Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Norway Day 7 - Exploring Florø
This is an after-the-fact transcription of the journal I kept on a two week trip to Norway.
May 18, 2010, 8:10 am
The restaurant in the Florø Comfort Inn
Another great breakfast. I hope I'm walking enough to work it off.
It occurs to me I'm sort of mis-labeling my posts. Yesterday was Constitution Day, but I wrote about the 150th anniversary of Florø. Today I'm writing about Constitution Day, but it's the day after.
I went out and watched the Children's Parade, and took lots of pictures. It appears that all the schools got into the act as there were banners for each school, each grade, and even each class. It took almost an hour for them to pass, and they had a marching band leading, and another at the end.
Afterwards, people mostly followed in the wake of the parade, so I went along with the crowd. Down Markegata, down a couple of blocks, then up the hill toward the church. By the time I got that far, people were disbursing in all directions and the crowd was thinning out.
Eventually everyone all but disappeared. I would have thought they might end up at a fairground or something. But the town just quieted down and people disappeared.
I went around again, past the tourist information centre to check the map in the window. And then embarked on a walk along the road that loops around the west end of the mountain in the middle of town.
It was a quiet walk. I met a few people, dressed in the traditional clothing, going the other way.
It's a beautiful town. The rain has stopped just before the Children's Parade, and I had my light jacket on. It was starting to warm up as the cloud dissipated.
Past the sports stadium, the road was high enough that I could see out to the far islands to the west. With the slop of the land, most homes have a fine view.
I got to the road from the airport and retraced the path back to the hotel.
By now it was a little after noon, and I started searching for someplace for lunch. A pub near the hotel served only drinks. I went farther down and found a lunch counter that servers burgers and fries and stuff.
There were a couple of other places, but they were more like actual restaurants and I thought I'd save going to those for dinner. I'm trying to go someplace different for every meal, but it's a challenge in a small town.
After lunch, with the centre of town feeling nearly deserted, I went exploring some more. By the other hotel, I found a public building, basically public washrooms and a laundromat. It had a large map on the wall outside and I remembered the Maritime Museum. I went searching for it.
About half way back toward the airport is a hiking trail that leads past the museum. I found it, and followed it as it descended into bush, not looking too well used, but easy to follow.
On the right was a narrow swampy gully, and across the back yards of houses, eerily quiet. On the left was a rock wall, and above on top of it were more back yards.
Eventually it came to a soggy, abandoned looking playground with a path cutting across from one side to the other. A stairway climbed the cliff to the left. I followed the path to the right, between two houses and onto the street.
At the end of this residential loop was a sign pointing down a narrow lane that ended in parking lot, and beyond, a couple of large buildings on the water's edge.
There was no one around, and a paper on the door I suspect said it was closed for the holiday. Peeking through a window, I saw all kinds of small boats and a stuffed seagull standing on some fishing nets.
Past the museum, a path wound along the edge of the water and over the rock. The setting is quite lovely. The museum is on the water, with a pier. SEveral outcrops and islands dot the water. All are very green and lush after all the rain.
I followed the path to a short bridge to an island. The path wound over the rock at the west end of the island, but there was a fence across, and goats grazed beyond. A short path led to the gate, with signage probably saying Keep Out.
On the other side, a longer and larger bridge lead to another island. This bridge was quite high, and I discovered that it was originally a draw bridge. The railing was designed to fold inward where two massive hinges in the deck showed the edge of the moving section. A frame held up cables from the far end of the raise-able section. Quite ingenious, and unused. The railings were nailed into place with heavy spikes.
Tomorrow would be the time to explore further. I retraced my steps back to the residential loop and then to the main road, rather than follow the path again.
Pm tje ,aom rpad. [ep[;e were beginning to appear again, in an obvious hurry. When I passed the graveyard is when that cannon went off again, twice, at 4:00. End of the workday?
AT the lake by the road, people stood in the middle and lined the wall on the side. The road looped into an apartment complex and people were everywhere but keeping this loop open. I could hear a band.
Soon a forest of flags appeared from around the corner This was the grownups parade, although there were kids everywhere. At least three marching bands, several groups with banners, young peoples groups too, motocross and one group wearing those red overalls I've seen everywhere.
After the parade, I followed the crowd again. Same gradual disbursement and eventually the streets were deserted.
I went back to the hotel and napped for a few minutes, after finding a pub behind the hotel. Nearly empty, and the only thing on tap was Hansa, but it was growing on me.
