With its jagged mountain peaks that jolt vertically from the sea, stunning waterways, cascading waterfalls, tiny fishing villages and mountain farmhouses, the fjords of Norway would be my pick for the most visually striking place on the planet. I’m not exactly going out on a limb when I say this. Two of Norway’s most famous fjords, the Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord, have already joined the Great Wall of China, Egypt’s great pyramids of Giza, and the Grand Canyon as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And National Geographic Traveler Magazine also rated Norway’s fjords as the top travel destination in the world in their first “Index of Destination Stewardship” – an elite list of the least spoiled, great places on earth.

Carved by the Hands of God

Gallivanting north on Norway’s western coast, the fjords were carved out in a succession of ice ages. When glaciers retreated approximately 12,000 years ago, plants soon appeared, animals thrived and humans eventually made their way into this spectacular, but remote, heaven on earth. Small fishing villages were established along with tiny sod roofed farmhouses which quietly dotted the landscape, some situated on mountains so steep that they required a ladder to ascend the terrain. Once tax collectors realized there were people living in this isolated region, they made an annual trek to the farms, only to find that many of the ladders had mysteriously disappeared. When the first tourists arrived – primarily the European aristocracy – who came to fish in this untouched paradise of crystal-clear waters, they were guaranteed all the fish they could carry. Word spread, and the fjords became the sportsperson’s paradise. Soon the rest of the world had heard about them.

HURTIGRUTEN:
“The World’s Most Beautiful Voyage.”

In 1891 Norwegian Coastal Voyage (now Hurtigruten) established a daily, year-round boat service along the western coast of Norway, with Bergen at the southern terminus and the Russian border at the north. With 34 ports of call, the coastal trek became a lifeline along the west coast of Norway, carrying cargo to isolated villages and farming communities. Tourism quickly became an important component of the voyages, giving people the opportunity to experience the fjord-filled coastline, Midnight Sun and the Northern Lights.

Travelers soon came in the thousands, making Norwegian Coastal Voyage one of Europe’s biggest attractions. On my four-day journey, I found that more than 60 percent of the tourists on the voyage were Norwegian. It was wonderful to travel with locals and see the county through their eyes, and the fact that it was a real working cargo vessel made the experience even more authentic. The vessel serves as an interesting hybrid of a working ship and tour boat, with all the comforts of spacious cabins, lounges and dining rooms overflowing with Scandinavian breakfast buffets, and regional Nordic meals for lunch and dinner. Dare I say I ate and learned with every bite. The journey also includes land tours by bus, which meet back with the vessel at future ports.

To understand the fjords is to understand the Norwegian character, whose national identity has been formed by its passionate bond with nature. When a Norwegian goes on vacation – an average of six-weeks a year – the destination of choice is usually the Norwegian countryside. Later, while sitting on the deck of my vessel under a Midnight Sun that refused to set, I asked a gentlemanly 70-something Norwegian passenger about his family’s vacation. He replied that his multi-generational family of fifteen congregates at their cabin further north for four-weeks, sans electricity and running water. He smiled when I inquired how they managed to fill the time. Fill the time! Why… we go hiking and fishing… and have grand family meals by a roaring bonfire… what can be better than that! The more I thought about it, the more I wished I too could disconnect in a similar setting in the countryside. Our conversation ended with a skål (toast) of aquavit – a potato-based snaps, considered Norway and the rest of Scandinavia’s national alcoholic beverage – in celebration of our good fortune on the voyage.

Bergen –  Gateway to the Fjords

Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway, founded in 1070 by King Olav Kyrre. Initially a small trading village, it was named Bjørgvin, ‘the green meadow among the mountains.’

At end of the 13th century Bergen’s status as a village of trade exploded when it became part of the Hanseatic League, a restrictive guild made-up of almost exclusively Germans. Bergen enjoyed protective rights to mediate trade between Northern Norway, receiving fish products and sending back oats in return. During the Hanseatic League’s peak of power, the guild had a monopoly over trade in the North and Baltic seas. Though “designed” for mutual commercial interests, such as protection against piracy and non-guild members, the German traders were endowed with almost unsurpassed treatment with duty-free trade and diplomatic privileges, complete with their own armies for mutual defense and aid.

Bergen’s Norwegian locals, though, were considered second-class citizens by the Hanseatic Germans, and were reduced to menial laborers, maids and servants, modest shopkeepers and backbreaking longshoremen. Some of the city’s female population became “comfort women” for the amusement of the German traders.

Bergen served as Norway’s capital in the 13th century, until it was overtaken by Christiania (now known as Oslo). But the city today still continues as Norway’s busiest port, a remarkable destination for tourism, and with moniker, “gateway to the majestic fjords.”

