Geirangerfjord

August 28, 2024 ~ Jesse Yow ~ 4 Comments

After leaving Bergen we cruised overnight to the little town of Geiranger, namesake of Geirangerfjord. Another UNESCO World Heritage Site, Geirangerfjord is a wonderful and spectacular place to visit.

We arrived in Geiranger before breakfast, cruising quietly up to the end of the calm fjord waters before docking near the town. The small community sees most of its visitors during the summer, but has a school, supermarket, museum, and at least one hotel that is open year round. You can reach Geiranger by road except during winter; otherwise, you can reach it by boat or by ferry. The large lot of campers and RVs along the waterfront on the right side of the photo gives evidence of its popularity as a vacation destination. You can spot the small church shown in the next photo in the right center of this one.

Octagonal community church on a terrace above town. Every community we visited had a church, usually of wood frame construction. When we asked about their use, the guides told us that they hosted concerts or public meetings. Nobody mentioned using a church to worship God, teach, or evangelize, although perhaps that still happens in some of the communities..

We took a tour from the port up past the church and on up the mountainside to this overlook. The road to the top included a dozen or more sharp switchbacks and the bus was hot and stuffy, so anyone (like us) who could not see out was at risk of motion sickness. The view from this midway stop was worth the trip, though. Our cruise ship is the closer of the two ships, and you can see how the waters of the fjord fill the deep, glacially-carved U-shaped valley. One of the mountains on the north (right) side of the fjord is gradually sliding towards the water, which would be catastrophic if it were to happen suddenly. The mountain is heavily instrumented to provide advance warning of a failure, and the possibility of such a massive rockslide was the subject of a Norwegian disaster movie a few years ago entitled “The Wave.” Will the massive rockslide happen soon? Nobody knows, but if you are interested in visiting Geiranger, maybe you should go while it is still there.

As we drove further up into the mountains above Geirangerfjord we came across these seemingly abandoned summer vacation cabins. Not sure if these are unused rental properties, or if they are privately held and only see occasional use.

We crested out at the almost-top of the road to see this rugged terrain and part of a glacier. The route continued even higher to yet another overlook, called Eagle’s Rest, but this was as far as our tour went, so we returned to the ship.

Another view of Geirangerfjord from our cabin balcony on board ship. The two red buoys are actually mooring points for the ship to tie up. The switchbacks on the green slope in the right center of the photo are typical of the dozen or more switchbacks we traveled in our land tour. The large boat coming up through the fjord is one of two ferries that reach Geiranger every half hour or so.

Cruising back down the fjord later in the day as the weather improves. The waterfalls on the left are the “Seven Sisters,” named for the seven ribbon falls that flow in wet weather. August is dry, so we saw two or maybe three sisters. The waterfall on the right is “The Suitor,” named for the mythical figure who courted the sisters.

Moving out of the narrow parts of Geirangerfjord toward the larger parts of Norway’s Inside Passage. The passage is actually a network of interconnected fjords, straights, and channels. In this photo we are still in the fjord, but the landscape begins to hint at more beauty to come.

Next travel blog: Norway’s Inside Passage

Bergen

August 27, 2024August 28, 2024 ~ Jesse Yow ~ 3 Comments

The weather in Bergen was cloudy with scattered showers on the day we visited, so we did not have opportunities for glorious views of scenery. There were a lot of tourists sharing the city with us, too. Nevertheless, there was plenty to see as we strolled through the old Bryggen area of the waterfront. Bryggen, by the way, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where even the manhole covers are worth a closer look.

Manhole cover along the waterfront near Bryggen. Not just a utilitarian disk of iron, this work of foundry art includes a number of Bergen sites and motifs. At first glance, we see a sailing ship from the maritime trade, the row of Hanseatic buildings that was/is Bryggen, the funicular going up a hill overlooking the city, and the tramway that ascends even higher to a nearby mountaintop. And clouds, always clouds. If you ever happen to visit Bergen on a clear day, take lots of photos because it will be spectacular!

Bryggen, the waterfront of the old harbor. The Hanseatic League fostered the trade that built these wooden buildings to serve as shops, warehouses, offices, and so on. Built on soil rather than rock, they settled over time and many of them are no longer either square or straight. Fortunately, like old friends, the buildings can lean on each other for support. A local association maintains strict standards to preserve the appearance of the entire World Heritage Site. The third house from the right is under restoration, and it is covered in a fabric shroud painted to look how the restored building will eventually look.

