NORWAY - I've been to Hell and back

Well today folks I've been to Hell and back and if you don't believe me I have the ticket to prove it.

This afternoon I boarded a 2 car diesel train for the 30 minute journey north from Trondheim, which was really nice as the line followed the Trondheimsfjord most of the way along the waters edge, eventually dropping me off at the village of Hell.

In addition to the station name there is the added complication that in Norwegian the word for freight where would we say "goods" is spelt "gods" which gives another interesting sign on the former freight office. 

So now I have been to Hell I can confirm that contrary to the propaganda, Hell is actually 3.9 metres above sea level and being in Norway does freeze over in winter. It is actually a very nice place, although like so many nice places is blighted by traffic. I can also confirm that there is a Co-op in Hell so anyone planning to go there for a long period will not starve. 

I did look for an embassy or diplomatic mission from the other side but there didn't seem to be one so for the record there is no church in Hell. There is church, which I walked to, in the adjacent settlement of Lanke. 

The jokes of course only work for English speakers, the name originates from the old Norse "hellir" which means "overhang" presumably from the hills above the village. In normal Norwegian the word "hell" actually means "happiness, success, luck" (depending on context) so has very positive connotations. Be warned though, if you now say to me "That'll happen when Hell freezes over" I'll put it in my diary for sometime in early January.

SWEDEN - There's one on every trip

There's one on every trip like this when using public transport. A place that you don't have any intention of going to, that you really don't want to go to, but the timetables make you visit. Try as you may, every permutation of the trip always brings you back to that place.

And so it is that I find myself in the Swedish city of Ostersund. With only two trains a day between here and Trondheim in Norway, it was a choice of either travelling up from Stockholm on the sleeper or staying the night here as the first train leaves at 07:24.  My way of dealing with these places is book a hotel but do limited research and see if they surprise or disappoint.

To get here I took an Inter-City from Stockholm north for 3.5 hours to Sundsvall where I changed for a local train that travelled for 2.5 hours sort of west i.e. inland. The picture below is of the local train, very comfortable and very spacious.

Ostersund itself seems pretty average, a nice sort of place beside a large lake - there were lots of lakes on the journey here. The air here is definitely cleaner and fresher and I now feel the need to wear a jumper.

What was a pleasant surprise though was that while I was out just wandering around to see what was here, I found an English pub - The Bishops Arms - makes a change from an Irish one doesn't it! Very traditional looking inside and I've just sat down to a nice steak and a pint. Not being an ale guy, I had a 40cl (pint) of Bud but they had all sorts of English ales. On checking on the internet I have found that it is a chain operating right across Sweden so it's something to look out for when you have had enough of meatballs and open prawn sandwiches.

One word of warning though - it might be an English pub but its still Swedish prices - £6.60 a pint.

SWEDEN - Shirley's Challenge

Before I left London, Shirley set me a challenge. 

"Go to IKEA in Sweden and find out if the Billy bookcases are the same as those in the UK"

Well as your intrepid explorer I would be letting you all down if I didn't rise to the challenge - wouldn't I?

Incidentally if you laughed at Changing Rooms when it was on telly pronouncing the name ICK-EE-A then laugh no more as that's actually closer to how the Swedes say it.

It's not going to surprise you to learn that Stockholm is home to the worlds largest IKEA in the south of the city at Kungens Kurva. It's very easy to get to as on weekdays there is a free bus from just opposite Stockholm Central station every hour that takes about 20 minutes to get there.

Once there the store is arranged over 5 floors with the room/furniture displays being in a circular part of the building which you work your way down through before entering the maze that is the pots and pans, lighting and rugs etc etc. As with all IKEA's you end up in the warehouse where you pick up your flat pack furniture.

Highlight of the trip has to be the restaurant where you can get a plate of meatballs for under £5 which in Stockholm doesn't usually buy a beer. The experience was much more enjoyable and relaxing than a trip to IKEA in the UK but that was probably because it was not only a Monday and also the first day back at school/work for everyone after the summer holidays. Probably at the weekends it's very busy.

The free bus back was full and standing so I opted instead for a local bus to the Tunnelbana station at Skarholmen for the underground back to the city centre - equally easy really.

