Author: elainehayesblog

Chris suffered overnight with an upset tummy so we had a slow start, but fortunately later he felt ready to go out.  We had booked onto a tour to Teotihuacán in the afternoon, but first we took a turn round the Palacio de Bellas Artes, the lovely concert hall we admired yesterday, which is Art Nouveau on the outside and Art Deco on the inside! 

Upstairs is a gallery of murals painted by famous names of Mexican muralism.  Diego Rivera had been living in the US where his mural for the Rockefeller Centre in New York had been destroyed due to his inclusion of an image of Lenin which didn’t go down well with his sponsor!  He reproduced it here called Man Controller of the Universe, showing man harnessing scientific progress and industrial technology and at a crossroads, choosing between capitalism on the left with an image of decadence, including Rockefeller and communism on the right with Lenin and multiracial workers.  It is huge, and this is just the centre section. 

This excerpt shows Darwin and learning …

… and here are the images of communism.

It was interesting to see how varied the mural style was amongst Rivera’s contemporaries, like The New Democracy by David Alfaro Siqueiros, set between two Art Deco light fittings showing Chac the rain god …

… and Humanity Freed from Misery by Jorge Gonzalez Camarena.

Outside, there was an organillero in his smart beige uniform, playing a tune on his barrel organ, a sound that probably characterises our time in Mexico City. Popular since the C19th, they play nostalgic tunes and can be found on every corner, with a monkey sitting on top, although it is probably hard to make a living just on tips, having paid the US$10 daily rental.

Time to meet the minibus for our guided trip to Teotihuacán, booked through Viator as a cultural visit with no add ons!  We were the last couple to join the tour and took the last pair of seats, only to find they were over the rear axle and my seat was freezing from the AC.  Fortunately the journey was just an hour and our guide kept us engaged with various information about the city.  I was pleased to arrive and get out into the sunshine to warm up as we headed through the gates. 

Teotihuacan was both the largest city in the Americas as well as the most advanced civilization on the continent at its zenith, from 100BC-500AD.  The city covered some 19 square kms and had an estimated population of about 250,000.  It collapsed as a city in the C7th-8th for reasons unknown and was then discovered by the Aztecs who discovered the site in the 1300’s, by which point it was covered by earth and vegetation. They  excavated some of the site and named it Teotihuacán which means ‘the place where gods were created’.

We began in the restored Palace of Quetzalcóatl with the Patio of Pillars, with their rich decoration and remains of colour …

… then walked out to this view of the Pyramid of the Moon.  

As the guide explained the history, I started to feel dizzy and had to sit down. It didn’t prove to be anything serious, maybe just the contrast from the cold bus, but I watched from the shade while Chris went closer and some people climbed the pyramid.

We were shown how pigments were made with lapis lazuli and iron oxide and in fact there is evidence that the exterior of all the structures would once have been blood red or even polychromic.  

Then we set off along the Avenue of the Dead, named by the Aztecs who found sacrificed bodies buried there.  Along the way were areas which would have held linked ponds to collect and conserve water.

The Pyramid of the Sun is the tallest pyramid at 70m, although what we see today was heavily reconstructed in 1908, after it was blasted with dynamite in search of a more complete building under the present one, at least gives an idea of its former grandeur.

A little out of practice on big trips, we took the easy route with a tour – the biggest advantage is they drop you at one entrance and collect you from another which reduces walking, but it was only when I started writing about the day that I realised how much we missed – the oldest pyramid known as the The Temple of the Feathered Serpent completely, and these impressive decorations

It was a big day and neither of us felt hungry or fancied going for dinner so snacked on nuts and a sweet bun and a mugs of Earl Grey.

