Stockholm is the beginning and end of our Interrail trips. This last day we overnighted and spent time on Södermalm, the former area of working people. When the city grew Söder became a hub for artists and bohemian youth. Today it, however, looks more like a middle-class neighbourhood. It is a hilly island with parks, some old protected houses, old city apartment buildings and beatiful views to the city surrounded by lake Mälaren and the Baltic.
View from SkinnarviksbergetIt is nicer to admire downtown area from hereNarrow wooden paths run along the edges of the cliffLot of stairs on a hilly islandAgain a hillBeautiful old houses are protectedNot so bad looking these apartment buildings eitherMaria torgetTosca pastry for mother’s day morningcoffeeSwedish meatballs, köttbollar, had to be tasted
Fotografiska is a must for me on every Stockholm visit. This photo is “Shadow of Pelle svanslös” by Hans Hammarskjöld. My daughter used to love stories of Pelle Svanslös, Pekka Töpöhäntä by Gösta Knutsson.
Hockey world championship game guests were aroundStockholm city museum at Södermalm was a nice new place to visitOn the ship homeboundGin and Tonic for the good tripFinally back home afrer 18 days Scandinavian spring trip
In Oslo we stayed in the Haraldsheim youth hostel, which is my favourite place here. We could do the accumulated laundry, the surroundings is green and fresh. The kitchen is well equipped and people are helping each other. Connection to downtown is easy by tram or Metro, and it feels good to return here after the city bustle.
As this is first visit to Oslo for Pekka we checked the most popular attractions, like many other tourists in town. We walked on the Operahouse roof, stumbled on Akerhus fortress cobbled streets, visited the City Hall, Vigelands Park and Holmenkollen. The Metro journey to Holmenkollen is beautiful as it is running on the ground through single family housing areas. “Metro” is running slowlys due to the winding uphill track and several stops. Holmenkollen is rich in memories for our generation that follows Nordic wintersports.
Of the museums we visited only the smaller ones like Nobel Peace center, Norway’s resistance museum and Astrup Fearnley museum. The Nobel Peace center focused now on opposing nuclear weapons, as the peace price 2024 was given to an organization Nihon Hidankyo that works to achieve a a world without nuclear weapons. It was also new to me that 1997 was awarded Jody Williams for banning the landmines and now we are discussing in Finland to allow the landmines.
Great view from the skijump tower at HolmenkollenTrying to think how 18 years old ski jumper Matti Nykänen felt when he jumped from here in a thick fog 1982 and won the world championshipThe City Hall is this year 75 years old like me.Inside was a married coupleOn the walls were shown moments of history. Norway was occupied by Nazis in WW II, more of that we learned in the Resistance museum.In Akerhus area there are War museum and Resistance museums, where I once learned a lot of Norwegian history. We visited now the Resistance museum, which tells about the five years occupation time. Vigelnd Park is a must, the statues are from the fortiesBlue trams in trafficHaraldsheim youth hostel with Nordic flagsNeighbourhood of Haraldsheim is residental areaWe followed the Norwegian order of meals eating just a sandwich for lunch. In the hostel was a well equipped kitchen so we could prepare our dinner. Delicious meals were easily made of fish ingredients and shrimps broccoli, asparagus and potatosalad.Oslo S is the Main railwaystation from where we continue to Stockholm tomorrow morning in a good mood.
A big ferry took us over stormy Skagerrag /Northsea to Kristiansand. It is a beautiful old town with plenty of white wooden houses. The Otra-river and the open coastline give it a spesial fresh atmosphere. Modern theater building Kilden and a brand new artmuseum, Kunstsilo, that was really built to an old grain silo originally from 1935 and opened In May 11. 2024. The exhibitions were very Nordic. Modern paintings of already older Norwegian artists, photographs and videos. Mette Tornvoll’s photos described the relationship of humans and nature. Exiting experimental art; communication of voice and light by an icelandic musician and artist. However, the most impressive in my mind were videos, “Over seas” by Elina Brotherus. She had cooperated with the Kristiansand symphony orchestra and the conductor Eivind Aadland. The music followed Elina when she was dancing on rocky shoreline with a friend or sitting beside a lighthouse as the twilight turned into darkness, simultanously in second video she was writing by the table shown as a silhoutte and the lighthouse lamp shows through the window. In the third video tens of candles are floating along the river Ganges and the music of symphony orchestra follows their movement. Even in the Main lobby is one of her videos from Venice with the music played with Tapio Wirkkala’s glass works.