And this is where your Hurtigrutenfjord experience will begin; but before you hop aboard the boat, it is essential that you spend at least two days in this World Heritage City. Bergen boasts endless tourist attractions, and the Bergen Tourist Card is an important component to your tour of this historic harbor town. The price allows you free or reduced-price admittance to the Bergen Art Museum, Fantoft Stave Church, harbor boat tour, Bergen Castle, and St Mary’s Church.

Time will allow a wandering through the harbor fish market and down the wooden streets of the former Hanseatic warehouse district. A fish buffet should be on everyone’s list for a sampling of Bergen’s world-famous fish soup, gravlaks (cured Atlantic salmon), fish cakes and hearty breads, all washed down with the city’s Hansa beer.

A Bergen Must: Edvard Grieg’s Troldhaugen

Despite his diminutive 5 ft frame, Norwegian composer Edvard Hagerup Grieg was a towering rock star long before the expression existed. Born into a successful Bergen merchant family in 1843, his life dramatically changed when violin virtuoso Ole Bull recognized his talent and introduced him to the treasures of Norwegian folk music. Grieg studied the masters abroad but dreamed of reprieves to his beloved Norwegian countryside – a pattern which continued after he became a world-renowned composer.

Grieg and his wife built a home on Lake Nordås on the edge of Bergen, which he called his best opus so far. Christened Troldhaugen, the Victorian villa became a centerpiece for Bergen’s artistic community and visiting dignitaries. But Grieg also required periods of peace and quiet to work and built a composer’s hut by the lake. Grieg died in 1907 of chronic exhaustion. But today his legacy lives on at Troldhaugen – nothing less than a living museum which consists of the Edvard Grieg Museum, the Villa, the Composer’s Hut, Recital Hall and Edvard Grieg´s tomb. My highpoint was a concert at the hall, which is discreetly built partially underground with a sod roof. The floor-to-ceiling windows behind the stage overlooks the composer’s hut where Grieg would work, superstitiously sitting on a stack of sheet music by Beethoven so that he could reach the piano. At the end of each day, he would leave a note: If anyone should break in here, please leave the musical scores, since they have no value to anyone except Edvard Grieg.

DESTINATIONS ON YOUR VOYAGE

Trondheim – City of the Viking King

Trondheim is Norway’s third largest city and once served as the country’s first capital. Two millenniums ago, Viking King Olav Tryggvason sailed up the Trondheimsfjorden in his five longships and gave birth to the inlet’s name, and, most importantly, led the conversion of the Viking Norse to Christianity. The centerpiece of Trondheim’s greatest tourist attraction is St. Olav Catholic Church, built on the site of his own grave. Numerous kings of the middle-ages have found their final resting place in Trondheim, and the city continues to gain popularity as one of Europe’s most important medieval pilgrimage centers.

With time permitting make a stop at the Trøndelag Folk Museum, an open-air museum dating back to 1909. The museum showcases the various building traditions, with 80 vintage structures on display, ranging from wooden huts to city mansions, including the reconstructed Haltdalen Stave Church.

LOFOTEN ISLANDS – And Lutefisk

Located within the Arctic Circle, no words can do justice to the Lofoten Islands’ breathtaking archipelago, a life-reaffirming array of mountainous villages and white sand, often connected by ornate bridges. With Its inlets of little villages, sheltered by mountain peaks pirouetting out of the sea, you’ll witness why fishing has long been the very foundation of life in the islands.

While on the deck of a Hurtigruten vessel, overlooking a Lofoten fishing village, I overheard an American passenger ask a Lofoten local what those things were hanging on stilts. The Norwegian replied that it was air-dried cod for making Lutefisk. The American exclaimed, And the birds don’t eat it? The Norwegian man shrugged, No, for some reason they don’t seem to like it.  

Everyone of Scandinavian heritage knows of Lutefisk (pronounced lou-tah-fisk), but, outside the Norse world and its emigrants, few have actually eaten it. Lutefisk is a traditional Nordic food of dried cod or stockfish, prepared in lye. It is soaked in cold water for five to six days (changed daily). It is then soaked in an unchanged solution of cold water and lye for an additional two days. When this treatment is finished, a final treatment of yet another four to six days of soaking in cold water (also changed daily) is needed. Eventually, the Lutefisk is ready to be baked in the oven for 40-50 minutes. Today the dish is cherished by people of Norwegian ancestry throughout the globe as an essential Christmas season dish. And never forget about lefse, a large thin potato pancake served buttered and folded, which is even better with a slice of geitos, a processed brown goat cheese. But, for the contemporary Norwegian, Lutefisk is regarded as a common everyday dish from the past, and no longer appropriate for the Christmas Eve (Julaften) table – and now pinnekjøtt (lamb ribs) is the most popular Julaften dish in northwestern Norway, while ribbe (roast pork belly) leads the pack in the east.

