Oslo
Oslo
After a pleasant ride in the rain,. Turned out to be a Saturday. Managed to collect our mail and catch up on news from home. When traveling on the ship from Narvik to Alesande we had met a couple from Oslo. They generously invited us to visit them when we got to Oslo. So we phoned up the number given and were told where and how to get to the chap. This turned out to be at a timber yard where he was a manager. But he put is into his car (a Standard 10) and took is out to his home. A pleasant modern house where they lived, and at the back a log cabin type building. This they said would be our home in Oslo. After lunch, they took us out to a lake for a swim. Bloody cold water. In the evening, we went to the Folk Museum where they had people dancing in their national costumes. Beautifully embroidered and colourful. In the old days, they would have filled in many winter days and evenings sewing them.
Next day went to “Veigland Park”. Veigland had been a famous sculptor and had a sculpting school and a lot of his work was set up there. Mostly included figures. Some small and individual, other groups in quite large structures. One was a tall spire (about 30 feet high) composed of many figures piled upon each other, and represented man’s struggle to rise in life. This was set up on platform with 8 sets of steps leading up and a row of three animals between each set of steps.
The one I like best was called “The Angry Child”. About two feet high, of a one and-a-half to two year-old boy; He was stamping his feet, had his fists clenched and his face screwed up as though screaming. Obvious his attitude of that moment. We also went to see a ski jump. No snow, but we could see what would happen when in use. We went up about four floors in an elevator to the top. The view down make me feel quite giddy. Not my idea of fun, jumping off that lot.
Next place was the Viking ship Museum. Here they had the remains of ancient Viking ships (probably 1000AD vintage). One had been rebuilt as it would have looked. Others were just remains. All were built as narrow double-ended hulls using clinker construction. Bottom edges of each plank overlapping the one below like weather boards on a house). They still build lots of boats to the same method and design. Nearby was Thor Heyerdahl’s raft “Kontiki”, on which he sailed from South America to Tahiti. This was set up in such a way that one could also see the under surface, and from the literature, get a good idea of how things would work.
Also in the same building was the Arctic exploring vessel “Fram”. Basically a sailing ship with an engine to help. Built immensely strong to resist ice damage. The planking in several layers was 12 inches think. And all the frames about two feet square and at under three feet centres. This ship was used by Fridjot Nansen. Firstly to explore Arctic waters, where the Fram entered the Arctic ice near Alaska and the ice carried it across to near Greenland before returning it to the North Atlantic and so back to Norway. He hoped to drift near the North Pole. Nansen also did a trip to Antarctica then later Roald Ammundsen used it going to Antarctic when he went to the South Pole. At that time (1961) it had been further North and further South than any other ship.
We went back to the Folk Museum during daylight. Here they have collected up and re-erected a lot of the old houses from Southern Norway. Nearly all built with a stone base and wooden floor and walls for the next floor. Some were log cabin types, others wide board and batten. Roofs varied, many had the bark and turf system as I described earlier. Others had weather board type planks, then shingles laid over that. One has to keep in mind that most moisture in winter came as snow, which lay for a long time. Thawing would be slow and largely from underneath, so the roof had to withstand moisture for several months continuously. Some of the stone bases had large flat stones laid on top of them with an overhand. This horizontal under surface would be a deterrent for rats and other vermin.
The best building there is the stave church. This is quite a large building, basically oblong except behind the altar where it is a semicircle. The main supports are eight or ten tree trunks set on end in two rows. These go up to and support the central roof with short walls at the tops. Lean-to roofs built in under these walls and go out to the perimeter walls. Everything is constructed in wood including the roofs, which are the shingles over weather board method.
