So this afternoon we jumped on a paranoic tour of Helsinki - you know the one where you get driven around in a large red bus listening to a pre-recorded commentary on ear buds that kept falling out. Angela Merkle's 99 luftballons, it wasn't.
However what was interesting is that there were groups of people wearing coloured overalls clustering together so I asked the bus driver. Apparently today, a prelude to the first day of spring - tomorrow, students both past and present gather in their school overalls and at 6pm open champagne as they 'fight' to crown a statue with a graduation cap. As the driver explained it is the one time that the reticent Finns let loose. In that case we will be staying in and having tea in front of the tele as I'm not sure our insurance covers getting caught up in the loosening-up of a whole society - think Hyde Street party, St Patrick's day, and O-week on steroids.
Mind you a society who sauna's together - which involves getting naked and sweaty with strangers before you being conversation - doesn't sound that reticent to me. Any how the coloured overalls represent the following areas.
Hospitality Management Students = Turquoise.
Healthcare Students = Dark green.
Fine Arts Students = White from front, black from behind.
Engineers = Red-black.
Business Students = Violet.
One of the sites we visited was a memorial to a famous Finnish composer, who while surviving two world wars didn't compose much in the last 30 years of his life as he was too busy drinking champagne and eating caviar with his mates. Which would be Ok except for his long suffering wife who messaged him one ask when he thought he would be coming home to which he replied "I am a composer - not a fortune teller". I like the guy and she should've been out doing her own thing.
Welcome to a new trip to the other side of the world with your intrepid, or otherwise, travelers. As the title states, in the beginning there was an idea, this then became a plan, and is now this Itinerar y or Map However as with all good plans one needs to be flexible and this trip will test that, as we navigate our way across Norway, into Sweden and the Finland by public transport but also as our first stop is Tai Tapu for my sister's wedding. Not the usual start to a Northern Hemisphere trip but a truly exciting one. So buckle up and enjoy the ride and for my colleagues - the typing doesn't get any better out of the office but then you are expert at interpreting the Trudi-isms.
Hello from the other side again, Given that Bergen would be a perfect place to own a boat we did the next best thing and borrowed one and went on a cruise around a fjord, then through a cutting into a lake. A lovely trip especially when the boat slows down and you can go up front for close ups and additional information. Proud of their wool industry. Pretty sure we saw a couple of whaling ships in port and there was whale on the menu at the restaurant. Not for me and an interesting juxtaposition as the tour company also offered whale watching. I suppose I should be worried if it offered catch your dinner trips. Food has been great, lovely fish and beer! Own foot bridge to the mainland The end of the line. In ye olden times they would have to sail/row to Bergen to sell their produce. The island at the end of the foot bridge Own island still farming sheep and goats Bergen Waterfront Hotel Door Keeper Our Hotel behind the hop on / hop off bus More Bergen Waterfront
Hell0 from Bergen, Our first morning here and we are off up the funicular. Lucky Neil spotted the ticket at the bottom or else I would've had us climbing to the first stop. We caught the funicular up and then meandered our way down. I prefer this order of activity. Bergen - well part of it A rock with lichens - perfect for the Dunedin site Proof it was 3 ks A bit windy Jammed in Yes we came down this on the advice of a friendly local Some dude I think it must be spring Norwegian Delta
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