Oslo 2013
Despite being published in autumn, these pictures were actually taken while the rest of Europe was in spring, and Norway still hadn't caught up.
Meanders at the mouth of the River Parrett on the English shore of the River Severn.
Irregular drainage canals and fields in the Netherlands.
And the more regular variety.
Nybrua, the southern edge of Oslo's Grünerløkka district.
Ice cascade on a small dam of the Akerselva river, in Nydalen. This was an exceptionally cold visit, and it wasn't long before I set my coldest absolute temperature of -23 C and coldest wind-chilled temperature of -27 C, though I would claim that here in the sheltered Nydalen, it could easily have been lower than the official temperatures. It certainly felt much colder. Even so, people frequently walked in the streets without hats or thick coats, using only earphones for warmth. It is spring in Europe, and they are Norwegians, after all.
Ice platforms.
Ice platforms.
Ice mushroom.
Sunrise over Nydalen.
Fresh snowfall over Nybrua.
Ankerbrua, and the frozen Akerselva.
Residential streets soon disappear. Stasjonsveien in Slemdal.
Bjørnveien. Locals are not put off, they still drive remarkably fast over this stuff.
Kerbs? Traffic islands? Pedestrian crossings? All are memorised, and the drivers duly keep to the correct parts of the road.
Junctions? Yes, those too. Even without lights, everyone knows who has right of way, and where the white lines are painted on the roads. It's not like they have any choice here. The pavements in the city centre are heated, and the gritting trucks are always about, but even they can't keep the snow away permanently.
Well, there is an alternative; leave the car on the roadside until the snow melts, and the snow ploughs stop piling it up against the side of the car. Stensgate in Vestre Aker.
Snow pile at Anton Schjøths gate.
Paths through the St. Hanshaugen park.
And the lake in St. Hanshaugen park. Pretty sure I was standing in it without realising.
Vår Frelsers Gravlund, the cemetary by Ullevålsveien.
Grubbegate, and the site of Anders Breivik's attack in 2011. The detonation took place in front of the government building on the right, and also damaged the one on the left.
Youngstorget, with the government building behind it.
View over the rooftops of Frogner from the edge of Frognerparken. (In case you were wondering, this was a 15 second exposure at f/4.5 with ISO speed 100.)
And the view towards Skøyen.
Oslo and Oslofjord, almost completely iced over, with all shipping lanes frozen.
Ice floes in Oslofjord.
Drammensfjord and the Sandungen lake on its right.
Tyrifjorden, a landlocked lake near Oslo, with the Holsfjorden branch extending towards the camera. Coincidentally, the Utøya island which was also attacked by Breivik, can be seen here as the first island near where Holsfjorden joins the main Tyrifjorden. The mountains in the background are the Norefjell range, and the mountains around Sørbølfjellet (1280 metres).
The Vegglifjell and Norefjell mountain ranges, topping out at Skirveggen (1381 metres) and Gråfjell (1468 metres) respectively.
Vegglifjell.
Bletoppen (1342 metres) in the Blefjell range, backed by the southern end of Hardangervidda.
Meltwater scum washing against the Frisian Islands in the Netherlands.
The Netherlands, transformed.
Sunset in the clouds.
Meanders at the mouth of the River Parrett on the English shore of the River Severn.
Irregular drainage canals and fields in the Netherlands.
And the more regular variety.
Nybrua, the southern edge of Oslo's Grünerløkka district.
Ice cascade on a small dam of the Akerselva river, in Nydalen. This was an exceptionally cold visit, and it wasn't long before I set my coldest absolute temperature of -23 C and coldest wind-chilled temperature of -27 C, though I would claim that here in the sheltered Nydalen, it could easily have been lower than the official temperatures. It certainly felt much colder. Even so, people frequently walked in the streets without hats or thick coats, using only earphones for warmth. It is spring in Europe, and they are Norwegians, after all.
Ice platforms.
Ice platforms.
Ice mushroom.
Sunrise over Nydalen.
Fresh snowfall over Nybrua.
Ankerbrua, and the frozen Akerselva.
Residential streets soon disappear. Stasjonsveien in Slemdal.
Bjørnveien. Locals are not put off, they still drive remarkably fast over this stuff.
Kerbs? Traffic islands? Pedestrian crossings? All are memorised, and the drivers duly keep to the correct parts of the road.
Junctions? Yes, those too. Even without lights, everyone knows who has right of way, and where the white lines are painted on the roads. It's not like they have any choice here. The pavements in the city centre are heated, and the gritting trucks are always about, but even they can't keep the snow away permanently.
Well, there is an alternative; leave the car on the roadside until the snow melts, and the snow ploughs stop piling it up against the side of the car. Stensgate in Vestre Aker.
Snow pile at Anton Schjøths gate.
Paths through the St. Hanshaugen park.
And the lake in St. Hanshaugen park. Pretty sure I was standing in it without realising.
Vår Frelsers Gravlund, the cemetary by Ullevålsveien.
Grubbegate, and the site of Anders Breivik's attack in 2011. The detonation took place in front of the government building on the right, and also damaged the one on the left.
Youngstorget, with the government building behind it.
View over the rooftops of Frogner from the edge of Frognerparken. (In case you were wondering, this was a 15 second exposure at f/4.5 with ISO speed 100.)
And the view towards Skøyen.
Oslo and Oslofjord, almost completely iced over, with all shipping lanes frozen.
Ice floes in Oslofjord.
Drammensfjord and the Sandungen lake on its right.
Tyrifjorden, a landlocked lake near Oslo, with the Holsfjorden branch extending towards the camera. Coincidentally, the Utøya island which was also attacked by Breivik, can be seen here as the first island near where Holsfjorden joins the main Tyrifjorden. The mountains in the background are the Norefjell range, and the mountains around Sørbølfjellet (1280 metres).
The Vegglifjell and Norefjell mountain ranges, topping out at Skirveggen (1381 metres) and Gråfjell (1468 metres) respectively.
Vegglifjell.
Bletoppen (1342 metres) in the Blefjell range, backed by the southern end of Hardangervidda.
Meltwater scum washing against the Frisian Islands in the Netherlands.
The Netherlands, transformed.
Sunset in the clouds.