Friday 12. 06. 15 Took the train from Oslo to Flam today – the world’s steepest railway. Rose right up into Tundra-like country with very little vegetation but with glacier carved valleys and fast running streams. Quite spectacular.
Travel
Train trouble
Thursday 11. 06. 15 Another exciting day on the trains. Took the 8am train from Stockholm to Oslo. After 2 hours travelling through a Muskoka like landscape they announced that there was a power problem. We all got out and eventually boarded buses and continued our journey for another hour and a half when we stopped at Karlstad and boarded another train for a couple of hours before another announcement. We descended again and were told to wAit for a bus to Oslo. One bus arrived and the rest of us were told to board yet another train. We finally arrived at our destination at 5.30pm not 1.45pm as scheduled!! A busy and frustrating day, however, we are now checked and are going out for dinner and a drink!!!
Re berth
Wednesday 10. 06. 15 Started the day at the Vasa museum which was built around a ship that sank on its maiden voyage in 1628. It was salvaged in the early 60s and is the only completely preserved 17th century ship in the world. Brilliant! We then continued by tram to Waldemarsudde to see Prince Eugen’s house and collection and an expo of Emile Nolde. After lunch went to the medieval museum of Stockholm and an interesting boat tour of the harbour.
Stockholm
Tuesday 09. 06. 15 Arrived here last night by train from Copenhagen. Spent the day wandering around town. The Moderna Museet was excellent – good permanent collection and interesting expo by Lebanese artist Akram Zaatari entitled Unfolding.
Scandinavia
Monday 08. 06. 15 Have just spent 3 days in Copenhagen. Highlights were National Museum and art gallery at Louisiana. Currently en route to Stockholm by train.
The North
Friday 12. 12. 14 Back in Canada for Christmas. I went to Poppy’s Christmas Concert on Wednesday (she’s the one with the red ukelele) and of course it snowed yesterday – it must be Christmas in Canada!!!
London
Thursday 04. 12. 14 Just back from a week in London with Carole. I saw a brilliant Kiefer show at the RA – a very extensive retrospective featuring paintings, sculptures, installations, watercolours, books etc – best show I have seen in London since the big Hockney show at the RA. Also saw Polke at Tate Modern and the Turner at Tate Britain, the Constable at the V&A and a small Hambling show at the National gallery. Besides all this gallery going we met Marie-Pierre and Olivier for the weekend and had a a great time wandering around the parks and the streets. We even had time to check out the lego Santa Claus at Covent Gardens and of course the lights and to see the movie Mr Turner.
Up North
Thursday 09. 10. 14 Got back last night from a brief sojourn at Alan and Lea’s cottage on Skeleton Lake. Great company, good food and magnificent views.
Fin de la semaine
Saturday 04. 10. 14 Went with Laurie and Erich for a misty tour of the harbour on Thursday and then on to an interesting exhibit at the Power Plant. On Friday Chris took me to Hamilton art gallery for an expo on William Blair Bruce, a Canadian painter unknown to me. Wonderful exhibition showing a wide range of subjects – portraits, landscapes, still lifes, seascapes etc and from small 8 x 10 plein air sketches to huge canvasses with larger than life figures. Great stuff!
Bordeaux
Sunday 17. 08. 14. At M-P’s and Olivier’s for the weekend. Today fishing in the Basin d’Arcachon.