Thursday, November 1, 2012

Voyage of the Vikings Part 2


Molde, Norway go to Geiranger, Norway
Geiranger, Norway, the fjords are the most familiar and alluring image of Norway: huge clefts in the landscape occurring throughout the country. The soul of Norway's landscape, the fjords cut deeply into the mainland, giving this country a coastline of 13,110 miles. Each fjord and every valley formed to their own natural splendor. Western Norway is known as fjord country, home to the breathtaking Geirangerfjord providing one of the world's most unique travel experiences. A branch of the Storfjord, the 10 mile long Geiranger fjord is narrow and winding, marked with spectacular waterfalls, known as the Seven Sisters. Tucked away at the head of this fjord is the village of Geiranger. The inhabitants of the region are self sustaining, spinning their own wool and building their own houses, furniture and boats. Surrounded by towering mountains, often rising upwards for thousands of feet, Geiranger lies in a picture postcard setting.




























 More Geiranger, Norway and on to Bergen, Norway
Bergen, Norway set on a peninsula and surrounded by seven mountains, Bergen's history is closely tied to the sea. Founded in 1070, Bergen was the largest and most important town in medieval Norway and also the capital in the 12th and 13th century. A central port of the Hanseatic League (an association of towns for the protection of trading interests), the town's own tradesmen were completely ousted by this league. German Hansas and artisans continued to carry on a thriving business in Bergen, with their own enclosed community and their own laws. The Hanseats eventually took over all trade with northern Norway, a domination that was to last for two hundred years. Their influence is still clearly visible in the sharply gabled terrace houses that line Bergen's picturesque harbor. One of the oldest and best preserved buildings in Bergen is the Hanseatic Museum, located in the old medieval quarter, known as Bryggen.

















Alesund, Norway is laid out across three islands: Norvoy, Aspoy and Hessa, Alesund is the entrance to Stor Fjord. Bridges and tunnels link the islands. Established in the 9th century when a castle was built nearby, the settlement that eventually grew around the castle, was incorporated in 1848. In 1904, a sweeping fire claimed the old wooden buildings. More than 10,000 people lost their homes in the blaze, and the survivors, hoping to ensure there would never be a repeat of the tragedy, rebuilt everything from stone. At the time, German-influenced Jugendstil (Art Noveau) was popular, so Alesund assumed the new style - the Norwegian-influenced version is especially colorful. With 40,000 residents fishing is still a local economic mainstay.









More Bergen, Norway






 


















   











Amsterdam, The Netherlands first use of the name comes from a certificate dated 1275, when the residents of the area, who had built a bridge with a dam across the Amstel, were exempted from paying a bridge toll. This certificate referred to the residents as "people living near Amestelledamme". The name developed into Aemsterdam by 1327. The land around Amsterdam was reclaimed as early as the 10th century, but not for inhabitation or farming. Most likely it was reclaimed for collecting peat, an important fuel source. After Amsterdam was granted city right in the first decade of the 1300's, it flourished, largely because of trade with the Hanseatic League. Amsterdam's second Golden Age came at the end of the 19th century with new museums, a train station, and the building of the Concertgebouw. At the same time, the Industrial Revolution reached the city. The newly dug Amsterdam-Rhine Canal gave Amsterdam a direct connection to the Rhine, and the North Sea Canal gave the port a shorter connection to the North Sea. Both projects dramatically improved Amsterdam's connection, and therefore commerce, with the rest of Europe and the world.


































  Southhampton, England is the largest city in the country of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated 75 miles south west of London and 19 miles northwest of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and is situated at the confluence of the River Test and River Itchen, with the River Hamble joining to the south of the urban area. The local authority is Southampton City Council, which is a unitary authority. Significant employers in Southampton include the University of Southampton, Southampton Airport, the Ford Transit factory, Ordnance Survey, the BBC South, the NHS and Cornival Corporation. It is one of the largest commercial ports in Europe. The city represents the core of the Greater Southampton region, and the city itself has an estimated population of 239,700. Southampton combines with Portsmouth to form a single metropolitan area stretching from Salisbury to Bognor Regis. With a population of 1,547,000 this is the United Kindom's eighth most populous metropolitan area. The city's name is sometimes abbreviated in writing to "So'ton" or Soton", and a resident of Southampton is called a Sotonian. Southampton is noted for its association with the RMS Titanic, the Spitfire and more recently a number of the largest cruise ships in the world.



















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