Travel Bug

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

31st Anniversary of Mt. St Helen's Eruption

16 Days and Counting!

I just saw that it is the 31st anniversary of the Mt. St. Helen's eruption. I just saw that it was the first eruption in the continental USA since 1915. I still remember it pretty well. We lived in Spokane Washington at the time. Not too close to Mt. St. Helens but close enough to be effected by all the ash. The news was reporting on Mt. St. Helens for weeks before the actual eruption.

(Before eruption)

On the day of the big eruption, we were on Fairchild AFB at the military Air Show. The dark cloud of ash started creeping across the sky towards us. Things started getting dark, base alert sirens went off and the ash started falling. It was like a snowstorm in May. They closed down the air show and sent everyone home. I remember that my dad was on alert that week and couldn't leave the base so we went home without him. My mom had to deal with everything on her own. She'd be out shoveling the ash with all the other dad's in the neighborhood that week.

I remember having to wear face masks for several days whenever we went outside. They had people come to the school and paint faces on the masks to try and make kids wear them. (I think I had a bunny or cat on mine but I'm not sure)

The ash made quite a mess for a long time. When it was dry it was too light and blew all over and when it got wet it set up like cement. Not very fun to clean up.

While looking for pictures I found out that 57 people and thousands of animals were killed in the eruption. It also caused damages totaling over $1 Billion. Ash from the eruption was found in 11 different states. The original landslide from Mt. St. Helens moved at 110 to 155 mpr and most traveled about 13 miles down to the North Fork Toutle River. The landslide filled the river valley approx. 600 feet deep with debris.

(Computer graphic of the eruption)

(North Fork Toutle River after the landslide)

Over the 9 hours of eruptive activity they said that over 540 million tons of ash fell over an area of more than 22,000 square miles.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Aarhus, Denmark

17 DAYS!!!

I decided to continue researching my scheduled shore excursions.

Today I've been looking at our second stop. Aarhus, Denmark. In this port we opted for a "City Drive" with stops at the Aarhus Cathedral and Den Gamie By Museum.

Aarhus is the second largest city in Denmark with a population of around 300,000. It is nicknamed the "World's Smallest Big City". This surprised me since I had never heard of it. Guess I'm not up on my Denmark geography. The tour description doesn't give alot of detail. It lists a number of buildings that we will drive by during the tour such as the Aarhus Town Hall, Aarhus University, the Botanical Garden, The Music Hall and the Aros Art Museum.

The tour drives through the Marselisborg forest. The brochure says that it is a "lush stretch along the coast dotted with beech trees." Located inside the forest is an 18th-century manor house that has been the Danish royal summer palace since 1902.

The next stop on our tour is the Aarhus Cathedral (Aarhus Domkirke). The longest and tallest church in Denmark. It is also one of the oldest redbrick buildings in Jutland. The construction began in the year 1190 and finished around 1350. It contains over 200 frescoes from the 14th and 15th centuries as well as a 16th century carved altar. It was originally dedicated to St. Clement, the patron saint of sailors.

The final stop on our tour is the Den Gamie By open-air folk Museum. According to the brochure we will "witness the recreation of a traditional Danish village featuring 75 historic structures collected from around Denmark, including artisan workshops, residences, a theater, post office and school." Most of the buildings are from the 15th -18th centuries

Monday, May 16, 2011

Oslo, Norway

18 DAYS!!

Now that it's getting closer I'm starting to research the places

that we will be seeing during our shore excursions.

Today I looked into Oslo, Norway.

We chose a shore excursion to visit the Bygdoy Peninsula and the Viking Museum, Vigeland Sculpture Park & Holmenkollen.

I will admit I had never heard of these places.

Holmenkollen is the site of the 1952 olympic ski-jumping competition

and the 2011 Ski Jump Championship.

Vigeland Sculpture Park is the largest sculpture park in the world created by one single artist.

The park covers 80 acres and was designed by Gustav Vigeland

who created over 200 iron and bronze statues.

The Fountain

The Monolith contains 121 figures. It was carved from 1 single granite block

Wheel of Time Sculpture

Vigeland Sculpture Park

The final stop on this shore excursion is

the Bygdoy Peninsula and the Viking Ship Museum.

This museum was built in 1927 and is home to 3 enormous 9th century Viking Longboat Ships.

The Oseberg, (from A.D. 834), The Gokstad (from A.D. 950),

and the Tune These ships were the best preserved Viking ships known, they were found in royal burial mounds in the Oslo Fjord. As burial ships, carrying the dead over to "the other world" the ships were equipped with unique treasures such as wagons, horses, textiles, etc. The museum also contains finds from the chief grave at Borre in the Vestfold District.