Well, not exactly...  But I AM, for certain, the furthest north I have ever been!!  And its surprisingly not very cold, nor have I seen any polar bears or icebergs floating along the coast...  (that's a JOKE!  I'm fully aware that there aren't any polar bears or icebergs here in Norway.) 

So where was I?  Where did I leave off?....  Oh yeah, Harstad, Norway.  Harstad is a small, sleepy little college town with not too much to see or do.  However, I really enjoyed my time there primarily due to the couchsurfer and her roommate who hosted me.  Hanne and Kristian are two of six people living in a house very near to the city center.  Even though they were busy with university studies, we still spent quite a bit of time together talking, sharing photos, watching movies, etc...  Also, while I was there with them, another couchsurfer arrived.  Nir from Israel.  A good guy traveling around in Sweden and Norway, whose past travels had been India and Nepal.  All in all, I really enjoyed the "international" conversations with everyone, learning about each others' countries...

**So on my second night in Harstad, we went walking in the evening with hopes of seeing the northern lights.  Unfortunately it was too cloudy...     BUT!!!  The next evening we went out again, and THEN I saw them!!  According to Hanne, (who has seen the northern lights so many times its become commonplace for her), I was lucky to see it so strong!!  It formed a thick green line which spread across the open sky and then began to seemingly "rain down".  It was beautiful and VERY exciting!!  I actually had thought that it would be too early in the season, so it was a wonderful surprise!!**

After a few days in Harstad, I took a bus to another city called Narvik.  Because Narvik had been completely destroyed during the war, it honestly wasn't the most interesting city...  But again, I enjoyed my two days there mainly because of Jim, a 44 year old couchsurfer who has traveled to almost every country in the world and is VERY actively involved in hosting couchsurfers whenever HE'S not traveling!!  He had many stories and photos to share.  Also, one afternoon after work, Jim drove me out to a beautiful fijord about an hour outside of Narvik.  As usual, I took many photos! 

When I left Narvik, I had the choice of either taking a bus for about $65 or try and hitchike...  Well you know the "adventurous" me!!...    ..I got out early in the morning, and after 3 separate rides, made my way to Tromsø, the northernmost point of my travels in Norway.  I was very happy to know that I had hitchiked almost 300 kilometers for free!!  In a few days, I will be taking a cheap flight from Norwegian Airlines to fly down to Oslo.

I'll keep you posted!.... 

Well here it is at the 2 week mark since my last diary entry and it IS about time for my (what has turned out to be) bi-weekly update.  Hopefully, given more time, this "labour of love" wont digress into a monthly or bi-monthly thing....  hopefully!

OK, where did we last leave our hero?  Oh, thats right...  I was in Germany with Stephan and Gunnhild preparing to leave for Norway.  But to re-cap a little, my time there in Ludwigsburg was a lot of fun!  I find that at times I will be so intense on sightseeing and doing things, and then at other times, its enjoyable just to sit back and relax.  In Ludwigsburg (a small town near Stuttgart) I did a little of both! 

I first met Stephan and Gunnhild in Mongolia almost 3 years ago!  While in Mongolia we did some hiking together and rode horses.  It was a great experience and very memorable!!  So memorable in fact that over the years, we have kept in touch via email with the hopes of meeting up again...  and that time finally came.... and went.....  (much too quickly)!!

I really enjoyed the time spent staying with them there in Ludwigsburg for about 2 weeks.  As its normal life for THEM, (I am the one on vacation), they would work during the day and then we would usually do something together in the evenings.  Stephan and Gunnhild are both great cooks, so they kept me fed at dinnertime.  And then usually after dinner, Gunnhild would act as my travel agent, recommending places to visit for my trip through Norway and finding helpful information on the internet.  Gunnhild is an engineer, but I told her numerous times that she could also easily work in the travel industry!  On the weekends, we were able to take trips to nearby Stuttgart, as well as Nuremburg.  In Nuremburg, the 3 of us stayed at Stephans house.  I met his mother and his 82 year old lively grandmother.  On Saturday, Stephan gave me a tour of Stuttgart and then on Sunday, he and I went to a museum about Hitler, WWII, etc.  We also went to Zeppelin Field, which Hitler used for his party rallies.  It was very interesting and sombering.  One last thing about Nuremburg - On Saturday afternoon Stephan and Gunnhild took me to a bratwurst restaurant owned by Werner Behringer!!  I dont know the man, but it was very interesting to see my last name (spelled correctly) on a plaque outside the place!  He wasnt there that day, so I didnt get to meet him...

Before I knew it, Thursday was already upon me!  I did a rideshare with 3 other travelers down to Munich, Germany, where I stayed only 1 night.  (My flight to Oslo, Norway left from Munich on Friday.)  However, someday I would like to go back to Munich, as I only saw the main town square....  Then Friday morning I met Stephan and Gunnhild at the airport for our flight to Norway.  The flight was fine - (I slept almost the entire trip!) - and when we arrived, there was only an hour wait before boarding the train to Roros, where Gunnhilds family lives.  After the long journey, we finally got to the house around 10:00pm where pizza awaited us! 