After the nap, I needed dinner. I discovered that all the restaurants closed early or all day, for the holiday. The only places open other than one pub and restaurant packed to the rafters was the fast food place I'd gone to for lunch, and the meat and chips place.
So I repeated the visit to the faux Italian. The place was almost deserted and the waiter and I repeated our meat and chips discussion. This time I got it without the Hollandaise-like sauce. It was a pretty good steak.
After that I walked to the other hotel and found a Ringnes in their lounge. I chased that with a Dalwhinnie and then went back to my hotel to do some laundry and to bed.
There was no cannon this morning, so it must have been only for the holiday.
I think I missed something yesterday. There must have been some place where people were gathering. The residential areas were very quiet but so was the downtown. People must have congregated somewhere.
May 18, 2010, 8:50 pm
The Hjornevikbua pub
I slept in a little this morning, there was no cannon to wake me up. I got up, and after breakfast I found the tourist information office, and got a map of the town.
A chat with the lady there got me a lot of information. Like, the time between the two parades yesterday, everyone was at some school with lots of activities. And after the second parade, there was a rowing competition on one of the lakes. I missed it all.
She called the lady who looks after the church at Kinn to see if I could get an ovff season tour. No dice; there's a funeral Thursday, and they are preparing for it tomorrow, so I can't get inside. But I am able to wander around the island on my own. So I have to be up for the ferry early tomorrow.
Then I decided to try the museum again. I walked down and found it open, and deserted except for staff. The lady who took my admission couldn't get the till to work so had to get change form the lunch counter.
The first part I went through showed some household furniture and ship models. Of course I had forgotten to charge the battery in my camera so at this point, it died.
Still, I wandered through an early 20th century household and checked out several styles of fishing boats. Lots of information about the early years of Florø:, but unfortunately it was all in Norwegian.
I went back to the hotel, plugged in the battery charger and went in search of lunch. Being a regular business day, places were open and not packed. I had a quick bite and went back to get my camera.
I headed out for the mountain east of town. The maps showed a hiking trail to the top so I set out in search of it.
I wend back to the museum and took the series of bridges and trails from there. A sound of sloshing in the water at one point startled me. I discovered a deer wading in the water by an old boat house.
No, sorry, after being at the museum, I followed that trail back to the hotel.
For the hike, I took the south side road. The school up that way had just got out, so lots of kids around. I came out past the south side, looking for a street that would take to the start of the trail to the mountain.
I walked past a swampy patch that the map showed as the start of the trail. It didn't look like there was a path anywhere there.
I walked up to another street that the map showed a path branching off and found it. But is just crossed a forested area to another crescent/cul-de-dac. The map showed that this might be reasonable so I walked along the street, looking for where the path continued. No sign.
A driveway branched up the slope, maybe not being a driveway but a path, and I ended up in what looked like someone's back yard. But there was a faint path from there, so I followed it and was soon in the forest.
I followed the path to the next cul-de-sac, and got lost for awhile. I found another path, which took me to another cul-de-sac. At least this one had an obvious marked path leading farther on.
This looked like the real path now. And there was a fair amount of climbing over rock and roots. Lots of we swampy paths, too. But then I was at another cul-de-sac. My map appeared to be seriously inaccurate.
A boy on a bicycle asked if I was lost. He confirmed the things I was seeing on the map, that the path continued form beside a scholl down the street. I got down to the school but could see no path. A guy drove up and after telling him what I was about, pointed out where the path started. From there it was straight forward. More rock and roots, and swampy parts, until I finally reacked the summit, by a telecommunications tower.
I took pictures. All of Florø was visible, and the surrounding island. There was a telescope on the lookout that I played with. Farther down was a prominence that I walked to, near the path as it came up out of the forest. Someone had build a cairn with several metal name plates. I took pictures of all sides, and some day will translate them.
I started back down, meeting a few groups going up. At the school, I took the street to the north and down to the main highway. Following that took me back to the hotel.
After a short nap (I seem to need them regularly), I went out looking for dinner. I decided to try the place that was so packed last night. Tonight is was quiet and I had what was probably the best meal so far on this trip. Afterward, I wend downstairs to the pub for a pint, which is where I now sit.
After the first pint, I went to check out where to to for the ferry. Then back to the hotel to get my journal and back here for a pint to write by.
