BERGEN

The wonderful town of Bergen in Norway – famous for it’s beautiful wooden buildings, tramcar funicular, fish market and a rather wet climate!

 

Evening view towards the top of the Fløybanen in Bergen.

 

Bryggen in Bergen is the third most visited attraction in Norway and comprises of 61 listed building that are on UNESCO’s world heritage list. Despite many fires in Bergen the basic structure of this area has been saved.

 

 

Bergens famous Fløibanen.

This trip up Mount Fløyen takes 7 minutes and is a funicular, which means that the two trams are connected by cable and
counterbalance each other as they go in opposite directions. It is one
of Bergen’s most popular tourist attractions as well as being high on the list of Norway’s most visited too. From it’s start at 18 meters above sea level it arrives at it’s fantastic viewpoint at 320 masl.

 

Restaurant To Kokker – a room with almost 300 years of history.

 

Bergen Matbørs

 

Matbørsen

 

 

2 views of Bergen’s Fish Market

ALPINES ON THE MENU

Deer are a pretty common sight here, but still you get a thrill when you see them in the garden when you wake in the morning – even if it is your alpines they are nibbling at!

 

We have three regulars that are sometimes joined by another male. At first they were extremely shy, but now don’t so much as flinch when the window is opened to allow Aurora to photograph them. After a good long browse, they settle down amongst the blueberry bushes, and like any of us would do if when we  get the chance – they lap up the sun!

We love them!

 

 

 

 

Now what does that mean?  Is she having a laugh at the bare patch she just left in the garden… or is she suggesting we throw her
a carrot?

SPIDER TO THE FLY

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So there we were outside, getting ready for a gin and tonic on a
sunnier Autumn day, when this leggy Spider took a fancy to our lemon – and then it seems took an even bigger fancy to this other smaller, and rather foolish visitor. As Aurora started snapping, I was immediately reminded of the famous poem by Mary Howitt (1929)

“Will you walk into my parlour?” said the Spider to the Fly,
 ‘Tis the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy;
  The way into my parlour is up a winding stair,
   And I’ve a many curious things to show when you are there.”

“Oh no, no,” said the little Fly, “to ask me is in vain,
 For who goes up your winding stair
     -can ne’er come down again.”

It is of course a cute little tale to warn against people who use
flattery and charm to hide their real intentions.

Mary Howitt was born in Gloucestershire UK in 1799 and wrote about 180 books in her lifetime. The more common interpretation  “Come into my parlour, said the Spider to the Fly,” has famously been adapted in music, film and tv .

Funnily enough, she taught herself to speak Swedish and Danish and translated many of Hans Christian Anderson’s tales.

Oh! And bye the way, no creatures got DRUNK, HARMED or EATEN during filming 🙂

WINTER WONDERLAND

 

A selection of Aurora’s miniatures… taken after a really cold night.

Home to all these wonderful birds and animals that visit us through the seasons. We are lucky, it’s just 5 meters from our back door.

ROMEO, JULIET, CAT & BADGER

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We had some cold and icy nights, but wonderful things reveal
themselves when you decide to take a really close look.

 

The snow is back for a few days, and that means we’ll get some visits from Romeo here, who even at his young age, likes to keep the girls in place.

 

And this of course is Juliet – posing for the camera.

 

This cheeky fella has a sly smile on his face – probably because he found a sneaky way to get under our decking and get a bit of shelter. It’s a photo from last year, and so far we have had one visit at
Christmas, but I’m sure there will be more.

There are 2 badger sets we have heard of in the area, and we have had three badgers in the garden together at one time – they love looking for peanuts dropped from the bird feeder!

I had a magical experience last year when I was sat on the steps at the back door to the garden. A cat appeared, and was suddenly joined by a badger, and a staring match went on in the middle of the decking. A minute later I hear a really loud clop of hoofs that got my adrenaline going for a second. A large deer came up the side steps, and stopped beside the other two. I sat dead still, and watched them suss each other out. A moment later the cat arched it’s back and hissed loudly, and that was it – the deer shot off into the woods, and the badger scurried under the decking.

