Malmö
Had a really hairy drive down to Malmö...so very windy. Are in town today and have visited the old town and are on our way to the science and technology museum where they have a submarine! The weather has resorted to warm and sunny and the town is fabulous. Very scenic, canal, beautiful old buildings, half timbered and art deco stone beauties. Boys have spotted three ferrari´s so far, so they are content! Off to Copenhagen in the next couple of days. Fingers crossed for good weather.
Friday, 25 September 2009
Monday, 21 September 2009
Öland (Sweden)
Had a lovely drive down the east coast towards Kalmar, sunshine all the way. Went to have a look at the Kosta Boda glassworks but we were struck by the off season bug...shop shut, sorry mum, no Swedish crystal for your birthday! Headed back to the coast and ended up on the island of Öland. Covered in cute wooden windmills, about 350 of them, apparently there used to be around 2000. Each of the farms had there own to grind their own flour, and they needed to be moved by hand to catch the wind. Our campsite is great. Right on the beach with sauna, wood fired hot tub and swimming pool. Moving on soon, further south towards Copenhagen. Will keep you posted as I can. Happy Birthday Mum on the 25th and Rory on the 28th!
Had a lovely drive down the east coast towards Kalmar, sunshine all the way. Went to have a look at the Kosta Boda glassworks but we were struck by the off season bug...shop shut, sorry mum, no Swedish crystal for your birthday! Headed back to the coast and ended up on the island of Öland. Covered in cute wooden windmills, about 350 of them, apparently there used to be around 2000. Each of the farms had there own to grind their own flour, and they needed to be moved by hand to catch the wind. Our campsite is great. Right on the beach with sauna, wood fired hot tub and swimming pool. Moving on soon, further south towards Copenhagen. Will keep you posted as I can. Happy Birthday Mum on the 25th and Rory on the 28th!
Friday, 18 September 2009
Sweden
Me again, forgot to mention our few days on the border between Norway and Sweden. Stayed in a site beside woodland, with streams and dinky little wooden cottages for rent. Lovely couple owned the site (Sukken Camping) between us we managed to discuss politics, religion and personal relationships...thankfully more than one of us spoke english as my norwegian/swedish isn't up to much!! The boys loved it here, lots of cycle rides, searching for elk (well I was, but the boys have't mastered the art of quiet, so all fled before us) and we even managed a bonfire on the campsites big fire pits. Won't mention the bottle of wine...
How sad am I? Made Bill deliver me to my first (and not the last) swedish Ikea. A bit strange, quite like the Edinburgh store so it was pretty odd.
Ended up in Örebro. Fabulous place with castle surrounded by a moat and lots of sculpture and art exhibitions dotted around the town. Gloriously warm and I managed to find a fungi ID sheet in a camping shop. Happy days...
On to Stockholm, later in the evening...drove through town...eek. Such a beautiful place the buildings illuminated and the reflections on the water. The palace and parliament buildings as well as the appartments in Östermalms, really impressive. Found a campsite that was open and set up. Had a day off after all that driving.
In to town and took a bus tour through the city, much less stressful than in a motorhome! went to the 550' tv tower for an impressive view across the city and all the islands (24,000 apparently). Again dragged everyone to the art gallery, a bit of culture...wasted on the young and bored.
Found a food hall tucked under the cinema along Drottningsgata. Imagine butchers, fishmongers, spice shops, bakers, wine merchants...and associated smells and then mix in reaturants with everything from burgers, kebabs and cakes to seafood specials. Wow...and popular with the locals. Could have stayed in there all day.
Moving on soon. South again, towards Copenhagen. Hope to stop at Målmo before venturing across the Öresund bridge.
Hope you are all enjoying the trip too!
Me again, forgot to mention our few days on the border between Norway and Sweden. Stayed in a site beside woodland, with streams and dinky little wooden cottages for rent. Lovely couple owned the site (Sukken Camping) between us we managed to discuss politics, religion and personal relationships...thankfully more than one of us spoke english as my norwegian/swedish isn't up to much!! The boys loved it here, lots of cycle rides, searching for elk (well I was, but the boys have't mastered the art of quiet, so all fled before us) and we even managed a bonfire on the campsites big fire pits. Won't mention the bottle of wine...
