This April, Ultimate Groove will be taking an expedition to Norway, the home of Sondre Nordheim, the pioneer of telemark skiing. Having visited during the summer of 1999, I was so inspired by the landscape that I  promised myself that I would one day come back and ski. I am so excited that not only will I get to fulfill my promise this year, but I get to do it with a group of amazing women! We our group of 12 will be spending 7 nights on 2 sailboats and hiking/skiinging and skiing our little hearts out! Check out the details. It might still be five months away, but it is all we talk about. Here is a picture of one of the boats we will be staying on.

Sailboat we'll be staying on!

How amazing does that look!

Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving, this year I’m thankful for the fjords! Keep skiing – Keep laughing, Kirsten

Unlike most of my family and friends who love going to the beach in the summer, I like to escape the heat and go to the mountains. This often means time in the Austrian Alps with a backdrop similar to “The Sound of Music”. I love the crisp, clean air of the mountains, and their reflections in a beautiful lake.

Kaprun Stausee

This year we decided to do something different. Instead of going to Europe, we stayed in the US. The kids wanted to go on a cruise, and I love mountains, so what better place to go than Alaska! What a beautiful state it is. Known for it’s wildlife, fjords and glaciers, it was the perfect location for me to experience. We set sail from Seattle, but first we went to Vancouver for the kids to visit western Canada for a few days.

Vancouver Skyline

Then we headed to Seattle, roots of Starbucks Coffee, birthplace of Grunge music, and home to Microsoft and Amazon.com. This is where we embarked our cruise ship off to the 49th state.

Seattle Space Needle

Being on a cruise is certainly one way to get pampered. It’s all-inclusive with the exception of beverages and excursions, you can have room, turn down, concierge and butler service, depending on your cabin (usually a suite), and  you never have to pack or unpack to visit a different city. Kids and teens are entertained during the day, so adults can feel like they have a separate vacation for part of the day. I was never a big fan of cruising, but I really enjoyed it this time around.

Sawyer Glacier

After the cruise, we headed south to Portland, OR. We traveled east to witness a double waterfall that I have only seen in photos, and was eager to see up close. It was spectacular, and worth the trip. I have a soft spot for waterfalls, and want to see as many as possible in my lifetime. Multnomah Falls did not disappoint me.

Multnomah Falls

Been tinkering around with a new layout for a couple of weeks now after finding that my previous one wasn’t quite ‘doing’ it for me… Since I’ve been Twittering actively for a month or so I’ve found that most of my blogging is done via Twitter now withe the 140 character limit being perfect for my short bursts of blogging… having tried out this new design, feedback from the wife says that the site is pretty nice and colourful, esp when contrasted with the previous 2-column design that was pretty plain (and this in itself was because I found that my original theme – Neosapien, was not a great theme for sites with loads of words… white words on a black background do not rank highly on the readability scales…

To an extent I’m still tinkering coz I’m looking for a more organised way to put my posts, published articles and poems.. right now, I’m wavering towards emulating a friend’s blog theme – Fjords… Despite the 4 column design neccessating a smaller font and display, I like the level of organisation it provides as well as a better way to display my tweets prominently.. we’ll see what happens as I tweak this design a bit more…

Music is constantly being defined and reinvented around our planet every single day. With ever watchful eye and ears aimed to sounds that set direction, we turn the music of our heart across the Atlantic to Norway.

Allow me to introduce the Helge Lien Trio, a piano trio certain to add a rich dimensionality to your listening pleasure. They are an innovative jazz ensemble that communicates the feeling of the mysts of the fjords where the trolls reside through their musicianship. Considering I have never been any closer to the actual fjords than the Norway Maelstrom attraction at Epcot Center that is no “small” feet

Their album, Hello Troll, has earned them the prestigious Norwegian music award, “Spellemannprisen 2008” in the jazz category.

Listen and purchase here:

Geiranger

There is something extremely fascinating about Geiranger. By any standard this village is in the middle of nowhere. Total population is just around 250 people. However, more than 700.000 people come to visit every year!

Hotel Union, Geiranger

Why? Well, my best explanation is that Geiranger has the look and feel of a Disney attraction. Only it is 100% made by the hands of God.