Interior. Apart from the altar and attendant tables etc the only furniture are a wooden bench seat fixed to the exterior walls. This seat is reserved for the elderly, and those physically incapable of standing for long times. The rest of the congregation had to stand throughout the service, may be up to two and-a-half hours. Quite an endurance test. In an ordinary building there was a large room full of agricultural tools and other equipment; all old and all made almost entirely of wood. About the only pieces of steel were the blades as in a scythe or a reap hook. There were the usual rakes and forked stick used as a hayfork, also wooden shovels and the like, plus some larger pieces like a threshing machine and a set of harrows. The last named consisted of a lot of stick forks with a hole near each corner. A stake was driven through each hole, so the ends pointed at the ground. These units were secured to each other with cords at each corner until they formed a mat about eight feet wide and five feet back to front. They load the top with stones. These would make the vertical stakes bite into the ground as some beast dragged it around. The machine was used to loosen the topsoil a bit and also spread any fertiliser lying on the ground so there would be an even cover.
From Oslo, we traveled by train down the coast of Sweden to “Malmo” (during the night). There onto a ferry that took us to “Lubeck” in Germany. From here, we hitchhiked to Hamburg where we met up with Jan, another New Zealander met on the “Castle Faletche”. She was joining us for the rest of the trip.
More hitchhiking brought us to “Wolfsburg” where Volkswagen build their cars. Peter was buying a brand new beetle and we went to the factory to collect. There were some minor changes to be done to the car, so “Von Leissen” the man handling the sales offered us accommodation for a night. (His family were away on holiday). We had a pleasant evening with him during which he told us of a lot of places to visit. (He had an enthusiasm for old churches and castles). Next morning we went on the conducted tour of parts of the factory. We saw how all the many pieces of the car joined up via an elaborate conveyor system and finally the engine, axles and chassis were set up and the body lowered into place. Six bolts later it was fixed, then steering gear was installed, the engine hooked up to the fuel tank and control pedals. Wheels were bolted on then the whole car rolled off the conveyor onto the floor. Somebody put in a temporary seat then turned the key and everything started up. The car was put on a test machine and ran up. After one or two minor adjustments then the car was driven away for the final trims etc. All very quick and efficient.
From Wolfsburg we headed for Hanover before circling South by following a lot of Von Leisen’s suggestions and others from a book Peter had, we managed to keep off Autobahns and were able to see the rural countryside. All very picturesque, but somewhat surprised at the primitive methods used by some farms. In one village we passed a very old wooden wagon loaded with hay was being drawn by some of the cows that in winter would eat the same hay. No cattle grazed in the fields here. They must all be in barns. A lot of the fields were long and narrow. This came about by tradition that when a farmer died his land was divided between his sons and over several generations the fields became rather narrow. In other areas a lot of sugar beet is grown but this seemed to be in larger areas for more efficient harvesting methods.
Most of the larger cities we by passed unless there was something special to see. We were more interested in Castles and Churches. Driving along the Rhine gorge we could see several Castles built for strategic purposes, by persons trying to control and tax river traffic. The Rhine and a lot of other waterways still carry a lot of ships, barges and tugs, moving heavy cargoes to other areas or the export ports.
We called at a town called Creglingen, which is famous for its woodcarvings, particularly in churches. These were elaborate screens built over and beside the altar. The main ones had a centrepiece and a pair of hinged doors that could be closed over the font. The main screen was several feet wide and high, the actual depth rarely exceeded 16 inches, but by artistic ability gave the impression of being much deeper (and one of the oldest).
The most famous screens are in a chapel just outside Creglingen. Called “Herrgotts Kirchen”. (Cords Chapel) it was carved by “Till Reimen Schnieder” and his assistants during 1505 and 1510. It stands over 28 feet high above the alter and is 12ft 2ins wide. A magnificent piece and the guide style and quality for much later works.
Another material available near there is for very delicate ceramic items. We called at the works near the river Tauber but were only shown the showroom where we could buy items, mostly way out of our available money.
Another interesting town we visited was called Rothenburge, very old. The centre area had been protected by walls, But as the place expanded outside these walls, another lot was built to protect the new buildings. All the streets were cobbled paved and the buildings set right on the edge of the roads. Most of the buildings had a shop at the ground level, now set up with souvenirs or restaurants for the tourist trade. Upper floor windows opened onto very ornate balconies all enhanced by Geranium type flowers in window boxes. We had a very pleasant wander around there, until too many other tourists arrived.
We also by chance arrived in Hamlin one Sunday when they were just beginning to reenact the “Pied Piper” legend, so could enjoy that.