Tromsø – Paris of the Arctic

Tromsø is the largest Nordic city north of the Arctic Circle, home to the world’s most northern university and cathedral, brewery, botanical garden and planetarium. Less than a century ago, visitors were surprised to find cultural and intellectual activity in a city so far to the north. Of all the destinations on my journey I found the residents of this city of 53,622 to be the most open and friendly in all of Norway. Look closely and you will see locations used in the original film, Insomnia, by Erik Skjoldbjærg (1997), far superior to the Hollywood remake. And you might notice post-WW II homes, built after Hitler attempted to burn the entire city down in fear that an Allied D-Day invasion might commence in the Norwegian north.

The Sámi –  Scandinavia’s Aborigines

My knowledge of the Sámi People was limited and underfed, with only a vague recollection that they were nomadic reindeer (caribou in North America) herders based somewhere in northern Norway. This changed upon spending four-hours in the Tromsø Museum, which houses more than 2,000 Sámi artifacts, and offers a direct insight into their unique culture and way of life.

The Sámi have been living in the Northern Arctic and sub-arctic Nordic regions (and Russia) since prehistoric times, long before the name “Viking” existed. Though Norway is considered one of the world’s most tolerant societies, this was initially not the case in the treatment of the Sámi – then referred to in the derogatory as “Lapps” – who faced soul-crunching discrimination, forced Norwegian cultural assimilation and found their traditional religion was condemned as witchcraft. Yet, due to forward-thinking Norwegians, the 2011 U.N. Racial Discrimination Committee and Sámi activists themselves, their treatment has dramatically improved where they can now maintain and develop their own language (60 words for snow), culture and way of life. The have their own style of dress, separate national identity, their own radio stations and are represented in the Norwegian parliament.

Many Sámi have become urbanites, generally living in the town of Karasjok, considered the Sámi capital. While others continue with the nomadic lifestyle of moving horizontally across the northern vertical borders of Norway, Sweden and Finland in search of new grazing ground for their herds of reindeer. I came out from the other side of the Tromsø Museum with a keen appreciation of the Sámi peoples’ unique culture and remarkable way of life.

My guide informed me that you can also camp in a traditional lavvu (tent) in the Sápmi Culture Park in Karasjok and interact with the gentle Sámi. He also noted that you’ll walk away with a better understanding of the Sámi’s deep relationship with the reindeer; the animal which plays the ultimate role in their way of life, providing milk, transportation, fur and food. Apparently, it’s not uncommon hear a traditional Sámi joik (song) at the park, which have passed from one generation to the next.

While you’re in the fjord’s, no doubt you’ll discover a few Stave Churches. Take your time and explore them. My personal pick is the church of Urnes (stavkirke), which stands in a natural setting in the Sognefjord. The church proved to be an outstanding example of traditional Scandinavian wooden architecture, a fusion of Viking art and Romanesque spatial structures.

A Bit More on Stave Churches

When Viking King Olav Tryggvason (now Olaf the Holy I) Christianized Norway in the year 1000, he established this new religion by the use of force — but also with Norse mythology as its foundation. Catholic missionaries transitioned the meaning of the pagan winter solstice of Yule as a Christian holiday to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Medieval Norwegians, now tamed Vikings, took their refined boat-building skills and constructed pine wooden churches with little more than an ax and wooden nails. The new Norwegian churches were called Stave Churches, supported by stout pine poles — or “staves” — and slathered with a protective coat of black tar. Pine wood was cheap and plentiful, and the Norseman soon stood solemnly in the Stave Churches’ dark rooms, with benches only for the aged and physically handicapped. With masses in Latin, that few could understand, it was critical to show former Viking pagans a similar value system; a fight between good and evil, illustrated with sculpted dragons and snakes standing for evil, which the Vikings used on their longships to fight evil with evil, dragon against dragon.

And it worked, with a rough estimate of 1,000 to 2,000 Stave Churches built between 1130 and 1350 throughout the Scandinavian world, which also included Russia.

But then, just when the Norwegian populace were barely Christianized, along came the 1517 Protestant Reformation. Catholic Stave Churches were met with groups of strict Protestant missionaries carrying burning torches. Some were pulled down, others transformed into Protestant parishes, ridding them of their sacred Catholic symbols, riches and mythologizes. It should be noted, though, that some Stave Churches crumbled due to rotting of pine poles built on soggy ground. But anything that reeked of Catholicism was destroyed, including the Roman Catholic Church’s celebration of the Mass of Christ. Keep in the mind that Christmas was not even a federal holiday in the U.S. until 1870, with President Ulysses S. Grant’s attempt to unite the North and South in the post-Civil War years.