How sad am I? Made Bill deliver me to my first (and not the last) swedish Ikea. A bit strange, quite like the Edinburgh store so it was pretty odd.
Ended up in Örebro. Fabulous place with castle surrounded by a moat and lots of sculpture and art exhibitions dotted around the town. Gloriously warm and I managed to find a fungi ID sheet in a camping shop. Happy days...
On to Stockholm, later in the evening...drove through town...eek. Such a beautiful place the buildings illuminated and the reflections on the water. The palace and parliament buildings as well as the appartments in Östermalms, really impressive. Found a campsite that was open and set up. Had a day off after all that driving.
In to town and took a bus tour through the city, much less stressful than in a motorhome! went to the 550' tv tower for an impressive view across the city and all the islands (24,000 apparently). Again dragged everyone to the art gallery, a bit of culture...wasted on the young and bored.
Found a food hall tucked under the cinema along Drottningsgata. Imagine butchers, fishmongers, spice shops, bakers, wine merchants...and associated smells and then mix in reaturants with everything from burgers, kebabs and cakes to seafood specials. Wow...and popular with the locals. Could have stayed in there all day.
Moving on soon. South again, towards Copenhagen. Hope to stop at Målmo before venturing across the Öresund bridge.
Hope you are all enjoying the trip too!
Thursday, 17 September 2009
Norway
Great crossing...thank goodness, and only 2.5 hours. Left Kristiansand fairly quickly (apart from a traffic jam) and headed through amazing scenery, imagine Scotland only bigger and more of everything (water & trees). Went to Hornnes camping south of Evje and spent a couple of days unwinding. Lovely beach, offshore islands, clear skies, just what we wanted.
Then having decided not to go north we headed east towards Oslo. Had a couple of days of driving with some interesting stops. We keep finding caterpillars and larvae...of course I forgot my ID books!
Arrived at Oslo thinking we were well prepared, our chosen campsite was closed...as was the next one...and all this lugging 5.5 tonnes up steep hillsides and through urban streets, parked cars, buses...Bill driving...heatrt attack number two! We survived to the third campsite!
Oslo lovely, very small for a capital city, lots of wooden houses, very pretty. Made the boys endure the art museum (saw Edvard Munch's "scream") brill, but loved some of his other work more.
Great crossing...thank goodness, and only 2.5 hours. Left Kristiansand fairly quickly (apart from a traffic jam) and headed through amazing scenery, imagine Scotland only bigger and more of everything (water & trees). Went to Hornnes camping south of Evje and spent a couple of days unwinding. Lovely beach, offshore islands, clear skies, just what we wanted.
Then having decided not to go north we headed east towards Oslo. Had a couple of days of driving with some interesting stops. We keep finding caterpillars and larvae...of course I forgot my ID books!
Arrived at Oslo thinking we were well prepared, our chosen campsite was closed...as was the next one...and all this lugging 5.5 tonnes up steep hillsides and through urban streets, parked cars, buses...Bill driving...heatrt attack number two! We survived to the third campsite!
Oslo lovely, very small for a capital city, lots of wooden houses, very pretty. Made the boys endure the art museum (saw Edvard Munch's "scream") brill, but loved some of his other work more.
Denmark
As soon as we were across the border the roads got quiet and pretty rural compared to the (expanding) German motorways. Wet to the west coast of Denmark to the town of Ribe. Very well preserved town that was established hundreds of years ago. Long harbour that was a glorified big wall with water on the other side, but very pretty, full of wee boats. The bakeries are amazing and full of wonderful pastries. So much for the diet!! After Ribe we thought we would do the original Legoland, treat for the boys after rushing them through the first bit. The heavens opened and the rain was torrential for the two days we were there. Went swimming at an incredible pool, eyewateringly expensive, had the most amazing series of flumes and tubes and my favourite the outside hot tub/jacuzzi that you swam into. Freezing cold rain on your face, but toasty eveywhere else!
