge and Harald)
The passion for fishing and satisfaction when getting one of many great Norwegian Cods, is one of Asbjørn´s favorite activities.
Climbing the mountains at Sunnmøre or further up north in Norway, gives him the freedom and exercice needed for a healthy life. The second photo is taken when he and "Gutta på tur" reached the summit of Slogen (1564m)When Asbjørn wanted a full time job in addition to all other business activity, he bought an old farm at the seashore of the North Atlantic Ocean and rebuilt the area to it´s present beautiful image.
Being there and having fun together, experience friendship and sunny summer nights gives me a lot.
With lovely ladies in the Jacuzzi around midnight he seems to have a great time himself.

Last time we were together was only a few weeks ago in his son´s apartment at Quality Spa and Resort, Bøseter Norefjell.Take good care of your husbond Anne Katharina, and celebrate his birthday on behalf of us all. Hope to see you again very soon.

Tuesday, September 29

Åland Islands (144) and San Marino (145)

My latest two new visitors come from two small countries, Åland Island in the Baltic Sea and San Marino at the Apennine Peninsula.

The Åland Islands occupy a position of great strategic importance, as they command one of the entrances to the port of Stockholm Sweden, as well as the approaches to the Gulf of Bothnia, in addition to being situated near the Gulf of Finland.

The Åland archipelago consists of nearly three hundred habitable islands (total area 13,517 km2 ), of which about eighty are inhabited; the remainder are merely some 6,000 skerries and desolate rocks. The archipelago is connected to Åboland archipelago in the east (Finnish: Turunmaan saaristo, Swedish: Åbolands skärgård) — the archipelago adjacent to the southwest coast of Finland. Together they form the Archipelago Sea. To West from Åland is Sea of Åland and to North the Bothnian Sea.
The flag of Åland refers to the geographical and political position of the Finnish islands of Åland just off the coast of Sweden: it is the Swedish flag defaced by a red cross symbolising Finland. The flag has been the official flag of the autonomous Finnish province of Åland since 1954. It was first hoisted in the capital Mariehamn on 3 April 1954.

I have been at Mariehamn for about 20 years ago on my way to Helsinki by boat from Stockholm, and train from Åbo (Turku).

San Marino is an enclave in Italy, on the border between the regioni of Emilia Romagna and Marche. Its topography is dominated by the Apennines mountain range, and it has a rugged terrain. The highest point in the country, Monte Titano, is situated at 749 metres (2,457 ft) above sea level. There are no bodies of water of any significant size. San Marino is the third smallest country in Europe (total area 61.2 km2 ), with only Vatican City and Monaco being smaller. San Marino has no level natural land; 100% of the nation-state is built on top of the range.
The state and war Flag of San Marino is formed by two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and light blue with the national coat of arms superimposed in the center; the coat of arms has a shield (featuring three towers on three peaks) flanked by a wreath, below a crown and above a scroll bearing the word LIBERTAS (Liberty).
The civil flag omits the coat of arms.

I have never been in San Marino, but maybe next time we go for a holiday in Italy a stay in this country can be prioritized.

Monday, September 28

The never ending story?

In the News we hear about the flooding in Manilla, Philippines, with more than 100 persons dead or missing. More heavy weather is coming in the days ahead. According to Taiwan News :
"Tropical Storm Ketsana is expected to intensify into a typhoon as it moves westward through the South China Sea on Tuesday. Ketsana will produce widespread heavy rain and thunderstorms as it treks toward Vietnam. The storm is expected to make landfall near Hue around late Tuesday evening."

At my cottage the temperature still reaches + 14C near end of September, and my garden are continuously showing new beautiful roses.
I must confess that I am very satisfied with the climate conditions just now here in Oslo, but I do see that there is a change going on and it is increasing all over the world.

The need for modern GPS may seam superfluously (?), but I am happy that Compass and TomTom street finder now is a part of my iPhone. Should I be embarrassed? It will help me finding routes to restaurants, but that is of course of no help to those fighting for life in the water volumes in Asia.

