Only 3 sleeps until Kerryn flies back to the UK and we have to start
making itinerary decisions again. Without regular access to the
internet and having limited travel books, we tend to rely on
information centres for inspiration. Having Kerryn on board has been
like have our own research assistant and personal tour guide, though
I'm afraid we've become a little lazy.
Today we drove to Ålesund which is world renown for its own
distinctive architecture. Ålesund was devastated by a fire in 1904
which burnt 850 houses and left tens of thousands homeless, but "a new
town rose phoenix-like from the ashes - in a distinctive Art
Nouveau-style with a myriad of turrets, spires and beautiful
ornamentation, like something from a fairy tale."
I felt a certain compulsion to visit Ålesund as its story is so
similar to Napier's; the city where I grew up. In 1931 Napier was also
flattened by a combination if earthquake and fire. And just like
Ålesund a beautiful new city was rebuilt though it was in the 1930's
Art Deco style.
Due to the time of year, there were no English speaking tours so we
took our own self guided tour, with Marea carrying the 'umbrella' for
authenticity. Over the years most of the hills around Ålesund have
been mined and flattened to make room for the expanding city but we
did climb a very steep 418 steps up Mount Aksla for fantastic views of
Ålesund's old town, the surrounding islands and out to a the majestic
Sunnmøre Alps.
After the city 'tour' we had to stock up on groceries where Kerryn and
Daniel managed to mistake a pack of 8 toilet rolls for 4 rolls of
kitchen towel. Under any other circumstance, having spare bog roll
wouldn't be problematic, but no matter how insistant they were that
(1ply) toilet roll would substitute just fine for kitchen roll, I
couldn't have it. What on earth are we going to do with eight rolls of
toilet paper!?!? I simply had to go and get a refund on the 16.9
kroner loo paper and purchase the 29.9 kroner, much more versatile
kitchen roll.
The road took us back inland where we stopped for dinner with a view
of the Skodjie Bridges. The bridge over Skodjestrumen sound is
apparently a "the bridge among bridges" being the largest stone bridge
in Europe when it was built in 1916.
Whilst we were there, a group with a guide stopped and we looked on
with not very covert interest, as their guide handed out what could
only conclude was delicacies, sure enough when, they had all had their
fill, we were offered what can only be described as fish jerky and it
was not too bad, nicer I thought than beef jerky anyway.
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