Color- line ferry took us safely over the stormy seaWhite wooden houses of KristiansandOtra- river flows into the seaKunst silo the museum of modern art is really worth visitingKilden, the new theater and music buildingStatues of Kristiansand where all watching the seaThe brass band was practising on the church yard maybe for May 17th the national day of NorwayJourney to Oslo starting soonMost beautiful sceneries on the way to Oslo. The tracks followed the rivers all the way.
Our destinations in Jutland were Aarhus, Hundslund, Aalborg and Hirtshals. Warm weather pampered us until the very north of the country. We saw the delicate light greenery of the beech forests, the bright yellow of rapeseed fields and the blue-green sea on the shores of Kattegat. The city of Aarhus was lively with its bustling streetlife, big cathedral and Aros museum. When getting to the Hostel lobby in Aarhus we were greeted with a group of Finnish youngsters. It appeared to be youth council of Helsinki.
The next city, Aalborg offered art experiences with its artmuseum Kunsten, even the building was a piece of art, designed by Alvar Aalto. The second experience was the center for a famous architect Jörn Utzon by the Limfjorden. The ideas of Nordic architects feel natural and easy to understand for a Finn. It also happened that originally Finnish architect Eero Saarinen, who came late to the choosing commitee meeting of Sydney operahouse competition saved Utzons already disegarded drawings, and finally Utzons idea won.
As a pleasant stopover we had cozy time at our Finnish friend, my schoolmate Kaijeli on a small Village Hundslund near Aarhus. We enjoyed nature and celebrated 1st of May and Pekka’s birthday with good food and some sparkling.
Beech forests have a delicate Greenish spring color.Color of the sea on Kattegat shores is blue -GreenSpending time at the beach with our friend
Morning of 1st of May and Pekka’s birthday. In Denmark flags are used on birthday breakfast
Lively riverbanks in Aarhus
Aros, big artmuseum in Aarhus
Only a few of the murals are visible in the Aarhus Cathedral due to the reformation. This is one example of the deeper understanding of culture because of the common Nordic history.
There is darker side in every city
Except being art city Aalborg is also an industrial city
Hjelmerstad consists of some old quarters in Aalborg
Short distances back and forth with regional trains in the North
Fiskehus served excellent fiskefrigadeller for lunch
Hirtshals is a small fishing- and harbourtown in the north of Jutland. Worth to visit is the Oceanarium with seals and all kind of fishes as well as to enjoy the scenery to open sea and good reasonably priced fishrestaurants.
My first interrail stop for years has been Malmö. I like its friendly and relaxed atmosphere, beautiful parks, canals, cafes and good food. Seeing familiar places again feels good. Everytime I visit the city, a must for me is to have sauna and dip in the sea at Ribersborg Kallbadet. This year I even celebrated my birthday there enjoying the open scenery sun and the sea. After my morning I met with Pekka in the cafe the and later he offered me a nice dinner. In Hippodrome theater we saw a play based on Bob Dylan’s A girl from the north country. Ten points to Malmö again.
Beautiful canals of Malmö Kallbadet, Ribersborg, oldfashioned spa by the seaSmak is my favourite lunch place at the Art Hall building.Cod was deliciousTypical passages through the buildingsHolmgången leads to the promenade.
First time in my life in this country. My only knowledge of Scotland and Edinburgh was Ian Rankin’s inspector John Rebus. Did not meet him here, but I bought the latest book. We continued here the same strategy overnighting in smaller towns, this time in a village Inverkeithing in Fife, 25 minutes train ride from Edinburgh. The ancient pilgrim route, Coastal Path had been going through this village and we made a day’ s walk along the coast. Two days we spent in Edinburgh among other tourists. In the National museum we tried to get some understanding of their history. Until 1707 there was an independent kingdom of Scotland, but then they merged with the kingdom of England.
After Scotland Pekka flies back home and I continue for a week in Sweden to meet friends and old colleagues, Eminent Refiner Groundwood Scientists. Trains and the weather have treated us well and two weeks has passed fast.
Coastal path is an old pilgrim route through Fife.We spent one day on that Pilgrim routeScenery from our window in Inverkeithing
The railway bridge towards Edinburgh is from 1890.
