Prisoner of Hopes

Tag: parks

  • Sleepy Little Town: Travel Goals

    When the Olympics were held in Lillehammer, pundits called it a sleepy little town in Norway. I can’t say if it is “sleepy”. I can say I find it charming. The train trip from Oslo follows endless lakes. This early in the Spring, they are mostly frozen, making the scenery a magical land of sun,…

  • Ferry and Fortress: Travel Goals

    It is a lazy Saturday in Norway and the sun is shining. Each morning I thank God for the health and ability to travel and experience a new life style. Our day starts slowly. I have some muesli and coffee and catch up on some reading. Eventually we leave the house. We are in no…

  • Parkering: Travel Goals

    Norway is full of surprises. Everyday we find something strange (to us) yet wonderful. Brown cheese is the best! Skiing to town! And amazing public transport….America has a lot to learn. On almost every corner we find a sign that reads “parkering forbudt” which means parking is forbidden. Because public transportation is so wonderful, parking…

  • Jump: Travel Goals

    Norwegians love skiing. In Tromso, they ski to work. In Oslo it is warmer, so they have indoor skiing and they have snow machines to maintain cross country trails. But the king of the mountain is the Holmenkollen ski jump. We take the tram up the mountain to Holmenkollen and then walk uphill to the…

  • 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: Medieval Halls and Military History

    The flowers are blooming in Bergen even if it is only barely above freezing. The sun is shining and things look bright as we start the trek down the steep hill towards the town. Walking the switchbacks, we have a great view of the harbor. The birds sing and the boats roll in from the…

  • 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…

  • Sharing the Love: Travel Goals

    Sometimes I just enjoy things so much I want to share them. European traditional market days are some of my favorite travel days. Whether it is a giant flea market or small stalls, I am all in! So it was a delight to take my brother and two of my sister in laws on a…