Taverns in the old western US were social and information centers for the cowboys, townsfolk, and those passing through. Barber shops and hair salons serve a similar intel function in many US towns today, and I would imagine that this Bryggen barbershop does the same in this corner of Bergen.

One of the narrow streets separating the Bryggen area into blocks. Notice that the street is narrow enough to be bridged by stairs or ramps, and that the red and earth tone paint schemes continue into the areas well behind the front row of buildings. Bonus points if you see where the buildings are not straight.

A shopping area that attracts tourists might include a Christmas shop, and Bryggen is no exception. Here we see a couple of our travel friends trying to resist the urge to go inside, and I have to report that they lost the battle. The pavement, made up of rectangular stones arranged in a series of arcs, was typical of most of Bryggen. It was easy walking as long as stones were even, but occasional irregular heights created some mean tripping hazards.

Sometimes the shopping and tourist features roped us in. Here we are in front of a polar bear in a local clothing and gift shop. Unfortunately, or not, this is probably the closest we came to a polar bear throughout our trip. In addition to wool caps and sweaters, post cards, and tacky souvenirs, this shop and most of the others included displays of trolls in many shapes and sizes. Cute and ugly at the same time.

We passed the old fortress of Bergen on the way back to our ship and noticed these wildflowers providing a little color in a rock wall along the street. The light gray or whitish colors on the edges of some of the stones is efflorescence, where water seeping through the wall dissolves minerals (probably calcium carbonate) from the mortar and then deposits it where the water evaporates as it meets the air.

Next travel post: Geirangerfjord

Train from Oslo to Bergen

August 25, 2024August 26, 2024 ~ Jesse Yow ~ 1 Comment

On our second day we were up bright and early to take the train from Oslo to Bergen. Said to be one of the most beautiful rail journeys in the world, this route leaves Oslo, traverses Norwegian farm country, climbs across glacially smoothed mountains, and then descends back down to sea level to arrive in Bergen. The trip takes about seven hours, and trains leave Oslo at approximately 6:30am, 8:30am, and 12:30pm. We traveled with three other LCMS couples (two from our home congregation and our daughter and son-in-law from a different congregation), and while one couple took the train at the rather civilized hour of 8:30am, the rest of us were on the 6:30 train. The same beautiful trip, but the early hour was a bit of a challenge and had us looking for coffee.

My immediate and enduring challenge was how to shoot photos through the glare and haze of train windows and while we were moving at speed across the countryside. The partial solution was a polarizing filter that eliminated most of the glare and reflections, but could not compensate for movement. For illustration, here is a shot of countryside after we left Oslo. The unfiltered shot was not worth keeping. Anyway, looking at the view, these forests are mostly conifers on the hills with some birch (looked kind of like aspen) along the rivers. Lots of pastures, sometimes with rows of hay bales. A few of the older barns and sheds had sod roofs, but many of the newer structures were roofed with slate.

Tumbling stream along our route. We did not see many fishermen, but did see hikers or campers from time to time. The bedrock here is granite, or perhaps granitic gneiss (a gneiss granite, but we don’t do puns (very often)), which is tough and resistant to erosion. Not much soil, and we are almost above timberline, but there were still enough areas of grass to graze a few sheep.

Higher into the mountains we started seeing snow fences along the route. We have seen these in Colorado and Wyoming. They are positioned upwind from the track, and the science (or engineering, if you prefer) of the design aims to create eddies and temporarily slow the wind. Slower wind carries less snow, so the slower wind drops snow into drifts at the fence rather than downwind on the track. Notice that we see snow fields in the mountains, even in August. And if you think you see a glacier peeking over the far ridge, you are correct!

A fairly large glacier is spilling down to the left and right from behind the mountain in the top center of the photo. Notice the sheep grazing in the distant flat area in this very broad view.

A similar view of the glacier(s) with a cluster of summer cabins in the foreground. Even closer is the gravel trail used by bikers and campers to travel through the area. The mountains in the distance do not have the jagged shapes found in, say, the Colorado Rockies. Instead, they have a more rounded appearance because they were completely covered, shaped, and ground down by glaciers during the last Ice Age.

Ribbon waterfalls descending from snow fields higher up in the mountains. The river water looks clear rather than milky, showing that it is not carrying rock flour from the glaciers. And even though there is not much soil, we still see areas of grass between the rocks. Earlier in the summer we might have seen lots of wildflowers.

