Hard to believe another camp year has come to an end.  This week went by really fast – and we had great weather . . . 

August 2

[Every morning before breakfast, the Super would go to the office to check up on worldly events . . . ]

[Then down all the steps to breakfast – always enjoy this time of day . . . ]

[The waterfront and the sails and the sunlight . . . ]

[Friday morning, the last full day of camp, always begins with the lake swim.  The camp pontoon takes all participants to the far side of the lake then follows their one-mile swim back.  Rita & I say we’re going to do it every year – then we come to our senses . . . ]

[Can you see their heads on the far side of the lake?]

[This, our swimming area, is their final destination . . . ]

[At 7:00 am, a good time – the lake is generally calm and motor boats are not allowed on the lake until 10:00 am.  Now you can see the three lead swimmers – the one on the left will be the winner, the one on the right will finish 2nd, and the one in the middle will be 3rd.  These three distanced themselves from the pack of 4 or 5 more . . . ]

[Getting closer as fans appear on the dock . . . ]

[Then family to greet their arrivals . . . ]

[Now back for breakfast – the DOM and Vicki have their reading materials . . . ]

[And Reetz looks ready for action . . . ]

[The Biddies, in all their glory . . . ]

[After breakfast, a visit to one of The Biddies Elkhart Lake haunts . . . ]

[Where the yard is just one gigantic display of green things growing . . . ]

[Back in camp, the true sign of a summer lakeshore cottage.  You may have surmised that is not my swimsuit . . . ]

[Looking right on our porch . . . ]

[Looking left on our porch . . . ]

[The kids get a Hobie ride . . . ]

[And away they go . . . ]

[And other water activities begin . . . ]

[Kent and the DOM canoed around the lake and are almost back . . . ]

[The Hobie appears to be “treading water” . . . ]

[The canoe boys check on the construction project . . . ]

[And now they’re chasing Caitlin . . . ]

[They have no chance to catch her, of course . . . ]

[As I believe I previously mentioned, Caitlin has bicycled all the way across the United States . . . ]

[Just catch my draft, boys . . . ]

[They survived the circumnavigation of Elkhart Lake . . . ]

[This photo has been submitted for the cover of the next issue of Freshwater Canoeing Monthly, under the subtitle, The Great White Shark Had No Chance . . . ]

[The Super found a comfortable spot to read . . . ]

[Or was it to nap?]

[My dates are ready for the evening’s festivities . . . ]

[The theme was “Decades” . . . ]

[And off the charts on the cuteness scale . . . ]

[Sonny and Cher were there . . . ]

[After much confusion, they confessed to being John and Rosalba . . . ]

[Leena initially didn’t seem pleased . . . ]

[But then she found mom . . . ]

[And all was well again . . . ]

[Some of the staff counselors pretending they were at Woodstock . . . ]

[So the Super joined in . . . ]

[Did this entire generation get really tall?]

[I think Ferris was even before her parents?]

[My fellow Twins fan.  Lives in D.C. area (I worked in the same agency as his dad), went to Stanford (the Fighting Trees), and now is our next door neighbor in camp . . . ]

[Karly’s 4th year of taking care of we campers.  A local, she graduated from high school this year . . . ]

[She’s going to major in psychology in college (probably because she’s had to psychoanalyze us every year) . . . ]

[Katie’s in the sundae line – The Biddies love this part!]

[We bid our adieus to Karly, hoping she’ll come back as a counselor next year.  We told her she was a double for Anne of Green Gables . . . ]

[The aforementioned Anne with The Biddies . . . ]

[No dancing this year.  If you’ll notice the flagstone patio, it’s become a bit treacherous for such.  The plan is to replace it with pavers by next year . . . ]

[The last night campfire . . . ]

[While Reetz waxes nostalgic . . . ]

August 3

[Saturday morning, pack to leave.  Coffee and pastries available at the mess hall . . . ]

[The Super’s last minute internet check – likely saving our Google maps route home . . . ]

[Until next year . . . ]

[Reetz makes her final exit . . . ]

[Katie’s ready to drive them home to Indiana.  The Super and I made it home in 7 1/2 hours, despite stop and go traffic from the Cities to St. Cloud.  We hope to stay home for a while now . . . ]

[And finally, because someone wanted to know (Katie?), the Super did indeed compete in the Little 500 at IU as a member of the Eager Beavers . . . ]

Even in a time of elephantine vanity and greed, one never has to look far to see the campfires of gentle people.  ~  Garrison Keillor

Up Next:  Is anybody still waiting for the rest of Norway?

August 1 (continued)

[Back in camp after a morning at the Kohler Arts Center, The Biddies take off on a paddle boat to see what kind of mischief they can get into . . . ]

[(I hope I don’t have to go rescue them . . . )]

[So far, so good . . . ]

[Oh, oh – the local constabulary . . . ]

[It was regatta day – the contestants are circling for a fast start . . . ]

[The Biddies were on a mission to check out the new house, and the big swan . . . ]

[This photo, from 2012, is the best I could find for showing what used to be where the new house is being built (between The Biddies) . . . ]

[The reconnaissance is closing in . . . ]

[And the spy photo was fired . . . ]

[Meanwhile, back at the regatta . . . ]

[The onshore crowd was flush in anticipation . . . ]

[Waterfront staff checks way out yonder . . . ]

[The Biddies rush home to catch the regatta . . . ]

[Lookin’ good, in the neighborhood . . . ]

[Woo-woo!!]

[Rescued by staff!  (No sentient beings were harmed in the shooting of this narrative.)]

[Glad to be alive!]

