These are from the Bøya glacier, as are the videos.
Cows walking in the middle of the road, a few miles to the south.
Sunday, August 27, 2017
Norway
In late August I took a drive over to the West Coast of Norway. The scenery was magnificent, but since I'm a lazy slob I didn't really stop to take pictures in a lot of places.
These are from the Bøya glacier, as are the videos.
Cows walking in the middle of the road, a few miles to the south.
These are from the Bøya glacier, as are the videos.
Cows walking in the middle of the road, a few miles to the south.
Friday, August 4, 2017
Celtic tour day IV: Tara
Our last touristy thing of the trip was a quick visit to the Hill of Tara, one of the most important crowning sites for the ancient kings of Ireland. For the last time, TripAdvisor:
"You can truly feel history in the earth at Tara; this is where the kings of Ireland were crowned for centuries. The site contains several burial mounds and large fields perfect for assembly, even some Christian sites. Also, some very good views of the surrounding countryside."
Old burial chamber.
Some heathen, or possibly papist mumbo-jumbo. It looks like one of those clootie wells I've seen in Scotland.
This sloping field was reportedly the actual place of crowning.
Naturally, I was skeptical of Tara (my buddy & travel companion Massimo in the back).
"You can truly feel history in the earth at Tara; this is where the kings of Ireland were crowned for centuries. The site contains several burial mounds and large fields perfect for assembly, even some Christian sites. Also, some very good views of the surrounding countryside."
Old burial chamber.
Some heathen, or possibly papist mumbo-jumbo. It looks like one of those clootie wells I've seen in Scotland.
This sloping field was reportedly the actual place of crowning.
Naturally, I was skeptical of Tara (my buddy & travel companion Massimo in the back).
Celtic tour day IV: Battle of the Boyne visitor center
After the ancient history, we drove off to see some more recent stuff. The Battle of the Boyne was a decisive Protestant & English victory over the Catholic & Irish and this and some other skirmishes of that era is what the Orangemen of Northern Ireland are still marching for today. TripAdvisor:
"Visited here with a friend to see where the papists were decisively beaten and the foundations were laid for a modern, democratic Britain (and Ireland). We both learned something new from the exhibition in the visitor center, and there's a good audiovisual presentation, both at the center and in a building outside. Also, friendly staff and nice surroundings. What I did not get was a proper sense of the battle in the context of where I was. As far as I could ascertain, there was no audioguide, no map you could take with you to stroll the grounds and imagine troop movements and such, which I am used to from especially American battlefields."
The battle was fought on this field (among other places).
Outside the museum building was a cannon.
In the backyard were several more.
"Visited here with a friend to see where the papists were decisively beaten and the foundations were laid for a modern, democratic Britain (and Ireland). We both learned something new from the exhibition in the visitor center, and there's a good audiovisual presentation, both at the center and in a building outside. Also, friendly staff and nice surroundings. What I did not get was a proper sense of the battle in the context of where I was. As far as I could ascertain, there was no audioguide, no map you could take with you to stroll the grounds and imagine troop movements and such, which I am used to from especially American battlefields."
The battle was fought on this field (among other places).
Outside the museum building was a cannon.
In the backyard were several more.
Celtic tour day IV: Newgrange
We then went back to the bus stop and got on another drive, to famous Newgrange. Again, my TripAdvisor review comes in handy:
"Newgrange was built more than 5,000 years ago and is one of the largest neolithic structures in the world. There are several theories about why it was built and interpretations of the surrounding artwork; most likely it served a religious purpose at least partially to do with burials. You're allowed inside the burial chamber itself, but only in the presence of a guide and once inside, photos are "verboten". A fascinating moment is when you're standing in the burial chamber and the lights are turned off and you witness the recreation of the sunlight hitting the chamber during winter solstice."
The mound in all its glory.
This big stone was placed in front of the entrance and originally you'd have to climb over it. The ritual probably served some religious purpose. Putting artificial, pointless hindrances in the way of human progress seems to embody all types of religions, anytime, anywhere.
The reconstructed wall around the tomb.
There were several structures around the mound, whose purpose one can only guess at.
More artwork.
"Newgrange was built more than 5,000 years ago and is one of the largest neolithic structures in the world. There are several theories about why it was built and interpretations of the surrounding artwork; most likely it served a religious purpose at least partially to do with burials. You're allowed inside the burial chamber itself, but only in the presence of a guide and once inside, photos are "verboten". A fascinating moment is when you're standing in the burial chamber and the lights are turned off and you witness the recreation of the sunlight hitting the chamber during winter solstice."