So we worked our way down through Bavaria and into Austria near Salzburg. Another picturesque city set in the angle between a river and a cliffy ridge. A castle on top of the ridge and a tunnel through the ridge for road access to the countryside beyond. They have a large church and like virtually all the churches in Europe very ornamented with brightly coloured carved work and the most glorious painted scenes on the walls and ceilings. British churches are very drab by comparison. Being largely finished in natural stone with some times a painted shield or medallion at some structural intersection.
In Salzburg now, most of the main buildings house shops and restaurants to cope with the booming tourist trade that seems to be a very large income earner for modern Europe.
Next stop was Vienna, the musical capitol of the world. In honour of the many composers who worked from there is a park with statues and monuments commemorating them. The monument to the Strauss family is magnificent.
Vienna was also the home capitol for the “Hapsburg Dynasty” who ruled Austria and a large proportion of the other countries around Austria for several hundred years until the late 1800. The centre of Vienna not only has a lot of administration buildings, also it has the main “Hapsburg Palace” and the famous Opera house. On what is now the outskirts of Vienna about five or 6 miles away is “Schonbrun Palace”, originally the summer retreat for the royalty and their friends. The main buildings have about 400 rooms. There are also stables and other buildings for various reasons. The whole lot is set up on a private park of several hundred acres. The main vista from the palace is out over several acres of formal gardens. Lots of flower beds in geometric patterns plus fountains, Lilly ponds, fish ponds and statuary, rising up to a hill where the sky line is picked out in large sculptures that must give marvelous silhouettes at sunset. Radiating from these gardens are several carriageways leading to somewhere, all divided from each other by well trimmed hedges about 14 to 16ft high.
Inside the palace we did the tour of the state rooms, all magnificently finished from their Parquet floors to the moulded plaster ceilings and enormous chandeliers. Literally dozens of light sources and in the days of candles must have taken somebody more than half an hour to go around and light them all in just one chandelier. The ballroom had 3 or 4.
The parquet floors in some rooms were laid in geometric squared patterns, but in others were semi floral shapes, which must have taken days of painstaking work sawing to shape and fitting together. In those days joints had to be a perfect fit or done again.
Another room that had probably been a bedroom was called the million room, because the queen who had it fitted it out spent a million in coinage of the day on the one room. There was a lot of hand painted silk panels in interlocking Bamboo frames that had been imported from Japan.
I could have spent days there but we had to push on. We crossed the Blue Danube River several times but it always looked a dirty khaki green colour. One night we drove up into the Vienna Woods and camped there. I enjoyed a radio broadcast of Viennese music while writing up my diary in the tent.
From Vienna, we backtracked past Salzburg to Innsbruck. On the way we deviated to the “Berchesgarden”. This is a village in the alpine valley, but on the hillside overlooking Hitler’s hideaway house (The Eagles Nest). Access is via a steep winding road up to a turn around area by a cliff. In the cliff is a tunnel that leads to an elevator that takes people up to the house itself. Hitler used to invite people there to impress them. He would arrange for them to arrive after dusk, then next morning a maid would bring food for the guests while they were still in bed, then go and draw back the curtains. For most guests on getting out of bed is to go to the window and the view from there was a 3 to 4,000 ft sheer drop to the valley below. A very startling awakening especially if you were subject to vertigo.
Innsbruck is mainly a ski and climbing resort, so dead in summer. On through the “Principality of Leichenstein” and so into Switzerland. Had a look at various sites in Lucerne including the bridge of remembrance where they have a roofed bridge over a lake arm. In the gable framing under the roof there are a series of paintings mostly of battle scenes. Another monument there is carved out of a stone cliff or quarry face, a scene of soldiers and a dead lion. This commemorates a troop of Swiss guardsmen who raced to Paris to try and save Queen Marie Antoinette from the Guillotine. They were too late. We also went where we could get a view of “The Eiger Wall” a terrific rock face which has defeated many climbers, many who have to be rescued or perish up there.