Next day, we were in the queue at 9.30 for the National Palace and got tickets for 3pm and with only around 30 places on an English speaking tour each day, that was a result!  Until then, we’re going back in time to the Aztecs so here’s a quick history interlude. When the Spanish explorer Hernán Cortés and his men arrived, they found the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlán built on an island in the middle of a lake traversed by great causeways, a beautiful stone-built city of 300,000 residents, but following the conquest, all was destroyed.  At least, that was what was thought until excavations began in 1978 as part of the building of the new metro system.  A huge stone disc, weighing over eight tonnes, which depicted the fall of Coyolxauhqui, goddess of the moon was unearthed, which led the to unearthed remains on display at the museum today.  It is a little difficult to understand the ruins until the realisation that it’s like a Russian doll.  Successive rulers totally encased the existing pyramid in another layer to make theirs bigger and more impressive, then new temples were built on top as shown in this model …

… and here are some pictures of the excavations as we walked round.  

The museum was extensive and here are a few of the more impressive exhibits – Tlaltecuhtli, the earth god …

… a brazier with the face of Tlaloc the rain god …

… Chicomicoatl the corn goddess …

… an eagle warrior …

… and finally the disc of Coyolxauhqui, goddess of the moon. 

Something a little more modern now, the Palacio de Correos de México or Postal Palace of Mexico City was built in 1907 and its highly eclectic design incorporates almost every exuberant architectural style in the book, but it was certainly worth a quick look. While most is now a museum, there are still functionally postal counters on one side. 

Close by is the Casa de los Azulejos or House of Tiles, an C18th palace with blue-&-white tile facade, now home to a popular restaurant and we went in for a quick look round …

… and a view down the street.

We returned to the National Palace for our tour and as it is a functioning government building where the president lives, security was tight on entry.  The main attraction were the Diego Rivera frescos on the stairwell and corridors …

… and we were starting to get the hang of his compositions so it was no surprise that The History of Mexico was billed as an epic depicting the entire history of Mexico, from pre-Hispanic civilizations and the Spanish conquest to the Revolution and a vision of the nation’s future!  The main wall has a large eagle with a serpent in its mouth in the centre representing both Aztec culture and modern Mexico and a similar cast of thousands with key historical figures just like the other murals we’ve seen.

The other wall shows a possible future of Mexico, with factories, the Soviet flag, workers, Karl Marx and Frida Kahlo teaching children. 

We have been walking passed the very swanky Opera Bar every day and tonight, in need of a little home comfort, we went in for dinner. Decorated in exuberant baroque style, they had Fettucine Bolognese and French fries were on the menu! Past patrons have included the dictator Don Porfirio Díaz before the revolution, Zapata’s men afterwards and even Pancho Villa who fired his pistol and lodged a bullet in the ceiling!

We will be back in Mexico City at the end of our trip, but for now we are done and catching a bus tomorrow … not a bad start for the Taco Trail!

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Arrival in a new city after dark, tired from a 12 hour flight, not speaking the language and with a SIM that is yet to work is often the most challenging part of a trip!  Fortunately we got it sorted, took a cab, checked in to our apartment which was behind this very impressive door …

… then went over the road for a hot drink and snack before bed.  Cafe Pagoda became our local and the coffee with milk came in glasses and was poured at the table, firstly an inch or so of thick dark coffee, then topped from a height with frothy warm milk! It turned out a little sweet but we were too tired to worry too much, and it was worth it for the showmanship!

Next morning we pulled the curtains at Casa Filomena, a modern conversion of an old building right in the historic centre …

… to find the street lined with barriers and no traffic except for police. 

We googled to try to find the cause, but couldn’t see a reason, so went for a breakfast of chorizo eggs/chilaquiles with eggs at Cafe Pagoda.  

At an elevation of just over 2000m, Mexico City is one of the highest capital cities which keeps temperatures cooler than might be expected, but it’s bright and sunny and much warmer than England in January.  We thought joining a walking tour would help us find our feet on our first morning so headed to the huge Plaza de la Constitución, known as the Zócalo to meet the guide, only to find the square was surrounded by barriers and a procession was just beginning.  We gave up on being able to get to the tour in time and just stood facing the cathedral and watched the annual procession of the city’s emergency services – marching firemen, emergency vehicles with sirens blaring and horns honking and even a float for bee catchers!

The cathedral is the largest in Latin America, but a bit gloomy, although the gilded altar at the end is pretty impressive.