The mound in all its glory.
This big stone was placed in front of the entrance and originally you'd have to climb over it. The ritual probably served some religious purpose. Putting artificial, pointless hindrances in the way of human progress seems to embody all types of religions, anytime, anywhere.
The reconstructed wall around the tomb.
There were several structures around the mound, whose purpose one can only guess at.
More artwork.
Celtic tour day IV: Knowth
Our fourth and final day was spent in four different places - five if you count the visitor center where we started. It's called Bru na Boinne and has lots of facts and some models of the famous Celtic grave mounds of the area. From my TripAdvisor review:
"The visitor center has very informative exhibits about the neolithic structures in the Boyne valley area and prepares you for the trip out to Knowth and Newgrange, indeed I would deem it essential that you go here before getting on the bus to these places. The ticket sales are well organized in that people will come and ask you where you want to go (and when) before you reach the cash register and bring you the necessary stickers, which I can only surmise saves quite a bit of time. Good bathroom facilities and a very nice shop with a wide range of products."
We actually visited the center in the afternoon of the third day; as it was too late to go out and see anything, they let us walk around the exhibits for free. I wonder what they mean by "necessary management". Does that include being stuffed for the education & entertainment of tourists?
What a neolithic house might have looked like.
How they moved the big stones. Same method was probably in use all over the world, maybe for the pyramids.
Once we had our tickets (or rather our stickers), we walked over to the bus stop, about 5-10 minutes' walk from the center. We had to cross the river Boyne, which meanders quietly through the fields. The access to water was probably the most important factor when they decided where to settle.
A short ride away was the giant tomb of Knowth, with some smaller buildings close by. I'll turn it over to TripAdvisor:
"A visit to Knowth gives you an insight into neolithic life and shows you an incredible 4,500+ year old construction, the largest of its kind in the world. I was lucky enough to have a very well spoken guide who told us about the building of the mound and some theories pertaining to the artworks and the positioning of various parts of the structure. Very interesting and stimulating talk. You're allowed a little way inside and can take as many photos as you want, but for safety reasons most of the interior of the mound itself is off limits. The views from the top are very nice."
Some smaller structures.
There was some kind of wooden structure very near the mound, I'm not sure they know what it was for.
This was as far as we were allowed inside the tomb.
Ancient artwork, just about every stone is decorated.
Looks like Jabba the Hutt visited here long ago.
Views from the top.
Nice, rolling countryside.
Original entrance.
"The visitor center has very informative exhibits about the neolithic structures in the Boyne valley area and prepares you for the trip out to Knowth and Newgrange, indeed I would deem it essential that you go here before getting on the bus to these places. The ticket sales are well organized in that people will come and ask you where you want to go (and when) before you reach the cash register and bring you the necessary stickers, which I can only surmise saves quite a bit of time. Good bathroom facilities and a very nice shop with a wide range of products."
We actually visited the center in the afternoon of the third day; as it was too late to go out and see anything, they let us walk around the exhibits for free. I wonder what they mean by "necessary management". Does that include being stuffed for the education & entertainment of tourists?
What a neolithic house might have looked like.
How they moved the big stones. Same method was probably in use all over the world, maybe for the pyramids.
Once we had our tickets (or rather our stickers), we walked over to the bus stop, about 5-10 minutes' walk from the center. We had to cross the river Boyne, which meanders quietly through the fields. The access to water was probably the most important factor when they decided where to settle.
A short ride away was the giant tomb of Knowth, with some smaller buildings close by. I'll turn it over to TripAdvisor:
"A visit to Knowth gives you an insight into neolithic life and shows you an incredible 4,500+ year old construction, the largest of its kind in the world. I was lucky enough to have a very well spoken guide who told us about the building of the mound and some theories pertaining to the artworks and the positioning of various parts of the structure. Very interesting and stimulating talk. You're allowed a little way inside and can take as many photos as you want, but for safety reasons most of the interior of the mound itself is off limits. The views from the top are very nice."
Some smaller structures.
There was some kind of wooden structure very near the mound, I'm not sure they know what it was for.
This was as far as we were allowed inside the tomb.
Ancient artwork, just about every stone is decorated.
Looks like Jabba the Hutt visited here long ago.
Views from the top.
Nice, rolling countryside.
Original entrance.
