Germany 2nd time around.

The apartment block across from Roger Tanner's apartment. Just an idea of typical Hamburg architecture. I only just made Roger's wedding in Jork, South of Hamburg and not once did I take my camera out. It was a hectic day of planes, trains, buses and walking from 03.oo till 23.30 on 19th September. A bit hectic, a bit tiring.

Magic evening with Julian Hambitzer in Bonn with his Grandparents (Grandpa was Head of the Cape Town German School for many years) and his mom (not in picture unfortunately - taking the picture).. So good to see Julian again after his 6 months at SACS as an exchange student from Germany in 2012. He will be in South Africa on a Community Service Project in August 2015.

Bit of a gloomy day in central Bonn as we await my train to Munich (again). This is right in the centre of the city. Last time I was here was in 1976/77 for New years with the Bitzker family. Commander Bitzker was the SA Naval Attache and Donald Soule the Ambassador whose son I taught at SACS.

The view towards the magnificent cathedral in Bonn.

Some culture from Bonn. Both the building and one of the fathers of Germany.

Another view of the Cathedral.

Looking at the hills and vineyards en route to Munich.

A view of vineyards near Stuttgart

More vineyards near Esseling.

And some more magnificent South facing vineyards near the Rhine.

Big wheel at Oktoberfest in Munich.

Milena in Bavarian dress in front of the Old Oktoberfest venue. Far more traditional than the rowdy drunken (sometimes) masses in the big tents of the newer section. Rowdy, but so full of singing and dancing (which we did in great abandon the previous very late night).

Two Lanz Bulldog single cylinder tractors. A know of one in Agter Paarl which was used well into the '80's and may still be. These are 1930's and there are about 6 there plus a couple of Hanomags as well.

Weird bikes with offset axles and in some cases back wheel steering and other anomolies ridden by the staff. This guy had it waxed.

Outdoors and the Oompa Band braving the drizzle.

Inside a tent in the early part of the morning. Oompa Band getting warmed up.

Milena in the magnificent tent with most people wearing traditional Bavarian costume. We sat with a Swiss couple and had a wonderful beer, massive pretzel and singing time.

Another interesting sign. This one for the gents toilet!

Bavarian Band doing its thing with traditional Bavarian music. They are from a small very traditional village, so the mayor and police chief and fire chief and doctor and street sweeper and pharmacist and grocer and a couple of farmers all playing magnificently. Magic.

And now for the traditional Folk dancing.

I tried to get a shot of a truely beautiful young Bavarian dancer, but just could not. I wanted to say how beautiful she was to Milena, but waited for her to say it and then confirmed. I'm learning!

having a good turn on a 100 year old funfair ride.

Another ride we braved.

Paulaner Tower.

The traditional centre of this festival at Oktoberfest.

Milena with two magnificent draught horses of one of the breweries. They have a magnificent temperament amidst all the chaos and noise of Oktoberfest.

Myself with these magnificent horses.

As we left, I took this shot down the 'avenue'. Off to the train station and the ICE to Austria. This magnificent journey continues.

Norway and Victor.

Victor (Baptista, fetched me at Oslo airport in this magic Ford Ranger (Built in Port Elizabeth. YAY South Africa). He has to be the most persuasive person ever. From when I was inthe USA he pestered me to come to Norway. I will never regret it. It is an amazing, clean, calm and happy country with all the benefits of a Socialist-capitalist economy with just 4 million people and no unemplyment. everyone pays tax so everyone benefits. The country owns the oil. They have a benign government and oil revenues go into infrastructure. Boy what roads they have. Stunning. It all just works so well.
By the way, note the incredible 'tree house' Victor built for his kids!

Victor's farmhouse. He fully restored it from an 18th century log building, He did an awesome job. It is so well planned and set out inside. Beautifully done.

The new New Holland tracotr with which I would later have an interesting time!

Victor's barn. Ancient, huge and a magic place. Note the climbing wall he attached to the outside with chains and ropes for safety!

Victor did this reconstruction of the stone wall along the driveway. Very neat and sturdy from Granite blocks.

This is a typical chain convenience store - Kiwi - and I took the shot because so many Norwegian words are recognizable from Afrikaans.