Nonetheless, spiritual cleansing ceremonies remain an important part of Mexican cultural heritage, and shamans wait outside the cathedral, ready to assist for a few pesos.

It had just turned midday, and we wandered back along a pedestrian street …

… to the magnificent Palacio de Bellas Artes …

… and through Alameda Park, where families were enjoying being out on a lovely Sunday afternoon …

… and others taking time to relax!

At the far end, the Diego Rivera Mural Museum has been the home of his largest mural which was rescued from the lobby of the Hotel del Prado after the 1985 earthquake which devastated the city, and destroyed over a thousand buildings … and of course Sunday afternoon was the perfect time to visit.

Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Central Park is just over 15m long and was painted in 1947. It reads from left to right with three linked sections, showing the history of Mexico as dreamt by Diego Rivera shown as a boy in the centre. 

He is holding hands with the Catrina created by his friend José Guadeloupe Posada and his wife Frida Kahlo stands behind.  Entry is free to all on a Sunday as well as the excellent guide who pointed out the characters, explaining their place in history and how images from their dreams are included in the mural too. 

The left part begins with the Spanish Conquest and shows Hernán Cortés in armour …

… and the right section shows the Revolution of 1910 with Zapata.

The colours are bright and fresh, you can stand right up close … and it is far too big to photograph in one go!

It might have been sensible to call it a day here, but no, we returned to the Zócalo and joined the 4.00 walking tour!  The guide was excellent, touching on all the main points of Mexico’s history as he showed us round the historical centre, throwing in plenty of stories and customs such as this one. In Mexican towns, the market is held in the square opposite the cathedral, but post revolution in Mexico City, commerce took a while to recover and the area was a mess.  The president decided to clear the square and erect a monument to the revolution in the centre, and a plinth or zocalo was built … but the monument was never finished.  The people began referring to the main square as the zocalo … and so it is that every Mexican main square is known as the Zócalo!  There is an interesting display of cacti on display there at present.

We ended just close the the apartment which was handy as we definitely deserved a sit down after stepping out 7 miles on our first day!  Realising a quick dinner and bed would be best, we returned to Cafe Pagoda for a supper of crispy taco rolls with chicken and salad/eggs scrambled with beans and local beers and lights were out before 10.

Next day we decided to pace ourselves better so began visiting the one museum that appeared to be open on a Monday.  We had already seen one Diego Rivera mural and now we were about to see a whole lot more!  Following the revolution, the government wanted to unify the country by promoting a new, nationalistic identity and one initiative was the Mexican Muralism Movement.  José Vasconcelos, the 1st Secretary of Public Education commissioned Diego Rivera and others to paint a series of murals within the headquarters, which would educate the people and also champion indigenous culture and socialist ideals.  This building is now the Museo Vivo del Muralismo and we were lucky to catch a free tour. 

These murals are actually frescoes, so painted in sections on wet plaster, a technique Rivera learnt in Italy … and there are over 200 of them! 

The ground floor illustrates Mexican daily life and traditional festivals and I particularly liked these showing weaving …

… and the harvest 

… and here is the Deer Dance …

… and this shows labour called The Overseer.

The upper floor had images of the revolution including these … 

… and I love the movement in the composition and the way they spill out of the frame.

And in the stairwell we saw this, Birth of Venus meets Captain Nemo! 

Stopped for a lunch of veggie wraps then went up to the roof to get a bird’s eye  view of the cathedral. 

Up was a theme for the afternoon as our next visit was the Torre Latinoamericana, a 44-story skyscraper standing 182 meters which was the tallest building in Latin America when it was built in 1956.  When you look out from the top and see the expanse of Mexico City and its suburbs you can understand its population of 23 million. 

Down below is the Palacio de Bellas Artes …

… which we could admire even more closely from the Sears coffee shop while enjoying a sit down!  

We used downtime back in our room to plan the next couple of days and booked on a tour to Teotihuacan the next day.  Dinner was Mexican style pizzas at Pixza, made with a blue corn base and with Mexican toppings – mine with Pibil Pork and red Onion and Chris’s with pumpkin flowers – crispy and delicious. 