The next day, was Saturday - the day of the party!  Because it was Gunnhilds mothers 50th birthday, this was going to be a special celebration.  About 100 guests, many cases of wine and cognac, 3 roasted sheep, and more cakes than a normal bakery has, all found their way into a 25 foot white teepee that was set up for the party!!  It was GREAT and I had so much fun!!  (Here in Norway almost everyone can speak English pretty good, so I could meet and talk with many Norwegian people!)  Stephan and I were deemed as the official papparazi and we both went around taking photos and video.  The party went well into the night and a good time was had by all!

On Sunday some people came over to help clean, as well as take down this massive teepee/tent.  (That was a very interesting process, believe me!)  And then early Tuesday morning Stephan had to fly back to Germany, leaving me with Gunnhild and her parents.  Wednesday morning, Gunnhild and her mother were kind enough to invite me to ride with them up to Trondheim.  They saved me a train ride, and it was MUCH more enjoyable riding with them!! 

During my first 4 days of being in Norway, I experienced many things!!  For instance:  I chopped wood for the first time in my life!  I ate an awesome REINDEER caserole that Gunnhilds mother had cooked!!  I got a "tour" of the city bank and had lunch with one of the bank managers, (who happened to also be at the birthday party).  I went to one of Gunnhilds cousins 11th birthday party...  (Thats right - 2 birthday parties in 4 days!!  One for turning 50, and one for 11...).  I met my first identical twins.  I relaxed in several log cabins/cottages out in the woods.  I went walking on many beautiful nature trails - (Gunnhilds family lives out in the country).  ....It was such an incredible 4 days!!

Truly, Stephan and Gunnhild are very lucky to have such wonderful families!  And I was lucky enough for them to invite me to meet them!!  In Nuremburg, Stephans mother was a great hostess and a wonderful cook!  In Roros, Norway, Gunnhilds mother, father, and brother were incredibly welcoming and wanted to ensure I enjoyed my time with them!  They are all such wonderful people, and I hope to one day somehow return their show of kindness...  When I finally parted ways with Gunnhild and her mother on Wednesday afternoon in Trondheim, I was utterly left speechless!  To just say "Thank you very much" fell way too short of how I felt...  I (frustratingly enough) couldnt find the words to express the depth of my gratitude.  But I know they understood....

Now Im here in Trondheim and.....  well, thats a DIFFERENT entry for a later time....

Love to all,

David

I´m baaaaccck....  Once again I´ve gone a while without an update to this weblog and it´s taken all of your gentle nudges of encouragement for me to finally get back in shape.  Unfortunately this "hobby"(?) takes time, money, and self-discipline on my part to stay with it.... and SOME of those things I don´t have a lot of - at the moment.  (Hey, I´m on vacation!)  ....Alright - a 2-week-worth update....  Here goes....

So after a couple of relaxing days in Madrid, Spain, spent hanging out with David and Nat, August 4th came.  On this date, Atsuko flew in to Madrid.  Her summer holidays there in Japan allowed her time to visit Europe for about 2 weeks.  We stayed with David and Nat one more evening, (they had some friends coming to visit on the 5th), and then the following evening took a night bus to Barcelona, arriving at about 6:00am.  We spent the entire day roaming the city, beginning of course with Sagrada Familia!  Atsuko was amazed...  That evening we took the night bus BACK to Madrid.  The next few days were spent sightseeing in Madrid, hanging out with Nat and her friends, going to a flamenco show, and going to a bull fight!  Before leaving Spain, we made one more day trip to a nearby town (and World Heritage Site), called Segovia, with it´s most noteable claim to fame being a huge 93 foot tall aquaduct, first built around the 2nd century A.D.!!  It was incredible!! 

On the early morning of August 10th, we sleepily flew to Paris, France via a cheap flight with Ryanair.  Our stay in Paris began with a visit to the Arch de Triumphe, stopping first at a small bakery for an obligatory croissant breakfast.  (When in France, ya gotta eat their croissants!)  The next several days were spent visiting the must-see (touristy) parts of Paris....  the Louvre, Notre Dame, the Basilica of Sacre Coeur, the Eiffel Tower, the Arch de Triumphe (again), etc....

The main point I remember about THIS trip to Paris is not so much about the city´s landmarks, but rather the mix-up we had with some hotel arrangements that I had booked online...  Upon arrival, we went to our place of booking only to find that they were completely FULL and could not accept our reservations!  It was madness!  Come to find out, the website through which I used to book the room was not authorized to list the room on its page and was not real-time.  (So effectively when I made the reservations, the place was already full.)  You can imagine how shocked I was....  Here it is mid-summer in Paris, France - the height of tourist season - without accomodation!!  And I just KNEW that all the INEXPENSIVE places were already taken...  Well, the lady at the hostel was of course very apologetic and in turn, helped us find a new place for very CHEAP in a great location - very close to the Moulin Rouge and Sacre Couer area!  YAY!!  ....And our newly-found room was actually very nice and cheaper than my previous arrangements!

