OK... so last entry left me in the centre of the May 17th celebrations in Oslo, Norway.
Well, I found that the crush of the crowd as we neared the Palace (I got to within 2 blocks) was much too much for me (I felt that I was getting way too intimate with the strangers in the crowd) so when I saw the University's front portico I took a side step or 50 out of the mad crowd. In the front courtyard of the University's main entrance was a fully costumed crowd that seemed to be waiting for something and from inside the University building came the melodic sounds of a choir. So I stopped here awhile to enjoy the singing. Then took a shortcut through the University grounds, which I knew well from a couple of days earlier, and made my way over to the main street that paralleled Karl Jensen Blvd. just one block over. From there I walked back towards the train station and passed it on the way home. I arrived back at about 1:30 and the three of us went out into the sunshine of the courtyard to eat a picnic lunch. I had to rush off to get a bus to the train station to catch my train at 4:09 and I was there in plenty of time at 3:30.
The train trip to Bergen on the west coast of Norway, almost due west of Oslo, was truly a once in a lifetime thrill. The train leaves sea level in Oslo heading westward. As the crow flies this seems like a short trip but even the crow may find the climb a bit steep.
Hardangervidda is big, the biggest mountain-plateau in Europe. The eastern part is a vast mountain-plateu, a great flat area where you almost always can see several Kms in all directions. The area east of Sandhaug and south of Ustaoset has a hilly terrain where hiking is easy and weather usually nice. In the north the plains are abruptly broken by the great Hallingskarvet. This mountain, although only a few kilometers wide, is more than 30 kilometers long, reaching from Geilo to Finse. Because it's so high (up to 1930 metres) it's visible far away. Also visible is the glacier of Hardangerjøkulen. As Hallingskarvet, Hardangerjøkulen is easily seen from the train as we were actually travelling just below the top ridge from Geilo to Finse.
The western part of Hardangervidda has mountains and valleys that give the landscape a more diverse character than the eastern part of Vidda. Here and there a steep mountain rises from the rest of the terrain, like the famous Hårteigen (1691m) about which is said - it lies there like a big goat-cheese from the Gods. The elevation here ranges from 1000 - 1400 m above sealevel, but then at Hardangerfjord it suddenly falls down to 0. The mighty valleys here are extraordinaryly beautiful with constrasts, views and waterfalls. I was told this train ride was a must and I now agree.
When the train pulled into the village of Finse it was only about 1/4 full and the platform was packed with over 200 people in full winter ski gear, still wearing their ski boots. When the doors opened the freezing cold air rushed in and so did all those skiers with their gear. When we pulled away from the platform the train was nearly full to capacity with tired, red-faced skiers several of whom were well into the beer and having more. They started getting off in small groups all the way down the other side of the mountains and by the time we arrived in Bergen the train was less than 1/3 full.
Before I left Oslo and while at the May 17th festivities, Lill-Ann contacted a friend in Bergen to find accommodation for me there (I had been having trouble getting in touch with tourism offices because of the big national holiday). What she found was a hostel where she booked a room for me. When I arrived at the hostel by bus, more than an hour after the train arrived, I discovered just how expensive things are here. I was short 100 Nkk for the room. The young guy at the desk took pitty on the old woman at the desk and put me in a dorm room all alone. Toilettes and showers down the hall but a sink in the room. I avoided the long line-up for morning showers by using the large sink to wash my hair and do a "sponge bath".
It was raining in Bergen when I arrived and continued to rain most of the time I was there except for 20 minutes here, 40 minutes there... so it was a cold, wet visit. I walked the 40 minutes down the from the Hostel Montana to the town centre because it was now Sunday and the bus only comes once an hour... I was not willing to sit around waiting. It was a beautiful walk down from the mountain overlooking town and there was almost no traffic anywhere. I locked up my luggage at the train station, checked on a sleeper for my train that night, but the price was too high so I decided to sit up for the night.
