|
Post by fumobici on Nov 12, 2014 1:55:42 GMT
Fess up, these are really postcards you bought.
|
|
|
Post by htmb on Nov 12, 2014 10:53:31 GMT
Absolutely gorgeous!
|
|
|
Post by mossie on Nov 12, 2014 20:01:05 GMT
This is super scenery well presented, thanks.
|
|
|
Post by nycgirl on Nov 15, 2014 4:01:27 GMT
Geirangerfjord, with its dramatic peaks and plunging waterfalls, is possibly the crown jewels of all the fjords. We took a little powerboat out for a ride, feeling dwarfed by the steep mountains surrounding us. This famous cascading waterfall is called the Seven Sisters. Across from it is a lone waterfall called the Suitor. We did a little fishing, but unfortunately didn’t reel anything in. We came sooo close to landing this 2-foot cod, but just as my husband was getting ready to pull him into the boat, the line snapped and he got away. I tell you, meals were so expensive that I’ve never wanted to catch a fish more in my life. After the boat ride, we spent the rest of the day gazing at Geirangerfjord from various viewpoints on Ørnevegen (the Eagle Road), a road of 11 hairpin turns that climbs 2,000 feet (620 meters) above sea level. The views from here are staggering.
|
|
|
Post by htmb on Nov 15, 2014 4:25:18 GMT
I can imagine feeling very small when in the midst of all this magnificent splendor.
|
|
|
Post by tod2 on Nov 15, 2014 4:54:00 GMT
I agree htmb - even the cruise ship looks like a toy! Your photos with the reflections are too beautiful Nycgirl! The air must have been very still. That makes me think how sound travels across water like that - far off sounds coming straight at you.
|
|
|
Post by bjd on Nov 15, 2014 7:58:57 GMT
What time of year was this? It looks very green, but there is still snow on the hills above the fjords.
|
|
|
Post by nycgirl on Nov 16, 2014 20:35:57 GMT
Bjd, this was in late May. We were in western Norway, which has a milder climate than the rest of the country. There are various microclimates all across the high mountains, though. Some famous hikes, like Trolltunga, were inaccessible at the time due to snow. It would have been an extremely difficult hike, anyway. I was happy with what we were able to see.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 16, 2014 20:38:38 GMT
I am so stunned by some of the pictures (like the 7 sisters) that I am at a loss for words.
|
|
|
Post by nycgirl on Nov 16, 2014 20:45:57 GMT
|
|
|
Post by htmb on Nov 16, 2014 21:01:55 GMT
These looks like beautiful oil paintings. Were you pinching yourself the whole time to make sure you weren't dreaming? Wow!!!!
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Nov 16, 2014 21:28:41 GMT
I tell you, meals were so expensive that I’ve never wanted to catch a fish more in my life. Fess up, these are really postcards you bought. Naaaah ~~ postcards never look that good! Piggybacking on Htmb's allusion, these photographs are firmly in the realm of art.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 19, 2014 18:48:57 GMT
|
|
|
Post by thetravelingyeti on Feb 2, 2015 12:26:40 GMT
These are some amazing photos nycgirl, you really managed to capture some brilliant landscapes and moments.
I'm actually heading to Oslo for a few days shortly - I'm even more excited now!
|
|
|
Post by nycgirl on Mar 15, 2015 5:55:17 GMT
Hey, I'm back! Sorry for disappearing for so long. Things have been really hectic for me, but I've been meaning to finish what I started. We visited the small island of Runde, home to over 240 species of birds. I was eagerly anticipating the sight of one bird in particular: the Atlantic Puffin. We parked the car and hiked over the island’s muddy hills to reach the craggy cliffs where the puffins nest this time of year. A few photographers, toting some seriously extravagant equipment, were already waiting. We had perfect timing. Before long, I saw hundreds of small dark shapes whizzing through the air. As they got closer, I caught a glimpse of colorful beaks and bright orange feet. Soon they began landing on the rocks all around me. The puffins were done feeding in the sea for the day and were coming to their nests, where they probably had eggs waiting for them. Puffins are proficient swimmers and can dive to depths of 200 feet (61 meters). They are also remarkable flyers, flapping their wings up to 400 times per minute and reaching speeds of 55 miles (88 km) an hour. I couldn’t get a good shot of them in the air because they zoomed around so fast. Aren’t they beauties?
|
|
|
Post by bjd on Mar 15, 2015 7:21:43 GMT
Nice to see you back!