We then took a turn round Plaza Garibaldi, famed for its mariachi bands and although we saw several musicians in their tight black charro outfits decorated with silver embroidery, it was really a little early for much to be happening, but we were too tired to wait!

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Finally we are ready to take our first big trip since 2020 and we are off to Mexico to escape the cold British winter.

We’ve been planning a return since our roadtrip round the Yucatan peninsular 12 years ago, but this time we are starting in Mexico City.  From here, we are travelling through four states by bus, stopping at Puebla, Oaxaca, San Cristobal de Casas and Palenque before ending at Villahermosa where we will catch a plane back to Mexico City.

We want to explore it all!  More of the ancient ruins left by mighty civilisations, more towns with colourful streets of colonial architecture, more vibrant arts and crafts made by local artisans and definitely more of Mexico’s rich culinary heritage.

But we will be taking it slowly … with time to wander … be inquisitive … get lost … take photos … and most importantly, sip margueritas!

Itinerary

Mexico City … and Murals

Mexico City … and Pyramids

Puebla

Oaxaca

San Cristóbal de las Casas

Palenque

Villahermosa

Mexico City

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Ante from S&L Guesthouse kindly picked me up at the bus station and I have a bright and airy room with a shared kitchen and courtyard in Gruz, overlooking the port.

A veggie struggles a little in Croatia, so I cooked up some beans to take to Chris who was walking much more steadily.  I just made it back before a huge thunderstorm which then raged on and off all the next day. 

It stopped just in time for me to go visiting, so I walked to the hospital, this time with frittata! 

Having caught up during downtime yesterday, on Friday I set off to the beach early, and walked down to the port …

… and across to Lapad, just 30 minutes away. I explored the walking trail from the bay …

… and took a pic of my beach where I settled down on a comfy sunbed. 

Later I saw Chris then got brave and went out for dinner on my own near the port. 

All the time, I was liaising with the hospital and GP to ensure the insurance company have the info they need, but as we went into the weekend, we still hadn’t had confirmation that they would accept the claim, and we knew nothing would happen until Monday.  To pass the time, I enjoyed more beach time and chatting with new visitors to the apartments and even went out in the evening to eat with one lady who was here alone for three days.  It must be said, that every time I went out, there were 250 steps to descend to the port … and more importantly, 250 to climb on the way back and my stamina was improving as the week progressed. 

Sunset was also a highlight since there was such a good view from the courtyard and it looked different every day …

… as was the view from Chris’s hospital window!

Chris continued to rest, have physio to strengthen his walking, receive food packages and coffee when I saw him, and on Sunday there was the treat of extended visiting hours!

By Monday we were eagerly awaiting updates from all concerned and finally it was confirmed that we had a valid insurance claim and the doctor said Chris would be released soon. 

One guest came back excited by her zip wire experience, and I was sorely tempted, but I wasn’t sure having fun with Chris laid up was fair. He persuaded me to go in the spirit of research for a future trip … and it was great … similar to the experience we’d had in Krk a couple of years ago with a nice bunch of people and a wonderful panoramic view of Dubrovnik. 

I even managed to get a photo with Chris … the hospital is the white building by my left shoulder!

It still took the rest of the week for a travel plan to be put in place and finally Chris was discharged on Friday morning.

It was lovely to have him back and he came to the apartment for the weekend, with the luxury of a comfy bed, being able to sit outside and to eat well so we made the most of our last couple of days.

So our extended stay in Dubrovnik was for 12 days – much longer than our initial 8 day holiday!  As for Chris, while sitting out in the courtyard, he says his time in hospital feels a bit like a dream.  Overall we are just pleased he got off so lightly – it could have been so different.

A final breakfast …

… and then we flew back on the Monday morning flight to LGW, accompanied door to door by a flight nurse and wheelchair assistance which certainly gave us peace of mind and reminds us why travel insurance is so important.

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Having checked in at Miranda’s guesthouse in Lapad, we decided to take Chris to A&E as we were worried he would be getting dehydrated.  After several hours, I was taken to see the doctor and he told us Chris’s symptoms had been caused by a mini stroke and that he would be staying in hospital for several days.  Having ensured he had all he needed, Joanna and I returned to Miranda’s to scrambled eggs for supper and made a plan.