Spent the day in Bergen mostly in the oldest part of the city called Bryggens. It is almost suspended in time at about 1650. I visited the Bryggens Museum of Archeology (built around the partial ruins of the original settlement dating back to the 1300s), the churchyard of Mariakirken (St Mary's Church) where there are still the original untouched graves of many prominent citizens and clergy. Then to the Schotstuene which is a 17th century house where the Hanseatic Merchants met and drank under the guise of business. A beautifully preserved place, furniture and all. Then to the Hanseatic Museum. This fascinating timber and log building illustrates the lifestyle and working environment of the Hanseatic Merchants of the 17th and 18th centuries. It has been lovingly preserved, including the original decoratively painted plank walls, furniture, stoves, lamps, floorboards, doors, beds, offices and artifacts. I loved this accurately displayed glimpse into the Norwegian past. The rooms were open for everyone to walk through, with most artifacts seemingly unprotected. You could open trunks to look at the contents, open drawers and bed doors. The most precious items such as the original ledger books and quill pens were usually behind a small cord with a "do not touch" sign as the chairs had small cords to make sitting down difficult.
The Theta Museum was closed although, according to all the other museums it was due to open at 2:00pm, so I visited a shop of Medieval & Viking reproductions of jewelery, clothing, books, prints, and other arts and crafts. I bought earrings. I was there about 1 1/2 or 2 hours talking with a very knowledgable fellow who works there. He is one of the craftsmen who sells his work there as well... reproductions of clay work relief tiles, and other clay architectural features.
I spent the evening in the cinema watching a movie, The Hours, an excellent flick. Go see it when you can. After the movie I had supper at a nice restaurant called the Egon and went to the train station. The train was quite crowded but the talkative man sitting next to me took the hint and went to sit in another seat once the train got under way. I wrote a little, read a little then fell asleep and slept off and on for about 6 hours. We arrived about 30 minutes early in Oslo which gave me the extra time I needed to find the WC, freshen up in the sink, change my clothes, find a breakfast snack and get to the train.
An explanation is in order here... throughout the Scandinavian countries when you go to the public toilettes (WC) you must pay for the priveledge, they are rarely free. So, they have large cubicles with a sink to wash up in and room for your luggage. This is true almost everywhere but especially in places like train and bus stations, aiports and subway terminals. The train and bus stations often offer showers with fresh towels for an additional fee. I never used the public showers. You can also pay for a sauna and massage on just about every street corner too... yes these are legitimate places that people use regularly. Almost every hotel in Finland has a sauna included in you room price. I enjoyed a morning sauna at my hotel in Helsinki.
So, back to the train in Oslo and onto the train to Copenhagan with a scheduled train change in Göteberg. They had a problem with the trains and we ended up on an ancient, noisey, uncomfortable thing. I had a nice young German woman sitting next to me to talk to for awhile before retreating to the writing in my journal. When we arrived in a place called Uddevalla they unloaded the entire train into busses and sent us on a 75 minute ride to the bus terminal in Göteberg. Remeber what I said about train & bus station toilettes... I was now in Seden with no swedish money, a line up at the exchange of about 35 people and just as many at the 2 Bankomats. With only about 10 minutes to locate my train departure platform in the building next door there was no time to wait in line. So far I'm unimpressed. So to add insult to injury the joke of the day was that when we arrived at the train platform for the next train there was a lineup of buses waiting for us beside the end platform. So onto buses for the next 2 hours to get to Malmö. But we arrived late and were quickly hustled across the tracks to the train platform and into the waiting train which took off immediately for Copenhagen. I immediately ran to the WC. They are free on the trains. At least this train was fast and comfortable.
Upon arrival in Copenhagan my first priority was to find accommodation. A nice young computer geek that I met at the end of the ride (he had been keeping company with the German girl I had been sitting next to earlier) suggested I wait with him for his father who gave a good recommendation. I took his suggestion and went to the nearby DGI Hotel. The rooms there were too pricey for me so the desk clerk sent me to their affiliate just a 5 minute walk along the road ("tell them Denis sent you") where the desk clerk mumbled a very good price while at the same time jotting the number on a scrap of paper. DGI wanted 990Dkk/night while the same room at Hotel Centrum was only 550Dkk(cdn$120)/night, breakfast included. That may sound expensive but in Copenhagen it's cheap but the rooms are extremely clean, nice, comfortable, with all the usual amenities plus free internet access and free use of the DGI health, sports and fitness centre including the spa.
I was too tired when I arrived to do anything but fall into bed. The next morning the touring began with the Danish National Museum.
But I must stop here. It's getting late and I need sleep. Marike, my hostess, will be home in a few minutes and I want to be off the computer so we can visit and make our plans for tomorrow and touring the countryside. More tomorrow night, maybe.
Hello everyone.