Another view, after we passed the summit of the Oslo-Bergen route. The curved track in the valley below is the scenic route from Flam. Trains from Flam meet the Oslo-Bergen trains at a small mountain railway station a few miles past this point.

So was this one of the most scenic train rides in the world? We have ridden the Durango to Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad through the San Juan Mountains in Colorado, which also touts itself as on of the most scenic train rides anywhere. But they are different, and it is like comparing apples and oranges. A few years ago we rode the Flam railway, which is similar to this one, so maybe we need to consider that, too. All of them are wonderful, though, and we would jump at the chance to ride any or all of them again.

Next travel post: Bergen.

A Day in Oslo

August 24, 2024August 26, 2024 ~ Jesse Yow ~ 5 Comments

We recently returned from a wonderful vacation in Norway and Iceland, and would like to share some of our photos with you. We will do this a day at a time, starting with the first day of our itinerary, which we spent in Oslo.

Sorry for the head fake — we promised to start with Oslo but here we are taking a selfie at home before leaving for SFO. Our flights connected through Frankfurt and we arrived in Oslo the next evening. After a good night’s sleep, we were ready to see a few sights.

California is usually dry all summer, but in some parts of the world (like Norway) liquid water actually falls out of the sky in August! Rain and clouds notwithstanding, our first stop was Vigeland Park. The park displays a wide range of statues displaying the artist’s perspectives on human nature. This little boy throwing a fit might be one of the more famous pieces.

We stopped next at the Norwegian Maritime Museum. Their work includes an effort to preserve old Viking techniques for building longships. A scaled model of a longship hull hangs from a frame in the background. In the foreground, behind the docent, are the keel and ribs of a hull under construction. They use oak for the construction because of the strength and flexibility of fresh, thin oak staves.

We finished the afternoon with a visit to the outdoor Norwegian Folk Museum, where the rain gave the various buildings a dark, damp look, This stave church was the highlight of our visit. After Christianity came to Scandinavia, the early churches were made completely of wood, as you can see above. There are still a few of these imposing structures scattered around Norway, and some may even still be in use for worship services. The stave church shown above sometimes hosts weddings, but otherwise serves only tourists.

This inside view of the stave church shows the log and plank construction. The builders used wooden pegs and carved joints, and the buildings contain no nails, bolts, or screws. Nevertheless, some of them have withstood the weather for centuries.

Artwork above the altar area inside the stave church. We wondered what kind of dyes or paints the artist originally used, but there were no guides or docents on hand to answer questions. From what we read elsewhere, I would guess that they used blood for red, and mineral or soil particles for some of the other colors.

Traditional turf roof used on rural homes, sheds, and other buildings. We were told that, if properly built and maintained, this kind of roof would last for maybe a couple hundred years before needing replacement. And it provided insulation as well as keeping the water out.

Next travel post: Train from Oslo to Bergen

Election Evolution

July 25, 2024July 25, 2024 ~ Jesse Yow ~ Leave a comment

I don’t think I have missed voting in any election ever since I was first old enough to vote. Voting is a privilege, and one that we need to exercise. Even if we dislike some or all of the candidates, it is still worth exercising our right to vote as our first line of defense in protecting this and all of our civil rights.

If you live long enough and keep your eyes open, though, you start to notice changes and trends. In this vein, it is interesting to see how the process of voting has evolved over the past several years. We first registered to vote in California when we moved here in 1980. Way back then, voter registration involved proving your identity and placing a verification signature on file. At election time, when we went down the street to our local voting place (usually the neighborhood school), we signed in to allow poll workers to check our signature and verify our ballot.

Years passed and we noticed that the poll workers no longer asked us to sign in. We inquired how they knew whether someone else voted in our place, and were told not to worry about it. My wife tried to show her identification, and the poll worker berated her, told her to “keep her identity to herself” (their words, not mine), and told her again to move along and not worry about it. I asked how I would know if someone had voted in my name, and received my own “don’t be ridiculous” lecture.

More years passed and we were traveling a lot, so we applied for permanent absentee ballot status. No worries; the county was perfectly happy to mail ballots to us. We filled them out at our convenience and either returned them by mail or, if it was election day, dropped them off at the local polling place. It all worked well, and the county assured us that signatures on the ballot envelopes were enough to verify that it was really us who had voted.

So far, so good. And then the Covid lockdowns came, and the county started mailing ballots to everyone. And we started hearing stories about people receiving multiple ballots, misplaced or misdirected boxes of ballots, and how attempts to rein in the wholesale distribution of ballots meant the risk of someone being disenfranchised. What about an illegal ballot canceling my vote; wouldn’t that be a form of disenfranchisement? Our elected officials told us, again, not to worry about it. Very comforting. Not.