Today, there are only 21 Stave Churches in existence throughout Norway. The few that remain are less of an elaborate construction, due to their former placement in the fjords and other remote outlying areas – areas that required too much time and travel to be destroyed.

On a personal note, color me as a man with a profound appreciation of Stave Churches; for my opinions are biased as my mother’s family name is Stave.

EPILOUGE

Norway’s quest for independence began in 1814, with the signing of a new constitution, but was forced into a union with Sweden as the dominant nation that lasted until the early 1990s. Prior to that, Denmark had held the reins on Norway for over 400 years. It was not until May 17, 1905, when Norway secured full independence, known as Constitution Day or Independence Day. The new Norway forged ahead, creating a liberal democracy and its own national identity devoid of an any interference from other nations and with a preference not to join the European Union. (a second Independence Day, though, was celebrated on May 8, 1945, when Norway was liberated after five years of occupation by Nazi forces.) Genuine Norwegianness was illustrated in folklore and fairytales (with happy endings), Norse mythology and Viking sagas, a written national language and the use of pine wood, and even voting for Norway’s first king. And, above all, Norway’s artists were embraced with the music of Grieg and Ole Bull; the plays of dramatist Henrik Ibsen (the world’s most popular playwriter after Shakespeare); the novels of Knud Knudsen; and the Expressionist paintings of Edvard Munch. Like the Republic of Ireland, Norway is nation who loves its artists.

In 2018, Norway was the world’s 14th biggest producer of oil and eighth biggest producer of natural gas, according to data from the US Energy Information Administration. The black gold is also the reason Norway’s 5.4 million inhabitants today have the world’s biggest sovereign wealth fund, worth $1.36 trillion (1.13 trillion euros). Despite the nation’s affluence, the Norwegian character is one of modesty, where the nation’s oil revenue is poured back into the economy allowing a higher standard of living for all citizens.

Yet, keen to present itself as a role model with its efforts to fight deforestation in the tropics and a world leader in electric car sales, the Scandinavian country aims to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent by 2030, and to almost nothing by 2050.

But it is regularly criticized for the CO2 emissions generated abroad by the oil it exports.

While Norway cites the need for a “green transition,” it still relies heavily on oil and gas revenues for its public finances, trade balance (accounting for 42 percent of exports of goods), employment (more than 200,000 jobs are either directly or indirectly linked to the sector) and, most importantly, to keep rural Norway populated.  Norway is nothing less than the world’s greatest planned nation. 

HOW TO GET THERE

Scandinavian Airlines

Hurtigruten.us

VisitNorway.com/us

The post Norway’s Fjords: God’s Gift to the World appeared first on Traveling Archive.

The T-Boy Society of Film & Music’s latest poll is dedicated to Sky’s the Limit,  where members select trips and destination/s in which money is of no concern. Like last month’s World’s Friendliest Destinations we’ve decided to continue with another uplifting theme due to the events of today. You’ll find members’ selections to be deeply personal and great fun, where we tap into their minds and go on an emotional journey and see what constitutes their wildest dreams.

Richard Carroll — T-Boy Writer:

Sky’s the Limit; Destinations where money is no object 

If I came upon a satchel of gleaming South Africa diamonds and with deep pockets where the sky’s the limit and money is no object, I would quickly book a private jet and invite family and close friends on a 21-day plus world excursion to Buenos Aires and a night of tango at Bar Sur with dinner at the Four Seasons; a few nights at remote Las Alamandas on the West Coast of Mexico; a visit to the Maya site of Tikal in Guatemala led by Maya guide Jose Antonio Gonzalez; dinner and lunch in Mexico City at Pujol, Mercaderes and Les Moustaches, serenaded by guitar and harp; a private Bordeaux winery tasting tour to Yquem, Margaux, Petrus, Lafitte Latour, and Haut Brion; overnights at Turtle Island, Fiji; dinner with Executive Chef Massino Defrancesca, Kimpton’s Seafire Resort, Cayman Islands; overnights at the historic 18th century Castadiva, Lake Como; three nights at The Ritz London,  and along the travel trail sharing with anyone in need.