Moved on to Silkeborg and saw the Tollund man! Highlight for me. Some of the antiquities on display were pretty impressive too. Then travelled up to National Park just south of Aalborg and stayed overnight.
Back on the road to Hirtshals in the north for the ferry to Norway.
As soon as we were across the border the roads got quiet and pretty rural compared to the (expanding) German motorways. Wet to the west coast of Denmark to the town of Ribe. Very well preserved town that was established hundreds of years ago. Long harbour that was a glorified big wall with water on the other side, but very pretty, full of wee boats. The bakeries are amazing and full of wonderful pastries. So much for the diet!! After Ribe we thought we would do the original Legoland, treat for the boys after rushing them through the first bit. The heavens opened and the rain was torrential for the two days we were there. Went swimming at an incredible pool, eyewateringly expensive, had the most amazing series of flumes and tubes and my favourite the outside hot tub/jacuzzi that you swam into. Freezing cold rain on your face, but toasty eveywhere else!
Moved on to Silkeborg and saw the Tollund man! Highlight for me. Some of the antiquities on display were pretty impressive too. Then travelled up to National Park just south of Aalborg and stayed overnight.
Back on the road to Hirtshals in the north for the ferry to Norway.
Wednesday, 16 September 2009
Germany
Had a quick stop outside Osnabruck. The countryside around there is fabulous. Farmalnd, lakes and forests. Our campsite had a huge lake and a ping pong table...very good fun, even the kids enjoyed it, although they werent that worried about keeping the balls on the table! Moved on to Bremen...wonderful! Went to the science museum and saw the incredible Bochterstrasse (art deco architecture)...go visit!
Had a quick stop outside Osnabruck. The countryside around there is fabulous. Farmalnd, lakes and forests. Our campsite had a huge lake and a ping pong table...very good fun, even the kids enjoyed it, although they werent that worried about keeping the balls on the table! Moved on to Bremen...wonderful! Went to the science museum and saw the incredible Bochterstrasse (art deco architecture)...go visit!
Netherlands
Drove up to Utrecht (stayed outside the town in a place called Zeist). Again really lovely with brilliant shops. Had the most amazing electrical storm that went on for hours, but as it was through the night we werent that worried! The town was lovely saw the church and wandered around the canals. People are very friendly and relaxed (horizontal). Driving is mad with so much traffic on the roads.
Drove up to Utrecht (stayed outside the town in a place called Zeist). Again really lovely with brilliant shops. Had the most amazing electrical storm that went on for hours, but as it was through the night we werent that worried! The town was lovely saw the church and wandered around the canals. People are very friendly and relaxed (horizontal). Driving is mad with so much traffic on the roads.
Belgium
The weather was fabulous. Spent a couple of days in Brugge, very beautiful and full of tourists! Amazed by the variety of shops. They have the most amazing ice cream and waffles. Moved on to Ghent and Antwerp but were foiled by poor planning. Try getting a huge motorhome down some very narrow streets with lots of trams and oncoming buses! Glad I wasnt driving.
The weather was fabulous. Spent a couple of days in Brugge, very beautiful and full of tourists! Amazed by the variety of shops. They have the most amazing ice cream and waffles. Moved on to Ghent and Antwerp but were foiled by poor planning. Try getting a huge motorhome down some very narrow streets with lots of trams and oncoming buses! Glad I wasnt driving.
Wednesday, 9 September 2009
Latest News
Hello everyone...at last! I hear you cry. We had some difficulties logging on to the blog, foreign computers don't have normal asterisks (I needed one for my log-in). Anyhoo, we have had glorious sunshine for the first two weeks, then torrential rain for a few days. Roughly (maps out) we have been to Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp (drive through), Utrecht, Osnabruck, Bremen, Bad Bremstadt, Ribe, Billund (Legoland & torrential rain...went swimming instead, go figure!) then Hirtshals to get the ferry to Norway. Landed in Kristiansand and are now in Evje. Absolutely beautiful and Bill caught me a trout for dinner. Yum. Are heading over to Oslo as we think it might be too risky for the far north so late in the season...knew we should have bought those snow chains!
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