August, 2000 Nutshell, Hurtigruten and Finland

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Our Trips in August, 2000

Norway In a Nutshell, Hurtigruten Cruise, Finland/Estonia

Yet another fantastic, memorable month filled with narrow-tracked, mountain train trips, ship fjord explorations, border crossings in cabs, school busses and even a forage into a former Russian territory. August was, however, as cold as July had been. We wonder if the word "summer" in inappropriate in Scandinavia?

August 2000, Norway In-a-Nutshell August 6-11: we left Oslo after many memorable days. We boarded the train for our journey to Bergen via the "Norway In a Nutshell" route. It was gorgeous, albeit if cold and full of waterfalls caused by the runoff from still and seemingly endlessly existing snow.
August 2000, Hurtigruten cruise After two days in Bergen, we boarded the mail, cargo and passenger ship Polarlys for our trip north of the Arctic Circle to Kirkenes. This week and a day trip up through the fjords of Norway was, excuse the expression, awesome: it was remarkable for the people, animals and flora that can and do survive, indeed, seem to flourish in this stark and cold environment.
August 2000, Ravaniemi, Finland After leaving Kirkenes, in the sun, but still at below freezing, in a cab which took us into Finland, where we boarded a school bus to transport us to the rail head city of Ravaniemi, we again stood on earth which was not frozen down to 30 yards. Whew, is it cold up there.
August 2000, Helsinki, Finland The magnificent city of Helsinki was celebrating its 450th birthday in the year we visited. There were celebrations, parties and parades everywhere. Any excuse for a demonstaratin would bring out the revelers. It was loads of fun.
End of August to early September, 2000, Tallinn, Estonia We took a very fast ship trip across the Baltic Sea and into the Gulf of Finland to visit Tallinn. Marghe had a magnificent time shopping and we had a wonderful Indian lunch.

We saw some breath-taking waterfalls enroute to the summit on the first day going to Flam. Yes, it was cold, wet and raining.

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