This brings us up to California’s primary election earlier this year, when we noticed more changes in the voting process. First, we discovered that there are no longer any local polling places like the neighborhood school. In past years the ballot mailings would list our nearest local polling place. No more; there was no such information provided on the envelope that brought us our ballot. We were told to either return our marked ballot by mail or turn it in at a ballot drop box. No problem, except that either we had to already know the drop box location or we had to go on line to find it. We knew where the nearest drop box was, two or three miles away, but what about the people who didn’t know and did not have the wherewithal to find the location with an online search?

Next, the information told us that the county had set up “central” voting places (tents?) in several tens of locations all over the county, but did not say where they were. Again, you had to go online to search for the nearest location and then find a way to get the ballot there. Of course, you could simply mail your ballot in its postage-paid envelope. Given that the county is still, in July, sending me emails saying they just updated the election results, I guess there is still plenty of time to deal with stray ballots. Interesting changes, but no worries, or so they assure us.

Last but not least, the materials that came with our ballots announced that the county would send mobile voting centers (ballots in a van, anyone?) to select locations to help select citizens with their voting. They would bring ballots, help people fill them out, and then take them back to be counted. How convenient! If, of course, you are among the “select” few given this support. So why bring ballots when ballots were already mailed out to anyone eligible to vote? Who were the select citizens, how many ballots were voted this way, and how do we know if some neighborhoods were favored over others? I have no idea, and certainly saw no mobile voting centers in our area. It must not be a concern, though, or we would have heard something about it in the news media (sarcasm alert).

So our elections have certainly evolved, and much more so over the past few years. No worries; our government is on top of it. Or maybe behind it. Or both. Must be nice for them to choose their voters.

A Clear Call

July 18, 2024 ~ Jesse Yow ~ 3 Comments

Call me old if you want, but I remember the shock of John Kennedy’s assassination. I recall the surprise and sinking feeling that came with Robert Kennedy’s assassination. I was dismayed by Martin Luther King’s assassination, and amazed at comments about how “he deserved it.” I remember the attempt on Gerald Ford’s life, the attempt on Ronald Reagan’s life, and the shoe (in lieu of something worse) thrown at George Bush. Political spin and racist remarks aside, this track record casts a dark and disturbing shadow.

A few days ago many of us saw the attempted assassination of Donald Trump. Maybe not in person, but the news media showed us the footage over and over again. And then the questions, garbled answers, speculation, and conspiracy theories began. Some think it was a hoax, which is hardly a surprise given the series of hoaxes foisted onto the American people over the past several years. Some connect the assassination attempt to the January 6 riot but don’t mention the lawlessness that has been swirling around since the much more destructive nationwide riots of 2020. Some call for unity and a toned-down rhetoric while continuing their own incendiary words. And of course the finger pointing, dismissive comments, and divisiveness continue.

What do we make of this sad history and the even darker (if possible) recent events? There are many ways to look at it amidst all the equivocating and rationalization. At the most fundamental level, though, we are in trouble and we need help that no politician or political party can provide. In the midst of this mess, I see God’s clear call to repent. As individuals and as groups we need to repent. We need to return to the one true Lord, who loves us enough to die for us. We need to confess that we have been listening to other gods and straying from what is important and true. We need to live the words of James 4:7-10, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.” Let us remember the Lord, and turn to Him.

Views from the Air

July 3, 2024July 3, 2024 ~ Jesse Yow ~ Leave a comment

Earlier this year we were on a nonstop flight from Chicago to San Francisco, headed home after our grandson’s confirmation. Rather than taking a direct route west from O’Hare, our pilot flew southwest almost to the Texas panhandle before turning west. We were taking an end run around a line of intense thunderstorms, and the strategy gave us a smooth flight. The plane was relatively new, so the windows were clean and clear enough to be able to see some interesting views along the route. All of the photos below look out of the north side of the plane.

Canyons on the Colorado River and Green River in southeast Utah, well upstream from Grand Canyon.

Erosion patterns around some terrain that is high enough to pick up some moisture in winter (note the green forest).

Massive erosion pattern somewhere south of the San Rafael Swell.

Terrain similar to the previous photo, but note that the area to the left (west) has some vegetation, suggesting higher elevation and more rain.

Interesting outcrops of white sandstone or limestone.