You really feel that you are at the heart of Norway’s fjords. There’s the sea with cruise ships coming and going. The fjord is almost surrounded 360 degrees by majestic steep mountains with colors from eerie green to bluish white glacier tops. Up and down those mountains are winding roads and farms you wouldn’t believe anyone in their right minds would consider viable farmland. No wonder tourists have asked what the cost of building the place was.

Hurtigruta arriving

In the village of Geiranger tourists from cruise ships mingle with tourist arriving in busses to enjoy the scenery and a cup of coffee or an ice cream. The place is full of people speaking all the languages of the world. If someone would just add a monorail the Epcot feeling would be complete.

If you plan on taking the Hurtigruta cruise along the coast it calls in at Geiranger. There are also a lot of other cruise ships and guided bus tours visiting the place.  Check with visitnorway.com for more details.

And don’t miss out on my next episode of the Norway in HD video podcast. It’s all about Geiranger.

Photos de Vincent

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Alaska Landscape

The cruise can be an once-in-a-lifetime family encounter or a memorable romantic trip for a couple or a hot adventure for a single fun seeker. The peak time for the Alaska Cruise is in the summer months but tickets often sell out well before spring.

Before choosing a ship, you should be sure of what you want. The medium to mega ships with between 1000 and 2000 passengers have shops, casinos, night clubs and spas. There is no dull moment. Smaller ships which take up less than 200 passengers are appropriate for specialized group cruises. They take you closer to the seashores and can access smaller fjords.Read more of this entry>>

The school has just given me details of an available apartment, in what they describe as a Stalinist building which, to my westernized mind, conjures up images of tanks rumbling outside and listening devices in the walls, but the photographs make the apartment look a little nicer. It’s only about a kilometre from the school, but there’s a colossal railway works in between and Google Earth doesn’t show any obvious crossing point, so it may be a round trip of 5km to school via foot, metro and trolley bus. My Mum’s boyfriend/significant other/partner suggested getting a bike, so I read a website and watched a YouTube video about cycling in Russia, which suggests it’s a near suicidal activity. I scoured Google Earth for a safe cycling route, hoping to find a potentially safe route in the leafy suburbs, but it was too blurry so instead I flew over the Norwegian fjords while watching a programme about them on the BBC. I emailed the school to tell them I’ll take the apartment. Given that I’ll be in Moscow in 48 hours, it’s probably a good idea, and I can always move.

Although Norway is a relatively small country (4.5 million people) they have their fair share of things to be proud of.  Here’s a list of things that Norway can lay claim to…feel free to add a comment if you know of more!

Products:

• The cheese slicer – more info here
• The paper clip – more info here
• Helly Hansen outdoor clothing - originally started in Moss, Norway – more info here
• Salmon – Norwegian salmon is farmed and shipped all over the world
• Open sandwiches – less carbs but tricky to eat…  – more info here
• Oil – Norway is the 3rd largest exporter of oil in the world – more info here

People:

• Edvard Grieg – Composer (1843-1907)
• Roald Amundsen – Led the first Antartic expedition to the South Pole explorer (1872-1928)
• Roald Dahl – (Norwegian-British) Author (1916-1990)
• Thor Heyerdahl – Explorer and Archeologist (1914-2002)
• Henrik Ibsen - wrote the play Peer Gynt
• Edvard Munch – Expressionist painter – painted The Scream (1863-1944)
• a-ha – Famous Norwegian band from the 80’s  (don’t ever say that they are Swedish!)
• Vikings - these Norsemen used their longships to explore new countries (including England)

Events:

• Winter Olympics – were first held in Oslo in 1952
• Nobel Peace Prize - is presented anually in Oslo

Places:

• Fjords – Monty Python’s dead parrot pined for them.  They are awesome.
• North Norway – made famous in the UK by Joanna Lumley when she saw the Northern Lights

Last night we were invited to join Eliot’s ex-boss (Eric) for a night sailing around the Oslo Fjords in his 37ft yacht.  Eliot and I hadn’t sailed for a long time so we jumped at the opportunity and what better way to spend your evening after work?  It was such fun.  We boarded the boat at 5pm and motored out of the harbour. 