[Dr. John flees the scene on a Hobie . . . ]

[Phyllis arrives after the regatta was called due to uninclement weather (i.e., no wind).]

[So, crank up the internal combustion engines – a pontoon ride apres dinner . . . ]

[Camp recedes behind us . . . ]

[The swimming hole . . . ]

[Looks like a new lake home on the right . . . ]

[Reeks of lakeside fun . . . ]

[The even cut of the shoreline vegetation indicates how far the deer can reach walking out on the ice to eat in the winter . . . ]

[A familiar sight to those of us on the chain of lakes . . . ]

[Jake, from the University of Tennessee, was our driver.  I told him I hate “Rocky Top.”]

[The internationally-famous Osthoff resort complex . . . ]

[And what was once Victorian Village (the Super advised it’s something else) and its Tiki Bar where arrived on Day 1 . . . ]

[Closer up of the Tiki Bar . . . ]

[Closer upper of the Tiki Bar . . . ]

[The at least locally-known Johnsonville Brat house . . . ]

[A couple years ago it was rumored to be on the market for a gazillion dollars . . . ]

[Nice place – we watched it being built back in the day . . . ]

[Returning to home-sweet-home, but no magic sunset . . . ]

[Final shot of the swan . . . ]

[Back awaiting the arrival of Pontoon No. 2 – Jack, Cheyenne, and Phyllis would be aboard its next run . . . ]

[And here it comes . . . ]

 

[Rita, Katie, and Carrie were on this one . . . ]

[The driver, from Illinois, goes to the University of Minnesota and works summer for Indiana University in Wisconsin.  He has most of the Big 10 covered.  He went to our ‘U’ because he wanted to be in a big city . . . ]

[A little evening euchre amongst the ladies . . . ]

[They generally politely suffered my shenanigans . . . ]

I’m tired of being set upon by crazed Christians one minute and unbridled libertines the next. Girls, I’m going camping.  ~ Bailey White

Up Next:  The final days of camp . . .

August 1

Well, why not lead off this post with a story about Elkhart Lake from the August 8 Minneapolis StarTribune – what timing!

http://www.startribune.com/midwest-traveler-elkhart-lake-wis-is-a-resort-town-without-the-pretension/528616121/?refresh=true

[On the way to breakfast, decided to check on the young brother and sister who share this hammock for sleeping.  The overnight temps were in the low 50’s but apparently their shared body heat kept them warm . . . ]

[Nothing was on the camp adult calendar in the morning so we decided, a la, Animal House for a – road trip!  We went back Sheboygan for a little culture at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center (JMKAC) . . . ]

[With a fine looking church at the end of the street . . . ]

[The Biddies prep for the requisite photo opts . . . ]

[Ta-da!!]

[We’ve been here several times over the years.  The first stop once inside is always the restrooms (several of them) . . . ]

[Whoever thought urinals could be so lovely?]

[And featuring the ever popular bathroom selfie . . . ]

[Our first viewings would be in the four displays on the left – the orange for autotopographers, the light blue for Collective Consciousness by Mark Baum, the purple for Visionary Reality Outpost by Saya Woolfalk, and the gold for B-Side of the Moon by Scott Reeder; followed by crossing over to the dark blue on the right for Dr. Charles Smith: Aurora . . . ]

[The brochures . . . ]

[The Super starts at the beginning of the Baum exhibit . . . ]

[Here are two of her photos . . . ]

[This is “the element” from the introduction to the exhibit.  I have no further explanation other than this is my button . . . ]

[Next . . . ]

[And here’s Reetz, a visionary reality outpost herself . . . ]

[I can only let the art speak for itself . . . ]

[And Moon World . . . ]

[Now this I get!]

[Of course something like this would catch my eye . . . ]

[Whom amongst us doesn’t enjoy doodling?]

[Had to do a double take here . . . ]

[And now crossing to the other side of the arts center . . . ]

[I’ll display some of Dr. Smith’s individuals; “group” photos by the Super are posted further down . . . ]

And now for the Super’s take on the exhibits (trying not to duplicate) . . .

[Again, letting the art speak for itself . . . ]

[Some tourist got in the way here . . . ]

[There’s that tourist guy again . . . ]

[And here’s the Super’s take on Dr. Smith’s work . . . ]

[Captured taking my solo shots . . . ]

[So, whadya think?]

[Back in charge of photos, we had a sit down at the center’s coffee shop where Rita purchased a local brew for us . . . ]

[I thought this would be a good way to end this post with another Dr. Smith piece.  We then returned to camp where the rest of the day will be featured in the nest post . . . ]

Of course, not everybody likes camping trips.  I do not myself enjoy them much, because I’m not outdoorsy . . .  ~   G.A. Cohen

Up Next:  The rest of this day at camp . . .

July 31

Camp, again (well, it was for a full week) . . . 

[Sunrise over Elkhart Lake, through the screen porch . . . ]

[The early morning reverie of walking past the waterfront, to the Sputh Round House where we would find coffee, muffins, bananas, newspapers, and conversation with the academics otherwise poring over their laptops . . . ]

[Dr. John, in spite of his medical vocation, challenges a sunburn via kayak . . . ]

[And Rosalba chases after him . . . ]

[Admonishing, “Please cover yourself!”]