Chloe Erskine — Educator:

Outer Space

Ed Boitano — T-Boy editor:

Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Railway – Russia

Much of my youth was colored by images of the Trans-Siberian Railway. All I really had was a little note card in a pack of other cards which illustrated the world’s most monumental engineering feats. At the length of 5,772 miles, traversing though eight times zones, my Sky’s the Limit  selection would be to experience Siberia via the Trans-Siberian Railway. Siberia constitutes 77% of Russia’s total land mass with the nation itself blanketing 11 percent of the world’s landscape. Reading about taiga forests; rugged mountains ranges; untamed rivers; ancient log infested  lakes; and little villages, first settled by Old Believers, preservationists of “pre-Nikonian” practices of the Russian Church, would no doubt be a stunning foray into a new world of images and history. After careful research, I discovered Golden Eagle, a luxury private train, considered the top of the line in deluxe first-class railway travel. My journey would commence in Moscow (or St. Petersburg) to the Pacific in Vladivostok. Perhaps  I’d bring half a-dozen friends who have a keen appreciation of caviar and vodka.  After all, isn’t this the Sky’s the Limit: Where Money Is No Object? Golden Eagle’s luxury service is provided by a provodnitsa, a female attendant in a military-style uniform, who keeps things running smoothly in a unique Russian way. Za Zdarovje!

Deb Roskamp — T-Boy photographer & writer:

Cruising.  Seeing the world. Two pleasures that bring me some of my greatest delights

Combine. Include a generous helping of the some of the most remote locales that I have fantasized visiting, but because of their location, make it highly improbable that I will. Sprinkle into the itinerary a few places that I’ve already been to, loved, but most likely will not return to.  Subtract COVID-19 and any pandemic to follow.  Find a pot of gold (4 kg worth).

My “Sky’s the Limit:” around the World in 167 days aboard Silversea’s Silver Cloud, departing January 25th, 2022 from Ushuaia, Argentina.  Includes Antarctica, Shetland Islands, multiple stops along Chile, Robinson Crusoe Island, Easter Island, Pitcairn Island, multiple stops in the Marquesas, Tahiti, Cook, Samoa, Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon, and Papua New Guinea islands.  On to Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, India, Oman, Egypt, Greece, Albania, Tunisia, Sicily, Algeria, Spain, Portugal, France, England, Ireland, Scotland, Iceland, ending in Norway.  Aaah… bliss!

Fyllis Hockman — T-Boy writer:

Lodge at Tikana — Southland, New Zealand

So there I was lying in this massive tub overflowing with all kinds of goodies ‘cause I couldn’t decide between the rosewater bubble bath, the ginseng and orange blossom aromatic bath soak, the green tea and lime leaf water infusion disc or the green tomato and seaweed body scrub. I was so stressed out by the decision, it was a good thing there was the lemon-scented calming oil to finish off with. Not your usual hotel amenities! Which is an apt introduction to the Lodge at Tikana in Southland, New Zealand. Tikana, by the way, means style in the Maori language.

Did I mention that while I was soaking, I was also making eye contact with a family of deer peering in the wide bath-tub-level window next to me? This luxurious two-story retreat, the only guest accommodations on the property, is part of a working farm which breeds the afore-mentioned deer as well as thoroughbred horses. But let’s get back to the important things. How many lodgings have YOU stayed in that came with its own wine cellar???

Okay, you had a wine cellar, you say. Well, what about your own latte-making machine in the kitchen? Imagine curling up on the couch in your living room with freshly made cappuccino? We’re not talking International Coffees here. Of course, you probably wouldn’t also have a little fawn outside your window.

The décor is combination art house and rustic elegance — steel and stone flow together between raw timber-framed floor-to-ceiling windows to create an environment that entices the eye and embraces the soul. A heady escape from civilization but with surround-sound entertainment and internet hook-up.

Picture this. While sipping cappuccino mid-day, I nibbled on cheese and crackers from the fridge; with the Chardonnay, I opted for olives and deli. Keep in mind, this is no hotel mini-bar where you’re charged extra for every indulgence. And indulgences abound.

Owners Dave and Donna — he, a vet; she, a horse trainer — who also know a thing or two about treating humans, take pampering to a whole new level. Their gourmet meals are 4-star Michelin for both food and presentation.

I was so relaxed after my bath I dined in the fluffy, multi-colored robe they provided — though my evening wear didn’t do justice to the beautifully attired table. A candelabra of multi-layered candles oozed ambience, and the silver meal-covers warmed our hearts as well as our food.

Chef Donna discussed our preferences for every course ahead of time — did we want the lamb or the venison tonight? Basted in garlic or encrusted in dukah? I have no clue what that is but it tasted yummy. And would you believe sticky date pudding with toffee sauce?

I inadvertently picked an award-winning wine from the extensive collection to accompany the meal. It was beginner’s luck but I didn’t feel the need to disavow the hosts of my sophisticated taste.

Such all-inclusive sumptuousness comes at a price, of course — a hefty one — but this is Sky’s the Limit: were money is of no concern— and I’ll be ready for my return to Southland, New Zealand.