You may be wondering what has taken me so long to do am update. The simple answer... money. Zurich was the most expensive place I've ever been. So I was not willing to pay the price there. In Oslo I stayed with friends who had a computer but an old one with a slow modem and a slow phone connection. Prices in the few internet cafes I saw were expensive and in smoke-filled environments. Bergen and Copenhagen... just not enough time. A pitty too because there was free internet service at my hotel. Helsinki... many internet cafes everywhere either free or cheap and I had lots of time there but there was always a crowd waiting to get online. Now I'm in Stockholm at Marike's place with a computer with a decent, but slowish, connection and my hostess is working out-of-town until late tomorrow night. ACCESS and time to do it.
My cellphone doesn't work here, so there won't be calls home on this trip. In order to have a phone that worked in the Caribbean I had to get one that is TDMA which does not work in the GSM world of the European continent. Didn't have time to get a new phone while in Ottawa.
So far this has been a whirlwind tour. Landed in Zurich, Switzerland on time, booked a hotel from the airport. The Hotel Basilea Zurich (http://www.hotelbasilea.ch/) was extremely nice for a 3-star hotel though the rooms are quite compact but very pricey at 130chF (Swiss Francs - the only West European country not on the Euro) or ?8364;90 or CDN$140. Bought a Zurich Pass (free transportation, museums and restaurant and shop discounts). I could not afford to take advantage of the discounts. Did I mention that this was the most expensive place I've ever been. (no question mark on the Swedish keyboard). Took the train to Zurich City, the Old City, and walked to the hotel.
After getting settled in my room, I headed straight for the Swiss National Museum (http://www.slmnet.ch/). It is housed in a Castle but they are planning an excrutiatingly modern expansion that would obliterate the beauty of the old structure. The model they are showing off looks ugly. I also took a long walk and had a sit down in the large park that is the museum grounds. After my visit to the museum I took a boat tour on the Limmat River that goes onto the Zürichsee (Lake of Zürich) and zig-zags back and forth giving a unique view of the city from a different perspective.
It was time for supper, so a very elegant (yes expensive) vegetarian buffet and a glass of wine ended my day. I sept like the dead.
My second day in Zürich (http://www.zurichtourism.ch/sightseeing/) was mostly on foot touring all around town seeing the sights. Started with a stroll along Niederdorf Strasse (everything closed until 10am earliest) and through a series of streets to Grossmünster Cathedral where I discovered an almost medieval church. The cript is the oldest part of the church having been build circa 1200. Several "remains" were excavated and removed in the early 1900s to the Swiss Museum where many are on display but the excavations were stopped and all the tombs resealed when the decision was made to preserve the cripts.
Crossing the Limmat River via Münster Brücke (bridge) to visit Fraumünster Kirche (church), famous for its stained glass windows created by the French painter Marc Chagall. Another gorgeous church but the naive is closed to the public who are only aloud to enter the vestibule area to get to the Chagall windows. Then a long meandering walk through cobblestoned streets and alleys passing many wonderful shops, going in the occassional one that caught my eye but not my money, to make my way to what is reputed to be the world's largest clock face at St. Peter Kirche. A truly lovely surprise awaited within the church... the organist was practicing. The church was small and uninteresting in its overly gilded barocque decor but I stayed a long time to listen to the organist play.
This neighbourhood felt very familiar and I felt very much at home here. The streets are all cobbled, the atmosphere is warm and friendly and the architecture is stunning. From this peaceful enclave I walked to and entered the famous shopping district of Bahnhofstrasse. Every European and International design house is represented here and the shoppers look like they can afford it. You can smell the freshly laundered money everywhere. I found Hiltl, a vegetarian restaurant of reknown, and had lunch.
Walked back up to Grossmünster Kirche to make the 5 minute, 225 ft. climb to the top of the tower where I took 4 MPEGs, one from each corner spire, of the view of the city. The decent felt like being in an Escher painting. I was lucky to discover a not advertised but accessible cloister through a semi-hidden entry of to the side outside the church. Here was a peaceful oasis complete with central fountain and studying artists.
Then it was back to the Bahnhofstrasse to find the Uhrenmuseum Beyer, a watch and clock museum in the basement of Beyer's watch and clock store. Actually a private collection belonging to the Beyer family who still own and operate the store that was first established in the 1500s. The collection includes pieces from the 16th to 20th centuries.