As for the Billy bookcases ......... Well they look the same!

SWEDEN - Ships Ahoy!

Today I visited the Vasa, the Swedish warship from the 17th century that sank in Stockholm harbour on her maiden voyage and was salvaged in 1961. I wasn't expecting to spend 3.5 hours looking at an old wooden ship but it was so well preserved and there was so much to see it was fascinating. The ship was not seaworthy from the start as the Vasa had been built in a way that meant it was top heavy and therefore would tip over as soon as a good gust of wind got it. Preservation of the wreck was helped by the fact that Baltic Sea is not as salty as normal sea water meaning that the usually destructive shipworm is not present. The Vasa is therefore remarkably well preserved when compared to the Mary Rose for instance.

After leaving the museum, I walked along the side of the harbour to have a look at a lightship that I had spotted from the other side the previous day. Imagine my surprise (and excitement) when I discovered that it was part of the Maritime Museum collection and open to the public. 

I regularly mention lightships on my lighthouse tours but have never been on one. It would not have been particularly pleasant being stationed on a light vessel as, being anchored to the sea bed miles offshore, they would have been constantly rolling around. But I was very surprised at the amount of space available below deck, with each of the 8 crew having their own cabin,

The Light Tower

Captain's Cabin

         

Optic

SWEDEN - Stunning Stockholm

I was having my doubts about Stockholm mainly because yesterday was grey and damp and today I awoke to heavy rain. Looking out from the breakfast room at the hotel this morning the ferry pier was packed with locals sheltering from the rain, waiting for ferries to the outer islands. Most of them were carrying what looked to be picnic stuff - they are hardy folk here! Anyway the locals obviously know more about the weather than I do because by mid morning it had dried up, it was breezy but sunny and from the top of the City Hall tower Stockholm revealed its beauty.

There have been 3 cruise ships in today with another arriving this afternoon and this is the last weekend of the Swedish summer (by Monday all the kids are back at school and the transport brings in the winter timetable!) so the city centre was very busy. Apart from visiting the church where the Swedish royal family get buried I haven't really done any sights, just wandered in the sun, soaking up a really nice summer atmosphere.

The ice cream is a bit more expensive here at £2.50 a scoop and don't talk about the price of beer. Had a restaurant meal last night which was of course expensive so went for fast food today - fried herring and mash.

The cool tram stop of the day award goes to AGA which is actually related to AGA cookers as they were invented by a Swede here in Stockholm.

SWEDEN - Stockholm - Palace & Parliament

After a ferry, some trains and a tram I have made it to my base in Stockholm. I thought I would stay out of the city on this one and commute in, so I am staying on the island of Lidingo. The hotel is at the pier at the far end of the island where the trams from the city centre terminate so I have the choice of travelling into Stockholm by tram or ferry and today I went on the ferry.

I have spent the day in Gamla Stan - the Old Town - but unfortunately the weather was not perfect it's been grey and wet. 

The Royal Palace from the water

First stop was the Royal Palace which is right up there with those in the London and Madrid. 

The tour took in the suite of rooms that are given to visiting heads of state on state visits. Apparently the bed in the picture below has been slept in by a our Queen & Prince Philip, Nelson Mandela and his wife and Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife amongst others. It suddenly occurred to me just how uncomfortable all the furniture is in these places, not exactly somewhere to chill out!

Next was a tour of the Swedish Parliament - I have to say I am becoming a bit of a parliament fan and if I am in a capital city usually try to go and have a look. The tours are informative, interesting and (with the exception of London) are usually free. This tour told us that Sweden is currently operating with a minority government and that the original building became too small so they took over the adjacent central bank building and linked them together. One of the main lobbies is the old banking hall.

Swedish Parliament - Main Chamber

Also in the same area is the Nobel Museum which is all about Alfred Nobel and the Nobel Prizes and was very interesting. Just in case you don't know Nobel was a Swede who made his fortune mainly from the invention of dynamite and gelignite. He never married or had children and when he died he left his fortune to set up the Nobel prizes - Physics, Chemistry, Literature, Peace and Medicine. The Swedish central bank subsequently set up an Economics prize in his memory.  The prizes are all presented in Stockholm except Peace which Nobel stipulated should be awarded in Oslo.