After about 4 days of sightseeing in Paris, we boarded a train to the far western part of France called Brittany.  Our destination was Brest, where a nice, middle-aged woman named Regine had invited me to visit.  I had met Regine in Morocco a month before as she was traveling with a retired friend of hers in Morocco, and though I couldn´t speak ANY French, (we spoke English), she still suggested I come see her when I went to France.  Regine was the PERFECT host!!  Atsuko and I REALLY enjoyed our two day visit there.  On the 2nd day, we all got in Regine´s car and drove down to Quimper and Locronan, two very traditional, old-style towns.  We had such a GREAT time with her!

After an early morning goodbye to Regine, Atsuko and I took a train and bus to finally arrive at the ever-famous Mont St.Michel, one of France´s most visited sights.  It was very beautiful and interesting.  In the late afternoon we took a bus to Rennes and stayed there for the night.  The next morning saw us once again on a train, making our way back to Paris.  When we arrived, we hurriedly decided to make a day trip to the palace in Versailles!  So we got right back on a train.... (Fortunately for us Versailles is only about 20 minutes away from Paris!)  The palace was very beautiful, if not over-whelming, on the INSIDE, but the OUTSIDE really isn´t that spectacular...  If you´ll remember your history, this is the same palace where Marie Antoinette lived (and played).  Walking through the huge palace and its verdant gardens, I tried to imagine all the history that had taken place there....  It was a very cool experience!

The next day, as Atsuko´s return to Japan was approaching, we headed to the far eastern part of France to a nice, attractive city called Strasbourg.  Strasbourg has exchanged hands between France and Germany several times, so the influences of different cultures can easily be seen throughout the city.  The cathedral there is absolutely stunning and very reminiscent of Notre Dame with its gothic-looking spires.  Construction on it began in the 12th century and was finally completed in 1439, but due to various wars, fires, etc... much of what can be seen today is restored.  The north tower, however, through which we could ascend to the top of the cathedral, remains authentic!  The view from the top was great!! 

On this first day in Strasbourg, as we were people-watching near the city center, I met a couple from Germany named Christoph and Stephanie.  They were on a weekend vacation in France, and after telling them that we would soon be headed to Germany since Atsuko´s flight left from Frankfurt, they graciously invited to give us a ride to Heidelberg on Monday morning!!  Lucky!!

On our second (and last) day in Strasbourg, we decided to go visit a town surrounded by vineyards called Colmar.  Colmar is similar to Strasbourg but on a smaller scale.  It was a nice town, but Atsuko and I had come to see the even SMALLER towns and their nearby vineyards.  We took a train to this very small town and then hiked up a small mountain for some fabulous views of the surrounding vineyards.  After a lot of picture-taking (on my part), we made our way down to the main road and started walking to the next town.  The weather was nice and it was a fun little hike, but Atsuko wanted to try hitchiking!  So, we both stuck our thumbs out while walking along this small road through these small towns and eventually got a ride!!  Two older gentlemen picked us up and drove us back to Colmar, where Atsuko and I walked around a little more before going back to Strasbourg...

The next day, as previously stated, Christoph and Stephanie gave us a ride to Heidelberg, Germany.  They were a nice couple who, (probably because they themselves were only 22), thought I was around 25 years old!!    In the afternoon, Atsuko then took the train to the Frankfurt airport, leaving me here in Heidelberg to explore the city on my own.... 

I REALLY like Heidelberg!!  It´s just the right size...  Not too big, not too small....  And the McDonalds and Burger King are tied to the train station, so it doesn´t interfere with the authenticity of the city!!  The cityscape is wonderful and the people are friendly.  For the past couple of days I´ve just been walking around the city taking photos and saving money...  The saving money part comes from me choosing NOT to waste 25 Euros on a hotel room...  Instead, (as crazy as it sounds), I have been sleeping outside in my sleeping bag.  The first couple of nights I found a nice large piece of cardboard that I doubled-up and used as a bed.  It was surprisingly quite comfortable!!  Then yesterday, as I was busy further exploring Heidelberg, the street sweepers came and took my "bed"!    So last night I went to a scenic look-out point and slept in my sleeping bag on a park bench!  (I had "scouted it out" earlier in the day to make sure it was safe.)  The only DOWN-SIDE is that I have yet to meet any homeless people to hang out with...  (just kidding, Mom!)...  ...And truthfully, I AM beginnning to acquire this rather "over-ripe" odor, so it may be time - quite soon - to break down and get a room somewhere....

Anway.... that´s all for now....  Next place to visit is Freiburg for a couple of days and then on to Stuttgart to meet my long-lost friends, Stephan and Gunnhild, who I met more than 2 years ago in Mongolia!!!

Peace!