Tom Weber — T-Boy writer:

Ashford Castle: Elegantly Wrapped in Irish Charm

Of the 522 medieval castles that dot the Republic of Ireland’s landscape, one stands “keep and ramparts” above all others: Ashford Castle, the oldest fortress in the country, a true treasure of the Emerald Isle and a real “sky’s the limit” destination.

Several years ago, I arrived at this iconic landmark under a fine mist and was led across a stone bridge straddling the River Cong in Co. Mayo by a piper in full regalia. “Céad míle fáilte! (One-hundred-thousand welcomes),” announced the general manager as I walked up the entry stairs, flanked by a pair of Irish Wolfhound statues — four-legged guests are always welcome — and stepped onto the bespoke carpeting and entered into a world of regal elegance.

Winner of the 2020 World SPA Award as Ireland’s best hotel spa, Ashford Castle, a five-star country estate, is set amid 350 acres of well-manicured greenery, gardens and rustic paths and trails that overlook the Lough Corrib, the country’s second largest lake. With a heritage dating all the way back to 1228, the castle turned the page on its history in 2013 when it was purchased by Red Carnation Hotels and immediately underwent a top-to-bottom, multi-million dollar renovation and refurbishment that was unveiled to much fanfare in 2015.

I’m handed a green leather key card to a lovely, renovated deluxe view room on the top floor of the castle. As I swiped the card over the security pad and pushed back the door, my jaw dropped in OMG fashion. My suite, like the other 82 guest rooms, is richly appointed as the meticulous attention to detail is found in the unique works of art, carefully sourced antique furniture with sumptuous fabrics and custom-designed carpet, king-sized bed, feature lighting, exquisite toweling and VOYA seaweed-based organic bath and beauty products.

Cullen’s at the Cottage, a summer-only bistro restaurant occupying a traditional thatched-roof cottage, serves up international and local dishes inspired by Beatrice Tollman, owner of Ashford Castle, in a casual atmosphere accented by friendly Irish hospitality. Greeted warmly by the manager, she and her young and eager wait staff went above and beyond the call of duty to ensure my dining experience at the Cottage was memorable. And, it was.

A nightcap was in order, so I retired to The Prince of Wales Cocktail Bar where the on-duty mixologist prepped a Jameson, neat. Seated at a glass-covered table showcasing a few antique flintlock pistols, I sipped slowly wondering all the while if these weapons were ever used in a duel at 15 paces.

Sleep arrives quickly as I tuck myself into the inviting bed — turned down by evening maid service — with luxurious 400-thread-count Egyptian cotton monogrammed bed linen, and highlighted by a complimentary box of Lily O’Brien’s chocolates resting atop one of the pillows. Night night!

When it’s not raining on your parade, and that’s a real possibility when visiting the Emerald Isle, there are plenty of outdoor activities to keep you busy around the castle in between breakfast, lunch and dinner. Tee it up at the parkland golf course; play singles or doubles on two all-weather tennis courts; go fishing; grab a kayak and paddle around the lake; mount a horse and hit the woodland trails, or take a carriage ride with the entire family; hire a bike and cycle the castle’s vast estate; take aim at clay pigeons and bullseyes with skeet and archery; play billiards; screen The Quiet Man and other box-office hits in the velvet-seated cinema; relax in the spa; or, do what I did: experience the ancient sport of falconry.

Ireland’s School of Falconry is the oldest established falconry school in the country. Here, castle guests can book a once-in-a-lifetime “hawk walk” and fly their very own Harris’s hawk in the nearby woodlands. Following its “handler” from tree to tree, your hawk periodically swoops down into your gloved fist, grabs a “snack,” then flies off again. You know it’s somewhere nearby from the sound of the tiny bells attached to its talons.

I was told that a “history” cruise around Lough Corrib, sailing daily, weather permitting, from Ashford Castle’s private pier, is a terrific way to explore the camera-ready surroundings of some of the lake’s 365 isles, one for each day of the year, and take in the panoramic views of the Connemara Mountains in the distance. I board the M.V. Isle of Innisfree, an original tender (lifeboat) from the Cunard Line, and we shove off. The knowledgeable captain/historian steers the boat and narrates the scene at the same time as we cruise across the lake. Meanwhile, an 80-year-old musician entertains guests topside on the “squeezebox” with a selection of Irish tunes, like Danny Boy and Rakes of Mallow. In between the history lesson and the ditties, a member of the crew ensures that glasses are kept full with wine or Jameson, or both, to ward off the cold wind hitting us straight on. Brrrr.