Thursday, August 3, 2017
Celtic Tour Day III: Giant's Causeway
Thursday started out with a visit to Giant's Causeway, possibly the most famous and intriguing place on the island. According to legend (aka bullshit), it was built by a giant who wanted to fight a Scottish giant; there are several versions of the story, some incorporating the similar stones over at Staffa, an island off Oban on the Scottish west coast. Again, I'm just going to refer you to my TripAdvisor review:
"Went there with a friend. Interesting rock formations, great scenery, good transportation and facilities up at the informative visitor center. Extra plus for a good range of products in the shop."
Yeah, I was slightly underwhelmed, possibly because I had built it up in my head to be this yuuuge thing and when it turned out to be merely good, I was disappointed. Do have a look at the pictures:
I believe this one was called the Giant's booth.
Video from Giant's Causeway:
Naturally, I was skeptical of Giant's Causeway.
We continued towards Ireland by the coastal route, but made a quick detour down to the "Dark Hedges", which is one of many Game of Thrones locations in Northern Ireland. I got some video of that too.
We finally made it out to Torr Head, which is the closest part of Northern Ireland to Scotland. It's a pretty drive out there.
I have video:
A bit south we came upon some glorious scenery. The Glens of Antrim begin here and stretch inland for several miles; a very, very pretty area indeed.
"Went there with a friend. Interesting rock formations, great scenery, good transportation and facilities up at the informative visitor center. Extra plus for a good range of products in the shop."
Yeah, I was slightly underwhelmed, possibly because I had built it up in my head to be this yuuuge thing and when it turned out to be merely good, I was disappointed. Do have a look at the pictures:
I believe this one was called the Giant's booth.
Video from Giant's Causeway:
Naturally, I was skeptical of Giant's Causeway.
We continued towards Ireland by the coastal route, but made a quick detour down to the "Dark Hedges", which is one of many Game of Thrones locations in Northern Ireland. I got some video of that too.
We finally made it out to Torr Head, which is the closest part of Northern Ireland to Scotland. It's a pretty drive out there.
I have video:
A bit south we came upon some glorious scenery. The Glens of Antrim begin here and stretch inland for several miles; a very, very pretty area indeed.
Wednesday, August 2, 2017
Celtic tour day II: The Road to Ballycastle
We then continued our trip up to Giants Causeway. It was too late to enter when we got up there, but we did get in some pictures of the nice surroundings.
Along the way, we saw several buildings such as this. The Orangemen are still very strong in parts of Northern Ireland.
There were some road closures due to repair work, so we took alternate routes that probably prolonged our journey with several hours. We're stupid. But the scenery was nice.
If a bit wild and isolated at times. The small, white dots are sheep.
The following pictures were taken very close to our hotel in Ballintoy, Ballycastle, and less than ten minutes from Giant's Causeway. The scenery out by the coast is at times very pretty, with the shifting interaction of light, land, clouds and waves.
I also have video:
Birds on a wire.
I believe this formation is known as The Elephant.
Along the way, we saw several buildings such as this. The Orangemen are still very strong in parts of Northern Ireland.
There were some road closures due to repair work, so we took alternate routes that probably prolonged our journey with several hours. We're stupid. But the scenery was nice.
If a bit wild and isolated at times. The small, white dots are sheep.
The following pictures were taken very close to our hotel in Ballintoy, Ballycastle, and less than ten minutes from Giant's Causeway. The scenery out by the coast is at times very pretty, with the shifting interaction of light, land, clouds and waves.
I also have video:
Birds on a wire.
I believe this formation is known as The Elephant.
Celtic tour day II: Ulster American Folk Park
We never really noticed passing into Northern Ireland. Possibly, there was a small sign somewhere, but if so, it completely escaped our attention. I started noticing slight differences in the signposting and the license plates, and that was that. We made a brief stop in Enniskillen, but the "castle" we were going to look at was extremely disappointing from the outside, and traffic & parking was a nightmare. So, we pressed on towards our intended destination for the day; Giant's Causeway. However, just outside Omagh, we spotted a sign for something called the Ulster American Folk Park, and since we're both huge fans of the US, we decided to check it out.
