we were heading northNorway

09.07. Norway – somewhere, somehow

admin — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 15:37:51 +0000

We had a confirmed couch in Ski, a little outside of Oslo, so we crossed the boarder and entered Norway. Beforehand of course some shopping in Sweden. Just after we arrived in Norway our bad luck begun. While trying a mobile internet connection the macbook crashed and could not be started again. Then we didn’t find our host and got no reaction to our mails. In the end it turned out to be a misunderstanding. So no home. We tried hard to get the computer working again but no chance. Finally we found a place to stay near a lake and just as we went to bed, Danny got sick. It was so many small bad things, it became almost funny in the end. After a rush to the toilet we fell asleep. Ok, Norway, we think you could do better.

10.07. Oslo – Day of the Macbook

admin — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 15:42:11 +0000

We arrived in Oslo. Still no couch, so we went in the hostel. We got a really nice room and Internet. First mission is to get the Macbook running again. It took me the whole day but Kalle succeeded while I was reading a soviet thriller. The software to finish his job was up and running at 1 a.m.

11.07. Danny in Oslo

admin — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 16:28:03 +0000

We have to leave our hostel as it is fully booked. Kalle stays in the lobby to finish his job as I explore the city a bit. The royal palace is not so special but the Opera house is quite impressive. Lots of shopping malls and shops I know from home, also some others but somehow I seem to miss the real cool places. Also they are constructing a lot right now. Cranes everywhere. Surely sometime soon the city will be looking beautiful. A little outside the city center that is already the case. I go by ferry to the vikings ship museum. Unbelievable that these ships are more than 1000 years old. This night we have to spend at the city hostel. It is quite central but expensive! And the rooms are not as nice as in the other one.

12.07. Still in Oslo but not alone anymore

admin — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 18:41:50 +0000

Finally Kalle is done with working and we want to explore the city a bit more. We meet Eirik, a Vimeo-Friend of Kalle who did this very nice film for example: A simple life from Eirik Evjen on Vimeo. Eirik shows us his shared house, his school of Photography and the city on beautiful ways. We go to the museum of contemporary arts together and in the Architecture museum. Afterwards he brings us to the Vigelandspark and we go explore it on our own. The weather is a little bit better. So no constant rain, yeah! The Park is impressive. Lots and lots of really expressive scupltures. Watching the people watching the sculptures is even more fun. In the end we explore the new harbor-city. Really nice architecture and a good flair. Much more alive than its counterpart in Hamburg. After walking and walking all day our feet hurt a little and we finish the day with a ferry-cruise to some islands in the Oslo-Fjord.

13.07. Oslo

admin — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 20:54:55 +0000

We want to visit the new harbor city part again and would have loved to get some guided tours. So we entered their office and found out that there isn’t a tour but the prices of the flats. They start at 3 Mio €. What a nice place to do a projection but we are a little too spontaneous to get a permission. It’s raining again anyways, so maybe no projection at all tonight. At the hostel we updated the blog again and found a host!! In Rauland which is in the middle between Oslo and Stavanger, up in the mountains. At night, the weather is better and we decide to go out and do the flash lines. Driving through a city with lots and lots of party-people is quite demanding. On our search we find an impressive waterfall. Because all of the rain, that came down the last days it became quite mighty. In the end we find a nice dark place: The Vikings-Ship-Museum. I fell in love with the cute bird immediately.

13.07. Oslo flashlines

admin — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 10:10:08 +0000

14.07. from Oslo to Kongsberg

admin — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 11:25:20 +0000

As the weather is nice we decide to leave Oslo after we visited the museum of Design. So, Nature again. We drive to Kongsberg and stay for the night a little up the river at a parking lot.

15.07. the king’s mines

admin — Sun, 15 Jul 2012 12:14:08 +0000

Just behind Kongsberg, the norwegian mining museum awaits us. Located in an old silver mine we get an insight in 500 years of Mining history. Therefor we drive in the mountain with a small train and got a guided tour. The mining system is huge! 3 Main mines go up to 1 kilometer deep in the hill. Building the mines was a hard and painfull work as the stone is very hard. They used different techniques, which became more modern by time, but still many people died of smoke or coldness, falling things and hard work. The newest machines from the begin of the 20th century were shown in one room, surprisingly all were run by a hydroelectric turbine. It’s really unbelievable what people wrest from the earth. And only because it’s shiny and nice. It feels kind of wrong, to take it away and sacrifice so many lives for it. We were kindly allowed to stay in the mine and run our light installation in the shaft. Back on top we were heading to a big waterfall. It was much colder up here. Afterwards met our new host Aliona in Rauland. We were warmly welcomed with a hot soup and had a really nice evening

