POTD: Sunset over the City Fjord

"Fløyfjellet stands still,
Bergen nestled far below,
Fjord gleams like silver."

— h/t ChatGPT

From 2024 07 10 Bergen

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Fløyen, or Fløyfjellet, "one of the 'seven city mountains' in Bergen, Norway. Its highest point is 400 m (1,300 ft) above sea level. The view of the Bergen peninsula makes Fløyfjellet a popular attraction among tourists and locals alike. The Fløibanen funicular transports passengers from the centre of Bergen to a height of 320 m (1,050 ft) in roughly eight minutes."

As the sun sets over Bergen and the Byfjorden (the City Fjord), we say farewell to Norway.

Our next stop? Greece.

A bonus photo is after the jump.

POTD: King Haakon's Hall

"Windows of thick light,
Gazing down on the bright fjord.
Sea and crown aligned."
— h/t ChatGPT

From 2024 07 10 Bergen

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Haakon's Hall in Bergen, Norway. "It is a medieval stone hall located inside a fortress. The hall was constructed in the middle of the 13th century, during the reign of King Håkon Håkonsson (1217—1263). In medieval times, it was the largest building of the royal palace in Bergen. It is the largest secular medieval building in Norway."

POTD: Bergen

"A meadow once stood,
Now a pulse of modern days.
Sea and city blend."

— h/t ChatGPT

From 2024 07 10 Bergen

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Bergen, Norway. "As of 2022, its population was roughly 289,330. Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway after the national capital Oslo. The municipality covers 465 square kilometres (180 sq mi) and is on the peninsula of Bergenshalvøyen. The city centre and northern neighbourhoods are on Byfjorden, 'the city fjord'. The city is surrounded by mountains, causing Bergen to be called the 'city of seven mountains'...According to tradition, the city was founded in 1070 by King Olav Kyrre and was named Bjørgvin, 'the green meadow among the mountains'."

A bonus photo is after the jump.

POTD: Kjosfossen

"Falls sing to the gorge.
Huldra dances in the spray.
White thunder pours down."
— h/t ChatGPT

From 2024 07 09 Flam

Today's photo-of-the-day shows Kjosfossen, "a waterfall located in Aurland Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The waterfall is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Norway. Its total fall is around 225 metres (738 ft)...The Flåm Line passes directly in front of and over the upper part of the waterfall, which is one of the main attractions for tourists who take the Flåm Line...During the main tourist season in the summer an actress dressed as a legendary Huldra (a seductive forest creature in Scandinavian folklore) dances and sings in front of the waterfall as the trains enter the station for the amusement of the tourists."

POTD: Nærøyfjord

"Steep walls touch the clouds,
Mountains cradle mirrored skies.
Nature's breath is cold."

— h/t ChatGPT

From 2024 07 09 Flam

Today's photo-of-the-day shows the Nærøyfjord in Norway. "The narrow fjord is a branch of the large Sognefjord. The 11 mile long fjord is only 500 metres wide in some parts." "The Nærøyfjord has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has also been rated by the National Geographic Society as the world's number one natural heritage site along with the Geirangerfjord."

A bonus photo is after the jump.

POTD: Undredal

"Fjord hugs quiet town,
Goats outnumber village folk.
Brown cheese slowly cures."
— h/t ChatGPT

From 2024 07 09 Flam

Today's photo-of-the-day shows Undredal, Norway. "Undredal is a small village in Aurland Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The popular tourist destination of Undredal is located along the Aurlandsfjorden which is a branch off the massive Sognefjorden in Norway's 'fjord-country.' It sits along the Aurlandsfjorden, about 5 kilometres south of the mouth to the Nærøyfjord."

POTD: Fortun

"High above the world,
Norway carves its winding road
through the mountain pass."
— h/t ChatGPT

From 2024 07 08 Sogndal

Today's photo-of-the-day shows Fortun, Norway, a village on the Sognefjellsvegen, the highest mountain pass road in northern Europe.

POTD: Sognefjellshytta

"Through cabin windows,
a frozen lake lies silent;
white upon more white."

— h/t ChatGPT

From 2024 07 08 Sogndal

Today's photo-of-the-day shows the view out the windows of the Sognefjellshytta, "a serviced private tourist cabin in Lom municipality in Innlandet county, completed in 1947." The cabin is located in Norway, near the highest point of the highest mountain pass road in northern Europe.

A bonus photo showing the highway is after the jump.

POTD: Garmo Stave Church

"Timbers soaked with time,
Withstand a thousand winters.
Strong the stave and stone."
— h/t ChatGPT

From 2024 07 07 Lillehammer

Today's photo-of-the-day shows the Garmo Stave Church in the Maihaugen outdoor museum in Lillehammer, Norway. It "originally came from the village of Garmo in Lom. It was built circa 1150 on the site of a previous church believed to have been built in 1021 by a Viking chieftain. In 1730, it was expanded into a timber cruciform church...It was dissembled and brought to Lillehammer in sections. It was re-erected at Maihaugen in 1920—1921."