In 1906, the Prince of Wales was a guest of the Guinness family, owners of Ashford Castle at the time. The prince went on to become England’s King George V. In honor of his visit, the Guinness family built a special dining room which still bears his name. Dressed in coat and tie, I’m ushered into the graceful setting that is the George V Dining Room and prepare to dine like royalty. From acclaimed Chef Philippe Farineau’s kitchen, a bounty of food magazine-worthy dishes are plated before me from Ireland’s lands, seas and farms, all paired with stellar wines from Bouchard Finlayson Winery of South Africa.

With my 48-hour, fairy tale-like stay coming to an end, I add my name to the guest book to ensure that I’m part of the Ashford lore. I thoroughly enjoyed the elegance of Ashford Castle, but found its Irish charm simply irresistible.

Richard Frisbie — T-Boy writer:

A cruise around the globe

I don’t have that lifestyle, or even that imagination. My last vacation was in the 1980s — a week in southern California followed by a weekend at Amelia Island resort. Since then it’s just been an overnight to Maine to visit family once or twice a year, or my press trips which are certainly no vacation. “Sky’s the limit” travel is beyond my ken, not to mention my wallet.

That being said, after years of writing hundreds of cruise port excursions annually for the largest reseller of same, I would love to do a world cruise in the best stateroom/suite/penthouse on board, with a butler and an unlimited budget. That way I could socially distance, (which is more my nature than it is pandemic-related) and see the best of the best everywhere in the world using top guides in all ports, with enough time to eat local specialties, drink local wines, while touring museums, historic city centers, and beautiful countrysides.

Ringo Boitano — T-Boy writer:

Tuscany Calling – Italy

A private villa with a swimming pool, surrounded by vineyards in Tuscany. Included in the package would be a SUV rental car and a chef, who specializes in Cucina Toscana as well as Italy’s other 19 regions. Cooking lessons by request. The theme would be to relax, take day trips or longer, and host friends from around the globe.

Phil Marley — Poet:

Summer: Norway’s Fjords

To spend six summer months in a large remote, vacation cabin, with electricity or not. Hiking, fishing, boating, touring nearby waterside villages. Evenings spent around a grand table with family and friends, dining on mammoth communal meals. And the laughing and joking in eternal peace.

Winter: Québec City

Yes, it’s cold, but with a warm jacket, gloves and a pair of solid boots, you don’t even notice. The season is filled with the spirit of hygge, the Danish expression of coziness, evoking  a warm feeling inside. Reflections of lights and historic buildings bounce off the snow. Restaurants welcome you with blazing fires. And, if the chance you become bored, there is Québec winter festival,  Carnaval de Québec.

Skip Kaltenheuser — T-Boy writer:

Kashmir – Pakistan & India

Some places I’d like to go to are off-limits, at least to my sensibility, because of internal political strife or potential international conflict. And in this case, the tensions are between nuclear powers, Pakistan, India and China. I hope they find a way to work it out and the whole region becomes travel friendly, I’ve heard its beauty is awesome. When it opens, no doubt someone will put together some over-the-top digs and pleasures, in the style to which I’d like to become accustomed but probably won’t. But if it does open, I hope it’s also backpacker/hiker friendly, sans landmine anxieties.

Brent Campbell — Musician and composer:

• Trans-Siberian Railway, Russia — Moscow to Vladivostok.
• Former Soviet Republics — A driving trip through Eastern Europe, maybe start by taking overseas delivery of a new Audi in Germany.
• Remote South Pacific Islands — Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Cook Islands.

Raoul Pascual — T-Boy webmaster:

With Sky’s the Limit, I wouldn’t necessarily go where it is expensive, but to where I probably could not ever imagine I could go.

• Go underwater in a yellow submarine tour.
• Go to the moon and see the earth.
• Go to the Brazilian rain forest and swing on ropes like Tarzan.
• Go to the most expensive cruise just to see what makes it so expensive.
• Go to Japan and soak up the culture of the big city and the tiny villages.
• Go to Singapore and Dubai to see how the filthy rich waste their money.
• Go to the Great Wall of China and enjoy the 360 degree view. I don’t think pictures can really capture this.
• Same goes with the Pyramids.
• Go to Alaska and marvel at the expanse of the icebergs. Eat fresh fish and crab.
• Go to Iceland and have a sauna massage.
• But in all this, I would want my wife and my kids to be with me because I’ve traveled alone before and it wasn’t fun without anyone beside me. I want to be in wonder with them.

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Nestled on the western coast of Norway, the fjords were carved out in a succession of ice ages. When glaciers retreated approximately 12,000 years ago, plants soon appeared, animals thrived and humankind eventually made their way into this spectacular, but remote, heaven on earth. Small fishing villages were established and tiny sod roofed farmhouses quietly dotted the landscape, some situated on mountains so steep that they required a ladder to ascend the terrain. Once tax collectors realized there were people living in this isolated region, they made an annual trek to the farms, only to find that many of the ladders had mysteriously disappeared. When the first tourists arrived – primarily European aristocracy – who came to fish in this untouched paradise of crystal-clear waters, they were guaranteed all the fish they could carry. Word spread, and the fjords became the sportsperson’s paradise. Soon the rest of the world knew about them.