With hospital visiting limited to just 3-4pm each day, Joanna and I decided to make the most of the last few days of our trip together.  Next day, we bought our Dubrovnik Pass and set off first thing to the old town by bus.  We entered through the Pile Gate …

… which gave us our first glimpse of the Stradun or long limestone pavement that runs between the two gates of the city.  

Here is the Great Onofrio Fountain, built in the C15. I wondered about the dog sitting on top and apparently the original toppled off a couple of centuries ago and this replica was added during a recent restoration, a faithful guardian once more.

We walked all the way round the walls taking loads of pictures as every angle looked better than the last! 

Here is Minceta Tower which is the tallest …

… a view of Lovrjenac Fort …

… and the small island of Lokrum beyond the sea of tile roofs.

Next we ducked into the side streets in search of a cold drink then sat on the Jesuit Steps to drink it, one of the few GofT locations I remember, with Cercei doing her walk of shame …

… and the church above.

Our ticket gave us free entry to the Rectors Palace, with another lovely staircase …

… then we walked past the Sponza Palace …

… to Luca Square with the clock tower and St Blaise’s Church.

Returning to Pile Gate we went out and were astonished by the number of people getting on and off tour buses.

From one panorama to another, here is the view from Lovrjenac Fort …

… and on that note it is time for lunch! We shared an amazing fish platter in the heart of the old town …

… before heading back on the bus for visiting time. Being the weekend, the hospital was really quiet and Chris was still very tired, not quite himself but no doubt in the best place.

Later, we squeezed in a little beach time Croatian style, sitting on a concrete platform and having a paddle …

… then took the bus back in the evening to see the old town at night …

… and had Caesar salads and Prosecco and icecream.

It was the night of a lunar eclipse which should have shown a red moon, but all we saw was the moon increase in size as the eclipse passed. 

As much as we loved looking round and walking the walls, it was just so busy, with tour groups everywhere.  We had a great view from the fort so didn’t fancy the cable car and Lokrum island is full of Australian plants so we chose not to return the next day. Instead, we took the car north out of the city early and visited Trsteno Villa and arboretum which Joanna had found, wandered the gardens …

… and snapped the fountain with Neptune …

… then spent several hours at Veliki žal beach …

… but were still back in time to visit Chris who was looking much rested and with an appetite once more. The doctor had gone home, but it was confirmed he would be staying several more days.  Joanna and I ate over the road at Bellevue restaurant, where the menu came as a message in a bottle, watching the twinkly lights of the port and eating fish. 

Our stay at Miranda’s was over and we had one night in Cavtat before our flights home. We decided to continue our trip as planned, return the car and Joanna to the airport so she could fly home and luckily found a nice guesthouse close to the hospital at short notice for me.  We went early to see the doctor who confirmed Chris was making a good recovery, but needed to stay and rest.

Having checked out beaches, we spent the day relaxing in Plat.  Amazing that I think this was the place we stayed for a family holiday in 1975, but I didn’t recognise anything!  

In Cavtat, we walked round the harbour, then sat for cocktails and watched the sun go down before our final meal together. Later we sat watching the harbour drinking a very nice local wine called Posip, putting the world to rights.

Somehow, despite everything, Joanna and I have really made the most of our last few days together and we have great memories of all of us in Krka.  Everything went smoothly in the morning and having waved her off, I got the airport shuttle back to Dubrovnik.

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We arrived at Split in plenty of time for our ferry to the island of Korcula which we are crossing on our drive to Dubrovnik. 

We took snacks for the 2.5 hour crossing and sat on a bench outside to enjoy the view. 

The port of Vela Luka was built in times past to export wine and oil and is now a car ferry port, but still offers a handsome face to the sea.

We soon found our apartment, above a family run restaurant where we were welcomed with more Rakija and homemade biscuits and after sitting down all morning, walked to the town beach for a bit of sun, a read and a dip and took the water taxi back to beers on our very own sit out terrace.