Farmland (mostly on the left) and rugged terrain — I think this might be in the Bryce Canyon area but don’t know exactly where to look.

Nice snow-capped area north of Zion National Park and northeast from Cedar City, Utah. I spent six weeks in Cedar City for a geology field camp many years ago, and guess that this might be the Brian’s Head area (elevation of about 13000 feet if I recall correctly).

Not sure what these are. Solar panels plus some other things? If you look closely, you can see rows of massive wind turbines for scale.

Open pit mines (how many pits do you see?) in southern Nevada. Betting they mine gold, copper, or possibly iron.

Technical info: we were flying at 34,000 ft altitude and I shot these photos with an iPhone using the ProCamera app. Next time maybe I will try to bring a physiographic map along to help identify features.

During grad school many years ago I taught classes on remote sensing and air photo interpretation, and I usually enjoy taking in the views when flying across the US. Hope you enjoy these views, too!

The Birds and the Bees

April 16, 2024April 16, 2024 ~ Jesse Yow ~ 1 Comment

It is spring in Livermore and the neighborhoods are alive with flowers and fruit trees in bloom and with birds and bees attracted by the blossoms. Warm, sunny days make for good opportunities to photograph the birds and the bees, and here are some of my favorite photos:

Rufous Hummingbird and Anna’s Hummingbird at our feeder. Anna’s Hummingbirds are here year-round, but Rufous Hummingbirds show up for only a couple weeks per year as they migrate to and from the Pacific Northwest.

Hummingbirds contesting access to the feeder. The Anna’s in particular can be kind of turfy.

Anna’s Hummingbird near feeder. Bird shots are difficult because they move quickly and in unexpected directions, but at least hummingbirds hover for short lengths of time.

Anna’s Hummingbird perched on a twig in our orange tree.

Rufous Hummingbird perched in orange tree.

Rufous Hummingbird at feeder. Shutter speed was 1/1000 sec or faster, but not fast enough to keep the wings in focus.

Bush tit eating aphids from rose buds. These small, quick birds came in flocks to clean up the aphids, and they move around so abruptly in the rose bushes that I was lucky to get a clear shot.

Honeybee on an orange blossom. The whole tree is in bloom, and honeybees, wild bees, and even hummingbirds serve as pollinators.

Black and yellow wild bee (some kind of bumblebee?) on orange blossom.

Semi-technical details: I shot all of these photos from about 8-12 feet away with a handheld Canon R7 and Canon 100-500mm zoom lens. Post-processing consisted of cropping each photo by up to 80% of the original image size. The original image resolution allowed for a reasonably good picture even after severe cropping and enlargement.

Contest Theme: Church and Chapel

April 7, 2024 ~ Jesse Yow ~ 2 Comments

The “Christian Photographers on Facebook:” contest theme last week was “Church and Chapel.” Contest entries included photos of chapels, churches, and cathedrals. Some of them were interior views and some were exterior. The first three photos below were my contest entries; the other three are some of my favorites as well. Enjoy!

Chapel of Saint Timothy and Saint Titus at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. This chapel is larger than first appearances might suggest. I have enjoyed worshiping here several times during installation services for servants of The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod.

Sanctuary at Our Savior Lutheran Ministries in Livermore, decorated for Easter festival worship service. As you might guess from the handbells, the worship service included a lot of wonderful music.

Bell tower at the old San Diego Mission, built with adobe construction. Maybe not the best for earthquake country, but it has survived for a long, long time, and the bells still sound great!

Altar area inside the Sagradra Familia cathedral in Barcelona, Spain. The stained glass windows and vaulted ceilings are amazing! Note the man standing near the lower right center of the photo for scale.

Pipe organ and choir loft in the Evangelical Lutheran City and Parish Church of St. Mary’s in Wittenberg, Germany. Luther preached here!

Altarpiece created by Lucas Cranach the Elder and his son Lucas Cranach the Younger for the Evangelical Lutheran City and Parish Church of St. Mary’s in Wittenberg, Germany. A replica stands in the chapel in the International Center of The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod in St. Louis.

Contest Theme: Green

March 24, 2024 ~ Jesse Yow ~ Leave a comment

The “Christian Photographers on Facebook:” contest theme last week was “green.” The winning photo came from an amazing flower display near the edge of a green woods, and the interplay of colors was wonderful, even though most of the photo was various shades of greens. The first two photos below were my sort of whimsical contest entries, followed by two of my other favorite photos. Enjoy!