Trondheim - City of Timber

This is the first place on my trip which has that medieval air about it. I struck out on my own today in search of the Old Bridge over the River Nid. It was easy to find but to my surprise it was not the bridge which captured my attention but the old wooden wharves which stand serenely at the waters edge. The river was calm and when the sun came out the reflections in the water were quite magical. Where did the the buildings stop and the reflections start?

My little camera worked overtime all day long as I found vantage point after vantage point with each shot being better than the last. At one point I heard a lady asking if I were praying for a miracle. I had become oblivious to everything (and everyone) around me and at that particular point in time was crouching on the ground trying to compose a shot through a huge iron ring ! I looked up to find a couple of Chinese American tourists behind me. I laughed and said a miracle would always be welcome but I was actually just trying to get an unusual picture. We got into conversation and I found that they had just sailed in on the Holland American Line ship which was berthed in the harbour. They were from California. The lady thought it very brave of me to go off on a holiday such as this on my own and to wander round strange cities on my own but I assured her that I was probably very much safer in Norway than I would be back at home in the suburbs of London. I bade them farewell and headed off for the climb up to the Fortress.

I found my way through quaint narrow back streets and stumbled across something unique to Trondheim – a bicycle lift. The road was far too steep to have cycled up and as a large proportion of the population have bikes it seems to be a very sensible invention. Thankfully I did not have to work out how to use it because I only had my two legs to worry about. Somehow or another they got me to the top of the hill and with a large amount of huffing & puffing I reached the sturdy white fortress which dominates the hill. Kristiansen Fort was built in the 17^th. Century and saved the city from the conquest by Sweden in 1718. Under German occupation from 1940 to 1945 the fort was used as a place of execution for members of the Norwegian Resistance.

Back down in the City Centre I came across a bronze statue of a plump lady carrying shopping bags. Apparently many years ago a woman came to town to work as a housemaid. She was often seen in the market square and when anyone greeted her she would answer “G’dagen” (good day). I am not certain what else she would have been expected to say but this is the reason given for the artist, Tone Thiis Schetne, creating the statue. Perhaps if I return one day in the future I will find a statue of myself praying for a miracle!!!!

After a full day of walking I returned to the ship with very sore feet.