Lofoten

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: Blue

/ Leya / 37 kommentarer

This week’s Lens-Artists host is Patti, and she challenges us to share our interpretation of blue—the color, the mood, or the time of day.”

My choices are from Kosta Boda Art Hotel in Sweden and in the header, the village Å in Lofoten, Norway.

Last year we spent a night here at the SPA-hotel, and marveled at the world famous artworks in every room. All of them for sale. No doubt my favorite was the glass bar, where Kjell Engman has designed and finished everything in blue glass.

 

 

 

Even the chairs…

 

For more information about participating in the lens-artists challenge, click here.

To see Patti’s BLUE challenge, click here.

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Welcome!

 

Svolvær – Lofoten

/ Leya / 33 kommentarer

Svolvær is the main town in Lofoten, and Northern Atlantic Cod fisheries, particularly during winter months, have remained one of the most important economical foundations for the town. Just west of Svolvær is Vågar – mentioned in the book Heimskringla, and might have been established as early as the year 800 AD.

We arrived rather late, and thunder was in the air the whole evening. This also made for an interesting walk in beautiful light and no winds.

The little town has about 5000 inhabitants, and many people were strolling the streets in the soft evening. The special light made all colours stand out – no need for enhancing anything. Natural beauty only.

The old – and new – little houses are called rorbuer. Rorbu is a traditional type of seasonal house used by fishermen. The buildings are built on land, but with the one end on poles in the water, allowing easy access to vessels. Today they are mostly used for tourist renting.

After sorting by quality, most of the stockfish is exported to Italy, Croatia and Nigeria.  In Norway and Iceland, the stockfish is mostly used as a snack and for lutefisk production. In Italy, the fish (called stoccafisso) is soaked and used in various courses, and is viewed as a delicacy. The man working where we parked the car, told us that in Nigeria it has become the national dish!

When the clouds occasionally lifted, or there opened a rift in the skies, we could capture some very picturesque views.

Unfortunately, after this lovely walk, we had to say goodbye to Svolvær – still bathing in that special light that attracts many artists and galleries – and us – to Lofoten.

 

 

 

 

Thursday Thoughts – From Narvik to Svolvær

/ Leya / 23 kommentarer

Narvik was developed as an all-year ice free port for the Swedish Kiruna and Gällivare iron mines. In my youth I was here once, but did not go further out to Lofoten. This time we also took the train to Riksgränsen and back again. We got an interesting view of the new bridge connecting islands – not finished yet.

Riksgränsen (the border to Sweden) – and as you can see there is no activity during summer – it seems. Abandoned cafées and all lifts still waiting for passengers.

Back in Narvik again I marvelled at the abundance of red clover overlooking the harbour. Flowers everywhere along the roads in Sweden and Norway – a wonder for me used to the brownish yellow burnt landscape at home.

We spent only a day here – then left for Lofoten and its beautiful, varied landscapes.

For the Swedish ”Fika” this first day, we found a lovely place with the sound of running water and a soothing mountain view.

Milo would have loved this place. Low water and easy to splash around and play.

The common butterwort grew on the banks of this little river – did you know this is a carnivorous plant? I didn’t before I looked it up in the flora.

Just before darkness, we arrived in Svolvaer – the main town in Lofoten – which will be in the next post!

 

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: Soft

/ Leya / 31 kommentarer

This week, Tina is our host, and she challenges us to show an interpretation of SOFT.

” Is it something as simple as a puppy’s fur, or as personal as your favorite quilt or sweater? Maybe it’s the soft light of dawn or the whisper of a soft breeze through the trees. Let us know in your response what SOFT means to you.”

Tina’s beautiful series of animals leaves us with a soft whisper from nature – and she inspired me to contribute with some softness from northern Sweden and Norway, where I spent some days last week.

In the header, a lovely little bridge by the road in Lofoten. I stopped to take a photo, but, as I was parking the car, the fog had smoothly settled between the mountains – and totally changed the scenery. Now the landscape was swept in a soft, cool blanket, and my photo created a totally different, but maybe more interesting feeling.

The other shots are from Lapland, Sweden, where we were welcomed back by the softest carpet of white cotton-grass and common cotton-grass.

In Northern Europe, for hundreds of years cotton-grass was used as a substitute in the production of paper,  candle-wicks, and wound-dressings. And used as filling, they made the softest of pillows.

Do you have cotton-grass in your country as well? Do you know what it was used for in the old days – or maybe still is?

 

For more information on how to participate in the Lens-Artists photo challenge, click here. And – be sure to tune in for Patti’s challenge next week on Pilotfish!

 

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.