Very old timber church, but we were to see one a lot older next day.

First view of one of the Fjords (apart from Oslo Fjord which is less spectacular).

Another view by Victor.

I just had to take this. a TESLA recharging station. They are dotted all over Norway. Here the electricity is Hydro-Electric and therefore clean. TESLA's are selling amazingly and when the SUV and smaller ones come out in 2015 and 2016, even more Norwegians will switch. Air and water is clean here. No polution. Less and less oil used, hardly any coal used. Love to live here but for the weather in Winter!

Town, Flam, in the mountains with a typical Norwegian building housing restaurants, shops, etc.

A view of the ferry port at Flam which leads into the Fjord. Spectacular scenery.

Catering for visitors in English.

On the mountain climbing train up to the high peaks. Spectacular ride.

First fall is 98m!

Settlement near the top. Don't know what this would be like in the dead of Wnter!

Waterfall up high on a train stop.

Without me blocking it.

Just a plaque at another waterfall indicating the 'free fall' height.

Down the gorge from the moving train.

Another spectacular lake high up in the mountains. There is just so much water here.

Hotel on top near our destination. Good for skiiers in Winter.

One of the two very powerful units that takes this train to the top and back. There are two trains like this.

In the centre of the 25 kilometer tunnel. A 'Blue spot' for those who suffer from claustrophobia. A little like daytime.

The very haunting Stave church built by the Vikings in 1180. Covered in pine tar, hence the colour. It has both Pagan and Christian emblems. I guess they were hedging their bets and hoping not to have their heads removed for not adhering to the 'new' faith. Sounds familiar in this part of the 20th century!

Some of the Pagan Viking emblems. I missed the Cross on the peak. Between the upper 2 dragons is a carving of the tree of life. Below that in the bigger panel, 4 Pagan carvings.

Showing the very dark interior using High resolution as flash is forbidden. Very impressive by my little Sony Camera considering that it was virtually pitch dark inside. Just 4 circular ports near the peak. One and its refelction visible.

Roman Catholic addition behind the altar.

Caevings surrounding the main entrance doorway.

Victor and I as taken by the very, very nice young French girl who was our guide.

The Viking bell tower and the 'new church' beyond.

This is one of the many sod roofed buildings in Norway. many people still use this for insulation.

Entrance to one of the 22 tunnels we drove through on our way home from the mountains. Going through is cheaper and easier than havong to build passes over the mountains. Some times it is still necessary, so there are some amazing passes still.

A spectacular rapid where we stopped for a picnic lunch.

At home again with Balck Caps feeding.

A large Woodpecker joined the feeding frenzy.

Looking down accross Victors farm towards his salmon stream and woods. Many deer, Mosse, Elk around. The plastic (white) covered hay bales were to be my job later.

Th three Baptista vehicles; Ford Galaxy minivan, Victors Ranger and the New Holland tractor.

Dangerous looking attachment for me to get to work.

Yours truely aboard getting to work.

The Apple tree planting brigade. Alex (with cap) waited for me so that we could all plant it together. Mom on left and Jonas, a frind, on right. We also dedicated this tree to JJ and the tree will be known as JJ for evermore and will produce fruit every summer in remembrance of Joshua Jacobson.

Getting ready to cast off for an evening ride on the Oslo Fjord

A small part of one of hundreds of marina's on Oslo Fjord. Seems like every single Norwegian has a boat of some description.

Myself, Alex and Jonas with a cruise liner in the background the wake from which drenched us later.

Some small purple/blue flowers on the naval island we visited.

Naval HQ on the fortress island.

WW2 anti-aircraft gun from the Battle of Oslo Fjord when the Naazi's invaded Norway.

Rear end of one of the naval guns that sank the Blucher in WW2 when the Nazi's invaded. The ship still lies on the bottom of the Fjord nearby.

The angry end of the gun!
And so the visit to Norway ended with the setting sun. I will have to go back. It is a magnificent country with virtually no crime and so I felt so safe and never thought of locking windows and doors or being constantly aware of not putting myself in dangerous situations like we do at home. Or putting on the alarm, taking car keys out, putting the bicycles in the locked garage, etc Sad.
And so this wonderful journey continues.