Category Archives: vacation

Jewel of the Seas — Into Norway; Molde


Moldefjorden (Moldefjord), Molde, Norway

Two days after leaving behind Amsterdam on our third and final back-to-back cruise aboard Royal Caribbean‘s Jewel of the Seas, we arrived into the town of Molde in Norway. The date was 22 June 2022, and it was a coolish and overcast Wednesday. Molde sits on the Romsdal Peninsula (Romsdalshalvøya) and looks out upon the Moldefjord (Moldefjorden). And, yes, the surrounding snow-topped mountains are spectacular:

Mountains over Molde

If you enjoy the majesty of nature alongside the quaintness of a small town, Molde may be for you. Let’s start a view of the mountains and fjord:

Moldefjord

And then there is the town and the surrounding inhabited areas:

Molde, Norway
View across the fjord
Molde ferry terminal (right); Molde downtown

These photos were taken from aboard Jewel, so we haven’t even started the walk ashore yet. And from the Jewel you’ll even see Mølleråsen Hoppsenter (Mølleråsen Ski Jump Center) in the distance:

Mølleråsen Hoppsenter (Mølleråsen Ski Jump Center)

Closer in, looking west toward downtown, you’ll see Molde Cathedral (Molde Domkirke):

Molde Domkirke (Molde Cathedral)

I’ll take you on a foot tour of Molde on Wednesday. The rest of today’s article will show you the walk from the Jewel into the downtown area. Along the way, at the Oshaug Metall bronze casting plant is this unique bit of sculpture:

Oshaug Metall bronze sculpture of a ship’s screw

About a third of a mile/545 meters beyond is Molde’s ferry terminal:

Molde Ferry Terminal

Let’s face it — ferry terminals always make for a great shot or two:

Ferry coming into port

Entering the edge of the downtown district puts you on an approach toward Molde Cathedral:

Molde Cathedral belltower behind a green office building

The street we’re taking is Strandgata, and to the left is this little view:

Cascading water headed toward the fjord

We’ll continue through downtown Molde on Wednesday.

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Jewel of the Seas — Disappointing Amsterdam Part 2


Amazing how cheesy Amsterdam has become

As you’ll recall from Monday, this week I’m presenting to you trashy Amsterdam, a once great destination that has fallen greatly. You can read about that at a special blog article I posted immediately following our return. That was a public service announcement to warn people away: see: Trashy Amsterdam and the Hellhole of Schipol. Instead, I highly recommend you stay at nearby, enchanting, and clean Utrecht. Part 1 of that series begins here: Utrecht, Netherlands — Part 1.

Trashy Amsterdam

As the wise old saying goes, if you can’t say something nice then…. At any rate, this week I’m saying nothing at all, and presenting some shots that weren’t tainted by all that trash. The camera will instead lie for me, as careful composition kept the trash from view in the following photographs. Next week it’s on to Norway.

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Jewel of the Seas — Disappointing Amsterdam Part 1


Amsterdam, Netherlands

Because we were taking three back-to-back voyages on Jewel of the Seas, we found ourselves in Amsterdam four times. Before we made our way into Amsterdam, however, we stayed a couple of nights in Utrecht. For a recap of that wonderful visit, you can start here: Utrecht, Netherlands — Part 1. At any rate, we were so disgusted with Amsterdam on this trip last year that I posted a special blog article to warn my viewers to stay the hell away, and to avoid Schipol Airport at all costs. That encounter left a bad taste in our mouths that lingers to this day, some fourteen months later. For a rehash of that fiasco, see: Trashy Amsterdam and the Hellhole of Schipol.

Amsterdam houseboat

Now, on this 20 June 2022 day, I did manage to scrounge up a few shots that weren’t tainted by the visual and olfactory stench of trash-strewn streets and graffiti, so don’t let creative composing fool you. And as I have nothing much nice to say about how trashy this once fun destination has become, I’ll just post pictures this week. Beginning next week I’ll take you to a much nicer destination, Norway. Until then:

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Filed under Opinion Piece, Photography, R. Doug Wicker, travel, vacation