Malcolm and Percy at the Knitting Factory

They sure were happy to stretch their legs after arriving.

First stop was a trip to Beautiful Lake Mendocino in California. We had a family reunion to attend and Malcolm and Percy went along for the ride. On the way home they visited the "Donner Trail Memorial". The Donner Party were a group of pioneers in search of gold in California in 1846 but got stopped by the heavy snows of the Sierra Nevadas and resorted to cannibalism to survive the worst winter in over 100 years.

Next stop was a refreshing splash in the Truckee River with a little friend that wouldn't let him go.

As they traveled into the city they discovered the Knitting Factory. You would think that this had something to do with Knitting, but NOPE! But you can see Willie Nelson and Smashing Pumpkins if you come to the Knitting Factory in Reno. It was a beautiful summer day and they had a blast! Now they are off to St. Louis! Bye fellas, have a good trip!

A visit to snowy Norway

Malcom and Percy came to Norway, more precisely my home in Vestnes, in February.

This was the coldest February in more than sixty years here on the North-West Coast of Norway.

Unfortunately both me and my husband had a heavy work load when the boys arrived, so the first week of their visit they stayed at home, and didn't get to see so much of the winter wonderland.

They inspected my great-grand mother's spinning wheel, and relaxed for a few days.

Vestnes is situated between the towns Ålesund, Åndalsnes and Molde. The "village" is rather rural, but the main industy here is ship yards.

After a few days at home here,

we took a trip to Ålesund.

The town is one of the most visited towns in Norway, and it is famous for it's architecture in Jugend, or Art Noveau, style . Almost the entire town was destroyed in a fire in January 1904, and the town was rebuilt in this style.

Malcom outside the Jugend centre.

Ålesund is situated on a few small islands on the North-West Coast of Norway, and the main source of income has through history been the sea and fishing. The men went to - the "South-West"sea very young, and the women stayed at home, and did the processing of the fish. This lady is sorting the herring before salting it. I'm not sure what she makes of Malcom.

Ålesund is also known for producing baccalao, or dried cod. Here is Malcom with an example of the "species". The boy's hat - "the South-West" - is practically part of the "national costume" of this region. (The national costume of course being water proofs).

A few days later we went to Kristiansund. On our way there we had to go by Molde.

Molde is known for it panorama view towards the pinnacles of Romsdal, which is an Eldorado for mountainers, climbers, base jumpers and paragliders.
On the picture above you can see Malcom and my children, Ida and Ola, coming in to Molde by the ferry from Vestnes. In the background you can see the hotel Seilet (the Sail) and the football arena.

Molde is also known as "The Town of the Roses" in Norway, and on the town square you can see "The Rose girl". In the summer her tray is filled with roses. Malcom wanted to see what "life as a dance on roses" would feel like.

In July Molde hosts the Annual International Jazzfestival. This Jazz musician stays in town all year though.

As we were in Molde we took the opportunity to visit the LYS, Aandahl. The ladies there didn't want their picture taken, but they were very charmed by Malcom. And so was Mousie, the store's own knitted pet.

From Molde it is an hour's drive to Kristiansund.

Going from Molde to Kristiansund one can take the spectacular Atlanterhavsveien.

As Ålesund, Kristiansund is situated on three

small islands, and the town has the oldest

continuously going means of transport in the world, Sundbåten. This is a small passengerboat

shutteling between the islands.

This was one of the coldest days in Kristiansund

this winter, and we weren't able to stay outdoors

for more than a few minutes at the time.

Kristiansund too is know for producing klippfisk, or baccalao.

Here are Malcom and my daughter with one of the ladies who worked at the "fish rock-face". Turning the fish over, to make sure it dried properly, they also had to stack the fish every evening and when it started to rain, and spread it out on the rock-face again the next morning.

In order to get warm again we went to a small fish restaurant and had a wonderful meal of

different baccalao courses.

Back home in Vestnes we spent a few day with winter activities. Malcom went ice skating with my children, and he also took part as my son, Ola, and my father in law were preparing for next winter, working on the fire wood supply.

We had a good time having both Malcom and Percy here, and would have loved to show them even more of the local sights. But unfortunately we weren't able to travel more at this time.

Now Malcom is on his way to Australia, and I think, a completely different climate!

Last few days in Tassie

With Alison and Sarah, my nieces on top of Mount Wellington. There was a great view of Hobart from there.

The full view of Hobart from Mount Wellington.

A not so good picture of myself with Sean on top of Mount Wellington. I was taken by surprise.

With Aidan at Salamanca Market. We stopped shopping for another diet coke break.

A lovely range of flowers for sale at the Market. You could buy anything from a pin to a flower at this market. Really enjoyed the day. So did Sean and Patrick.

A day on the town in Hobart

Shopping in Elizabeth Mall, Hobart. This is a statue of Thompson. He and Sean made good friends as the waited outside the shops while I went in for a browse.

One of Hobarts founding members. The seagull is perched rather irrelevantly on his head. LOL.

The plaque which explains exactly who he was.

We took a ferry up the Derwent River and Sean had a great time looking out the window. This was Hobart Harbour.

A well deserved coke break and some lunch, after a long but lovely day.

More from Tasmania

It was a real eye opener traveling with a stuffed toy. Most people just laughed when they saw me, and some really bought into the idea. A few just thought I was nuts like the girl in this photo taken when I went on a ferry up the Derwent River.

Sean shows us how he tranvelled in my back pack. He had the best view from there.

A pictures of the jet boat that we took to Bruney Island where we saw, dolphines, seals and lots of bird wildlife. We also had some wine and cheese testing. It was a lovely day.

Sean admires the jet boat. I kept him in the backpack justy in case he got wet.

I lovely tall ship that visited Hobart harbour.

Ramdon pictures of the visit to Tasmania

Sean helps me find my way around Hobart over a lovely cup of coffee. He's a really good map reader.

Sean with my nice Ella, on the right, and her friend also taken over a lovely cup of coffee.

Sean and Patrick with Aiden my nephew and TJ the dog, and friends, They loved Sean and Patrick and gave them a great welcome.

Sean and Patrick with presents in my sisters home.

Sean and Patrick with Aidan taken in my sisters home.

Derwent River

Hi this is Sean in this picture we have just boarded a ferry to go up the Derwent river and Sean is giving me the low down.

Sean and Patrick in Tassie

Sean and Patrick had a great time with myself and my sister in Tassie. I still have to organise all the photoes I took but keep watching this space should be news in the next few days.

Malcolm and Percy are now on the way to Finland. Looking forward to seeing their pictures soon.

Geraldine