I headed back towards the hotel stopping at a few places of interest to check prices. You'll be surprised to hear that prices in Canada are cheaper than in Zürich for products from Sony Cameras, Sony Electronics, Bang & Olufson, Nokia cellphones, wool sweaters, wool textiles of all sorts and even Victorinox "Swiss Army" knives. I stopped in at the hotel briefly before going to a local pizza restaurant for a pizza and beer supper. Then back to my bed because I had to catch an early train to be at the airport early to catch my flight out to Oslo in the morning.
Oslo (http://www.visitnorway.com/en/)... due to rain and heavy cloud cover (which would follow me everywhere for the rest of my trip) my flight was a bit late departing so was a bit late arriving. As soon as I arrived I changed my money and cashed a TC then found the train station in the airport, bought a ticket and hopped the train into Oslo Centre. Lill-Ann Chepstow-Lusty (world famous photographer) met me at the train station. We hopped a bus to her flat and got supper started. Ingrid arrived home from work and we had a great visit. During my stay at their place I would meet several friends and colleagues of both Lill-Ann and Ingrid. The first was their friend and neighbour, Olivier, from Paris who dropped by for a long visit after supper.
In the morning I walked with Ingrid into town (20-25 minutes without rushing) and after parting company with her near her office I started my day's activities. Starting at the train station I walked up the main promenade Karl Jensen Blvd. to the Palace and current home of the King and Queen of Norway. Then around the University and back down towards the train station to meet Lill-Ann for noon. She brought picnic lunch which we ate while taking the ferry to the other side of the fjord where the Viking Ship Museum is. While I visited the Viking Ships and looked at her pics of Modern Vikings (on display at the museum) she talked with colleagues at the museum. Lill-Ann also works part time at the National Historical Museum as a photographer but it was not until after international interest in her "modern Vikings" project (ie: invited to display in the Canadian National Museum of Civilization in Ottawa) that her home museum took an interest. Now the exhibit is doing the rounds of Norwegian museums. We bussed back into the city centre and walked from there to listen to a lecture given by a Canadian conservator working at the National Historical Museum with Lill-Ann. It was an interesting talk on the reconservation of a Viking sleigh held by the museum. The original conservation effort (1880s) was extremely destructive and was starting to deteriorate.
After the lecture I was introduced around to several people including another Canadian conservator, this woman is from Ottawa. So Lill-Ann, Nancy (the lecturer), Susan and I all arranged to go for coffee/tea at a nearby favourite coffee shop of Nancy's. From there Lill-Ann and I walked back to the flat together, picking up groceries for supper enroute and together prepared a meal for the 3 of us plus another business colleague of Lill-Ann's, Christine. We had a fun evening.
The next day I walked into town and straight to an electronics store to get a European power cord for my camera recharger. Then I was on the bus to the Norsk Folkemuseet (Folk Museum at http://www.norskfolke.museum.no/) where I spent the entire day, including lunch, leaving at 5:00pm closing. I think I was actually last visitor out... something that's happened alot during this trip. It's a wonderful outdoor museum displaying actual buildings from different regions of Norway. They have been completely reconstructed exactly as originally built in different area representing each region. There is an indoor museum containing many artifacts including clothing, decoration and household objects and the outdoor museum covers over 140 acres. During the summer most of the buildings are open and accessible to the public with costumed interpreters and "characters" representing the actual people who would have lived and worked in each building at that time. Most of the old Nordic log buildings date back to the 1500s, some to the 1400s. When I was there only a few of the buildings had been opened and only a dozen or so costumed characters were about. In fact is was the first day of opened buildings and all of the girls I spoke to were on their first day of work for the season.
I also met a spoke extensively with a building conservation engineer who was working in one of the buildings. The head had broken off of a main cross support beam in the museums oldest building (in fact the oldest log structure still standing in the country) and he was tasked with working out just how best to proceed with the "repairs" to conserve the structure and the original character of the building while maintaining authenticity and protecting the rest of the building from collapse. It was an interesting discussion and exchange of ideas. As it turned out I agreed with his preliminary assessment and his opinion on how he would like to see it go... but these are political hotbeds in the conservation of antiquities area so the final outcome is far away. For now the building is being held upright and together by steel posts, plates, clamps and pillars which, in my humble opinion, are already having distructive influence on the 500-600 years old wooden beams and logs. It is cold and rainy outside.
There is also the most impressive stave church (all wood construction) originally built around 1200 in Gol and relocated to its present sight in Bygdoy (roughly pronounced "big day") in 1885. This is the reason this site was chosen for the Norsk Folkemuseet. Visit them at http://www.norskfolke.museum.no/ to get the whole story.