In the evening as we checked out restaurants, we noticed the attractive sea themed mosaics running round the harbour pavement which celebrate an artists expo in the 1960’s.

We spotted the local makaruni pasta on the menu, handmade scraps of pasta rolled round a needle to make tubes, so I had mine with ragu and J with monkfish while C had ravioli with spinach and truffle.

Although we didn’t realise at the time, this was the point that our trip started moving in an unplanned direction.  While getting up in the morning, Chris had a dizzy spell so we delayed our departure so he could take things slowly, and we thought he’d maybe had too much sun the day before.  Joanna was our second driver, and having already driven yesterday, was delighted for the opportunity to drive again and we made our way across Korcula island, enjoying the scenery.  We made a brief stop at a beach with a cafe and continued to Korcula town where tourist cars have to use the park and ride.  We got a great photo from the shuttle which took us to the town gates. 

As we walked into the walled town …

… it was apparent that Chris wasn’t feeling great and was also nauseous, but he was sure that an early night would do the trick so we checked in and left him to rest.

Joanna and I went exploring.  We wandered round the town …

… through charming squares …

… and along narrow stone alleys which are laid out fishbone-style, with the angled side streets allowing the breeze to pass through and cool the buildings.

St Mark’s Cathedral dominates the main square …

… and we climbed the clock tower to get views over the rooftops and out to sea …

… and took a peek inside.

We took a last few photos then relaxed with wine and pizza.

In the morning, Korcula was deserted …

Joanna and I snatched a view with our breakfast pastry …

… but with Chris not really any better, we took the ferry to the mainland and Joanna drove us directly to Dubrovnik …

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Having flown into Split and picked up the car, a short drive north brought us to the pretty riverside town of Skradin.  From the highway rest stop we took photos of the bridge over the Krka river …

… and also caught our first view of Skradin …

… but were alarmed to feel the odd drop of rain … surely not!

At our apartment, we were welcomed with a glass of homemade Rakija, a fruit brandy made throughout Croatia.  After toasting Živjeli! we were advised the best way to tackle Krka next day then went to explore.

We tried to ignore the rain drops as we wandered down the main street lined with pastel coloured buildings …

… but as we started climbing to the small medieval fortress above the town, it became downpour …

… and we had to shelter from the worst of it in a bar with a beer!

Next day dawned sunny and we were up and waiting for the 8.00 boat into Krka National Park so we could beat the crowds.

The tufa landscape is one of the most unique features of Krka National Park.  Eroded limestone is deposited in the river and trapped by the plants to form tufa or travertine barriers. These are constantly reshaped by water flow to create spectacular waterfalls, cascades, and natural pools.

The main event is Skradinski Buk, the most impressive waterfall in the park.  It is made of 17 waterfalls cascading into one another and then creating a beautiful lake and is viewed from a network of wooden trails and bridges.  It certainly didn’t disappoint, and we all took lots of pictures.

Fortified, we followed the walking route at Roški slap, where the waterfall fans out in a series of shallow cascades, known locally as The Necklaces, before falling into Visovac lake below. 

There were also ruins of old watermills which once lined the river and were used to grind corn …

… and viewpoints.

By the time we had walked the circuit and were returning to the start, we saw that the crowds had certainly increased and were pleased we’d made an early start.  Behind the bridge you can see part of the first hydro electric plant in Europe, opened just after Tesla opened the world’s first one in Niagara Falls in 1895.

We returned to Skradin by boat then picked up the car and drove first to a couple of viewpoints, firstly to see the tiny island of Visovac which was settled by Franciscan monks in 1445 and then on to the Panorama restaurant where Chris spotted omelette on the menu and Joanna and I shared crispy polenta coated trout and salad.

The viewpoint is reached by climbing a huge staircase which zig zags up the cliff and can just be seen above.

We were all up for it, but I abandoned when I saw a shady bench while and Chris and Joanna continued.  They made the top but admitted the photo of the falls was no better!

Some of the photos we had seen were more impressive than ours, but then conditions have to be perfect for perfect shots and we enjoyed walking round, watching the antics of the ducks.