[Waterfront staff at your service . . . ]

[Lunch with dozens of your closest personal friends . . . ]

[Outside, on picnic tables, where the squirrels and chipmunks provide food clean up services . . . ]

[The mess hall on the right in relation to where we’re eating.  The screen porch is where the meal buffet line resides . . . ]

[The Super tries her hand at photojournalism . . . ]

[Rita’s in place for viewing the corn hole (bean bag) tournament . . . ]

[Cold beverages, some of the adult variety, are available for participants and fans . . . ]

[The DOM, in all his majestic DOMness . . . ]

[Vicki and the DOM provide staff assistance . . . ]

[Vicki helped sew some torn bean bags and returned them to action . . . ]

[DOM chats with staffer Carrie about generational experiences as students at IU . . . ]

[Rosalba and Dr. John join the fray . . . ]

[Carrie calls in assistance to deal with the DOM . . . ]

[Staff v. Campers in a doubleheader volleyball match . . . ]

[While staff had youth, athleticism, and enthusiasm on their side . . . ]

[The campers prevailed with age and experience . . . ]

[Kent, the progeny of Vicki and the DOM, served for the campers . . . ]

[A daily schedule is posted outside the office.  I was always told to go to waterfront, sit in an Adirandack chair, read a book, and not bother anyone . . . ]

[Oh, and perform Cub Reporter duties . . . ]

[And here come my four roommates for dinner . . . ]

[They politely indulged me all week . . . ]

[And now the fine dining . . . ]

[I will admit to always taking my shower before any of them awoke to make sure I wasn’t ever in their way!]

A lot of parents pack up their troubles and send them off to summer camp.  ~  Raymond Duncan

Up Next:  Camp?  You betcha!

June 29 & 30

Continuing our week of lounging on the shores of Elkhart Lake, in weather that proved to be beautiful all week . . .

[The fellow in the following two photos is further identified above the next photo.  He and his family have been longtime week 8 campers at Camp Brosius.  One time he, his daughter, and I imagine some other folks started at the Pacific Ocean with the intention of riding their bikes across the country.  After crossing few states he had to return to work (see the following) while his daughter ultimately completed the mission at the Atlantic Ocean.  I once asked him if he would discuss string theory with me – then I laughed . . . ]

https://news.iu.edu/stories/2019/04/iub/releases/05-rick-van-kooten-executive-dean-college-of-arts-and-sciences.html

[Camp now has three Hobies for “group” outings . . . ]

[New construction across from camp had everyone trying to remember what was there before . . . ]

[The view from the living room of the Inn, looking out at the Round House on the left, our outdoor dining (picnic) tables, and the waterfront . . . ]

[40-year week 8 camper, the DOM, discussed who knows what with flabbergasted waterfront staff . . . ]

[Yes, I’ve been coming here since before your mother was born . . . ]

[This is Vicki and the DOM, they’re a matched set from Fort Wayne . . . ]

[Waterfront activities . . . ]

[More waterfront activities . . . ]

[The ever colorful Sunfish sails . . . ]

[Waterfront staff meeting an incoming Sunfish . . . ]

[It’s Jack . . . ]

[Jack, his wife Phyllis, and daughter Cheyenne having been week 8 campers for 9 years now.  They had no connection to Indiana University.  They saw Brosius on a travel site and decided to check it out.  Jack and Phyllis are geology professors at Austin Peay . . . ]

[Another successful training-for-the-regatta run . . . ]

[Here’s Vicki and her granddaughter Leena . . . ]

[Last year I was the apple of Leena’s eye . . . ]

[This year she threw me over for a younger guy (i.e., her own age), Xavier . . . ]

[Yup, I was beat out by an “X-man” . . . ]

[We and Rita had almost matching Subarus this year – hers is a hybrid . . . ]

[Meanwhile, back at waterfront, Leena is holding court . . . ]

[This was adult dinner night.  The kids were sent away (to places unknown?).]

[Orders are placed the night before – entrees either prime rib, nut-encrusted haddock, or eggplant parmesan with twice-baked potato or wildrice . . . ]

[Food is delivered by staff, who also kept our wine glasses full at all times . . . ]

[Carrie, also a longtime camper and also from Nashville, Indiana (a la, Rita and Katie), joined us in Rappaport the 2nd day . . . ]

[At the far end are Leena’s parents, Kent and Jenny.  Kent is the 2nd son to Vicki and the DOM . . . ]

[The table photo was taken by Karly, a 4-year kitchen staffer who graduated from Elkhart Lake high school this year and is matriculating to St. Norbert College majoring in psychology.  We told her she was getting an early start on her degree taking care of our group!]

[This was also faculty forum night where we learned all about – curling!  What fun!]

[And the news story of the day from USA Today . . . ]

[The aforementioned Karly later handling outdoor beverages.  I put this photo last, because it’s the one that is posted with the story on Facebook.  I thought it better than the newspaper article about groping . . . ]

I think camping is one of those things where if you’re forced into it as a child, you’ll probably hate it as an adult.  ~  Jeremy Irvine

Up Next: Still camping

June 27 & 28

Camp Brosius, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin

[Kathy Gross, a camper last year, couldn’t join us this year but sent this for Rita . . . ]

[My roomies, sacking it in.  For actual sleeping purposes, of course, Rita moved over with Katie while the Super and I shared . . . ]

[Before heading for camp, we always car cruise Sheboygan.  A little marine haze over Lake Michigan that morning . . . ]

[We could hear boats “out there” and were wondering how they could see anything?]

[And always be on the alert for the dreaded Cheesehead!]

[Eerie . . . ]

[The Super exiting the passenger side of our car in a mutinous move to become driver while I was photo opting . . . ]

[Lakeshore property on the channel . . . ]

[Blue Harbor Resort . . . ]

[As the haze began lifting . . . ]

[Along the boardwalks . . . ]

[The sign tells you everything you need to know . . . ]

[And the neighboring yacht club . . . ]

[And Monarchs were hanging out at the beach . . . ]

[A boat in the mist?  Looks like a scene from Jaws!]