On the way home, by bus, I picked up the ingredients for my Thai Curry stir fry to make supper for the girls. They loved it and Ingrid wants to try it herself sometime. After supper Ingrid took me for a walk around the neighbourhood where we visited the future site of the new Historic Museum. It will be built around the ruins of a 900 years old church and castle. Currently, anyone can wander about the ruins.
The next day I walked to the Munch Museum where I spent about 1 1/2 hours looking at the paintings of Munch (best known for his work "The Scream"). I loved this museum. Munch was truly a genius. After lunch I was on the T (underground or subway) heading for the Historical Museum. I was able to enter all the museums free of charge because Lill-Ann loaned me her membership card. I was so impressed with the Historiskmuseet that I was in it until they tossed me out at 4:00 closing. Last out the door again.
From there I took the T and a long walk to Frognerparken inside of which is the Vigeland Park. First I ate a quick supper at the front gate cake. Then quickly booted it over to the Vigeland Museum to look through it before I was once again ousted at 6:00 closing... last out the door again. The museum is housed in the building that was his studio, workshop and home. It was build specifically for him by the city of Oslo after they commissioned him to design a park (Frognerparken) and a garden to be filled with his sculptures. Vigeland Park is the result. The park contains 192 sculptures with more than 600 figures, all modeled in full size by Gustav Vigeland and cut from granite and marble by his team of stone cutters. Others are bronze... such as the "trees" around the fountain and the figures lining the bridge. For much more info visit http://members.cox.net/c.kau/Vigeland/ which has an extensive list of Vigeland links at the bottom of the page.
Then I took the long bus ride back to get an unguided tour of the city. As I walked in expecting a festive Friday evening mood I was greeted by 2 very somber faces one of which was severely bruised. Lill-Ann had been hit head on by a bicycle speeding downhill on a walking path in the perk. She had many bumps, bruises and scrapes everywhere but was given the OK by the emergency doctor at the hospital. Of course Ingrid was quite upset too having received the call from the hospital just as she walked in the door from work.
Lill-Ann was obviously in shock though and the next day, Saturday, May 17th, the annual National 'flag waving' day, she was in no mood for celebrating. She was very stiff indeed. And headachy and sore all over and generally in pain.
I went into town for a couple of hours to get into the middle of this annual body contact sport not unlike making your way onto Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Canada Day. There were parades of school children, marching bands and clowns. Many Norwegians, especially women and girls, were in traditional costumes. Got lots of photos.
Well that's it for me for tonight. I must get to bed. I have a museum to visit in the morning, then I'm meeting a young lady for lunch... we met as roommates on the ferry going to Helsinki last week and agreed to have lunch when I got to Stockholm. She is a Norwegian student living in Stockholm for her studies. Then I have to go visit the palace in the old town.
So much to see and do, so little time and energy. Good night all.
Hello everyone
Just a last update on the rest of the Caribbean trip.
I had a great time while staying in the apartment in Rockley, Barbados. I attended the Congaline music festival Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Had a local date for Sunday night.
On Saturday I went for a pedicure at a small spa in the fancy hotel next door to my apartment buildin. Did some shopping during the day Friday and Saturday.
Sunday morning I hired a taxi to take me for an island tour north and west to the stunning beauty of the West Coast of Barbados where the world famous Bathsheba cliffs are. They are more marvelous than advertised. Yet another place where the sweeping vistas are breathtakingly gorgeous and you could swear you are looking at Africa from atop lava mountains.
Sunday afternoon was set aside for beach time but I covered myself with 45SPF sunblock and sat in the shade of a palm tree to avoid the sun. Read, slept and journaled on a chaisse lounge that I brought down from the apartment.
Monday was the day of departure to go to San Juan, Puerto Rico. I stayed at the Caribe Hilton which is a gorgeous hotel. Unfortunately, though, my stay was not a pleasant one. I had numerous problems with service there including them not posting my deposit to my account. This meant that I had to give them more money when I checked out. Grumble. There was a major hassle in one of the restaurants on my first night too. My last night, they made up for it with lots of extra service, a free drink and free dessert.
While there I enjoyed a manicure at Olas SPA and excellent meals and service at Olas Health Food Cafe.