If your tour of today’s Norway is limited by time, Norway in a Nutshell is the way to go. There are a number of packages to choose from, ranging in time from seven to twenty-two hours. I opted for the eight-hour roundtrip from Bergen – World Heritage City and “gateway to the fjords.” If you can spare the extra time, Hanseatic Bergen boasts endless tourist attractions, and can be easily explored in 24 hours. The Bergen Tourist Card is an essential component to your tour of this historic harbor town. The price allows you free or reduce-priced admittance to the Bergen Art Museum, Fantoft Stave Church (a medieval wooden cathedral), a harbor boat tour, Bergen Castle, St Mary’s Church, and Troulhaugen, composer Edvard Grieg’s home.

If you’re lucky you might catch a concert in Troulhaugen’s intimate concert hall, discreetly built into the landscape, and overlooking Grieg’s working studio, where he wrote most of his later work. The card also allows free access on city buses, and both the Ulriksbanen Cable Car and Floibanen Funicular, which feature breathtaking views of the city. Not a bad way to start your city tour. Wander through the harbor fish market and down the wooden streets of the historic warehouses at Bryggen (the Wharf). A fish buffet should be on everyone’s list for a generous sampling of Bergen’s world-famous fish soup, assortments of smoked and cured Atlantic salmon, fish cakes, hearty breads, all washed down with the city’s own Hansa beer.

The next morning, hop on the Bergen Railway, easily one of the most beautiful railways in the world, for the journey up to mountain village of Myrdal. You could feel the excitement at Mydral as everyone hurries onto the platform in anticipation for the next part of the journey, a transfer onto The Flam Railway. One of the most dramatic and skilled engineering feats in railway history, The Flam Railway’s high-mountain railway track descends its way down virtual mountainsides. The track had to be laid out on steep inclines and in hairpin bends so that the train could slowly wind its way up and down its almost vertical slopes. Approximately 80% of the line has a gradient of 55%. The train ride between Mydral and Flam runs down (or up) the wild Flamsdalen Valley and is for many people one of the many highlights of the tour. From your carriage window see some of the most beautiful and awe-inspiring scenery in the world.

To experience the fjords helps you understand the Norwegian character, whose national identity has been formed by its passionate bond with nature. When a Norwegian goes on vacation – an average of six-weeks a year – the destination of choice is (usually) the Norwegian countryside. The train’s final destination is the port of Flam. Feast on another buffet in the quaint village, then travel by boat out of the Aurlandsfjord and into the Nærøyfjord – easily the wildest and most beautiful part of the voyage. On the boat from Flam, you will see more waterfalls, charming small towns, a Stave church and working farms, situated on steep mountainous terrain.

Between Gudvangen and Voss, travel by bus through the Nærøyfjord Valley and up the steep hairpin bends of Stalheimskleiva with stunning, almost birds-eye views of more waterfalls. At the top of the rocky ascent there is a short stop to enjoy fantastic panoramic vistas from the viewpoints at the historic and stately Stalheim Hotel, where overnight accommodations are available. At the Fjord Pass there are also many hotels and guesthouses to choose from.

Depending on which tour you have chosen, your bus journey will continue from Voss back to Bergen. From there, you might want to continue exploring Norway’s other attractions on your own or by a Hurtigruten Norway Expedition vessel. Must-see destinations include the idyllic fishing village of the Lofoten Islands, the Sami Museum in Tromsø, and Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim.

50 Degrees North’s New Signature Tour.

Nordic Travel Specialist, 50 Degrees North, has introduced an innovative new 8-day tour for 2020: ‘The Western Fjords of Norway.’ Although largely unknown to international visitors, the Western fjords are a rare gem: The landscape is pristine and exceptionally beautiful even by Norwegian standards. However, the landscape is not the only factor that makes ‘The Western Fjords of Norway’ tour exceptional. It’s the ease to access such a unique and remote region without having to face peak summer traffic. This journey takes travelers off the beaten path as it showcases sites that aren’t known by many travelers. 50 Degrees North eases the experience by offering private transportation to the various sites in the comfort of a spacious and yet intimate minivan (1 to 12 people) which offers safety, flexibility and convenience, more so for solo travelers.

Norway in a Nutshell is available daily all year, but best to confirm due to the corona virus. For further information, contact www.VisitNorway.com or www.VisitBergen.com.

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