From here we started into the Alps. Peter was keen on mountaineering. As he didn’t have time for climbing on this trip we proceeded to drive over several of the passes. This included the Benner, The Grand St Bernard, the Pitete St Burnard and the Simplon. Each involved a slow winding road both up and down and at times reaching 8,000ft. Mostly bare hillsides and here and there a small village for cattle herders. Switzerland still has a lot of agricultural life, usually based on milking cattle. These are taken up to higher ground for grazing in the summer. The milk is churned into butter or cheese. As these are all small enterprises where each family does things in their own way, therefore there are numerous cheeses all slightly different. Most are eaten locally or within Switzerland. Near the head of one valley is a village called Zermatt. This is a Swiss base for climbers attempting to climb a spectacular sharp pointed mountain called “The Matterhorn”. We went there and managed to get a glimpse of the peak through the cloud. The village is a group of alpine style buildings with floral bedecked balconies, all set up for climbers and tourists. They also ban motor cars so had to walk in the last few kilometres but worth it.
On one of our forays Southwards we drove down a valley near St Moritz and into northern Italy. At the border post the change was very marked. On the Swiss side all wooden houses and chalet in Swiss style. The Italian side buildings were all square plastered brick in Italian style. Even the people looked and dressed differently.
In Italy we were near Lakes Como and Maggiore which are very pretty. From there we turned north again. Somehow we got on to a minor road system. Much more rugged but interesting. At one village there was a truck selling fruit, we wanted some grapes. The vendor didn’t speak English and we didn’t speak their language. Also we were in Italy but had only had Swiss money, but our offers were accepted and we ended up with about 7 or 8 pounds of grapes. Bought just after lunch and by persistent picking we three had finished them by 7/30 that evening they were delicious.
Not much further on we came to Chamonix which is in France, we had a glimpse of Mt Blanc from the Swiss side, but from Chamonix there is a cable car system in which one can ride up a long way for the view. Jan and Peter went up but due to lack of money I waited for them. Mt Blanc is a massive square shaped mountain and at 4807 metres is the highest mountain in Europe.
So on to Geneva the home of the United Nations. They have built some very impressive buildings and monuments to themselves.
On North again and into the “Black Forest area”, renowned among other things for their woodcarving. Also went to a spring, now set in a Marble surround, which is the source of the river Danube. The Danube travels Eastwards from here, past Vienna, along the border between Czechoslovakia and Hungary for a way, across Hungary and into Rumania. Across there to become the Rumanian Bulgarian border and finally empties into the Black Sea on the border between Rumania and the Ukraine (part of Russia). The longest river in Europe.
Back into Germany again. This time to visit Berlin, which was at the end of a long corridor through East Germany. Berlin had been in the news a lot about then (not that we knew much about it). 1961 as the East Germans had just built the Berlin wall. West Berlin was no problem, here virtually all the war debris, except one or two structures retained as monuments, had been cleared away and a great deal of rebuilding had taken place.
East Berlin was very different. We were allowed in for one day and that was quite enough. Near the border war debris had been bulldozed into heaps mainly to clear roads and left. Further away some rebuilding had taken place, but I wish they hadn’t. The main street had a row of facades of various styles of building nearly all different but all built at once with one material, a quartz yellow brick. When they wanted a design for the other side of the street they just turned the drawing over and produced a mirror image. So if one building front was a gable end and the next had a domed roof then the buildings across the street had exactly the same.
The shops were small and probably not very deep. The display windows rarely had much in them, some only one or two items. We were told that was showing off most of the shops stock. Some items may be in several colours but very little choice really. As we walked along the person showing us around disappeared until we came to a queue leading to one shop. On sale was the item of the day. They were queuing for plain ordinary 2 gal. Plastic buckets. Seems there hadn’t been any available for several months and when these were gone there may not be any more for several months.
We returned to West Berlin late afternoon and decided to head back to West Germany about 70 km away. As we drove back down the Autobahn (motor way) it became dusk and we decided a meal was required. We pulled into a lay by to cook up. About 20 min. later a police car pulled in behind us and the two policemen came over to inspect us, complete with torches and pistols. They spoke very little English but we gathered they wanted to know why we had stopped. We had our plates and eating utensils laid out and when we took the lid off our pot it was obvious we were going to eat. They said OK then went back to their car and sat in it until we had finished eating, packed up our gear and moved off. We found out later that all vehicles and their details are logged where you enter this road and telephoned to your exit point. If you don’t go out in the time they estimate you should they come looking for you. Stopping like we did is not really allowed.