I signed up for a tour to the Rio Camuy Caverns and Arecibo Observatory. This was a great day trip. We started with the 2 hour drive to the Rio Camuy Caverns National Park (see photos soon to be posted) then had lunch at Restaurante de Observatoire. The Arecibo Observatory was a thrilling visit for me. The Awesome feeling of standing on the visitors' platform above the gigantic dish is impossible to describe. For me it was nothing less than a life changing experience. This is the place where scientists listen to, watch and study the far reaches of the universe. A place that I would love to work just to be that close to the possibilities.
San Juan was also a wonderful city... but, of course, I speak of the historic Old San Juan. The rest of San Juan is a huge, noisey, grbage strewn city with too much traffic. The entire coastline on either side of San Juan and stretching for miles in both directions is lined with large hotels and resorts teaming with pasty white tourists from the worlds cold spots. Yuck.
In Old San Juan I walked for hours. Visiting the 2 'forts' that are at opposite ends of the city. Castillo de filipe del Morro and Castillo de San Cristobal. Both very impressive and set up for touring. The walks to and from the forts were along the city walls overlooking the ocean to the north and gave a good view of the city and scenery.
I arrived home to Ottawa on Friday May 2 following the worst yet of the American Airlines many flight fiascos. Yes, I was supposed to be home on Thursday May 1 in the afternoon but had to spend a night in Montreal (a place I was not scheduled to be) without my luggage which went to Ottawa ahead of me. Thank goodness it was there at Ottawa Airport when I arrived Friday morning.
I have had a nice visit home and was able to visit many friends and family but not everyone I would have liked to visit. I'll catch up with the rest after my return on June 19. Now I must run because I have a bus to catch to Dorval on the route to Zurich, Switzerland, the first stop in my 6 week tour of Scandinavian Europe, Bruxelles, England and Ireland. Got rail passes will travel.
I will continue to update this blog whenever possible.
YEAH! and I can update for free.
Lots has happened since my last entry. For instance... American Airlines/American Eagle has proven to me that they are incapable of running an airline or honouring a schedule. But more about that later.
On April 28th I left the Dominican Republic (with difficulty thanks to American Airlines) and, with a change over in San Juan, Puerto Rico, arrived in Barbados at the end of the day. Upon arrival at the airport I was able to find accommodation through the touristic information desk. The lady suggested the South Coast's Worthing area. I stayed in Shells' Guesthouse for my first three nights. This is a small hotel/inn owned by a couple of Barbadian (Bajan) guys. Very basic but clean and friendly and inexpensive. They introduced me to the Bajan Rum Punch 4 times at the bar that night. I slept like a rock.
The next day I decided to walk to St. Lawrence and Dover. This is an area known for its beach front resorts and the main road, St. Lawrence Road, is known as the CongaLine Boulevard. There are lots of bars, restaurants and outdoor cafes. I found 2 good internet access places: the Bean & Bagel Cafe and ICS. They both provided me with hours of service cheaply. I used it to upload more photos to my blog over a 2 day period.
Then I headed up to the northern end of the West Coast to Holetown to see a Chioropractor about the pain in my lower back. His name is Clarence Green. The Chiropractor said it was not a spinal problem but a muscle injury and that an adjustment would not provide much release. He did lots of massage, applied low level DC current to stimulate the muscle and moist heat to help relax it. All was followed by an adjustment. It did help a bit but my back had been hurting for a week.
Next I headed up the coast to Speightstown. Here I rented a one bedroom apartment for just US$30/night. I got the owners name from Shell and made a reservation before leaving Worthing. I met the owner at his business, the Fishermen's Pub, one of the town's most popular watering holes because there is nightly live entertainment. He walked me to the house and I got settled in. Again, basic but nice accommodation, very clean and quiet. I stayed there for 2 nights. While in Speightstown I enjoyed a dive with Reefers and Wreckers Divers. We dove on the reef just off the beach at King's Beach then after a brief return to the beach for letting off some divers and picking up others and switching up tanks, we were off to a wreck for a fun dive.
This was my first wreck dive and I loved it. Must do more soon. There are different corals, planktons, fish and creatures than what I've seen up to now. The staff on the dives were great. Very professional and lots of fun.
CongaLine, a 4-day long-weekend music festival started on Friday and I wanted to head back down to the south coast to enjoy it. So I had another Chiropractic treatment on the way and got my chiropractor, my new landlord, to drive me there. You see I ended up renting a 2-bedroom apartment on the beach from him. It was at Rockley, just a few minutes west of Dover, where CongaLine was taking place. The rent here... US$35/night... about half the usual.
Well, that's it for tonight. Must get some sleep.