Forthcoming Scandinavia capitals trip September 2018

Just finished booking a Sleeping Beauty ballet in Stockholm and the Opera Queen of Spades in Oslo. Not only will I walk on the roof of Oslo's Opera house, but I will attend a production there! So jazzed! Hopefully I will also find a theatre production or concert in Copenhagen and Helsinki.  If not,  there are always the exceptional (Michelin starred) dining experiences to look forward to.

Started by booking the airline and establishing the dates. Not a quick process as I had a definite amount of $$ as my limit for business class. It could be a rt flight from any of the capitals or any combination thereof. The consolidators I worked with had a hard time understanding that concept. It appears to be a field with high turnover. I actually found it myself on google flight for under $4k for business class.

Once the departure and return dates were established, I then began the decisions as to which city, when, and for how long. Once that established it was time to book the hotels. Always book ones with no cancellation fee. This was done months in advance. Then as time gets closer, I monitor the hotels for better rates. If found, I book the better rate and cancel the higher one. It is now less than a month away and I am finally satisfied with the hotels, having cancelled many.

Transportation between cities has been booked with Norwegian Air and Go Europe Rail plus a Viking ferry from Helsinki to Tallinin. Train is from Stockholm to Oslo and should have spectacular scenery along the way. All others are flights. Total transportation for all that is less than $350.

Alaska in March 2018

It was the spring solstice so we attempted to see the Northern Lights from Fairbanks Alaska.

 We did our homework about the Northern Lights and that seemed the most reasonable. Initially we thought Barrow until we found out how long it would take us to get there.

Our view of Fairbanks from our room


Very strange scheduling with the airlines. Arrive around midnight and leave about 1 am.

  We found an interesting place for meals and drinks which was just across the street from the hotel, called Soapy Smiths. The waiter was pure entertainment. The walls were covered with old time "stuff".

            

 

 Our yurt was about an hour out of Fairbanks. There we had dinner and then waited for the Northern Lights. In the meantime, we had booked a dog sled ride so we would have something to do other than sit around for hours.  We were able to enter the area where the puppies were and pet them. For some reason they really loved me.

The dog musher

 

Cook

Drive back to hotel in Fairbanks around 3 am

So it was a midnight ride for an hour in a dog sled, but no northern lights.Apparently, this was not a good year for the lights.

July in Montana

Bagage claim at Montana's Logan airport

Billings:
Sunday moning breakfast at diner connected to Northern Hotel. Pretty basic, very crowded and busy. I enjoyed my counter spot where I could watch the traffic. Not much people watching here.

 Canvas over the street in downtown Montana. Northern Hotel on left.

 View from 8th floor.It appears all rooms are same size from the fire notice blueprint. Hotel was first tall building in Billings. Current structure was rebuilt following a fire.

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Rock Creek Coffee Roasters

Note the enclosed walkways between parking structures and buildings

Street scene

Huckleberry Mule

Elk Nachos at TEN

Pompey's Pillar


I wanted to walk down to the river and enjoy the quiet there with the exception of the sound of the river but the Yellowstone had flooded and damage the area and had not been repaired for visitors
.   Grandma Strobbe's house in Pompey's Pillar. I remember it as being white and not blue. Also a fence around it.

Shuttered bar that was dance hall and bar in Pompey's Pillar.
Below is Fly Creek. The next two are the entrance to my mother's place and her front yard.

Fly Creek near Pompey's Pillar

The well built wooden stairs were not there the last time I visited. At each landing there is a corner spot where one can catch your breath. I am proud to say I did not make use of them.

The view from the top gives a good bird's eye view across the Yellowstone to the North Side. The old bridge has been deemed unsafe and a new one built to service the residents. The metal one has been left in place. As a child I found it a little scary to cross over.

Carved on the rock is Wm Clarks name, the only remaining physical evidence of the Lews and Clark Expedition, claims the Burea of Land Management. The entrance fee is $7 per car regardless of age or any thing else!

My view of the rock. Actually very much like what I saw when growing up.

Chokecherries. We had several trees. Large pits and not very sweet but a great syrup on pancakes.

Sunset from the 20th floor restaurant, Montana Sky. Best food I had the entire trip.

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