Prisoner of Hopes

Tag: Nature

  • Into the Arctic: Travel Goals

    I wake up quite early and realize it had been snowing through out the night. Steady sleet pounds the windows and I smile. Just as dawn breaks, I emerge onto the upper deck. Today we cross the artic circle and venture far beyond. We entered the boat in Bergen and will not disembark completely until…

  • Travel Goals: Alesund is Closed

    The Midnatsol pulled into the port in Alesund, Norway early morning for an 8 hour stop. We disembark onto a rainy dock and navigate toward the city center. To get out of the cold rain, we walk to the Alesund museum. After walking up the steep hill in the wind and rain…. Closed….. it was…

  • Travel Goals: Norwegian Surprises and the Kindness of Strangers

    A great rule of travel is to expect the unexpected. This usually means to be prepared for things to go wrong. Some days, however, are unexpectedly full of delightful surprises. Today is one of those days. After sleeping much later than I intended, we take our time getting ready. A walk across town, gave me…

  • Travel Goals: Forest Bathing

    We hike down the hill this morning to catch the Floibanen funicular to Floyen. The cars are modern and clean. It is a rare and sunny day in Bergen and the locals are flocking to the mountain. We go along. At the top, we enjoy the views of Bergen and the surrounding fjords. Smaller towns…

  • Travel Goals: All Aboard to Bergen

    After my breakfast of brown cheese (I am developing a taste for the stuff) and whole grain bread washed down with dark coffee, we pack up and head downstairs to the train station. As it turned out, the Comfort Hotel Grand Central was an excellent location to spend a few days while we transitioned to…

  • “Ice”olated

    I am in the post- Christmas doldrums. It happens every year. I get all excited in the build up to the holidays. Family fun and endless games, fill the house with laughter. Trees and decorations light up the rooms with colorful sparkle. And then, everyone goes home and the decorations come down. The January sky…

  • Last Day Is Always Bittersweet: Travel Goals

    Our last day in Italy. Where did the time go? We decided to stay fairly close to home as we needed to pack and prepare for a morning flight. Although we had connected trains in the town of Domodossola, we had yet to visit. It seemed like a great destination. The town sits next to…

  • Zermatt Alpine Adventure: Travel Goals

    I don’t usually think about bucket lists. Anywhere I am, is a worthy travel adventure as long as it is out of my ordinary. However, Zermatt and its wonderful Matterhorn have been on my wish list for decades. It seems unreal that we are on our way this morning. The road over the Simpson pass…

  • Rainy Days Are Still Beautiful: Travel Goals

    Sunny, magical days have to be interrupted occasionally. And so the rain set in for a multi-day period of grey clouds and damp pavement. Since we were in Italy to experience Italy, we set off for a wet drive around the lake to Cannobio on Lake Maggiore (….not to be confused with Cannobio on Lake…

  • A Walk On the Wild Side: Travel Goals

    After several weeks of touring historic sites and churches, we decided to broaden our Italian experience. Our destination for a local weekend experience was the Pombia Safari park. It is essentially a drive through zoo. You could drive your own car or ride in their safari wagon. We opted to drive. We arrived early, parked,…