Travel

Leaving Abisko – for Norway and Lofoten

/ Leya / 40 kommentarer

In the header is Lapporten (Swedish: ”The Lapponian Gate”) or Tjuonavagge (Northern Sami: Čuonjávággi, ”Goose Valley”). This is a U-shaped valley in Lapland in northern Sweden, and one of the most familiar and famous natural sights of the mountains there.

Driving towards the Norwegian border, we left lake Torne Träsk behind us heading for the coast and Narvik, Norway.

This is a rough, high mountain area with not that much vegetation. The Norwegians seem to love it and their cottages (No. ”Hytter”) are everywhere perched on the flat rocks.

Staying in your own hytte is in the Norwegian national soul just as our cottages are in the Swedish soul. They vary in standard from no water or electricity (the ”real thing”, according to many) to luxury houses.

The view was tightening, but we relished every minute of the chilly fog and the fresh air. Three months in a sauna is not my cup of tea.

Norway – Again

/ Leya / 31 kommentarer

Coming back from a beautiful trip to Lofoten, Norway. We have been to Norway so many times, but never to Lofoten. It was worth waiting for…Here are two appetizers.

Thursday Thoughts – On the Road Again

/ Leya / 31 kommentarer

Country roads

…and the farmers’ never ending work

Fading flowers and ripening blackberries

So, I am heading north for some days – to leave the heat behind

I will be in touch – have a great weekend all!

 

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: Cooling

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Cooling

Here in Scandinavia – and several other European countries – we have endured a more than two months’ long heat wave, with temperatures exceeding everything since measurements started in Sweden hundreds of years ago. To function – cooling is essential.

One of my fondest memories of cooling is from 2015, when we were hiking the spectacular Verzasca Valley in Tessin, Switzerland. After some tough hours on foot, the temperature hit 34 degrees C – and we felt an urgent need to cool down. Fast cooling was offered with a swim in the 14 degrees C glacier water of the Verzasca river.

How would you capture cooling in a photograph? Is it an image like this one, showing a much-needed, cooling swim? Or is it maybe a giant ice-cream on the beach, or a dog in a bucket of water in your back yard? Show us your interpretation in a new post.

 

Here are the guidelines:

  • Lens-Artists Photo Challenges are published every Saturday at 12 noon EST by one of our moderators. Post your reply any time before the next challenge is announced.
  • Tag your post with lens-artists  so others can easily find it in the WordPress Reader.
  • Remember to create a link to this post.
  • Subscribe to all 4 moderator blogs to receive the challenge each week.

Week 1 – Patti of https://pilotfishblog.com/

Week 2 – Ann-Christine aka Leya of https://lagottocattleya.wordpress.com/

Week 3 – Amy of https://shareandconnect.wordpress.com/

Week 4 – Tina of https://travelsandtrifles.wordpress.com/

 

We had so many great responses to our first photo challenge!

Have You Seen These?

Deborah found a really special wonder in the Perry Sandhills – Wentworth. See her entry here:

https://debbiewhittam.wordpress.com/2018/07/09/lens-artists-photo-challenge-wonder/

And Helen reminds us that ”Everything is a wonder, when we see through children’s eyes.” See her entry here:

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: Wonder

 

Amy will be your host for the next challenge on Saturday, July 21.

Missed our initial challenge announcement? See details here.

Thursday’s Special: Pick a Word in July Y3

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Paula’s Pick a Word is always a treat – but this time…I only managed four of her five words. I will have to look closely at how you all solved it!

splash – Seljalandsfoss, Iceland

feathered – Designer Wallin, Sweden. If this does not count…Galapagos’ swallow tailed in the header!

marine – Switzerland

scenic – Switzerland

Thursday Thoughts – Paths and Colours

/ Leya / 14 kommentarer

On the south coast of Fanö, you will find the little village Sonderho, consisting of about 300 cottages. Almost all the cottages here stand with their house ends to the east and west – because of the wind – and they are all surrounded by small gardens and open greens.

Between the plots there is a labyrinthine network of narrow paths and crooked streets. So,  you are asked to park your car and walk around when you arrive in the village.

It was raining the whole of our visit, but the colours, houses, gardens and lovely paths where not at all less charming …

Almost all the houses are very low, so inside you have to step down to reach the floor. Although light blue is frequently used, I believe the most loved colours are these two – yellow and saturated orange.

There are some very good restaurants here as well…

And of course – somewhere out there…the sea.

 

 

 

Kites – A Marvelous Day On the Beach

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From all over the world they gathered here on Fanö for a fortnight – just to enjoy…

Relaxing over a beer and a barbecue, and

…releasing their new kites for others to marvel at

Or, gliding down the beach in good winds –

In the afternoon, the sky seemed totally filled up – no more room for new kites…

 

But in this glorious weather, we kept strolling along,  getting even more favorites!

But in the end – believe it or not – our own shining sails were filled as well –

and…

We flew up, up and away…

Leaving solid ground, rolling with the colourful wheels…

Realizing that we just could not take any more kites – at least for the rest of the… week…?

Even the dogs wanted to go home for a good night’s sleep…

and the small children got tired of playing along…

So…some people took their bikes and rode to town,  while others walked the lonely beach ahead, contemplating –

It had been a marvelous day – Good Night for now, and thank you for tagging along!

 

 

 

 

Thursday Thoughts – The Kites

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Fanö is a very small island west of Esbjerg, Jylland, Denmark. Go to Vivekas site for more love of this island and more interesting facts!

We started out to get to the Rindby beach on the west coast by 10am – which was the time said for the kite flyers to start. Some of them had been there for two weeks, but June 14-17 was marked for the finishing festival. Non commercial and 5000 enthusiasts – besides the three of us…Viveka, (Myguiltypleasures) , me and my husband.

They come from all over the world…and they all make their own kites from sailcloth and nylon fiber. Some kites are made in a couple of hours, but some take weeks to make.

To give you a taste of what this is all about – here is a short youtube introduction:

To give you something of my own taste – here we go…am:

 

Wishing you all a lovely Midsummer!

I’ll be back Sunday with the afternoon kites…if you haven’t got enough of them! I haven’t… Or better yet – go visit Fanö yourselves – you will love it!