On a high after conquering the steps, Joanna drove us back from Roški slap, the first time she had driven on the wrong side of the road. The first part was very twisty and narrow, but she learnt how to make full use of the mirrors and did a grand job, delivering us safely back to Skradin.

After all that exercise we were were done for the day, and enjoyed relaxing later with caipirinha cocktails watching the sun do down, followed by a dinner of Gorgonzola gnocchi for C, Skradin sprats for J and John Dory and capers for me.  We finished with Skradin Torte, a cake made with eggs, honey and ground walnuts then glazed with chocolate … yum!

Krka has certainly been a success and I’m so pleased we chose to stay in Skradin so we could get into the park early – it made all the difference to enjoy it while it was quiet.  

Next up … a ferry crossing …

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Joanna is home from Sydney for three weeks so we are looking forward to making more memories, this time during a trip to Croatia.

Starting in Split, we are spending a day exploring the waterfalls at Krka National Park then driving across the island of Korcula for a bit of beach R&R before continuing to the splendid walled city of Dubrovnik.

So here we go, three off travelling together again!

Itinerary

Chasing Waterfalls in Krka National Park

Korcula … An Island Stepping Stone

Dubrovnik … Pearl of the Adriatic

Dubrovnik … an Extended Stay

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It was a 350km drive back to Oslo, but we broke up the journey with a cruise along the Telemark Canal which was built in the C19th to join several waterways and link Dalen to Skien for the transport of goods.  Today it just carries pleasure boats, and we just travelled on the final stretch from Ulefoss to Skien.  

Once through the locks at the beginning …

… most of the trip was along a fjord …

… with a final lock at the end.

We were checking in to our hotel in Oslo early evening and it was time to say farewell to our guide Paula and the interesting bunch we had spent the week with, all with varied departure times next day.  

It has been surprising to see how most restaurants serve world food from one country or another, rather than traditional Norwegian fare.  So, when Graham and Lisa who we’d chatted to a fair bit during the trip, suggested eating at the Oslo Food Market, we thought it was a great idea to spend the evening with the locals, munching various curries and stir fries!

Our flight was not till late, so we visited the Norsk Folkemuseum.  Travelling like locals in a country where a boat is often the quickest transport, we took the ferry across the bay to the open air museum.

We were eager to find out more about the Stave Churches of Norway which were built when the country became Christian from C9th-C12th.  Our tour had stopped at two but only very briefly.  We did pay and go into the first one at Torpo and the first thing we noticed was the smell which comes from the black preservative made from pine resin.

The heavy wooden door is decorated with dragons, vines and animal heads…

… and inside, the nave is dominated by a great decorated vault depicting Christ with the apostles and the legend of St. Margaret. It was probably put up and painted at the end of the C13th, making some of the oldest decorative paintwork in Norway.

A couple of final snaps of the woodwork and we had to leave.

From one of the smallest, to the largest. According to legend, Heddal was built in only three days with the help of a troll named Finn and shows how elaborate the structures became with its multi-tiered roof and three towers. 

It has an exterior gallery where there are fantastic woodcarvings around the four entrance doors …

… and I got the briefest glimpse inside.  

When it came to building churches, the Vikings built in wood and used ship building techniques which resulted in the stavkyrkje or stave church.  The name comes from its corner post or stave which is prepared like a ship mast.  First the tree was selected, the branches removed and the tree left for several years. It would then swell with sap, seeking to repair the wounds and this resin would act like a preservative. The seasoned staves were cut, and erected on a stone foundation to keep away rot. The rest of the church was built around this frame, and then regularly painted with pitch, which the Vikings used to seal their ships and make them watertight.

In the C19th the stave churches were deemed too small and dark so many were demolished or sold in favour of new buildings and today only 28 remain. The Gol stave church, built around 1212, was rescued and moved to Oslo and is now the highlight of the museum. Swooping dragon heads are attached to the roof, just like the prow of a viking longship …

… and inside, the wooden ceiling is constructed like the upside-down hull of a ship.

The murals in the choir and apse date to 1652 and were financed by members of the congregation, offering a glimpse into the church’s history after the Reformation.