Friday, September 25

The conquest of a Norwegian Mountain

Wednesday this week we planned to conquer the summit, Høgevarde, elevation 1459m (4787 ft) known for its vast view (estimated 40,000 km²) over eastern Norway. The sunrise at 6.25 am gave no indication of weather condition, but the dark heaven yesterday night indicated strong wind at the Norefjell Mountain Range.
Leaving the modern cottage (thanks to cousin Kittan and family for their hospitality) as posted earlier in August we took the car up to Gulsviksseteren - with the beautiful of old houses,and started climbing. The hillside was steep, and we felt climbing a staircase, almost 30% right up.
However, nature in full Autumn blooming gave some confort against short breath and pain in leg muscles.
I have learned not to aim for the summit, only for the next step, tall stone, hillside or imaginative resting places. Take one step at the time. Look at the total distance as intervals and accept there is no shame to stop and turn back. Know your own strength. Remember you have a simultaneous heart and kidney transplantation history, total AV-block and are 100% dependent of a two-chamber continuous pacing pacemaker.The view from my ending point towards the west and Hallingdal is magnificent.Due to the strong wind, fatigue and accepting my limitations, my tour stopped at a plateau (1420m) above the Høgevarde Mountain Cottage - run by The Norwegian Tracking Assosiation But Tullen did it. She reached the Summit - 1459m.and she celebrated as every other "conquestadores."
If you are interested in other photos from our Mountain holiday, go to My Gallery.

Wednesday, September 23

Summit reached

Høgevarde altitude 1459 m reached today. Tullen to the top and I
stopped 50 m below due to fatigue and a very steep last hillside.
Strong wind and temperatur around zero C but also sunny and nice
tracking
One of our goals conquered.

Tuesday, September 22

Weather changes quickly in the mountain

From a sunny day yesterday to a grey and rainy day Monday. Tracking
is however mandatory and some peaks have to be visited.

Monday, September 21

Mountain experience

2nd time in two weeks. Mountain trips in autumn Colos. Lovely weather.
Steep hillsides. Ab. 1200 m altitude. Two and a half hours tracking
before lunch.
Maybe it will rain in a few hours. We open a beer and a Trulli white.
Lide is great.

Saturday, September 19

Tørrgadd ??????? Is it Norwegian

"Tørrgadd" is a phenomenon and a word that gives positive associations for many. Anne in her photo blog has erotic associations with ants to the word, while Helge´s relations the word are to others articulation about his mood (state of mind), but maybe he is thinking of "Tværgaddj".
Tørrgadd in the botanical sense, is a tree, usually pine without top, which is dry at the root like the photo above.

Another strange word is "Rirkul". Rirkul of pine has been a prized wood for carving. Many decorative, rustic drinking cups, plates and tray of fruit are found on cabins and living rooms as genuine expressions of a rural mountain culture. Rirkul is a gift from "Tørrgadden".
At the riverbank of the Aker River in Oslo a Tørrgadd is used by children for climbing.
With a combination of Google, other bloggers postings and my camera I hope you through this post have extended your knowledge of some strange "Norwegian" words. Have a nice weekend.

Friday, September 18

Happy Birthday Henrik

Two years ago my Grandson Henrik var born 15.21 in the afternoon. Henrik was born weighing 970 grams and some weeks too early. Today he is two years old, a nice kid and growing up to copy and extend his father´s competence. We all wish him a HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

We celebrated his birthday at Aker Brygge in the lovely sunny Friday afternoon, and continued with dinner at home with Baccalao together with his aunt Rikke and cousin Maja.
I do not think his pirate ship was one of those anchored at Playa de Akershus today, and we wish all the Cymraeg family a nice evening with cake and 2 lights. Hope to see you back in Norway within short (not too long).

Thursday, September 17

Instead of walking - Painting

My Wife, Daughter and Granddaughter went on a trip to Ullevålseter this morning. Looking out the window now I must say I regret not participating. The morning mist has disappeared and the blue sky and warming sun (15.5 C in the shadow) would have given an other great album of late summer / early autumn photos.

However I decided to spend my hours in my Studio and fulfill my last painting started at the cottage this summer. Based upon a photo received from Asbjørn after one of his mountain tours some weeks ago, I have made my version of the village Straumsgjerde in the municipality Sykkylven, with " Langfjella" and "Urfjellet".

Norway = Mountains = Colors = Motives for playing with Acrylic on Canvas.

Wednesday, September 16

Images from a Riverside walk

Walking the "Aker River" is a tour I will highly recommend for everyone visiting the Norwegian Capital whatsoever annual season.