As soon as we were slightly clear the mainsail went up along with the genoa.  We spent a couple of hours sailing around before anchoring up for some dinner prepared by Janice and Bill (an American couple that joined us).  At this point the sun came out and we have a lovely time just chatting, eating and drinking wine for a couple of hours.  This is where I discovered world of waxing your skiis and the importance of getting the right wax for the right snow conditions.

Just as we packed up, fireworks started to go off right in front of us so we stayed a little longer before motoring back through the islands to the harbour.  It was such a lovely evening.  I think Eric is looking for crew…we certainly would volunteer!

sorry for the lousy update…
will make a huge one as soon as I’m home from my vacation in Norway.

but – until then I’m gonna continue  the blast with my family and old friends over here!

ciao ciao ciao

We think of Norway as clean, pure and unspoiled. Expensive, perhaps, but not a country prone to controversy. Certainly not racism.

When we posted this Travel Video PostCard, we were stunned at the anger, passion and real racism that seems to thread itself through Norway’s society. We were not prepared for the ant-Muslim, anti-minority anger and viciousness. Here are a few comments

The rest can be seen on our TVP on YouTube: http://tinyurl.com/m4cff7

yes, but the immigrants shoudl respect Norweigen laws and customs and be good citizens. Norweigens are a peaceful people and never interfered with other people’s issues. It would be very saddening if Norway turns so racist like the rest of Europe cause i would love to live in Norway.

fuck you, don’t u understand english? I’m not against immigration just that we as immigrants should respect their laws. fuck you, i’m not white, i’m a brown skin muslim man..idiotic fool

Dont worry shnizzlelillylex, in 100years Norwegians will be a so small minority in their own country that it wont matter anyway.
The way its now it is us who have to respect and tolerate immigrants more then they are respecting us.
In 200years there wont be any Norwegian left in Norway thanks to immigration, the majority of the population will be muslim and so the culture aswell.
And we cant do anything about it, because as soon as we try, we are called racists. Quite a big irony in it.

Once the medieval capital of Norway, Bergen is now an international tourist destination as well as the gateway to the Fjords.  The city is set on a harbor facing the North Sea, situated among seven hills that form a beautiful backdrop to the brightly painted wooden houses along the waterfront. It was once a major trading port for medieval merchants dominating the European trade during the Middle Ages. The Torget, a picturesque harbor-side market plaza, is filled with an array of cafes, restaurants and pubs, and home to the excelling fish market. From the narrow cobbled streets to the colorful row of old wooden houses, this is a quaint town that holds tradition close to its heart.

By ALEXANDER LAWRIE

SCOTS women are being offered the chance of cut-price ‘boob-jobs’ in Norway.

The Scandinavian country – known for its attractive peaks – is to cash in on a new, cheap air link from Edinburgh.

Cosmetic surgery procedures such as nose jobs, face lifts and liposuction are also on offer in clinics situated in the stunning, fjord-filled country.

And Scots couples desperate for kids are also being offered the chance of cut price ‘medical tours’ for IVF treatment.

The Scandinavians carry out double the numbers of procedures than here in the UK.

Cosmetic appeal

And the launch of a cheap air link from Edinburgh yesterday means broody Brits could sign-up for the 10-day treatment double quick.

But it is the appeal of cheap cosmetic surgery which is expected to have Scots flocking to the home of the Vikings.

Dr Kjell Gunnar Gunderson said: “We are very happy to offer these types of procedures to Scottish women because we know how much it can affect people’s lives.

“On offer will be many treatments such as eye-lifts, face-lifts and nose reconstruction – as well as breast enlargement and, of course, reduction procedures.

“In some clinics we will also offer reconstruction surgery for patients who have been involved in situations such as accidents.”

And would-be Scots parents having problems starting a family are also being enticed across the North Sea for treatment.

Acclaimed gynaecologist and reproductive endocrinologist Dr Jon Wegner Hausken, said: “In Norway we do twice as much IVF treatment per head of population as here in the UK so we thought about offering the service to couples in Britain.

