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Postcards from the Transition

Postcards from the Transition.

  • Topics
    • Winds of Change
      • Winds of Change, Africa
      • The Fall of the Wall
      • Velvet Revolution
      • Arab Spring
      • Balkan Turmoil
      • 9/11
      • Soviet Union
    • Christmas Markets
    • Lent and Easter
    • Holy Land
    • Pillars of Hercules
    • Architecture
      • Boardwalk Towns
      • Bridges
      • Castles
      • Religious
    • Transportation
      • Trains
      • Ferries
  • Europe
    • Balkans
      • Albania
      • Bosnia and Herzegovina
      • Bulgaria
      • Croatia
      • Kosovo
      • Macedonia
      • Montenegro
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      • Turkey
    • Central Europe
      • Czech Republic
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    • Southern Europe
      • Gibraltar
      • Malta
      • Spain
    • Northern Europe
      • United Kingdom
      • Iceland and Faroes
      • Isle of Man
      • Baltic States
    • Western Europe
      • Belgium
      • Germany
      • Netherlands
  • Africa
    • Kenya
    • South Sudan
    • Tanzania
  • Caucasus
    • Armenia
    • Azerbaijan
    • Georgia
  • MENA
    • Ceuta (Spain)
    • Egypt
    • Israel
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    • Oman
    • Qatar
    • Palestine
    • United Arab Emirates
  • N. America
    • Canada
    • Contiguous US
    • Cuba
    • Greenland
  • S. America
  • Alaska
    • Sitka
    • South Central Alaska
    • South East Alaska
  • Cruises
    • Iceland, Greenland & Scotland 2017

Category: Northern Europe

a, Cruises, Northern Europe, Prinsendam Celtic Explorer1 Comment

2019 Celtic Explorer, MS Prinsendam.

June 17, 2019June 19, 2019 Rich McClear

The MS Prinsendam (Picture on top is Prinsendam in Skye Harbor) leaves Holland America Service on July 1, 2019.  Before she left the fleet, we wanted to take one more cruise on her.  We had planned to travel in July … Continue reading 2019 Celtic Explorer, MS Prinsendam.

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Two Cruise Coda

June 16, 2019April 20, 2020 Rich McClear

“I’m not condemning cruise vacations.” Travel writer Rick Steves wrote in his book “Travel as a Political Act. “I’m simply saying that type of activity is not ‘travel’ it’s hedonism.  (And I don’t say that in a judgmental way either.  … Continue reading Two Cruise Coda

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Esbjerg Reunion

June 2, 2019June 2, 2019 Rich McClear

Denmark is not the best candidate for generating hydro power.  And yet Denmark is committed to generating carbon free electricity.  We have an hour and a half window to sail into Esbjerg because of the tides.   Entering the port we … Continue reading Esbjerg Reunion

Cruises, Norway, Prinsendam Norwegian Fjords Explorer2 Comments

Fjord Thoughts

June 1, 2019June 1, 2019 Rich McClear

“It looks familiar and strange at the same time.”  All through the cruise people ask me if Norway is like Alaska, how are they different?  How are the same?  In a way sailing through Norwegian Fjords is a disorienting experience.  … Continue reading Fjord Thoughts

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Oil Town — Stavanger

May 31, 2019May 31, 2019 Rich McClear

When we got off Prinsendam in Stavanger, I noticed some buses and trucks idling.  A sign proclaimed Stavanger the sister of Houston.  This is oil country.  Stavanger is the city in Western Norway closest to the North Sea oil fields.  … Continue reading Oil Town — Stavanger

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Bergen Sailout

May 31, 2019May 31, 2019 Rich McClear

The weather turned for the better as we left Bergen giving us a beautiful sail out. One of the picture is of a place where they train oil rig crews how to get into one of those lifeboats that eject … Continue reading Bergen Sailout

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It’s a Nice Place to Live…

May 31, 2019May 31, 2019 Rich McClear

…but you wouldn’t want to visit here… …is a line Sitkans sometime use when referring to people coming off cruise ships.  It rains a lot and your odds of getting Sitka on a rainy day are pretty high, but when … Continue reading It’s a Nice Place to Live…

Cruises, Norway, Prinsendam Norwegian Fjords Explorer1 Comment

Geiranger’s Dilemma

May 29, 2019May 29, 2019 Rich McClear

When we got on the tender in Geiranger it was 30 degrees (minus 1 Celsius) and there were a few snow flurries, although no accumulation.  There was snow not too far up the mountains and a local told us that … Continue reading Geiranger’s Dilemma

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Art Nouveau Phoenix — Ålesund

May 29, 2019May 29, 2019 Rich McClear

In 1904 the fishing city of Ålesund burned to the ground.  There was only one fatality but the whole city was homeless.  Around Europe people responded.  In Paris there were benefit concerts, in Germany Keiser Wilhelm personally got involved in … Continue reading Art Nouveau Phoenix — Ålesund

Architecture, Cruises, Norway, Prinsendam Norwegian Fjords Explorer, ReligiousLeave a comment

Trondheim — St. Olaf and Rock and Roll.