Well, it turned out to be the clear highlight of the trip. We spent several hours walking around in the rain, looking at tons of old stuff and reconstructed buildings, talking to craftsmen and volunteers who'd given up time and resources to come talk to tourists like ourselves about things they were passionate about. I absofuckinlutely loved the place and the people there, but since I'm still a lazy bastard, I'm going to just post my TripAdvisor review for you:
"Went there with a friend on a whim and was overwhelmed by the sheer amount of stuff they had on exhibition and the experience of emigration. Very informative exhibition at the visitor centre and over forty mostly historical buildings around the area; everything from the childhood home of Thomas Mellon (of Carnegie-Mellon/Pittsburgh fame) to homesteads and even a replica of a ship they used to transport migrants over to the US. Extra special bonus points go to the very friendly blacksmith who chose yours truly to operate the bellow, hammer the iron and cool if off in water (even though he threatened me with seven years of apprenticeship and daily beatings). We also had a very good conversation with a lady at the old schoolhouse and learned about the Sally Rod, which apparently was used to punish unruly children up until the '90s in Ireland. Some of the guides were more interesting and motivating than the others and I really wish they'd sell t-shirts or similar apparel at the visitor centre, but these are immaterial points compared to the wonderful four hours we spent there and both agreed at the end of our four-day visit to the island that this had been the highlight. If you have any interest in migration/Irish/American history, go there. I can not recommend it enough!"
One of the items in the visitor center's exhibit was some stuff about passengers on the Titanic, of whom many were Irish. This one made it over and I can only marvel at the experience of someone born in 1890 in rural Ireland - one of the poorest areas in all of Europe - who survived possibly the most famed shipwreckings of all times, and died in 1959 in what was at the time, withot comparison, the richest country on earth.
A typical immigrant neighborhood in New York.
The iron smithy where I got to try my hand at hammering an iron rod and was threatened with seven years of daily beatings.
A typical school room in old Ireland, not all that different from Norway.
A demonstration of the Sally Rod. Mmmm, whuppin' pupils into complete obedience... a man can dream...
Stationery. Tons and tons of stationery.
I believe this was an old pharmacy.
The grocery store.
A smaller copy of a ship they used to transport people from Ireland to the US. Living quarters were cramped, illness was rampant and arrival was not guaranteed.
Another store.
Times were so much more innocent back then...
One might mistake the scene for Jamestown, Virginia or similar.
This might be how a pioneer house looked back in the day.
Well, it turned out to be the clear highlight of the trip. We spent several hours walking around in the rain, looking at tons of old stuff and reconstructed buildings, talking to craftsmen and volunteers who'd given up time and resources to come talk to tourists like ourselves about things they were passionate about. I absofuckinlutely loved the place and the people there, but since I'm still a lazy bastard, I'm going to just post my TripAdvisor review for you:
"Went there with a friend on a whim and was overwhelmed by the sheer amount of stuff they had on exhibition and the experience of emigration. Very informative exhibition at the visitor centre and over forty mostly historical buildings around the area; everything from the childhood home of Thomas Mellon (of Carnegie-Mellon/Pittsburgh fame) to homesteads and even a replica of a ship they used to transport migrants over to the US. Extra special bonus points go to the very friendly blacksmith who chose yours truly to operate the bellow, hammer the iron and cool if off in water (even though he threatened me with seven years of apprenticeship and daily beatings). We also had a very good conversation with a lady at the old schoolhouse and learned about the Sally Rod, which apparently was used to punish unruly children up until the '90s in Ireland. Some of the guides were more interesting and motivating than the others and I really wish they'd sell t-shirts or similar apparel at the visitor centre, but these are immaterial points compared to the wonderful four hours we spent there and both agreed at the end of our four-day visit to the island that this had been the highlight. If you have any interest in migration/Irish/American history, go there. I can not recommend it enough!"
One of the items in the visitor center's exhibit was some stuff about passengers on the Titanic, of whom many were Irish. This one made it over and I can only marvel at the experience of someone born in 1890 in rural Ireland - one of the poorest areas in all of Europe - who survived possibly the most famed shipwreckings of all times, and died in 1959 in what was at the time, withot comparison, the richest country on earth.
A typical immigrant neighborhood in New York.
The iron smithy where I got to try my hand at hammering an iron rod and was threatened with seven years of daily beatings.
A typical school room in old Ireland, not all that different from Norway.
A demonstration of the Sally Rod. Mmmm, whuppin' pupils into complete obedience... a man can dream...
Stationery. Tons and tons of stationery.
I believe this was an old pharmacy.
The grocery store.
A smaller copy of a ship they used to transport people from Ireland to the US. Living quarters were cramped, illness was rampant and arrival was not guaranteed.
Another store.
Times were so much more innocent back then...
One might mistake the scene for Jamestown, Virginia or similar.
This might be how a pioneer house looked back in the day.
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