POTD: Turf Roof Above Lillehammer

"Perched where flight begins,
Watching skiers pierce the sky,
Wood and sod stand still."
— h/t ChatGPT

From 2024 07 07 Lillehammer

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Lillehammer, Norway, site of the 1994 Winter Olympics. At the top of the ski jump stands this turf-roofed house, its firm grounding to the solid earth offering a counterpoint to the soaring skiers nearby.

POTD: Soaring Over Lillehammer

"From launch she rises,
Skier flies like summer bird.
Olympic dreams."
— h/t ChatGPT

From 2024 07 07 Lillehammer

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Lillehammer, Norway, site of the 1994 Winter Olympics. With the ski jump behind her, "L" soars over Lillehammer, demonstrating mastery of the sport in her first jump.

POTD: Walkable Lillehammer

"Olympic glory
Fades into bright flowerbeds—
Peace outlives the flame."
— h/t ChatGPT

From 2024 07 07 Lillehammer

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Lillehammer, Norway, site of the 1994 Winter Olympics. The city has a population of 28,560. As you can imagine, a small city that caters to tourists, even in the summer, would be very walkable. And so it is.

POTD: World's Tallest Wooden Buildings

"Steel still rules the sky,
But the smell of pine reaches
Up where clouds drift by."
— h/t ChatGPT

From 2024 07 07 Lillehammer

Who says wooden buildings can't be more than four or five stories tall? Today's photo-of-the-day was taken in Brumunddal, Norway. It shows Mjøstårnet, "an 18-storey mixed-use building completed in March 2019. At the time of completion, it was officially the world's tallest wooden building, at 85.4 m (280 ft) tall, before being surpassed by Ascent MKE in August 2022." Who knew there was even a competition?

POTD: Norway's Odd Roadside Attractions

"Shining against clouds,
A strange shape stands by the road.
Life begins with laughs."
— h/t ChatGPT

From 2024 07 07 Lillehammer

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken in Norway at a highway rest stop. The artwork is "Sædspira" by Linda Bakke, and in case you're wondering, yes, the sculpture is exactly what it looks like.

POTD: Vigelandsparken

"Naked forms embrace,
Unashamed beneath the sky—
Flesh reborn in stone."
— h/t ChatGPT

From 2024 07 06 Oslo

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken in Oslo, Norway in Frogner Park, site of the Vigeland installation of 212 granite and bronze sculptures, all designed by Gustav Vigeland.

POTD: Nobel Peace Center

"Close to Oslo's heart,
A tribute to those who strive
For a world at peace."
— h/t ChatGPT

From 2024 07 06 Oslo

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken in Oslo, Norway at the Nobel Peace Center, "a showcase for the Nobel Peace Prize and the ideals it represents. The center is also an arena where culture and politics merge to promote involvement, debate and reflection around topics such as war, peace and conflict resolution."

POTD: Royal Palace of Norway

"Statue guards the door.
Grandeur at Oslo's center.
Crown and tradition."
— h/t ChatGPT

From 2024 07 06 Oslo

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken at the Royal Palace of Norway in Oslo. The Palace "was built in the first half of the 19th century as the Norwegian residence of the French-born Charles XIV John, who reigned as king of Norway and Sweden. The palace is the official residence of the current Norwegian monarch...King Charles John never had the pleasure of residing in his palace before he died in 1844, and its first occupants were his son Oscar I and his queen Josephine."

POTD: Old Fredrikstad

"Glimpse the fortified
old town preserved in the past.
Fredrikstad stands still."
— h/t ChatGPT

From 2024 07 05 Fredrikstad

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken in Fredrikstad, Norway, founded in 1567 by King Fredrick II. "The city centre is on the west bank of the Glomma, while the old town on the east bank is Northern Europe's best preserved fortified town." Today's photo-of-the-day was taken in Old Fredrikstad.

POTD: Walkable Gothenburg

"Flags, pendants above.
Cobblestones beneath your feet.
Gothenburg alive."

— h/t ChatGPT

	From 2024 07 04 Gothenburg

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken in the city center of Gothenburg, Sweden. Walkable, vibrant, busy. What's not to love?

A bonus photo is after the jump.

POTD: Rosenlundsverket

"On water's edge, where
Smoke once darkened sky and stone,
Now blue buildings smile."
— h/t ChatGPT

From 2024 07 04 Gothenburg

Who says a power plant has to be ugly? Today's photo-of-the-day was taken in Gothenburg, Sweden. It shows the Rosenlundsverket, a century-old heat and power plant. Originally fired with coal, it was replaced by an oil-fired plant in the early 1950s. Natural gas firing was put into operation in 1988. Today, Sweden generates only about 2% of its electricity from fossil-based fuel. The vast majority comes from hydropower (around 40%), nuclear power (about 30%), and wind power (about 20%).