I gotta head back to the hotel soon. I have and early day tomorrow.
May 18, 2010, 8:10 am
The restaurant in the Florø Comfort Inn
Another great breakfast. I hope I'm walking enough to work it off.
It occurs to me I'm sort of mis-labeling my posts. Yesterday was Constitution Day, but I wrote about the 150th anniversary of Florø. Today I'm writing about Constitution Day, but it's the day after.
I went out and watched the Children's Parade, and took lots of pictures. It appears that all the schools got into the act as there were banners for each school, each grade, and even each class. It took almost an hour for them to pass, and they had a marching band leading, and another at the end.
Afterwards, people mostly followed in the wake of the parade, so I went along with the crowd. Down Markegata, down a couple of blocks, then up the hill toward the church. By the time I got that far, people were disbursing in all directions and the crowd was thinning out.
Eventually everyone all but disappeared. I would have thought they might end up at a fairground or something. But the town just quieted down and people disappeared.
I went around again, past the tourist information centre to check the map in the window. And then embarked on a walk along the road that loops around the west end of the mountain in the middle of town.
It was a quiet walk. I met a few people, dressed in the traditional clothing, going the other way.
It's a beautiful town. The rain has stopped just before the Children's Parade, and I had my light jacket on. It was starting to warm up as the cloud dissipated.
Past the sports stadium, the road was high enough that I could see out to the far islands to the west. With the slop of the land, most homes have a fine view.
I got to the road from the airport and retraced the path back to the hotel.
By now it was a little after noon, and I started searching for someplace for lunch. A pub near the hotel served only drinks. I went farther down and found a lunch counter that servers burgers and fries and stuff.
There were a couple of other places, but they were more like actual restaurants and I thought I'd save going to those for dinner. I'm trying to go someplace different for every meal, but it's a challenge in a small town.
After lunch, with the centre of town feeling nearly deserted, I went exploring some more. By the other hotel, I found a public building, basically public washrooms and a laundromat. It had a large map on the wall outside and I remembered the Maritime Museum. I went searching for it.
About half way back toward the airport is a hiking trail that leads past the museum. I found it, and followed it as it descended into bush, not looking too well used, but easy to follow.
On the right was a narrow swampy gully, and across the back yards of houses, eerily quiet. On the left was a rock wall, and above on top of it were more back yards.
Eventually it came to a soggy, abandoned looking playground with a path cutting across from one side to the other. A stairway climbed the cliff to the left. I followed the path to the right, between two houses and onto the street.
At the end of this residential loop was a sign pointing down a narrow lane that ended in parking lot, and beyond, a couple of large buildings on the water's edge.
There was no one around, and a paper on the door I suspect said it was closed for the holiday. Peeking through a window, I saw all kinds of small boats and a stuffed seagull standing on some fishing nets.
Past the museum, a path wound along the edge of the water and over the rock. The setting is quite lovely. The museum is on the water, with a pier. SEveral outcrops and islands dot the water. All are very green and lush after all the rain.
I followed the path to a short bridge to an island. The path wound over the rock at the west end of the island, but there was a fence across, and goats grazed beyond. A short path led to the gate, with signage probably saying Keep Out.
On the other side, a longer and larger bridge lead to another island. This bridge was quite high, and I discovered that it was originally a draw bridge. The railing was designed to fold inward where two massive hinges in the deck showed the edge of the moving section. A frame held up cables from the far end of the raise-able section. Quite ingenious, and unused. The railings were nailed into place with heavy spikes.
Tomorrow would be the time to explore further. I retraced my steps back to the residential loop and then to the main road, rather than follow the path again.
Pm tje ,aom rpad. [ep[;e were beginning to appear again, in an obvious hurry. When I passed the graveyard is when that cannon went off again, twice, at 4:00. End of the workday?
AT the lake by the road, people stood in the middle and lined the wall on the side. The road looped into an apartment complex and people were everywhere but keeping this loop open. I could hear a band.
Soon a forest of flags appeared from around the corner This was the grownups parade, although there were kids everywhere. At least three marching bands, several groups with banners, young peoples groups too, motocross and one group wearing those red overalls I've seen everywhere.
After the parade, I followed the crowd again. Same gradual disbursement and eventually the streets were deserted.
I went back to the hotel and napped for a few minutes, after finding a pub behind the hotel. Nearly empty, and the only thing on tap was Hansa, but it was growing on me.