[The public landing . . . ]

[I’ve displayed this in previous years.  A wooden shipwreck from days of yore . . . ]

[The beach . . . ]

[Self-explanatory . . . ]

[Generally, our first photo in Elkhart Lake, enroute to the Tiki Bar on Elkhart Lake . . . ]

[Even as a longtime lake person, I always love our opening view here . . . ]

[For a 300-acre lake, it attracts a lot of visitors due to its proximity to Chicago, Milwaukee, Madison, and Sheboygan, and the mid-size cities of Fond du Lac, Oshkosh, and Appleton located on the nearby 137,600 acre Lake Winnebago . . . ]

[Let the good times roll . . . ]

[We stop here every year before heading over to camp at 1:00 pm.  It’s adjacent to the town of Elkhart Lake (population 1,000) here, on the NE side of the lake.  Camp Brosius is on the NW side of the lake . . . ]

[Mr. Excitement!]

[Why yes, my Tiki Bar lunch is always a Bloody Mary . . . ]

[Walking back up from the Tiki Bar . . . ]

[The Super leads the way through Victorian Village . . . ]

[A couple more views to warm the cockles of your hearts . . . ]

[Heading to the car in the parking betwixt Victoria Village and the classic Siebkens resort . . . ]

[Stopping to enjoy the wildlife . . . ]

[Camp!  We beat Katie and Rita, so joined camp staff in greeting them . . . ]

[You are greeted with the Camp Brosius song, as displayed here in a video I took in 2013.]

[Rita broke her kneecap in two a month and a half ago.  Still hobbled by it, the 17-year Katie did most of their driving on the 390-mile trip from Nashville, Indiana . . . ]

[For transportation around camp, Rita ordered up a golf cart . . . ]

[The Super enjoyed her role as chauffeur . . . ]

[Our cabin, Rappaport – 3 bedrooms (each with a sink), 7 beds, living room, kitchen, screen porch, bathroom, separate shower – all the comforts of home!]

[The kitchen – we get three meals a day at the mess hall, and yet manage to stock the larder in our “house” (OK, it’s mostly wine) . . . ]

[The Super’s and my bedroom . . . ]

[The gardens down on the mess hall level . . . ]

[End of the first day of camp – the camp fire, right outside our cabin door . . . ]

Camping is nature’s way of promoting the motel business.  ~  Dave Barry

Up Next:  Continuing camp . . .

June 21

Flam – Bergen

We left Flam in the morning on a 2-hour fjord boat ride, then a 1-hour bus ride, then a 1-hour train ride, then a 1/2 hour walk, ultimately arriving at our hotel in Bergen. 

[Flam, in the morning . . . ]

[Our hotel against a background of nature . . . ]

[After dinner the previous night, I left my camera under my chair and didn’t realize it till morning.  Then we had breakfast at the same restaurant and I misplaced my room key under my chair.  It’s a sign . . . ]

[After breakfast, Ole went outside to smell the proverbial roses . . . ]

[“It’s a beautiful morning,” said he.]

[Where rain can only fall after sunset . . . ]

[The souvenirs are the waterfalls beyond the gift shop . . . ]

[Why yes, the human hand can provide a convenient sun block . . . ]

[Ole found our boat . . . ]

[Honoring the construction workers of Flamsbama.]

[The Flåm Line (Flåmsbana) is a 20.2-kilometer (12.6 mi) long railway line between Myrdal and Flam.  A branch line of theBergen Line, it runs through the valley of Flamsdalent and connects the mainline with Sognefjord.  The line’s elevation difference is 863 meters (2,831 ft); it has ten stations, twenty tunnels and one bridge.  The maximum gradient is 5.5 percent (1:18). Because of its steep gradient and picturesque nature, the Flåm Line is now almost exclusively a tourist service and has become the third-most visited tourist attraction in Norway (Wikipedia).]

[Our fjord cruise would be electric . . . ]

[And there’s the beautiful, new, all electric fjord cruiser (there are at least two) . . . ]

[A final stroll around Flam . . . ]

[Hooray for Norway!!]

[Ole and the Super look to find Flam on the globe . . . ]

[That’s Africa, Ole . . . ]

[OK, maybe too much here, but this thing was moving and we tried to catch it with Ole pointing to Flam . . . ]

[He found it!]

[OK, Ole, let’s get on the boat . . . ]

[The stroll, continued . . . ]

[Great day for a boat ride in one the world’s great fjords . . . ]

[The Super has discovered our A-list seating arrangements . . . ]

[I did a quick exterior roundabout . . . ]

[The bleacher seats . . . ]

[Well, the bleacher stands . . . ]

[Leaving Flam . . . ]

[Heading that way . . . ]

[Leaving that way . . . ]

[A picture postcard setting . . . ]

[As a scenic tour boat heads out . . . ]

[Hi!  It’s me!]

[Hi!  It’s her!]

[Now in several photos through the fjord an appropriate quote may be in order . . . ]

[In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.  ~  Aristotle]

[Preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we’ve ever known.  ~  Carl Sagan]

[Nature is pleased with simplicity.  And nature is no dummy.  ~  Isaac Newton]

[Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.  ~  Rachel Carson]

[Ooops, these are some selfies . . . ]

[The Super, Ole, and the Norway flag . . . ]

[There I feel that nothing can befall me.  ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson]

[Leave the road, take the trails.  ~  Pythagoras]

[Going to the mountains is going home.  ~  John Muir]

[I like this place and could willingly waste my time in it.  ~  William Shakespeare]

[How did these houses get there?]

[Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.  ~  Lao Tzu]

[Choose only one master – nature.  ~  Rembrandt]

[The most beautiful gift of nature is that it gives one pleasure to look around and try to comprehend what we see.  ~  Albert Einstein]

[I never saw a discontented tree.   ~  John Muir]

[Our sister (brother?) boat returning to Flam . . . ]

[Well, there may be more – they provide an amazingly quiet ride . . . ]

[Adopt the pace of nature.  Her secret is patience.  ~  Ralph Waldo Emerson]

[Can’t be an easy commute?]

[In every walk in with nature one receives far more than he seeks.  ~  John Muir]

[The poetry of the earth is never dead.  ~  John Keats]

[Nothing is art if it does not come from nature.  ~  Antoni Gaudi]

[The world owes you nothing. It was here first.  ~  Mark Twain]

[Nature knows no indecencies; man invents them.  ~  Mark Twain]

[I love nature, I just don’t want to get any of it on me.  ~  Woody Allen]

[The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep.  ~ Robert Frost]

[Despite the surrounding beauty, one must still eat . . . ]

[I was determined to know beans.  ~  Henry David Thoreau]

[Instructions for living a life. Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.  ~  Mary Oliver]

[How glorious a greeting the sun gives the mountains!  ~  John Muir]

[Those who dwell, as scientists or laymen, among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life.  ~  Rachel Carson]

[Nothing is more beautiful than the loveliness of the woods before sunrise.  ~  George Washington Carver]

[I am not an atheist but an earthiest. Be true to the earth.  ~  Edward Abbey]

[Where we were and where we went (to be continued) . . . ]

It is inexcusable for scientists to torture animals; let them make their experiments on journalists and politicians.  ~  Henrik Ibsen

Up Next:  We will momentarily leave Norway for “camp” . . .

June 20

Flam

Continuing our train trip through the Norwegian highlands . . . 

[We’ve left Finse, enjoying the arctic scenery . . . ]

[Hallingskeid Station (Hallingskeid stasjon) is a train station on the Bergn Line in the  municipality of Ulvik in Hordaland.  Located at an elevation of 1,110 meters (3,640 ft) above mean sea level, the station is situated inside a snow tunnel.  It opened along with the central section of the line on 10 June 1908 and remained as a staffed station until 1982.  It is located on the Hardangervidda plateau in an area without population or road access.  The station therefore serves trekkers and mountaineers. Only some of the  Northern State Railways (NSB) trains stop at the station (Wikipedia).]

[Myrdal Station (Myrdal stasjon) is a mountain railway station and junction, located on the Bergen Line regional mainline.  The railway station is also the upper terminal of the Flam Line local railway, which ascends from the valley floor of the Sognefjord to the mountain-top junction, providing a vital public transport link, but deriving a majority of its passengers through tourism.  Most passengers using Myrdal station are changing trains between the two lines (Wikipedia).]

[Yup, here’s where we change trains for Flam . . . ]

[Coming soon . . . ]

[All aboard a classic rail car to Flam . . . ]

[Ole’s diggin’ it . . . ]

[The poop, the whole poop, and nothing but the poop . . . ]

[Vatnahalsen Station (Vatnahalsen holdeplass) is a railway station on the Flam Line in Aurland.  It is 1.13 kilometers (0.70 mi) from Myrdal Stattion, 336.93 kilometers (209.36 mi) from Oslo Central Station and 811.3 meters (2,662 ft) above mean sea level. The station opened on 1 August 1940 (Wikipedia).]

[A Super/Ole train ride series . . . ]

[Going down . . . ]

[What’s this?]

[A big waterfall . . . ]

[So big we’re making a stop and deplaning . . . ]

[Ole and the Super are getting a little damp . . . ]

[What fun!]

[OK, I’ll admit this caught me totally by surprise . . . ]

[See it live in the following video . . . ]

[This video was borrowed off YouTube, as is the following description:  The magnificent Kjosfossen Waterfall was one of the highlights of our Flamsbana train ride from Flam to Myrdal (we went in reverse order). What was surprising and cool was when a hulder maiden in red came out and started to dance & gyrate while dramatic singing and music played!  Another on-loan description:  Students from the Norwegian Ballet School in Oslo have been portraying the “Huldra”, the forest siren, every summer since 1999.]

[Back on board, more scenery on the way down to Flam . . . ]

[Waterfalls and water are everywhere – a reminder of the importance of hydropower here . . . ]

[Idyllic]

[Our train . . . ]

[The other train going back up the hill . . . ]

[Waterfall . . . ]

[Waterfall . . . ]

[Waterfall . . . ]

[Waterfall . . . ]

[And waterfall . . . ]

[River, likely the result of all the waterfalls . . . ]

[Flam!  We are here!]

[Flåm is a village in Flamsdalen, at the inner end of the Aurlandsfjorden – a branch of Sognefjorden.  The village is located in the municipality of Aurland.  In 2014 its inhabitants numbered 350.  The village of Flåm has since the late 19th century been a tourist destination.  It currently receives almost 450,000 visitors a year.  Most ride the 20-kilometre (12 mi) Flam Line between Flåm and Myrdal, one of the steepest railway tracks at 1 in 18 (not counting rack railways) in the world. There are also a few spirals.  A former rail station building in Flåm now houses a museum dedicated to the Flåm railway.  The harbour of Flåm receives some 160 cruise ships per year (Wilipedia).]

