Yes, there is a fjord in Denmark the Roskilde Fjord and it runs almost 25 miles through the island of Zealand and at the very base of the fjord is the city of Roskilde. Although the fjord is quite shallow and no more than 19 feet deep in most places there are approximately 30 small islands with pristine areas featuring largely untouched flowers and wildlife. It is even possible to experience the fjord on a Viking ship.
But what of the town of Roskilde?
Only a short distance from Copenhagen, Roskilde is one of Denmark’s oldest cities. During the Viking period it was an important trading post and developed into one of Northern Europe’s most important cities. The Roskilde Cathedral was built in the 12th and 13th centuries and was the first Gothic cathedral to be built of brick and is the burial site of Danish monarchs. The cathedral organ dates back to the 1500’s and can be heard at regular intervals throughout the year.
The Viking Ship Museum houses the restored remains of 5 Viking ships sunk in the harbor in the 11th century to protect the city from attack as at that time Roskilde was the Danish capital. Besides being a tourist attraction the museum staff researches Viking ship building and seaworthiness. Visitors to the museum learn the differences between longships, warships and smaller fishing and ferrying type boats.
In the city center is a walking street a market square, and the former gasworks that is today an art gallery and workshop where artisans create their works. These venues together with an active harbor area provide a wide variety of activities for visitors to enjoy.
Certainly, Roskilde is a must visit as it is only a 30 minute train ride from downtown Copenhagen and several sightseeing tour combinations include a visit as well.
For further information:
www.roskilde-info.dk
Sincerely,
John and Don
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Swedish Alfred Nobel
Nobel, a name familiar to most everyone and especially in Stockholm, Sweden each year on December 10 on the day that the Nobel Laureates receive their medals and Nobel Prize Diplomas confirming the amount of their prize from the King of Sweden. The banquet that follows the Nobel Prize Award Ceremony is held in the Blue Hall of Stockholm City Hall, here some 1,300 guests in their formal best dine in a splendid setting.
Alfred Nobel was born in Stockholm into a family of engineers in 1833. At a young age his family moved to St. Petersburg where he received a quality education becoming fluent in 5 languages and developing a special interest in chemistry and engineering.
Because of his interest in poetry his father thought him to be too introverted and arranged for visits to Germany, France and the United States. In Paris, the city he came to like best, he worked in the private laboratory of Professor T. J. Pelouze, a famous chemist. There he met the young Italian chemist Ascanio Sobrero who, three years earlier, had invented nitroglycerine, highly explosive and considered too dangerous to be of any practical use. Although its explosive power greatly exceeded that of gunpowder, the liquid would explode in a very unpredictable manner if subjected to heat and pressure.
Through experimentation and to make the handling of nitroglycerine safer Nobel experimented with different additives and found that by mixing nitroglycerine with a type of silica he was able to turn the liquid into a paste then shaped into rods of a size and form suitable for insertion into drilling holes. In 1867 he patented this material under the name of dynamite. To be able to detonate the dynamite rods he also invented a detonator (blasting cap) which could be ignited by lighting a fuse. These inventions were made at the same time as the diamond drilling crown and the pneumatic drill came into general use. Together these inventions drastically reduced the cost of blasting rock, drilling tunnels, building canals and many other forms of construction work.
Alfred Nobel had many different homes during the final decades of his life. In 1891, after controversies with the French authorities he left Paris to live in San Remo, Italy. Four years later, he purchased the Bofors ironworks and armaments factory in Karlskoga in the province of Värmland Sweden and established his Swedish home at nearby Björkborn Manor. He equipped all his residences with laboratories where he could continue his experiments. He was apparently homesick for Sweden but complained of the Swedish winter weather. When his health began to falter, he visited doctors and health resorts more frequently, but never had time to heed their most important advice - "to rest and nurse my health," as he put it himself. On December 10, 1896, Alfred Nobel passed away at his home in San Remo.
Björkborn Manor is now a museum where visitors can go back in time and imagine what it was like when Alfred Nobel spent his summers here. Apart from the manor another point of interest is the laboratory where Nobel continued with his experiments before his death in 1896. A visit here is easy to arrange during your visit to Sweden. it is just a little over 200 km. west of Stockholm. And while in Stockholm, experience the Nobel Dinner served in Stadshuskällaren, the restaurant in Stockholm City Hall, the dinner of the previous two years can be enjoyed for a party of two upon reservation.
Please feel free to learn more by visiting nobelprize.org or stop by your local library.
Sincerely,
John and Don
Alfred Nobel was born in Stockholm into a family of engineers in 1833. At a young age his family moved to St. Petersburg where he received a quality education becoming fluent in 5 languages and developing a special interest in chemistry and engineering.
Because of his interest in poetry his father thought him to be too introverted and arranged for visits to Germany, France and the United States. In Paris, the city he came to like best, he worked in the private laboratory of Professor T. J. Pelouze, a famous chemist. There he met the young Italian chemist Ascanio Sobrero who, three years earlier, had invented nitroglycerine, highly explosive and considered too dangerous to be of any practical use. Although its explosive power greatly exceeded that of gunpowder, the liquid would explode in a very unpredictable manner if subjected to heat and pressure.