After the nap, I needed dinner. I discovered that all the restaurants closed early or all day, for the holiday. The only places open other than one pub and restaurant packed to the rafters was the fast food place I'd gone to for lunch, and the meat and chips place.
So I repeated the visit to the faux Italian. The place was almost deserted and the waiter and I repeated our meat and chips discussion. This time I got it without the Hollandaise-like sauce. It was a pretty good steak.
After that I walked to the other hotel and found a Ringnes in their lounge. I chased that with a Dalwhinnie and then went back to my hotel to do some laundry and to bed.
There was no cannon this morning, so it must have been only for the holiday.
I think I missed something yesterday. There must have been some place where people were gathering. The residential areas were very quiet but so was the downtown. People must have congregated somewhere.
May 18, 2010, 8:50 pm
The Hjornevikbua pub
I slept in a little this morning, there was no cannon to wake me up. I got up, and after breakfast I found the tourist information office, and got a map of the town.
A chat with the lady there got me a lot of information. Like, the time between the two parades yesterday, everyone was at some school with lots of activities. And after the second parade, there was a rowing competition on one of the lakes. I missed it all.
She called the lady who looks after the church at Kinn to see if I could get an ovff season tour. No dice; there's a funeral Thursday, and they are preparing for it tomorrow, so I can't get inside. But I am able to wander around the island on my own. So I have to be up for the ferry early tomorrow.
Then I decided to try the museum again. I walked down and found it open, and deserted except for staff. The lady who took my admission couldn't get the till to work so had to get change form the lunch counter.
The first part I went through showed some household furniture and ship models. Of course I had forgotten to charge the battery in my camera so at this point, it died.
Still, I wandered through an early 20th century household and checked out several styles of fishing boats. Lots of information about the early years of Florø:, but unfortunately it was all in Norwegian.
I went back to the hotel, plugged in the battery charger and went in search of lunch. Being a regular business day, places were open and not packed. I had a quick bite and went back to get my camera.
I headed out for the mountain east of town. The maps showed a hiking trail to the top so I set out in search of it.
I wend back to the museum and took the series of bridges and trails from there. A sound of sloshing in the water at one point startled me. I discovered a deer wading in the water by an old boat house.
No, sorry, after being at the museum, I followed that trail back to the hotel.
For the hike, I took the south side road. The school up that way had just got out, so lots of kids around. I came out past the south side, looking for a street that would take to the start of the trail to the mountain.
I walked past a swampy patch that the map showed as the start of the trail. It didn't look like there was a path anywhere there.
I walked up to another street that the map showed a path branching off and found it. But is just crossed a forested area to another crescent/cul-de-dac. The map showed that this might be reasonable so I walked along the street, looking for where the path continued. No sign.
A driveway branched up the slope, maybe not being a driveway but a path, and I ended up in what looked like someone's back yard. But there was a faint path from there, so I followed it and was soon in the forest.
I followed the path to the next cul-de-sac, and got lost for awhile. I found another path, which took me to another cul-de-sac. At least this one had an obvious marked path leading farther on.
This looked like the real path now. And there was a fair amount of climbing over rock and roots. Lots of we swampy paths, too. But then I was at another cul-de-sac. My map appeared to be seriously inaccurate.
A boy on a bicycle asked if I was lost. He confirmed the things I was seeing on the map, that the path continued form beside a scholl down the street. I got down to the school but could see no path. A guy drove up and after telling him what I was about, pointed out where the path started. From there it was straight forward. More rock and roots, and swampy parts, until I finally reacked the summit, by a telecommunications tower.
I took pictures. All of Florø was visible, and the surrounding island. There was a telescope on the lookout that I played with. Farther down was a prominence that I walked to, near the path as it came up out of the forest. Someone had build a cairn with several metal name plates. I took pictures of all sides, and some day will translate them.
I started back down, meeting a few groups going up. At the school, I took the street to the north and down to the main highway. Following that took me back to the hotel.
After a short nap (I seem to need them regularly), I went out looking for dinner. I decided to try the place that was so packed last night. Tonight is was quiet and I had what was probably the best meal so far on this trip. Afterward, I wend downstairs to the pub for a pint, which is where I now sit.
After the first pint, I went to check out where to to for the ferry. Then back to the hotel to get my journal and back here for a pint to write by.
I gotta head back to the hotel soon. I have and early day tomorrow.
# posted by Kelly @ 10:00 p.m. 
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