16.07. Rauland

admin — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 12:20:22 +0000

Today, we’ve been hiking. We made some place in the car for Aliona and Vlad which turned out to be quite comfy. At the side of the Rauland lake we stopped and walked up the hill. The path was very steep and wet but the view rewarded us. At the top we had a little lunch next to a waterfall just before it started to rain again. After that trekking we had a little nap and visited the local art gallery. The collection was very diverse but inspiring. It is definitely worth a visit. We didn’t expect such a cultural rich place in the middle of the mountains. There is also a small university where Aliona studied Art and Vlad has classes in jewelry. Their works proved a lot of skill and knowledge, but at the same time a new and creative approach. Later we went to another lake a little higher in the mountains, where we found some beautiful driftwood. The day ended with some traditional german food and beer. Thanks a lot Aliona and Vlad for your kindness and hospitality!

17.07. from snow to rain

admin — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 12:55:56 +0000

Again we didn’t find a host but our journey takes us to the west. We want to visit Stavanger and for sure we will find a place to sleep. But before we had to cross some high mountains with lots of snow remaining from the las winter. As we descend to the west coast it starts raining again. That really teared us down. Under our umbrella we had a small lunch at a little harbor, and the fisherman next to us gave us some fresh fish. We were happy again. As the rain grew stronger and we ended up in a remote place just next to the Lysefjord called Songesand the mood was at a low again. What’s the use of this travel if we are locked in the car so often because of the rain?? We even thought about leaving Norway and heading towards italy or something. But then out of nowhere a ferry arrived and picked us up. We had a small cruise, saw the Preikestolen and the rain stopped. We left the ferry close to Stavanger and finally found a cheap campground with a closed and heated kitchen. The tasty fish brought the day to a conciliable end.

18.07. Stavanger

admin — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 15:54:25 +0000

This morning we left the campground to breakfast near the sea. After some searching we found a beautiful spot. Chilling cows, shining sun and some ham and eggs. Perfect! Norway knows how to keep us here. We took a sunbath in the dunes and sheltered from the wind it was so hot that we decided to go for a swim. Uuuuhhh.. very, VERY cold. With life running through all our veins we went to the city center. Museum-Time! The Stavanger Museum awaited us with some nice exhibitions about the history of the city, the surrounding nature and the wonder of birth. Afterwards we took a walk through the city and liked it a lot. Lots of small houses, in total a gone to seed down but really sympathetic. Next to a museum-farm with lots of animals but no people we found a nice place to spend the night.

(Deutsch) 19.7 Stavanger und Vorort Sotra von Bergen

admin — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 10:58:29 +0000

Again in the city center how differently the city appears when there are huge cruise ships in the harbor. Lots and lots of tourists. But still it’s nice to walk around.
We visit the oil-museum and get an insight on why everything is so expensive around. The oil brings incredible wealth to the country and it seems, they are using it wisely.
Afterwards we head north to Bergen. Some impressive Tunnels on the way, that go under the ocean. We find a beautiful campsite on Sotra, an island west of Bergen. We have direct access to the shore and install our tent with a nice view.

(Deutsch) 20.7 Sotra

admin — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 11:25:48 +0000

21.07. rain in Bergen

admin — Sat, 21 Jul 2012 11:37:46 +0000

Today: Bergen. That’s what probably 3 million of other people thought as well. The city is packed with tourists and just by walking by I am in the background of 100 photos minimum. That’s just too much. And its raining again. So we take a quick walk around and head back to the camping. On our way we find a fishing-supermarket and buy the cheapest rod we can get. To skip the rain, that grows stronger and stronger we decide to have a nap. 3 hours later the sun came out. We went for a short walk and as we got back, a norwegian fisher gave us his mackerel. So no fishing for us today but a nice meal.

22.07. rain and church

admin — Sun, 22 Jul 2012 11:44:19 +0000

rain, rain, rain and storm.
We spend hours and hours in the shared room of the camping. The prediction for the next days isn’t any better. We lose hope again. But for tonight we arranged a couch surfing in the city center.

We meet Stipi later that day. He lives very central in a beautiful small, old, wooden house. We accompany him to his church which looks more like a bar. Even though we are not very familiar to this, we enjoy the service with many friendly young norwegians, a powerpoint presentation and christian rock. It is just the perfect timing to be told to be thankful and enjoy what you’ve been given. Because even though the weather is bad, that really is our only sorrow.

Back at Stipis place, we have a nice meal featuring yesterdays mackerel and talk about our work. Stipi just started his business doing incredibly high quality wedding videos. Check out one of his works:

Tone Lise + Jonathan from Sparks Studios on Vimeo.