Stockholm - Old Town

GERMANY - More of the same

Well it was my final full day in Germany today and I have just done more of the same and it's been great.

Walked into Binz along the promenade this morning and continued on the coast path beyond the town, so more walking through beech forest. The weather here today has been really warm so the shade from the forest canopy has been welcome.

 

That in turn brought me to the next resort along the coast at Sellin which had this really great looking pier.

Then more coast path walking through yet more beech forest - I have never seen so many beech trees - to the next resort Baabe which was the real reason for the expedition. You have a 50/50 chance of getting it right as I was walking to either a lighthouse or a train.

TRAIN!

It was the "Racing Roland". This is a narrow gauge steam railway (only 750mm this time) that connects the resorts of Gohern, Baabe, Sellin and Binz with the mainline at Putbus. After Putbus the train continues on track shared with the normal trains (three rails/two gauges) as far as the pier at Lauterbach.

No street running on this one but what it did have was a open air carriage on each train. 

The interesting thing about the two steam railways I have travelled on in Germany is that they operate not as preserved railways but as part of the normal transport infrastructure. Consequently the trains run all year round and in the case of the "Racing Roland" during summer run late into the evening. 

I can think of no better way of spending a summer's evening that riding through the German countryside in an open top carriage breathing smoke and getting covered in soot - each to his own as they say.

Leaving Germany tomorrow, so no posts for a couple of days. See you in all Sweden!

GERMANY - I could have stayed in Dover

I don't know - you come all this way and what do you get? A load of white cliffs, I could have stayed in Dover ..........

Today I have come to the Jasmund National Park just north of the port of Sassnitz (yes even that's like Dover as the ferries go to Sweden from there). What is very different though is that whilst the white cliffs of England's south coast are covered with chalk downland, here the cliffs are topped with thick beech forest.  The main point to aim for is the "King's Chair" which is a lookout point where there is also a National Park Info Centre. It's about a 7km walk along the cliffs from Sassnitz and this is through dense forest with the path occasionally dropping down into ravines where streams tumble down to the sea.

With beech being a deciduous tree it must be amazing here in the autumn. Coastal erosion is a fact of life here just as anywhere else and it leaves some of the trees clinging on to the sides of the cliffs.

I was having such a good time here that I managed to miss the train back to Prora and had to try out the local buses. The verdict - very easy to use!

 

GERMANY - An Englishman's guide to German beaches

1) Seating - You do not need to bring deck chairs, windbreaks, knotted handkerchiefs etc. with you when visiting a German beach. Instead you can hire a Strandkorb. This seat will provide comfort and protection from sun, wind and rain - you hire them like a deck chair. (They are really cool!)

 

2) Facilities - German local authorities provide Strandkorbs, clean public toilets, rubbish bins that are not overflowing and free dog poo bags AND manage to keep schools and libraries open as a result. This will appear strange to the average English tourist but can be explained by the term - German effiiciency,

3) Clothing - The Germans provide special beaches for the English traveller and these are clearly signposted - Textilstrand. It is very important that the shy English visitor chooses the correct beach. Those labelled FKK are where the Germans "Get their kit off" and as such are not suitable for visitors from across the Nordsee. It has been noted that on the signage, the arrows to the dog walking beaches point in the same direction as the FKK beaches but it is not known if there is a law in Germany which requires you to walk your dog naked. Please note however that whilst the beach is a riot of flesh no one would dream of walking along the promenade without their shirt on.

 

4) Ice Cream - This is incredibly cheap. Anyone used to paying £2.50 for a small "Mr Whippy" in Central London will be surprised to find that good quality ice cream is available for about 90p per scoop. Interesting flavours tested so far have been Walnut and Green Apple. It is not known why ice cream in Germany is so cheap but it could be due to an unknown EU subsidy. If this is the case expect "Mr Whippy" to increase to £5.00 post BREXIT.

5) Seagulls - It would be fairly safe to assume that German seagulls are disciplined good citizens. Unfortunately they are the same as English seagulls - They nick your chips.