And those puffins are really cute -- they could have been designed for an animated movie! How big are they? Pigeon-sized?
|
|
|
Post by htmb on Mar 15, 2015 16:58:24 GMT
Nice pictures of the puffins, nycgirl. They have always seemed like very interesting birds.
|
|
|
Post by nycgirl on Mar 15, 2015 23:51:18 GMT
Puffins are little guys. They're about 10 inches in length and weigh about 1 pound.
|
|
|
Post by fumobici on Mar 16, 2015 4:15:54 GMT
Those photos are just gorgeous. I'm envious of the depth of field effects too, my little camera won't do that.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Mar 16, 2015 4:32:17 GMT
Absolutely fascinating, NYCGirl, and the photos are stunning! I have always wanted to see a puffin, but if I ever get to, I'm sure it won't be as up close & personal as your excellent pictures.
|
|
|
Post by nycgirl on Mar 16, 2015 4:41:17 GMT
Not far from Runde Island is a small fishing town called Alesund. Its history dates back to the period of Vikings, but most of the buildings you see date from the early 20th century. That's because in 1904 a terrible fire razed the town, leaving about 10,000 people homeless. Alesund rose from the ashes, though; it was rebuilt in the Art Noveau style that was en vogue at the time and today it is one of the prettiest towns in Norway. Here and there throughout town you can see commemorations of the year 1904, like on this manhole cover. You can climb or drive to the top of Mount Aksla for a panoramic view of Alesund's colorful buildings, with the Sunnmøre Alps in the distance.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 16, 2015 5:41:52 GMT
That panorama is magnificent.
I'm amazed not only that puffins can dive so deep but also that they would want to!
|
|
|
Post by mossie on Mar 16, 2015 8:37:54 GMT
A super set of pictures especially the panoramic view and the quaint puffins. They really look like kids toys.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 16, 2015 12:45:01 GMT
They can probably bite off our fingers.
|
|
|
Post by questa on Mar 17, 2015 12:48:41 GMT
Nycgirl...where to start? All the words that came to mind were used by everyone else...breathtaking, beautiful, stunning, works of art. You have a special gift for creating such extraordinary photos, thank you for sharing them with us. Now tell me...Alesund is really a miniature toy town made of cardboard, the statue pic is a set for a movie and the puffin is a plastic toy sold as a souvenir...Right? he he he
|
|
|
Post by mickthecactus on Mar 17, 2015 13:11:05 GMT
Such quality. Thank you.
|
|
|
Post by nycgirl on Mar 21, 2015 16:31:08 GMT
Thanks, everyone. You have a special gift for creating such extraordinary photos, thank you for sharing them with us. Thank you for the kind words. I'll be sure to pass them along to my husband because most of the photos are his. I wish I could take credit. I am sure that I took a few of the puffin photos, though. And the manhole covers are definitely mine.
|
|
|
Post by tod2 on Mar 22, 2015 8:46:25 GMT
[quote I was eagerly anticipating the sight of one bird in particular: the Atlantic Puffin. We parked the car and hiked over the island’s muddy hills to reach the craggy cliffs where the puffins nest this time of year. [/quote] A truly wonderful photo essay! Magnificent photos and a real eye-opener for me. I am curious about the area you photographed those beautiful puffins. The puffins we saw in Scotland off the isle of Mull, nested in burrows like rabbits. We were told not to venture anywhere near these holes in the grass and if we would like to get closer we had to crawl and lie on your stomach to displace the weight. I was wondering if the Atlantic Puffin has a different nesting habit, and so I googled it and found this: www.nhptv.org/natureworks/atlanticpuffin.htm
|
|
|
Post by nycgirl on Mar 22, 2015 17:17:34 GMT
These had burrows, too, but I couldn't get a good look. There was a rope around the path that we weren't allowed to cross, but the puffins didn't seem shy about landing pretty close by. There probably weren't any chicks in the burrows at the time, or else the parents would have been carrying fish for them. Puffins don't regurgitate their food, they cram their beaks with as much fish as they can carry. That's a sight I would have liked to see. ocean.si.edu/blog/watching-fish-puffins-beak
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Mar 22, 2015 17:18:44 GMT
Superb text and more great pictures. I don't think I've ever seen a town that was so cohesively lovely.
|
|