There was also metalwork and carvings of dragons and plant motifs.

The rest of the museum had displays of costume, textiles and decorative arts as well as a collection of buildings from various regions and we wandered round in the sunshine and even spotted some country dancing.

It was soon time to go and we took the ferry back and a train to the airport and reflected on our trip.  We’ve enjoyed visiting Norway, but have decided we won’t be booking another organised trip for the time being as we prefer making our own way, taking our time and just going off travelling together.

Finally, with the fabulous weather, we’ve seen lots of Norwegian blue in both the sky and water …

… but the Norwegian Blue eluded us!

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We travelled along Norway’s southwest coast by land and sea, including two ferry crossings and a submarine tunnel.

We stopped to see the Sverd I fjell monument commemorating the Battle of Hafrsfjord in 872, when King Harold Fairhair gathered all of Norway under one crown …

… and soon afterwards, we were checking into our hotel in Stavanger where we had a great view of the central lake or Breiavatnet.

We had a brief guided walk through colourful backstreets dotted with restaurants and decorated by vibrant street art driven by an annual festival.

Reaching the harbour … 

… there were wharves originally built to support the herring trade in the C19th, but now containing vibrant bars and restaurants.

With an evening at leisure ahead, we enjoyed wandering through the lovely wooden houses of the old town where there was a photo round every corner.

Peckish, we stopped for dinner where we found great veggie options.

In fact, this was the first leisurely dinner of the trip, and we celebrated with drinks, mine an aquavit mule and for Chris a local beer. 

In Norway, the state endeavours to save the population from themselves by imposing huge tax levies on alcohol, having a state-owned alcohol monopoly called Vinmonopolet and banning advertising. In fact, even eating out is quite expensive, but having virtually ducked dinner the night before, we threw caution to the wind!  We shared humous  to start …

… and followed with roasted cauliflower with romanesco sauce for Chris and deconstructed fish & chips for me, with a glass of wine each, and while the bill might not be unusual in London, we thought it a tad steep.

On the way back we stopped at the Valberg tower built to keep watch for fires …

… and enjoyed the sunset …

… before walking back round the lake to our hotel.

Next day, we awoke to a grey morning.  

It certainly meant that we saw the other side of Norway as we cruised through Lysefjord …

… past salmon farms …

… and into Lysefjord with sheer rock faces …

… a cave where vagabonds once sought refuge …

… and the 400m Hengjanefossen waterfall.

There was also Preikestolen or Pulpit Rock, a locally famed hiking destination which juts out dramatically over the fjord which we viewed from below.

Tiny people moving on the top could just be seen through a zoom lens and Chris had fun playing with the sliders on an image later!

Once back we had a break for lunch and spotted a couple of chaps keeping watch as we walked back from the harbour. 

These are just two of the 23 figures installed throughout the town by Anthony Gormley as part of his art work called the Broken Column.

While we ate our sandwich, we reflected on how little we had heard about the most significant event in Norway’s history in the last 60 years.  Oil was discovered in the Ekofisk field in 1969 and has completely changed the Norwegian economy, leading to the establishment of the Oil Fund which manages the revenue from petroleum activities and holds over US$1.9 trillion in assets.  It is the world’s largest single sovereign wealth fund which translates to US$340,000 per Norwegian citizen and provides economic stability for Norway now and for future generations.  

Today almost all this oil and gas is exported, and counter to this, and maybe as some form of compensation, Norway itself strides forward with green measures and targets.  Electric vehicles abound – scooters, bikes, cars, trams and boats, with hydro responsible for almost all domestic energy supply.  With longer in town, we could have visited the Norwegian Petroleum Museum, but it was not to be, but at least we spotted one oil rig!

Another afternoon drive brought us to the charming Revsnes Hotel, hugging the shore of Byglandsfjord. 

It was already nearly time for dinner, but we were keen to walk out on the jetty and admire the view.

Spotting a handy little sandy beach, several of us had a quick dip …

… and the water was lovely!

Dinner was another buffet, but pretty good, and later we sat on the deck chatting and enjoying the view.

Back to Oslo tomorrow …

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