Flåm, a pearl in the fjord

Imagine travelling up a long fjord with steep cliff edges and precipitous waterfalls. Ominous but small rock falls cascade from the upper reaches and small tinned houses cling to the feet of the cliffs with their toes in the water. Brightly painted in greens or red or blue or canary yellow, they stand out as bastions against the natural world. No room for a car, no road necessarily connecting them, each has their boat moored up outside, ready for that visit to the shops, to entertain, to fish, as a commuter vehicle and to take the children to school.

According to Google, "Flåm is a village in southwestern Norway, in an area known for its fjords. It sits at the end of Aurlandsfjord, a branch of the vast Sognefjord. The dramatic Stegastein viewing platform juts out high above the Aurlandsfjord. South of Flåm Harbor, the 17th-century wooden Flåm Church lies in the valley. The Flåm Railway offers valley and waterfall views as it climbs to a station on the Hardangervidda plateau."

As we approached Flåm we were told there was very little there save the railway station, a few large shopping areas, some souvenir shops, a series of cafés and a very large, hanger like shop filled with Icelandic and Norwegian clothing.

One other delight was a large garden area with park benches, a large camper van car park, decent toilets and a small beach area to swim from!!

Oh, how I dearly wish I had my swimwear with me, but coming north I didn't dream I would be able to swim in the fjord, knocking on the door of the Arctic circle as I was.

I paddled.

Sitting down on the sand I enjoyed a barmy hot day wiggling my toes in the warm sand and watched the water sports. A family came into view from further down the fjord. It made me giggle as I saw them coming into sight, it reminded me of the three bears......first was daddy bear standing on his board with a toddler sitting cross legged in front of him, next came mummy bear with a papoose kneeling on hers and finally two smaller boards with younger siblings sitting on theirs. They teach them young here. A splash and a whoop and three young girls run into the water. They play chase me and swim furiously back and forward as if running, playing tag around the paddle boards and others, enjoying an inflatable float.

I visited the large clothing outlet and was both amazed by the goods but also their prices! Come with money if you fancy a jumper. I'd already bought a gorgeous cardigan from one of the llama stalls outside, a snip at £60! Glad I did because in here I would pay anywhere from £120 upwards.

Having little currency remaining I sort out where the magnets and such were in this superstore, finally seeing these. Sorting the best nose I could find, I bought this one. Wrapping it carefully I hoped it would make it back to the UK and home via GWR.

view from the train

getting off to look at waterfall

Kjosfossen falls

Amsterdam; canals and fascination

Getting off the ship was a delight as we wandered along an airline style gangway towards the main terminal. Down a set of stairs took us into a massive arrivals and departures hall, with tickets machines and booths to one side, rows of seats in the middle and souvenir stalls to the left.

I turned round and looked at the arrival/departure tunnel; that's what I'd be looking for on the way back. Today I was footloose and fancy free, no trips, no deadlines, just me, a map and a pair of feet.

mm, I'll look at those on the way back.

One last turn round to make sure I knew the departure tunnel..

.. and I was out onto the concourse working out my left from my right, "ahr, the railway sheds, that way.."

If you've been to Amsterdam you'll know it's just streets around canals in a ratio of 1:1, so much of the time you're going over bridges, under railway arches, spotting coffee houses. I was aiming and the central region, I wanted to see the real Amsterdam not the one seen on photos.

Some parts, especially around Dam Square had the feel of Soho in London before it was bulldozed and sanitised.

All around De Wallen and the side streets towards Primark weren't pristine, in fact they were like London, dirty with many vagrants. Marijuana shops were everywhere, in bars, cafes and speciality shops intermingled between boutiques, chemists and fashion chains. Everyone seemed chilled, er, wonder why, and people respectful. Yes, old London with a slightly different language mix.

I headed for Stationsplein, where the Visitor's Centre was and picked up a ticket to go onto the canal for an hour cruise.

The weather wasn't sun and heat, but it was dry and although it threatened rain, it failed to materialise. 

Everyone was given a pair of disposable headphones and we plugged into the commentary,  choosing our language first of course. It was fabulous! If you go to Amsterdam, put one of these tours on your To Do list, it wasn't expensive and our captain was great!

Barge living is now THE way to live. Well, to be honest, by comparison with house prices, 1.3million euro is a snip, especially when you can pretty much guarantee your floors will be horizontal, mooring ropes depending, and there's little chance of sinking, maintenance depending of course.

Time for coffee. 

I had enough coinage for that and a small amount of retail therapy. I headed back into the backstreets and hunted out a few shops, bought some lipstick (using it still) and a eye-pencil sharpener. Memories. When I use them, they came from Amsterdam. Oh, I bought shampoo too, lasted well and beautiful smell.

Mm, a nice retail exploration. 

Time? Yikes!! Departure was coming up fast and it takes half an hour to walk back. I had a final coffee, the ubiquitous loo stop and then back to the ship.

As I got back to the departures lounge, the man with the fridge magnets was beginning to pack away. I gestured, wait, wait, selected 3 and paid with the remainder of my currency.

Skipping up the gangway, back on board, I'd had a brilliant day. I'd not visited one tourist destination, I decided I'd do that when I returned, but had looked at houses, boats, shops and the people who spent their days living there. 

Really fascinating. My type of travelling experience 

Moose!

