Blue Sky over Warsaw
Snapshots from a beautiful clear day in Warsaw, Poland.
Along the Elbe River
A couple of months ago, I had the chance to travel to a part of Central Europe I hadn’t been to before. The initial plan was to travel around Northern Bohemia in the Czech Republic. At last, we ventured into the neighboring region of Southern Saxonia, too, as the borderlands are historically and geologically intertwined. The area is shaped by the Elbe River, one of the longest in Europe. Along the river, you’ll find many towns; some are charming and touristy, while others are more industrial in nature (pictures 2, 3, 6). The highlight is the magnificent landscape shaped by sandstone (picture 5). Climb one of the many mountaintops around sunset and enjoy the fantastic view (last photo).
The Port City
The city of Gdańsk (or Danzig in German) has a long tradition as an essential haven in the region of the western Baltic Sea. Its history is very much intertwined with the history and tradition of the Hanseatic League, a trade confederation of sailors, which dominated the waters of Northern Europe for centuries. The city was largely destroyed during the II World War and restored after the war by Polish specialists. Today, Gdańsk is visited by many millions every year from Poland and abroad. It offers beautiful architecture and a rich cultural life.
Nature of Norway
The natural beauty of the Norwegian countryside can be overwhelming at times. When the sun is shining, and the sky is clear, the grass here just seems greener and the fjords bluer than anywhere else in the world.
Norway in Fog
When the fog lies down over the fjords, Norway seems even more mystic than usual. You can imagine the Viking ships maneuvering through the mist and some trolls hiding behind the trees watching them. Indeed a land of magic and beauty.
The Far North
The far north of Europe is actually pretty fortunate regarding the weather. The reason is the Gulf Stream, which makes it possible to cultivate even fruits around the Norwegian fjords (pictures 2, 6). However, if you go uphill from the fjords, your surroundings change pretty quickly, and you will experience marvelous but very alien ice deserts like the Hardangervidda (picture 1). That’s Planet Hoth from Star Wars Episode V, by the way – the scenes were shot there. One of the biggest and historically most important towns in the far north of Europe is Bergen at the North Sea. For centuries, it was an important port and a center of commerce, especially regarding the trade with fish. Today it is a lovely student town with a lot of culture and museums (pictures 3, 4 and 5).
Michael Hoffman Photography 