Back into West Germany we turned south for a spot on the Czechoslovakian border. We had spent quite a bit of time in London obtaining Visas to enter Czechoslovakia. At the border post we were refused entry. An English speaking guard explained that the visas were only good for 24 hours and he said with the road conditions they had it was not possible for us to drive from our present entry spot to the exit place we had stipulated, so no entry. In a way I was not sorry.
Continued on towards Austria. As we neared Passau there came a thunderstorm with lots of hail. We parked in Passau about 20 min later and the gutters still had hailstones in them from 12 to 18 ins deep. While we waited for conditions to improve we went into a large church for a look. Here the walls and the domed ceilings were decorated with the most magnificent ecclesiastical paintings I have ever seen. Glorious scenes (mostly imaginary), with lots of cherubs and angels floating through them. If I ever attended a service there I wouldn’t know what had gone on, as I would have spent the whole time laid back and absorbing the details of these paintings.
Back into Austria near Linz we continued south over a mountain pass towards Yugoslavia. We crossed their borders near Ljubljana a pleasant old style city. Then turned easterly towards Belgrade another communist run country with an undercurrent of old enmities between ethnic group (Serbs Croats etc) That has been there for several centuries. Also a rather primitive existence for the country people. The main roads (Autoput) between cities were modern asphalt highways mainly for tourist traffic. Minor roads were gravel or dirt tracks suitable for horse drawn vehicles, which were the main means of transport in the country.
Houses were built out of hand made bricks, shaped, sun dried then stacked up in rectangular stacks with wood and scrub laid through them. The outsides were plastered with mud. When all was considered ready a fire was lit at a tunnel entrance and with the help of a central vertical opening like a chimney the fire was drawn into the stack. After a few hours the whole thing was sealed off and left to burn itself out over probably a week or two and so the bricks were baked. When required the builders would come and collect the bricks as needed, which might be over a period of months or even years.
Roofing was possibly thatch or rock slabs. Timber was not readily available and reserved for joinery. Most trees were olives, or nuts, most of which are very crooked and valued much for their edible produce. A lot of maize and root crops are grown and mostly a subsistence life style.
Their horse drawn vehicles were all four wheeled wagons and served to take their goods to market, each was drawn by one or two horses, at a trot if the driver was alert. But if he was tired after a long day, the horses would soon slow down to a walk. A lot of these wagons traveled at night and the lights consisted of a single Kerosene lantern swung on a hook under the cart and in line with the centre line wheels. This was not encouraging for the motor car drivers. We camped at nights. Officially we were supposed to stay in camping grounds. These we found to be expensive and rather far apart. So we took off into the hills and hid.
Belgrade was just another city so on to Nis not very interesting so on again to Skopje then towards the Greek border. Near the border we found a large sink with spring water flowing into it so we all had a good wash to remove the dust. At the Greek border problems started for me.
I couldn’t find my passport. We really searched that car and our gear but it was not there. So with no passport no exit from the country. As we searched an English van with 4 young fellows in it arrived. We discussed things and they said they would give me a ride to Skopje where I hoped to find a British diplomatic post. But when I got there I found the only one was in Belgrade. Luckily the English fellows and their van were still there so they took me on to Belgrade and the British Embassy there.
I was a bit lucky in that I had spare photos and an International driving permit with me. But the photos showed me without a beard. I had grown one while traveling around, so was warned that I might have to shave it off. They were only able to issue me with a temporary passport but that would see me back to England, where I could apply for a NZ Passport. So I had to continue hitch hiking, not my favourite method of travel. But I managed quite well. I made for Cologne as a first stop. Mainly to collect more money I had transferred from London.
From there I went by train to the North sea coast to a ferry port (possibly Calais) then a ferry trip to Dover and England. Another hitched ride brought me back to London and the winter.