Through experimentation and to make the handling of nitroglycerine safer Nobel experimented with different additives and found that by mixing nitroglycerine with a type of silica he was able to turn the liquid into a paste then shaped into rods of a size and form suitable for insertion into drilling holes. In 1867 he patented this material under the name of dynamite. To be able to detonate the dynamite rods he also invented a detonator (blasting cap) which could be ignited by lighting a fuse. These inventions were made at the same time as the diamond drilling crown and the pneumatic drill came into general use. Together these inventions drastically reduced the cost of blasting rock, drilling tunnels, building canals and many other forms of construction work.
Alfred Nobel had many different homes during the final decades of his life. In 1891, after controversies with the French authorities he left Paris to live in San Remo, Italy. Four years later, he purchased the Bofors ironworks and armaments factory in Karlskoga in the province of Värmland Sweden and established his Swedish home at nearby Björkborn Manor. He equipped all his residences with laboratories where he could continue his experiments. He was apparently homesick for Sweden but complained of the Swedish winter weather. When his health began to falter, he visited doctors and health resorts more frequently, but never had time to heed their most important advice - "to rest and nurse my health," as he put it himself. On December 10, 1896, Alfred Nobel passed away at his home in San Remo.
Björkborn Manor is now a museum where visitors can go back in time and imagine what it was like when Alfred Nobel spent his summers here. Apart from the manor another point of interest is the laboratory where Nobel continued with his experiments before his death in 1896. A visit here is easy to arrange during your visit to Sweden. it is just a little over 200 km. west of Stockholm. And while in Stockholm, experience the Nobel Dinner served in Stadshuskällaren, the restaurant in Stockholm City Hall, the dinner of the previous two years can be enjoyed for a party of two upon reservation.
Please feel free to learn more by visiting nobelprize.org or stop by your local library.
Sincerely,
John and Don
Friday, May 1, 2009
Discover Lofoten, Norway
Could you imagine a place located well within the reaches of the Arctic Circle where average temperatures barely drop below freezing?
The Lofoten islands are a natural Norwegian beauty situated between the 67th and 68th parallels. The mild temperatures in the winter are warmed by the Gulf Stream, making it inhabitable year-round.
While fishing and agriculture is a main industry in that region, tourism is also a large industry. Although the population of Lofoton’s largest city, Svolvær has a population of 4,290, approximately 200,000 tourists visit each year!
Svolvær began as a transit harbor, and continues to be a major stop along the Hurtigruten cruise route. Just some of the activities can include kayaking through the archipelago, wave surfing, fishing, hiking, catching a glimpse of the northern lights, experiencing the Midnight Sun or Polar Night, biking, shopping, viewing one of many art galleries, and visiting the largest house discovered from the Viking Age, at 275 feet long, which has been reconstructed as a living museum with findings reconstructions, exhibitions and domestic animals.
125 miles southwest of Svolvær, on the steep and towering islands southwest of the populated island of Røstlandet you will find the "home" to the largest number of nesting birds across Norway – with approximately a quarter of the country’s seabird population. That is about 2.5 million adult birds! Scientists, Ornithologists and bird lovers travel from all over to regularly visit this region with average temperatures that remain above freezing all year round.
Traveling to Lofoten has gotten much easier in the past few years. The most popular route for tourists is commonly the Hurtigruten Cruise Line. Also popular is via airplane - the Lofoten area has three small airports in Leknes, Svolvær and Røst. If driving from the mainland, prepare for a lengthy drive, but it is now possible! In 2007, highway E10 finally connected Lofoten with the mainland for the first time via roadway. Ferries are also available and public bus transportation as well.
For any additional information, please visit Lofoten’s official website at http://www.lofoten.info/
Sincerely,
John and Don
The Lofoten islands are a natural Norwegian beauty situated between the 67th and 68th parallels. The mild temperatures in the winter are warmed by the Gulf Stream, making it inhabitable year-round.
While fishing and agriculture is a main industry in that region, tourism is also a large industry. Although the population of Lofoton’s largest city, Svolvær has a population of 4,290, approximately 200,000 tourists visit each year!
Svolvær began as a transit harbor, and continues to be a major stop along the Hurtigruten cruise route. Just some of the activities can include kayaking through the archipelago, wave surfing, fishing, hiking, catching a glimpse of the northern lights, experiencing the Midnight Sun or Polar Night, biking, shopping, viewing one of many art galleries, and visiting the largest house discovered from the Viking Age, at 275 feet long, which has been reconstructed as a living museum with findings reconstructions, exhibitions and domestic animals.
125 miles southwest of Svolvær, on the steep and towering islands southwest of the populated island of Røstlandet you will find the "home" to the largest number of nesting birds across Norway – with approximately a quarter of the country’s seabird population. That is about 2.5 million adult birds! Scientists, Ornithologists and bird lovers travel from all over to regularly visit this region with average temperatures that remain above freezing all year round.
Traveling to Lofoten has gotten much easier in the past few years. The most popular route for tourists is commonly the Hurtigruten Cruise Line. Also popular is via airplane - the Lofoten area has three small airports in Leknes, Svolvær and Røst. If driving from the mainland, prepare for a lengthy drive, but it is now possible! In 2007, highway E10 finally connected Lofoten with the mainland for the first time via roadway. Ferries are also available and public bus transportation as well.
For any additional information, please visit Lofoten’s official website at http://www.lofoten.info/
Sincerely,
John and Don
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