 

In case your wondering – that’s me they are talking about!

 

 

 

 

 

PURE GENIUS

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 ANTONI GAUDÍ – CASA MILÀ

 

Here’s a different shot from Aurora. This amazing building is
understandably an acclaimed World Heritage Site and we were lucky to get in pretty quickly. The queues can vary in size and we gave up the first day, but it’s too incredible to miss if you don’t have to rush back to the airport. Most local Catalans in the city will use it’s more popular nickname of La Pedrera (The Quarry). The house was commissioned by the wealthy businessman Pedro Milà i Camps. Work began in 1906 and took four years to complete. This was Gaudí‘s biggest and last civil project, before devoting himself
to his Basílca de la Sagrada Familia.

 

The entrance – and not a right angle in sight!

 

This photo reminds me of Easter Island – mysterious and alien in some way, but in fact it is nothing more sinister than another
example of Gaudí‘s genius. There are 28 chimneys in all and they are twisted to allow the easier passage of smoke from the building. They also have half-hidden air vents to allow air to circulate into the
building.

Some of the impressive chimneys – now of course they are more
often likened to something from Star Wars. On the roof you’ll
see skylights, staircase exits, fans, and chimneys. All of these
elements are coated with limestone, marble and bits of broken glass. I would recommend you take a “Google” sometime as the story of the buildings history and further development is fascinating.

 

Aurora’s lens, but for once I had to take the shot. While you
speculate over these incredible soldier-like ventilation chimneys
you will enjoy the most spectacular views from almost anywhere on the rooftop.

 

Gaudí himself would never have seen this spectacular view from one masterpiece to another – what a legacy to leave Spain.

 A view towards the Torre Agbar. Designed by Jean Nouvel and base for Aigües de Barcelona who are responsible for Barcelona’s water supply, car taxes, health care and a few other civic posts. This
wonderful building reflects and plays with light thanks to a special glass skin. Another fine Barcelona landmark that can also produce spectacular electric displays at night.

RIGHT PLACE – RIGHT TIME!

 

When the ice on the fjord is declared safe, a route across it is marked with trail of Christmas trees set at regular intervals. We were watching a group ice fishing, when this postman went whizzing past. As always, Aurora was quick on the button, and got this great shot.

You never know what’s just around the corner, but when you have the eye, it only takes a second to jump out of the car and capture this wonderful tree on camera – and that’s exactly what Aurora did!

So typically Norwegian, and how well the reddish-brown huts bring an otherwise grey, overcast day to life.

Up in Hammerfest – the world’s most northerly town. The winter nights never grow dark and you can experience fantastic skies like this.

BABY IT’S COLD OUTSIDE…

Some of my favourite shots from the cold spell we had in January.

Brr… so cold my nose is running!

 

Perfect camouflage!

 

Where the heck was it was it I buried those nuts?

Bread guy’s – they’ve got a bag of bread!

 

“A move to Spain sounds good to me.”

 

Cosy refuge from the cold –  “Oscar” in Vollen.

 

VALENTINE

ROMANCE IS IN THE AIR!   (and our garden)

Valentines Day and Mother’s Day fall together – never seen queues like it in the flower shops – good to remember those close and dear to you ❤

 

Mariage d’amour – Pont des Arts

Everlasting love – left side, 3rd lamp, first panel – it’s there!

 

Love and Romance – It’s there in the cobbles of Sitges too!

Very different kind of Valentines day?  We’d love to hear about it!

 

VOLLEN

We have had some very cold days here in winter but it gave a great chance to get some  beautiful shots.  Vollen surrounds a unique and charming bay, that despite some modernisations, always draws you back – we love it!

Beautiful sky over the fjord.

 

View towards Oslo.

Wonderful icy mosaic.

 

View from Oslo Fjord Museum towards the Marina.