Today was another nice and warm summer day. Little boy and I decided to be tourists in our hometown. We biked down to the quay, and took the public boat out to the little island in the middle of the fjord.
The island is full of interesting history, from versatile use throughout the centuries. Before year 1000, the vikings used it as an executions site. The cut-off heads of the executed were put on high poles, to be visible to visitors coming in the fjord, just as a gentle reminder.
In the 12th century, Benedictine monks built a monastery on the island. They were famous for the beer they brewed and notorious for their wild and noisy parties. The bishop complained that the monks were selling too little and drinking too much of the beer themselves. In the 1530’s, the monastery was shot to bits and pieces by war ships, when the catholics had to escape the reformation.
From 1650 to 1900, there was a fortress and state prison on the island. Among the prisoners were several noble men. The most enduring was on the island for 55 years, on a sentence for “unsatisfactory behaviour”, when he complained about his rich and powerful mother-in-law being mean.
During the 2nd world war, the Germans built an anti-aircraft cannon battery on the island, to defend the big submarine bunker on the harbor.
Today the island is a public recreation area, with a museum and a nice little beach. Little boy and I visited both the museum and the beach. We did of course agree that swimming was required to get ice cream.
And now we're gonna watch the World Cup final >:)
The history is fabulous. We've got nothing like it here. Only the mountains are old.
ReplyDeleteNo WORLD CUP for me. I've got to write.
You have lots of really cool stuff in your place too, Anita; the Cave of the Winds and the Garden of the Gods. We loved to hike around there. And don't forget the Manitou Cliff Dwellings and the history of the Pueblo's >:)
ReplyDeleteBy the way, the Rocky Mountains are fairly new, only 70 million years old, which is not much for a mountain. In general, the highest mountains on earth are also the youngest; they haven't been planed flat by erosion yet. The Alps are about 40 million years, and the Himalaya only 30 million years, and still growing by about 5 millimeters per year >:)
ReplyDeleteJust watched a tv cooking show about Viking food. Seemed yummy. Do you look like a tall viking too?
ReplyDeleteReally Angelic
I think the vikings were rather small, compared to present day averages. I guess 1000 years ago I would have been above the average ... so, yes, I look like a tall viking, hehe >;)
ReplyDeleteWhat a FABULOUS history of that little island! In the US we don't have anything all that old... the fort at Michilamackinac (where the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan are closest and the entry to Lake Michigan, which reaches the farthes inland possible from the Atlantic) is the oldest place I've been (it dates from 1615) so something with history as old as the 1000s is fascinating to me--and I LOVE the wild monk stories! (it looks gorgeous too!)
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing history. It's fascinating how grounded the rest of the world is in centuries of history. We don't have that here in the U.S. What we do have is interesting, of course, but not like elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteHelen, I have a fabulous book about American history, bought it at Tattered Cover in Denver many years ago; "A People's History of the USA", by Howard Zinn. The book starts with Columbus and ends with Bill Clinton, probably my favorite among the presidents >:)
ReplyDeleteHart, I'll write some more wild monk stories for you. Monks, nuns and the stories from the New Testament are among my favorite themes in fiction writing ... just for fun >:)))
Love the history. Sounds like a great place to base a story around. =)
ReplyDeleteAh, I miss the long histories, though I'm learning there's much more to American history than meets the text book.
ReplyDeleteWhat did you think of the final?
Regarding the final, I think Spain was the best team and deserved to win. But I'm also a little sorry for the Dutch who have now lost 3 WC finals, in 1974, 1978 and 2010
ReplyDeleteI love Tattered Cover! Oh, I also wanted to say that I like that you call your son "little boy." That's sweet.
ReplyDeleteMy "little boy" is 9 yo now, so not really little anymore, but smaller than his older brother of course, so I will always call him little boy >:)
ReplyDeleteFjords? Quads? Sounds so foreign to me. But I can relate to the family outings and exploring and enjoying these strange mysteries. Have a great week.
ReplyDeleteStephen Tremp
Thanks, Stephen >:)
ReplyDelete