My Creative Blog [Search results for Norway] 

Europe, full of diversity and exiting history. Take a look. There are a few more pictures of Norway at the bottom, since it's closest to my heart.

Happy Monday to you all!

In the year of 1891. Europe's aristocracy and upper classes sought new and exciting destinations with spectacular scenery. The clientele for which the Union Hotel in 'ye by the Hj'rund fjord opened its doors that year was fastidious. The guest register showed a line of success: Queen Willemina of the Netherlands, Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany, King Oscar II of Sweden and Norway, and Queen Maud and King Haakon VII of Norway were some of the royalty who enjoyed their stay.

The historical hotel was restored in the original style in 1989, and now appears as it did in its heyday. All rooms are deliberately without TV, radio and telephone to give the hotel an even stronger feeling of La Belle 'poque.

Union Hotel is in and eyesight from the fjords, the mountains and the scenic Norangs-valley — one of the narrowest valleys in Norway with only 250 meters from side to side.  The British mountaineer William Cecil Slingsby — the discoverer of the Norwegian mountains said it has 'the proudest view in Europe'.

The hotel is a member of Historic Hotels of Europe.

Kristiansand is the largest city in the south of Norway. It was grounded by the Danish and Norwegian King Christian IV in 1641.

Kristiansand is a 'summer city', large amounts of tourists visit every summer and ' Dyreparken ' ' the Zoo ' is the most visited tourist attraction in Norway, apart from Holmenkollen in Oslo.

The town is known for it's square city centre and the oldest part of the town is called 'Posebyen'. This part has the largest collection of low, coherent tree houses in Northern Europe.

Why it's called 'Posebyen' is somewhat unclear. One explanation is that the name is from the French 'repos' which means 'resting place'. This because the inhabitants in this part of town made good money by accommodating soldiers from the fortress.

There are many historical houses in Posebyen. Here are some of them.

Source: flickr

More enjoyable photos from South-Norway.

17th of May 1893 by Norwegian painter Christian Krohg (1852'1925). Note that the flag does not have the Union badge of Norway and Sweden, the so called sildesalaten (Herring salad).

Source: Wikipedia

HildeGunn in Sandnes:

Anette in R'dal:

Helene in Bergen:

Hanne in Halden:

Kristin in Gr'lun:

Hanne in Fredrikstad:

Linn Anita in Kristiansand:

Hj'rdis in Nord-Hidle:

Hulda in Harstad:

You can vote here.

Architecture and landscape. Those are my two favourite things to photograph. Nothing is the same, every new place, every new city, there's always something new to see and capture. If I could, I would visit all the cities on earth (and beyond, if that's the question) and all nature there is. But then again, who wouldn't?

Trollheimen (home of Trolls) was the first mountainous area in Norway to be released from the grip of the last Ice Age, and archaeological finds from as long as 9,000 years ago indicate that this is where early Norwegians found their reindeer hunting-grounds.

Trollheimen lies south-west of Trondheim and east of Kristiansund

Over the last 2 million years glacial activity has shaped the landscape, resulting in a marked division between Trollheimen's mountains. Glacial arms and melt water torrents have created open U-shaped valleys in the east, and narrower V-shaped valleys in the west. Giant boulders broken loose by frost have crashed down into the chasms to form a harshly beautiful landscape. The western gneiss peaks are high and craggy; their eastern counterparts are composed of softer slate and limestone, more easily broken down to provide a rich, fertile soil. One of the remarkable relicts from this period is Litjhelvetet (Little Hell), beneath the peak of Trollhetta (Troll's hat), where a glacier has gouged a deep hollow. The little lake, now filled with clear water, is called Troll'yet (the Troll's Eye).

Sheep and cows find rich summer pasture on the hills but walkers may also spot less familiar beasts such as wolverine, lynx, arctic fox and otter.

Unfortunately trolls appear to be extinct.

Source: Google

Hugs, Bettina.

Wallas Verden is a Norwegian interior shop, unfortunately. This means I can't order anything without it being extremely expensive. Not only because the Norwegian kroner is more worth than the Swedish, but also because Norway isn't an EU country and therefore demands toll for shipping. Stupid!

Oh well, here are some of their tempting products, anyway.

Happy end of the week, to you all!

Did you remember to donate to The Breast Cancer Awareness this month?

The US: http://www.pinkribbon.org/

The UK: http://www.pinkribbonfoundation.org.uk/

Australia: http://www.pinkribbon.org.au/

Germany: http://www.ueberleben-mit-brustkrebs.de/

Austria: http://www.krebshilfe.net/kampagnen/pinkribbon10/ribbon06.shtm

Sweden: http://www.brostcancerfonden.se/

Swden: http://www.cancerfonden.se/sv/rosabandet/

Norway: http://www.rosasloyfe.no/

Canada: http://www.cbcf.org/

The Norwegian 'bunads' are famous all over the world, and they are certainly a peace of art. There are many to chose from, but the tradition is to wear the one who represent the part of Norway where one grew up. Luckily for me, my favourite are the one that comes from my home area ' the 'mli bunad (the first picture).

Copyright: Eva Br'nd and Bunadsmagasinet