I love Scandinavia and am blown away by Iceland,  so this fridge magnet brings many a happy memory back into mind.

I think I was lucky, I went to Norway and Iceland twice in one glorious year of travel, and did so comfortably before the world shuddered to a halt with Covid-19.

One of the stops we made was to Eidfjord, a tiny village on the end of a branch of the huge and impressive Hardangerfjord, beyond Norway’s longest suspension bridge. Travelling beneath the bridge is breathtaking and the views of Eidfjord itself is almost out of a picture book with its backdrop of mountains and lush green pastures and the tinned houses painted in mainly chocolate box colours. 

Once here, you realise it's so small and there's little to do except going on scenic drives and boat trips. 

The most famous attraction is the drive up the scenic Måbødalen and the waterfall Vøringsfossen. Amazing and worth the trip.

The remainder of the day I spent walking around just enjoying being part of this quiet backwater. There are few streets, the ubiquitous church and a souvenir shop I just couldn't pass up. 

I do believe in spending something at every port of call so as to return something to the economy and as I had very little in terms of currency I looked for something small to remember such a pretty place.

My eyes then fell on this magnet - Moose and I burst out giggling.

Without a second thought I took it to the counter; the lady, whose English was impeccable, looked at me with intrigue and amusement. 

Why did I laugh?

Moose was a term of endearment aimed at me for many years. When I did something stupid, daft or down right funny I got the response of; thumbs on the side of the head, palms open, one facing up one facing down; the stupid moose image with a droopy antler.

She laughed too and as she said, I'll never forget my day in Eidfjord.

No, I dont think ever will.

A wander round the Market Square

Imagine a day where the sun shines with such an intensity it burns through the sunhat; sweat running down your back, pavements hot through the soles of your flip flops and that was this day, back when, on the Costa del Sol.

I was there with my partner for one of our regular get-aways and we were staying in a friend's three bed apartment in Torreblanca.

We had caught the bus to the Market Square and as we got off the bus, the heat hit as if we had opened the oven door and stepped inside.

The market was in full swing and people were already pouring over the fresh fruit and vegetable stalls.

On the edge of the market a cafe had its tables out and they filled with people taking advantage of the shade, enjoying a cold beer or coffee.

Children thronged around the ice cream stand and played with their scooter, bikes, hula-hoops whilst they waited for their parents to pay.

I spotted the farm labourers touting their water melon pieces, coconut milks and boxes of over ripe tomatoes and listened to the chatter of the stall holders calling out to potential customers, friends, other stall holders.

We gathered ourselves and headed into the throng, looking this way and that at bras ideal as replacement bikini tops for the slightly portly or older ladies, jackets, beads, bangles, kaftans, towels, tablecloths, washing up cloths, leggings, jeans, T-shirts and children's wear........ music, speakers, military medals, scrubbing brushes, fabric softener, table lamps, ornaments, playing cards, cigarette cards.

We past the first fountain and rested. It had taken us over an hour to get that far and we had done less than half of it. The "lookie-lookie" guys arrived and laid out their fake Channel, Gucchi bags...we moved on....sideboards, tables, folding tables, card tables standard lamps, glass fronted cabinets, chairs, brooms, pots and pans. Spanish militaria, German militaria, retro jewellery, the stalls and the items went on and on.

Items perused, some purchased, we headed back towards the entrance taking a path we had not swept before.

Souveniers; belt buckles, belts, bowls, cups, mugs, wall hangings, plant pots, pictures, paintings, fridge magnets.

Ah, yes, fridge magnets; the day was drawing to an end and packing up time was fast approaching.

Reduction of stock,

3 magnets for 8€

I chose a frog,

a bunch of cherries

and a salamander

Sadly, the salamander fell off the fridge one day and broke into so many pieces I wasn't able to put him back together again, but I still have the bunch of cherries and of course, the frog, which still has pride of place by the door handle.͒

Evocking memories

For three months we have been plagued by a world wide virus which has killed many and left others with their health compromised.

Younger and more agile people such as children and those under the age of 30 have faired the best and this I would expect. Regardless of our age, ethnicity or gender however, we are all held within strict guidelines and one of those is our inability to travel.

Some countries are 'popping' out of these strict guidelines whilst the rest of the world watch with baited breath.

Some countries are heading towards secondary infection spikes and are having to carry out localised lock-downs whilst other countries watch with apprehension.

Other countries are easing the restrictions to travel within a region, a state or the country as a whole, but as yet, few, if any are able to venture past their own borders.

I am like many other people, awaiting the necessary codes to reclaim money spent on holidays which will not materialise.

So, is that it? We close the brochures and websites and give up on the idea of travelling?

No, not for me. Travelling has become an integral part of my life and the planning, recollections and memories of places already travelled are of great importance to me.

Walls in my house reflect this and are covered in print-out images of different places with maps of that town or city or village, so I can remember.

My refrigerator is slowly sinking under the weight of magnets depicting different days spent in different places, and as I get the milk out of the door, I remember....

I have decided to utilise this blog, to remember and commit memories to the future so I can look back and go,

"Oh yes, that was a great day wasn't it" and smile as images flood back; the sounds, the heat; those around and most importantly, how it made me feel.

I hope you too will enjoy these memories and perhaps make you inclined to visit the same places as I did, once we have the chance to go.

So, in the following posts I say,

Welcome to my fridge