Bagpipe players, whisky shops and hundreds of tourists in the old town area of EdinburghOld town narrow alleys and streets were full of tourists, so we preferred more open areasBobby, a loyal dog that guarded his master’s grave for 14 years at Greyfriars graveyardBookshops are interesting to look aroundThe Scottish parliament was established first 1999. We had a lunch in theit cafe.Colorful EdinburghThere are seven hills in Edinburgh. Arthur’s seat is just behind the Parliament house. Students are demonstrating for Gaza also here.Scot rail brought us back and forth
During our two days in London we visited several big museums and spent a day in Kew Gardens. Annikki was waiting to see Rothko works in Tate Modern, but they were sent to Paris for an exibition. However, several fine old paintings in National Gallery were like an award. In the Museum of Natural history we said hello to Hope the blue whale, that we learned to know from the works of Annikki’s photography group. We staid in a modest little hotel near the StPancras and Kings Cross stations and had our dinners in a cosy Italian restaurants Casa Tua near the hotel. Next towards Scotland Inverkeithing.
William Turner’s steam engine train passing a river We got under the channel with EurostarWorse luck had Hope, the blue whale, who drifted to the Irish coast. Now she is hanging from the ceiling of the Natural history museumWater lilies in the Kew gardensAnd in the National Gallery by MonetEven one Gallen-Kallela was among the “behind impressionistis” room of National GalleryPeaceful day at Kew Gardens after city huzzleLast painting of Caravaggio: Martydom of Ursula. A loan of the National Gallery from Italy Bye bye London, LNER takes us to Skotland
Haarlem is older than Amsterdam, that is what we were told. We were happy to stay and rest in a smaller town again. Especially as getting here was not easy. Deutsche Bahn had rail problems between Germany and Netherlands and the planned 5 hours turned to be 10 hours. Partly it was also our own fault as we once jumped into wrong train as the platform screen was not working. What we learned, ask, ask and ask. However, we met so many friendly and helpful people so it saved our day.
Our base here was a bohemian hostel driven by young volunteers. A nice surprise was to meet Pekka’s old friend and her lovely dog and have a dinner together by the canal. Dogs are here welcome to restaurants and cats walk freely around the town.
Next under the channel to Britannia.
Hostel life in HaarlemSitting area and cafeDinner with a friendTown is crossed by canalsRoses bloomingTowards new adventures.
Luneburg was our base for four nights. It is a lovely small town half an hour from Hamburg. Luneburg history is based on salt, that was ground from here for a century. We admired Luneburg houses, network of canals and climbed up to Kalkberg and the old water tower for the scenery.
Next day we spent in Hamburg. This was my third visit to Hamburg and first now I started to understand the structure of the city at least a little bit. We walked through Altstadt, Speicherstadt, Landungsbrugge, Neustadt residential area and Alster lakes and admired the scenery from Michael church tower. The warm long week- end and harbor birthday brought crowds of people outside. My favourite was the residential “New ” area, which was built after the war. As people lived there it had small restaurants and shops and a lively atmosphere.
On third day I visited Celle to meet old friends. I spent one summer month at Boltz family 1967. Now I met even the fourth generation of the Boltz family, the little girl Corwyn. The older generations were gone years ago.
Next we are heading to Netherlands, Haarlem.
Metronom trains on lower Saxony area took us aroundLuneburg houses seen from water tower.Laundry allows you to travel with light luggageAfter 18 000 steps on coppled streets makes you feel it.Hamburg Main Railway station still gets you lost, this is the quiet area Hafen Geburtstag, fine old ships and plenty of people. Elb philharmony at the backgroundChile house is nowadays under Unesco world heritage
Nikolai church ruins serve as a memorial of WW2 victims
People relaxing by Alster lakes.
Celle old town was never bombed, as a family member of British royals lived thereVisiting friends in Celle.
We are on our way again. Our route started fromTurku and it is planned to go through Sweden, Germany, Netherlands toward Great Britain and Scotland. Although interrail is looking for excitements I enjoy even the familiar experiences. Sunset when crossing the sea from Turku to Stockholm through beautiful archipelago. Breakfast at Stockholm railwaystation cafe Ritazza, south Swedish Lund and Malmö. This year we overnighted in Lund due to Eurovision contest in Malmö. We had however musical tickets for Malmö opera, “Next to Normal”.Malmö was actually quite calm inspite the media predictions. The train to the Areena aerea was fully packed with young people dressed in funny shiny outfits. When coming back to Lund after theater we found people following Eurovision performers from big screens in the Park in a good mood. Bye now to Lund Luneburg is waiting.
Sunset in beautiful archipelagoEurovision contest was followed also in Lund.
The Lund Domkyrka is always as impressive
In that respect I am old fashioned that I like paper books and maps.
