It seems likes a long time ago I was in Norway, sliding serenely up, and then down, the fjords between Bergen and Kirkenes. I was trying to think of something to write tonight, as I prepare for the end of my “other life”, at least for the time being. Another week and I will be back at home during the week as well as weekends, enjoying the delights of our soon-to-be-completed Limery (see thesnailofhappiness’s post here about that).
My thoughts wandered to Hammerfest and how, sometimes, taking a little time out to just look, to really look at the world can make a difference.
Look at the building – the one with the clock. The Snail and I did. What we saw, what we focussed on, was the mural:
What was a Welsh-looking dragon doing here, so far North of anywhere? What was it doing trying to breathe fire AND sword-swallow at the same time? The guy with the beard seems pretty nonplussed about the whole thing. We had no idea what this was about.
To be honest, we still don’t.
And to be even more honest, it was only after we were back on board the ship, looking over our pictures, that we noticed that this odd-looking rock formation was in fact, a thing (not just an odd-looking rock formation next to a clock):
As I prepare to leave Reading, I wonder what I have missed by looking, but not seeing. Perhaps I should go on a “sight-seeing” tour before I leave! Watch this space… but don’t look too hard.
There are times when you can’t see for looking – and when you can’t see the cat for the dragon.
oOo
I can’t see cats or dragoons Mr Snail. All I see are sleeping trolls…
LikeLike
Trolls, cats, they’re the same thing aren’t they?! 🙂
LikeLike
In our house they may as well be 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLike
umm, nope, not the same at all. Not in Norway, anyway. Trolls are a very important part of the culture. Glad Narf7 mentioned them, though; they are all I could see, too. Not a cat in sight (not in my sight, anyway). Thanks for the post. You are so right about looking and not seeing.
The church in your photo is St. Michael’s church, the northernmost catholic church in the world. The mural is of St. Michael slaying a dragon: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Michael_in_the_Catholic_Church there’s a picture of the church in Hammerfest about halfway down the page.
You might find this interesting, too: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olaf_II_of_Norway
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for the links! 🙂
LikeLike