"Akerselven" starts at Lake Maridal in "Oslomarka", and follows the urban areas Nordre Aker, Sagene, Grünerløkka, Oslo Centre and Grønland, whereby it finally ends at Paulsenkaien and the new Opera House in Bjørvika. The entire river is about 8.2 kilometres long, and has a difference in altitude of approximately 149 meters.
Akerselven is one of Oslo’s green lungs. Many parks and nature trails are to be found by its path, from Grønland to Maridalsvannet. A walk from along Akerselven from the rural Frysja down through the different parts of Oslo to the fjord is an amazing experience and a light walk through the history of Oslo.
We started our tour close to the Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology, at "Stilla" where the water reflections gave full credit to the lake´s name "Silent"
Only a few hundreds meter further down, the river rapid gave signals of what to come. At Nydalens Compagnie´s Business park the Falls run close to the old red brick houses which are renovated and filled with modern design and technology companies.
A fantastic area for outdoor lunches and recreation for people working there, and lots of photographic motives to be found.
Further down, the new "Nydalen City" with 18.000 inhabitants, has all the modern facilities like apartments, hotels, offices, cafes, markets,recreation space and close contact to the running water.
Old and renovated houses are well placed between modern architecture.
When walking down the river we pass a lot of bridges. Almost 25 bridges from the lake to the fjord, and most of them have a good walking path close to the riverbank.
This is Treschows Bridge named after Gerhard Trechow the owner of Bjølsen Mansion and a very important investor for the industrial development at Akerselva early 1700.
One of the famous areas around the river are Sagene and Hjula Veveri. The weaving mill was completed in 1855 with 400 looms. At the beginning, there were about 400 workers at the factory.
At Beyer Bridge we can see a statue giving tribute to the Factory Girls working in these hash industries. The bridge that lies here today was built about 1837. It was public bridge in 1864. The bridge was an important link between east and west until Vøienbrua opened in 1949/50. In 1976, the bridge burned down, but it was restored to its 1837 appearance in 1985. Today it is a footbridge across the Aker River.
On the eastern side we find a Cafe and Art Gallery named Hønse-Lovisa´s House (after Oskar Bråthen´s writings) or previously Monsesaga. A lovely place to take a break and refreshments before starting the steep downhill path alongside Nedre Vøyen Fall or Møllefossen.
Møllefossen is a beauty when the water level is large, or during winter when ice and snow cover most of the fall like a sculpture.
The beautiful Sanner Bridge built in Iron and Granite is one of the main connections between Grunerløkka and Alexander Kielland´s Place well known through the singerLillebjørn Linsen.
After crossing the river over Åmodt Bridge with the inscription:
100 MAND KAN IEG BÆRE, MEN SVIGTER UNDER TAKTFAST MARSCH.
we ended our yesterday river stroll at Grunerparken, took to the right and west, and walked up TelthusbakenDuring the 1500s, the street which is now Telthusbakken was part of the main road passing the Old Aker Church, from east to west of Oslo and further across to the west coast. Sitting on top of the Telthusbakken hill, Old Aker Church was built around 1080 and is the oldest building still in use in Oslo. The name Telthusbakken is from a large canvas house that existed around 1700.Old Aker Church was built as a three-naved Roman-style basilica and constructed from limestone. The church has a baroque pulpit and baptismal font from 1715. The tower is built in 1861. It is believed to have been erected by king Olav Kyrre in 1080 as a church for all of Vingulmark.
The church was built over an old silver mine, Akersberg, which was in use since the early Viking age. The mines are mentioned in the 1170 Historia Norvegiae.

Close to the old church we find the Our Savior´s Cemetery, known primarily for Æreslunden, Norway's main honorary burial ground. Many famous people are buried here including the first Norwegian Prime Minister Johan Sverdrup.
Visiting the memorial of the founder of the Social liberal Party in 1884, the day after the catastrophic election result of today party: "Venstre", was not planned for, but I felt like watching the second death of a great statesman.

From Æreslunden we only had the last part of the tour through the new apartment buildings at the old "Rikshospitalet" in Pilestredet, passing the Royal Palace and Garden and home.
A lovely tour of my highest recommendation, and all my photos from Akerselva on Tuesday, 16 oct. can be found HERE.

Tuesday, September 15

I for Indian Summer or In-doubtingly climate changes

In June we saw the first signs of summer when our Flammentanz Rose got its first flowers. Later the walls became covered with these beautiful red roses.

This week we have had our second spring in 2009, and the Indian Summer seams to appear.
I is for Indian summer in this week ABC Wednesday.
Or, if the Indian summer is limited for use in October and November as an informal expression given to the period of sunny, warm weather in the northern hemisphere, these rose-blooming photos may also be another evidence that nature has challenges and problems when the climate is changing.

I is for In-doubtingly proof of Climate Changes.

Presently the scientific consensus on climate change is that human activity is very likely the cause for the rapid increase in global average temperatures over the past several decades. Consequently, the debate has largely shifted onto ways to reduce further human impact and to find ways to adapt to change that has already occurred.