[Not our ship . . . ]

[The town appears to consist of a train station, a visitors center, a museum, a hotel, and a pier . . . ]

[And scenery!]

[After a long day, Ole was ready to hit the hay . . . ]

[The Super searches for dining attire . . . ]

[Should we eat in the hotel dining room?]

[Of course . . . ]

[Nice setting . . . ]

[And now, fine dining . . . ]

[And my entree – cauliflower . . . ]

[Mmmm, dessert . . . ]

[Why not – fine dining came with a view . . . ]

[After dining, I left my camera under my chair and didn’t realize it till morning. Then we had breakfast the next morning, and I misplaced my room key under my chair.  It’s a sign.  And then we were a bit “boggled” when we got the bill for the wine at check out the next morning.]

[A final dining view . . . ]

[The view from the lobby . . . ]

[A bit of a stroll to walk off dinner . . . ]

[Good-night . . . ]

The majority is always wrong; the minority is rarely right.  ~  Henrik Ibsen

Up Next:  Off to Bergen . . .

June 20

Oslo – Flam

On the road again . . . 

[Our last morning in Oslo.  Anne and Bill would have one more night here.  Before we schlepped off to the train station, we did one last tour of the area – specifically to visit the opera house . . . ]

[Kirsten Malfrid Flagstad (12 July 1895 – 7 December 1962) was a Norwegian opera singer and a highly regarded Wagnerian soprano.  She ranks among the greatest singers of the 20th century, and many opera critics called hers “the voice of the century.”  Desmond Shawe-Taylor wrote of her: “No one within living memory surpassed her in sheer beauty and consistency of line and tone” (Wikipedia).]

[The Oslo Opera House, up close and personal . . . ]

[The Super and Anne lead the assault on the summit . . . ]

[A pause to peek in a window.  She Lies in the watery background . . . ]

[And just behind is the new Munch Museum . . . ]

[A foreground avian model for a view of She Lies . . . ]

[The herring gull was obviously quite comfortable among homo sapiens . . . ]

[She Lies (but OK as long as she doesn’t use Twitter) . . . ]

[With the new Munch in the background, the Super, Ole, and Bill on top of the opera house . . . ]

[Lots of construction; and lots of cloudy skies.  We would see plenty of both the rest of the trip . . . ]

[Bjørvika is a neighborhood in the Sentrum borough.  The area is an inlet in the inner Oslofjord, situated between Gamlebyen and Akershus Fortress.  It serves as an outlet for the river Akerselva.  Since the 2000s, it has been undergoing urban redevelopment, being transformed from a container port. When completed, the Bjørvika neighborhood will be a new cultural and urban center in Oslo. The multi-purpose medium-rises of the Barcode Project dominates the skyline to the north; to the east the residential area of Sorenga is under construction.  The National Opera is located at Bjørvika, and both the Oslo Public Library and the Munch/Stenersen museum is currently under construction here, the latter replacing the existing Munch Museum in 2020 (Wikipedia).]

[Bill shooting back at our plaza . . . ]

[Dredging appears to be part of the overall area redevelopment . . . ]

[Stepping back down to  . . . ]

[The close-up dredging . . . ]

[And now the Super and I bid adieu to Oslo, boarding the train to Myrdal where we would catch another train to Flam, our final destination on the day . . . ]

[Ole’s looking forward to visiting new places . . . ]

[We are now 43 km SW of Oslo.  Drammen is a city in Buskerud. The port and river city of Drammen is centrally located in the eastern and most populated part of Norway.  Drammen is the capital of the county of Buskerud.  There are more than 68,000 inhabitants in the municipality, but the city is the regional capital of an area with more than 150,000 inhabitants. Drammen and the surrounding communities are growing more than ever before.  The city makes good use of the river and inland waterway called Drammensfjord, both for recreation, activities and housing.  No city in the country has received as many awards for environmental and urban development as Drammen: 6 national and 2 international prizes since 2003 (Wikipedia).]

[Drammen . . . ]

[And now out in the country (looks like home).  This scene is a relative rarity as only 2 per cent of Norway is arable . . . ]

[As you know, the best views are always on the side you’re not on.  But we learned our neighbors across the aisle were from Brisbane, Australia . . . ]

[In Minnesota, this would be known as a farm . . . ]

[We are not at great elevation here (like, 460 feet above sea level . . . ]

[Nevertheless, we were in the clouds . . . ]

[Lupine field . . . ]

[Flå (population about 1,000) is the southernmost municipality within Hallingdal and forms the gateway to Hallingdal from the south.  Travelers from the south pass through the 65 m long tunnel Hallingporten on Norwegian National Road (Riksvei 7) just located north of Gulsvik. Vassfaret is a forested mountain valley bordering Flå.  The Norefjell mountain range also includes parts of Flå.  Lake Kroderen (Krøderfjord) stretches about 41 km north from the village of Kroderen and reaches to Gulsvik.  The Hallingdalselva river flows into the lake from the north.  The area includes the Vassfaret and Vidalen Conservation area which includes Festningen Nature Reserve and Bukollen Nature Reserve as well as the Inner Vassfaret Conservation area which includes Bringen Nature Reserve (Wikipedia).]

[Our train chugging through the mountains . . . ]

[And a tunnel.  Much of Norway had always only been accessible by water or air because of its topography.  With the discovery of oil, the country could finance the construction of tunnels to open up the country by road and rail . . . ]

[The dreary weather actually made for good photo ops . . . ]

[Nesbyen has a population of about 3,500 inhabitants.  It is located on the Bergen Line railroad which runs between Oslo and Bergen.  Nesbyen Station was opened in 1907 when the Bergen Railway was opened to Gulsvik.  Nesbyen is located on Norwegian National Road 7.  Nesbyen is listed as the location with the highest recorded temperature in Norway, with a record of 35.6°C. set on 20 June 1970 (Wikipedia).]