“It turned out to be a good move because the waiting lists in Britain are very long for this kind of treatment.

“This is because the procedures, such as blood tests, can take months to carry out and before you know it two years have passed by.

“In Norway, we do all this very quickly – the whole procedure at my clinic only takes around 10 days.”

Treatments are up to 50 per cent cheaper

The medical connection between the two countries was announced at a presentation at the Norwegian Consulate in Edinburgh yesterday.

Private medical practices in Norway hope to lure Scots to the land of the Vikings claiming medical treatments are up to 50 per cent cheaper than in Britain.

The country also boasts Europe’s lowest MRSA infection rate.

Scanhealth Scandinavia – made up from a partnership of three health care providers in the Haugesund region – has already treated hundreds of Brits from the London area.

And they believe the route will now offer Scots the chance to access the low cost treatment.

Services offered by the Norwegians include low-cost orthopedic procedures, IVF treatment and general eye operations such as cataract removal.

It is offering Scots expert treatment from experienced surgeons using the latest radiology, fertility and general medical procedures.

Breast enhancement operations will also be on offer from leading surgeons.

Dr Gunderson, an eminent Norwegian eye surgeon, said: “The opening of the Stanstead flights has been very successful and we are expecting the Edinburgh route to open up our services to Scots too.

“The costs are so much lower in Norway because of the social democratic way of governing our country. We, as medical staff, are paid much less than our counterparts in Britain so much more money goes into the services we provide meaning we can pass that reduction on to our paying patients.

“And because we operate smaller medical units than Britain we can tailor-make our services and have much less bureaucratic wastage.

“Since we were allowed to offer our private services to state patients within Norway the waiting lists in our country have been cut to almost zero in just five years.

“We are looking forward to treating more Scots who can also combine the trip with a holiday in our beautiful country.”

MRSA infection level almost zero

Dr Gunderson also revealed Norway’s extraordinary low level of MRSA infection is down to smaller medical practices and British hospitals using antibiotics more than their Scandinavian counterparts.

“Our British colleagues have been forced to use too many antibiotics over a long time and our system has been more restricted in that respect.

“And the smaller the medical unit, the less chance there is of infection.”

Brits looking for IVF treatment in Norway have also proved popular with over 100 couples travelling over to its clinics last year.

Scots medical tourists can travel with the new Ryanair’s weekly route from Edinburgh to Haugesund which is now open.

I’m lucky enough to have experienced the grandeur of the Norwegian Fjords. UNESCO have recognized 2 World Heritage sights in Norway: one being the fjords and the other, the quaint seaside town of Bergen. The country side is green green green, snowcaps melting to offer clean sweet waters and very few two-legged’s to pollute the air or wayside.

Kayaking in the fjords, which drop down to 250 m below the surface at the centre is an experience I highly recommend to anyone who may have the chance! Along the fjord-shore, little settlements and villages made up of no more than 10 houses are scattered around and fed by a teaming population of mountain sheep and of course fresh fjord fish. I often wondered how it was decided to build a home or a community along these quiet, uninhabited spaces….Even as descendants of vikings, how do you choose to live out so far away from anything in extreme weather conditions, cut off from support neighbourhoods, towns and villages offer? (I know to some this sounds blissful, even to me in my aspirations). What I observed is that it must be incredible challenging but yet strengthening for the human spirit: surrounded, enveloped and shadowed by nothing but nature in all her wonderful gigantic glory!

There are 3 things I do not appreciate about Norway:

1. The hunting and eating of whales! I couldn’t even take a taster at the Bergen Fish Market – would you eat your grandparents?

2. The culling of seal, fox, elk for fur! I recognize the place for this practise to fight off the bitter cold of winter for the locals, but to sell these fur products as a tourist-enterprize is disgusting! (Besides, who really wants a fox nose included in a shawl? Sick!)

3. Everything is SO expenisive! 150 NKronor for a baguette …mmmmh Not that hungry. Thanks.

Besides the above mentioned repulsions, Norway is a once in a lifetiume experience: as a reminder of our place in the world (human race juxtaposed to nature), the truth in folklore and the sweet refreshing taste of real water.