May 28, 2019May 28, 2019 Rich McClear

Trondheim is a place of pilgrimage, for two types of pilgrim, religious and rock ‘n rollers.  First St. Olaf (in the Norwegian brochures it is St Olav, in English, St. Olaf.  St. Olaf is pretty engrained in my brain so … Continue reading Trondheim — St. Olaf and Rock and Roll.

Cruises, Ferries, Norway, Prinsendam Norwegian Fjords Explorer, Trains, Transportation1 Comment

Flåm Valley

May 27, 2019May 27, 2019 Rich McClear

These are more pictures, companions to the post Flåm Railway. The final picture is the electric ferry, “Future of the Fjords” it can travel 40 KM on a charge and takes 25 minutes to recharge. I will be talking about … Continue reading Flåm Valley

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Flåm Railway

May 27, 2019May 27, 2019 Rich McClear

This is not the first time we have ridden the Flåm Railway.  One of my most vivid memories of traveling with the kids was standing on the platform at a station on the line, after having gotten off at a … Continue reading Flåm Railway

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Small Town Jack of All Trades — Eidsfjord.

May 26, 2019May 26, 2019 Rich McClear

Eidsfjord has to rethink itself.  It is at the very end of the fjord after which it is named which is, in turn, at the end of the Hardanger Fjord, which is one of the longest in Norway.  It has … Continue reading Small Town Jack of All Trades — Eidsfjord.

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Um Ya Ya (Arendal)

May 25, 2019May 25, 2019 Rich McClear

Outside our stateroom window fair haired young people in Norwegian sweaters and jeans were lining up along a path right next to Prinsendam.  It looked like the 1965 St. Olaf ski club including one, and only one, black kid.  When … Continue reading Um Ya Ya (Arendal)

Cruises, Norway, Prinsendam Norwegian Fjords Explorer1 Comment

Memories of Gustav Vigeland

May 24, 2019May 24, 2019 Rich McClear

This is a second photo page for the last post “Feeling So 20th Century in Oslo.” Frogner Park in Oslo, Norway has a huge sculpture garden dedicated to the work of Gustav Vigeland. It is a special place for Suzi … Continue reading Memories of Gustav Vigeland

Architecture, Cruises, Norway, Prinsendam Norwegian Fjords Explorer, ReligiousLeave a comment

Feeling So 20th Century in Oslo

May 24, 2019May 24, 2019 Rich McClear

The lecturer on the ship told us that in Oslo we would be tie up at Askershaus, a fortress fairly close to much of what I wanted to see in Oslo.  He told us there would be a money exchange, … Continue reading Feeling So 20th Century in Oslo

Cruises, Ireland, Prinsendam Celtic Explorer2 Comments

Cuts and Conversation…

May 16, 2019May 16, 2019 Rich McClear

…especially conversation.  While Dublin has many fine sights it’s the conversation that attracts me, the storytelling in word and music.  When I saw the sign on the barbershop (above) I almost went in for a haircut even though I didn’t … Continue reading Cuts and Conversation…

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Diversity of Views and Style

May 16, 2019May 16, 2019 Rich McClear

Ireland is going to the polls this month and Dublin is strewn with posters for every sort of candidate and for one referendum issue. All of Europe is voting for members of the European Parliament.  Further Dublin appears to be … Continue reading Diversity of Views and Style

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Upside Down, Tobermory

May 16, 2019May 16, 2019 Rich McClear

The Town of Tobermory seems to be built upside down.  The High Street runs along the waterfront and the other streets sit above it on a hill.   In since the turn of the century High Street has been inundated during … Continue reading Upside Down, Tobermory

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The Isles of the Blest (Skye)

May 16, 2019May 16, 2019 Rich McClear

Helen was the last baby born in the Hospital on the Isle of Skye before they closed the maternity ward. And Helen is a young woman now.   She’s our cabdriver on Skye.  Today, expectant mothers now have to drive three … Continue reading The Isles of the Blest (Skye)

Cruises, Prinsendam Celtic Explorer, United Kingdom2 Comments

A Tardis and a Traffic Cone.

May 14, 2019May 14, 2019 Rich McClear

When we first decided to take this cruise I messaged my Facebook Friend Catherine.  Her people are from the same town in Ireland that my people are from, Greencastle County Donegal.  She found me while Googling, I think, a great … Continue reading A Tardis and a Traffic Cone.

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A liner returns to Fishguard.

May 11, 2019May 11, 2019 Rich McClear

We had intended to travel to St. Davids on our own, using the bus system through Pembrokeshire.  But Fishguard is a tender port and the seas were fairly big so it took a long time to disembark.  They had to … Continue reading A liner returns to Fishguard.

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St Davids (no apostrophe please)

May 11, 2019May 11, 2019 Rich McClear

We are half way to Rome or a third of the way to Jerusalem, at least according to Pope Callestus II, who, in 1124, said two pilgrimages to St. Davids (they officially don’t use the apostrophe although some people do) … Continue reading St Davids (no apostrophe please)

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Truro Mambo

May 9, 2019May 9, 2019 Rich McClear

Truro is the County Seat of Cornwall.  It’s also the county’s cathedral town.  Truro Cathedral is not ancient but an example of Victorian Gothic Revival.  The Architect said that when people went in, he wanted them to drop to their … Continue reading Truro Mambo

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