[And arriving in the next town . . . ]

[Geilo is a centre in the municipality of Hol in Buskerud.  Geilo is primarily a ski resort town, with around 2,300 inhabitants.  It is situated in the valley of Hallingdal, 250 km from Oslo and 260 km from Bergen (i.e., the middle of the country).  The Bergen Line facilitated Geilo’s development as the first skiing resort in the country, and it is still one of the largest.  It is also known for having some of the most luxurious and expensive holiday cabins in Norway.  The center of the town lies at 800 meters above sea level, and its highest point is 1178 meters above sea level (Wikipedia).]

[Ski slopes . . . ]

[A tarn . . . ]

[We are now in a totally different in geographic region of rugged snow-capped treeless mountains.  Not so much because of elevation, but because this is the country’s interior and located at 60 degrees north latitude (about 1,000 miles farther north than Minneapolis . . . ]

[Ustaoset (unlisted population) is a village in Hol municipality, Buskerud.  It is situated 990 m (3,250 ft) above sea level and is the finish for the cross country ski event Skarverennet.  The rail line between Oslo to Bergen provides year-round access to this high mountain valley. Ustaoset has a rail station on the Bergen Line running between Geilo and Finse, as well as a hotel and mountain resort cabins.  Families from both cities built cabins, some now over one hundred years old, from which they could ski in the winters and hike in the summers.  Reaching the summit of Folarskardnuten, at 1,933 m (6,342 ft) the highest point in the region, on skis or on foot is a notable achievement (Wikipedia).]

[As the train passes . . . ]

[The Ustaoset hotel . . . ]

[A feeling of heading further into the wilderness . . . ]

[Haugastøl (Haugastøl stasjon) is a station on the Bergen Line.  The station is located in the Hol municipality situated between the stations Ustaoset to the east and Finse to the west.  The station is 275.50 kilometres (171.19 mi) from Oslo if one follows the track over Roa.  The altitude is 988 metres (3,241 ft) above sea level (Wikipedia).]

[Heading into where no man has gone before . . . ]

[Barren landscapes . . . ]

[And now into the land of the snow fence . . . ]

[Tunneling through . . . ]

[To where . . . ]

[We come out onto a moonscape . . . ]

[Remember, this is late June . . . ]

[And thus I will always remember Finse as a place where the lakes had summer ice . . . ]

[Finse is a mountain village area on the shore of the lake Finsevatnet in Ulvik municipality in Hordaland county.  The village is centered on Finse Station on the Bergen Line.  The village sits at an elevation of 1,222 metres (4,009 ft) above sea level, making it the highest station on the entire Norwegian railway system.  The village lies in the eastern part of Ulvik municipality, and it is not easily accessible from the rest of the municipality.  There is no road access, only a railway stop. The long Finse Tunnel lies just west of the village area, replacing a difficult section of rail that frequently was blocked by snow and difficult to clear.  According to the BBC, the village was used for expedition training by Amundsen, Scott and Shackleton (Wikipedia).]

[Since there are no (public) roads to Finse, the railway provides the sole means of transportation to and from Finse. During summer, however, it is possible to walk or cycle to Finse on the Rallarvegen road (owned by the railroad) (Wikipedia).]

[During the winter, Finse is popular for cross-country skiing, sail skiing (due to its location on the edge of the frozen lake Finsevatnet), expedition training, and Red Cross training. The ill-fated Scott expedition to the South Pole trained here, and outside the hotel there is a monument to those that died.  There is one small drag-lift which allows you to downhill ski on one slope back into town.  During the summer, the recreational focus switches to mountain cycling, walking, and glacier walking on the adjacent “blue ice” Hardangerjokulen glacier.  The Rallarvegen is a popular bicycle route from Haugastol to Flam (Wikipedia).]

[Finse is home to the Alpine Research Center operated by the University of Oslo and University of Bergen.  The Centre began its work in 1972, initially under the title of the High Mountain Ecological Research Station.  The Centre hosts numerous workshops, conferences, and research projects from both Norwegian and international institutions. It is part of EU-funded International Network for Terrestrial Research and Monitoring in the Arctic (INTERACT) (Wikipedia).]

[Finse is the setting for the climax to the 1948 Hammond Innes novel ‘The Blue Ice.’  In March 1979, Finse was the location chosen to portray the ice planet Hoth in ‘The Empire Strikes Back’, the sequel to the 1977 ‘Star Wars’ film.  The Finse Tunnel, the village, and the “Finse 1222” Hotel are the setting of Anne Holt’s 2007 novel ‘1222’ (Wikipedia).]

[Thusly, Finse seems like a good place to end Part 1 . . . ]

Never wear your best trousers when you go out to fight for freedom and truth.  ~  Henrik Ibsen

Up Next: Part 2

June 19

Oslo

Yes, it was a very long day.  For this last segment, we concentrate mainly on the art of Edvard Munch . . . 