Where saltwater rapids rage
and foam at the mouth;
there, where tidal currents drag
and mold silver-sliver streams,
a rowboat bobs.

Through ice-green lips the four oars cut
onto mirror tongue that licks
the vessel’s shelled camouflage
(darker than the deep throat ahead) -
a sea eagle cries.

With soft white gums the valley looms,
rock-rot teeth ready to strike
at anyone who dares enter her
ice-scoured sacred waterways;
the sky rumbles.

Copyright © Ramonez Ramirez 2009
All Rights Reserved

Como les había comentado con anterioridad, éste es el segundo bloque de la serie de entradas acerca de éste hermoso país, donde por azares del destino nos tocó vivir: Noruega.

La clase de hoy tratará de En ésta entrada les quiero mostrar unos de los atractivos principales de Noruega:

Charlotte Thorstvedt

Janove Ottesen & Terje Winterstø Røthing (Kaizers Orchestra)

Noooo! Esos no son los principales atractivos, claro que no se puede negar su belleza, pero lo que el día de hoy nos atañe son las maravillosas formaciones naturales que se encuentran en muchas regiones noruegas, los famosos FIORDOS (fjorder en noruego). Según la wikipedia “un fiordo es un valle excavado por un glaciar que luego ha sido invadido por el mar, dejando agua salada. Normalmente son estrechos y están bordeados por empinadas montañas, que nacen bajo el nivel del mar.”, aunque creo que la mejor manera de definirlo es con una foto:

Nærøyfjorden, hacia Gudvangen. Foto: BZ

Este es Nærøyfjorden, al cual se puede llegar por ferry desde diferentes puntos en la región de Sogn og Fjordane (donde también podemos encontrar Aurlandsfjord y Fjærlandsfjord) .

Nærøyfjord, hacia Bakka. Foto: Øyvind Heen

Cabe mencionar que Noruega no es el único país en el mundo que cuenta con fiordos, también los pueden encontrar en Finlandia, Islandia, Groenlandia, Escocia, Nueva Zelanda, Alaska, Chile y Rusia. Pero lo que si es importante destacar es que Noruega cuenta con 2 fiordos (Geirangerfjord y Nærøyfjorden) que han sido nombrados Patrimonio de la Humanidad por la UNESCO dada su belleza y conservación.

Los fiordos más largos de Noruega son:

Sognefjord (Solund-Skjolden) : 204 km

Hardangerfjord (Bømlo-Odda): 179 km

Storfjord (Hareidlandet-Geiranger): 110 km

Nordfjord (Huseågøy-Loen): 106 km

Romsdalsfjord (Tautra-Eresfjord): 88km

Otros fiordos que podemos visitar en Noruega son: Hardangerfjord en Hordaland y Lysefjord en Rogaland. Éste último tiene unas formaciones rocosas realmente interesantes.

Preikestolen

La meseta Kjerag

Y bueno, por el día de hoy es todo…nos leemos en la próxima entrega de la serie Noruega

Zetterberg, Lidstrom and Co. are pinin’ for the fjords:

(Photo by Neate Photos)

Located in the western Fjords of Iceland, the town of Bolungarvik is a one of the oldest fishing towns in Iceland and an increasingly popular, if remote, vacation destination.  Bolungarvik is a 20-minute drive from the nearby town of Ísafjörður, where there is a small airport that can take you to and from Iceland’s capital city, Reykjavik, located about 300 miles to the south.  In the summer, when the sun still shines at midnight and temperatures are mild, visitors to Bolungarvik can indulge in sea cruises, bird watching, camping and fishing.   Bolungarvik is also home to a Natural History Museum and the Osvor Fishing Museum, where a guide will escort you through a fisherman’s hut, salting house and drying hut and explain the history of Iceland’s fishing traditions.

This is not a luxury destination.  Accommodations are limited to camp grounds and rental apartments.  However, the opportunity to see some of Iceland’s wilderness and sail through pristine bays draws visitors from all over the world.   Enjoy the waterfront, the natural beauty and the tranquility of Bolungarvik.