Tag Archives: Molde

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29 July 2018:
Åndalsnes and Molde, Norway:
Dropping In For a Visit

By Corey Sandler

Sunday in two, count them, beautiful settlements set into the fjords and mountains: Åndalsnes and Molde.

Definitely Halls of the Mountain Kings type of places.

Åndalsnes is a little town with an outsized personality, a mecca for hikers and rock climbers and those of us who just want to enjoy the great outdoors of the fjord land of Norway.

Some come to jump off of perfectly fine cliffs into the fjord below, which is NOT offered as a shore excursion.

The Trollveggen (the Troll Wall) one of the cliff formations in the valley, has a vertical drop of over 1,000 meters or 3,300 feet, the tallest vertical rock face in Europe.

It is an irresistible lure for some.

I went on a somewhat less risky leap: into the Rauma River valley by train on a day that featured three Norwegian seasons in a few hours. We experienced fog and mist and sun and a downpour.

Here is some of what we saw:

MOLDE 

And then at lunchtime we sailed back down the fjord to Molde, a vibrant and colorful city.

All photos by Corey Sandler, all rights reserved.

We’ve come about 265 miles or 426 kilometers south from the Arctic Circle, but Molde is definitely a cool place.

Especially every July, near the peak of summer. The annual Moldejazz festival, one of the largest and oldest jazz festivals in Europe, and one of the most important, brings as many as 100,000 visitors come to the city, quadrupling the local population of about 26,000.

Alas, we missed it by a week, but music is still in the crisp air.

All photos and text Copyright 2018 by Corey Sandler, all rights reserved.

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24 June 2017:
Molde, Norway:
Cool

By Corey Sandler

There is a Norwegian aphorism that goes like this:

“There’s no such thing as bad weather, only poor choices of clothing.”

We have experienced very cold winds, moderate temperatures, rain, and even a bit of snow on this trip.

One of the weather forecasts for today predicted a 90 percent chance of rain. The day started out gray and threatening, but by 11 in the morning there was blue sky without a single cloud, which I suppose means we hit that 10 percent sweet spot.

The day is not yet over, though. The afternoon is back to shades of gray.

On our walk today I was in a reflective mood. Here’s what I saw.

REFLECTIONS ON MOLDE TODAY

All photos by Corey Sandler, copyright 2017.

Norway is, in general, not known as a hot place.

Molde is located about a third of the way up from the base of the country, pretty far north but still about 265 miles or 426 kilometers below the Arctic Circle.

But it benefits nicely from a nearby finger of the Gulf Stream, giving it a maritime, temperate climate, with cool-to-warm summers, and relatively mild winters.

However, in other ways, Molde is definitely a cool place.

Especially every July, near the peak of summer. This small place is home to the annual Moldejazz festival, one of the largest and oldest jazz festivals in Europe, and one of the most important.

As many as 100,000 visitors come to the city, quadrupling the local population of about 26,000.

The festival this year runs from 17 to 22 July, and something like 120 concerts are planned.

The famed Atlantic Road runs up the coast nearby to Molde. Photo by Corey Sandler

UP FROM THE ASHES

Like many Norwegian towns, Molde suffered greatly in World War II.

German air-raids in April and May 1940 destroyed about two thirds of the town.

Molde was in effect the capital of Norway for a week after King Haakon, Crown Prince Olav, and members of the government and parliament arrived at Molde on April 23, after a dramatic flight from Oslo. They arrived in time to experience the bombing raids personally.

The Norwegian gold reserve was also brought to Molde, and was hidden in a clothing factory.

Today the gold comes mostly from tourists.

All photos and text Copyright 2017 by Corey Sandler, all rights reserved.

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