[But first, we have cows . . . ]

[We bused to the maritime museums, but we decided to stay aboard to visit the Royal Palace and Munch Museum.  Anne & Bill would be spending an extra day in Oslo, so they came back to this and 5 other museums the next day . . . ]

[Back into town where we would de-bus and walk to . . . ]

[Haakon VII (born Christian Frederik Carl Georg Valdemar Axel; 3 August 1872 – 21 September 1957), known as Prince Carl of Denmark until 1905, was Danish prince who became the first king of Norway, after the 1905 dissolution of the union with Sweden.  He reigned from November 1905 until his death in September 1957.  As one of the few elected monarchs, Haakon quickly won the respect and affection of his people. He played a pivotal role in uniting the Norwegian nation in its resistance to the German invasion and subsequent five-year-long occupation of his country during  World War II.  Regarded as one of the greatest Norwegians of the twentieth century, he is particularly revered for his courage during the German invasion—he threatened abdication if the government cooperated with the invading Germans—and for his leadership and preservation of Norwegian unity during the occupation (Wikipedia).]

[The royal tourists at the Royal Palace . . . ]

[The Royal Palace is situated on a rise, the Bellevue, at one end of Oslo’s main thoroughfare, Karl Johans gate. The Royal Palace is one of the country’s most important buildings, and a concrete symbol of the course of Norwegian history since 1814.  Building activities commenced in 1824, and the foundation stone was laid by King Carl Johan on 1 October 1825. The Palace was officially taken into use on 26 July 1849 by King Oscar I. The Royal Palace is owned by the state and placed at the disposal of the head of state. It is where the daily work of the monarchy is conducted and where the King and Queen live (www.royalcourt.no).]

[Guy on a horse . . . ]

[Looking back down Karl Johans gate . . . ]

[How do they keep down the weeds?]

[Again, where we were.  We walked around the palace looking for entry.  We discovered it was closed for reconstruction, like I-35W.  So we found a corner pub for lunch.  Inexplicably we have no photographic evidence of this event?]

[Victoria Terrasse is an historic building complex located in central Oslo.  The complex now houses the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Wikipedia).]

[And now to the subway ISO the Munch Museum . . . ]

[On our walk to the museum, which was farther from the subway stop than it appeared on the map (amazing how often that happens) . . . ]

[Whew!  Found it . . . ]

[After a pay in and be searched entry (OK, there’s valuable stuff in here) . . . ]

[The building we’re in, soon to be replaced by the new museum behind the opera house.  In fact because of this transition period, we didn’t think we’d be able to see Shrik . . . ]

[And now a tour of Munch art . . . ]

[An all-time favorite word . . . ]

[Edvard Munch (12 December 1863 – 23 January 1944) was a Norwegian painter, whose best known work, ‘The Scream’, has become one of the most iconic images of world art.  Studying at the Royal School of Art and Design in Kristiania (today’s Oslo), Munch began to live a bohemian life under the influence of nihilist Hans Jaeger, who urged him to paint his own emotional and psychological state (‘soul painting’).  From this would presently emerge his distinctive style.  In Paris, he learned much from Paul Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh, and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, especially their use of colour.  But it was back in Kristiania that his legendary work The Scream was conceived.  According to Munch, he was out walking at sunset, when he ‘heard the enormous, infinite scream of nature’.  That agonised face is widely identified with the ‘angst’ of modern man.  Between 1893 and 1910, he made two painted versions and two in pastels, as well as a number of prints.  One of the pastels would eventually command the fourth highest nominal price paid for a painting at auction  (Wikipedia).]

[And here it is.  Likely one of the 10 best known paintings of all time.  Right up there with The Mona Lisa, The Starry Night, The Last Supper, The Night Watch, and The 4 Dogs Playing Poker . . . ]

[1894?  Madonna wasn’t born yet?]

[The Super has her ears on and her camera ready . . . ]

[The red dots indicate the number of Munch exhibitions abroad . . . ]

[Walker Art Gallery caught my eye – turns out there is one in Liverpool . . . ]

[Munch . . . ]

[The Super in the Madonna room?]

[Bill indicating an object of interest?]

[Discussing the finer points of Munch’s brush strokes . . . ]

[A wall of art . . . ]

[A wall of posters . . . ]

[Where to next?]

[Poster of the new museum . . . ]

[Indicating a final departure date?]

[Park art . . . ]

[Returning to the subway stop was a long uphill walk.  We decided to just walk directly back to the hotel . . . ]

[Again, Norwegian names.  It’s a shop, it’s on a corner; thus, it’s the Corner Shop . . . ]

[Proudly displayed outside the Corner Shop . . . ]

[Strolling through the city, following the blue dot on the Super’s GPS map . . . ]

[The neighborhood’s starting to look familiar . . . ]

[Oslo Cathedral clock tower . . . ]

[As the sign says, Comfort Hotel Grand Central in the heart of the city . . . ]

[Returning to the site of our first repast . . . ]

[Watching the world pass by . . . ]

[While enjoying adult beverages . . . ]

[I have no idea?]

[I have no idea (part deux)?]

[Restaurant in the old post office . . . ]

[We’ve discovered The Hand again, so we know where we are . . . ]

[Actually, after returning to the hotel, we decided to dine in the area of The Hand, having noticed many restaurants in the area . . . ]

[And here was one, though I don’t recall the name?]

[To the best of my recollections, that was not Chelsea Handler at the next table . . . ]

[I think we liked it . . . ]

[I’ve decided every city in the world with a population of over 100, 000 has a The Dubliner . . . ]

[Mini bottles of adult beverages through a selfie . . . ]

[The M/S Bretagne Figurehead . . . ]

[Oslo Stock Exchange – we did not place any bets . . . ]

[Home sweet home, for one more night . . . ]

[And how we knew we were home again . . . ]

[On this day, we walked 18,641 steps – made us want to SCREAM!]

I want to go away, oh so far, far away.  ~  Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

Up Next: Norwegian train trip