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Lofoten in Clouds Pt. I

The Lofoten islands are situated far north of the Arctic Circle in Norway. Actually, the name of the archipelago means foot of a lynx in Norse and derives from the fractured geography of the islands, which looks somewhat like the limb of an animal. Historically, the islands were known for cod fishing. Additionally, local fishermen and thousands of men from the mainland used to come to these islands in winter for a good catch. They lived in typical red fishermen’s houses close to the rough sea. (Continuation in part II)

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At the Northern Shore: Germany and the North Sea

In relation to other European nations, Germany is a big country with some exciting features. While the south of Germany is bordering with the Alps and is in parts quite mountainous, the north is a very different place. Not many know that the country lays ashore not to one large body of water but two. There is the quieter and more enclosed Baltic Sea in the east and the wider and more open Northern Sea in the west. At the shore, there are endless sand beaches and many quiet islands where you can relax with these unique, colorful beach chairs. The most exciting feature, though, is most probably the Wadden Sea (last three pictures). It is a kind of muddy place which is flooded twice a day and reaches at some points deep into the sea. The Wadden is one of the most diverse bio habitats on earth and home to many microorganisms because it is biologically very rich in nutrients. Also, it is home to the sandworm and many kinds of birds.

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Hallig Hooge

Hallig Hooge is also called the Queen of the Halligen. The Halligen are extraordinary islands in the Wadden region of northern Germany. They are not protected by dykes and are very low; the inhabitants are used to the islands being flooded 40-50 times per year. So to be safe and dry, the houses are built on so-called warften, little villages built on earth mounds. Hallig Hooge and its nature are truly extraordinary, a calm spot in the midst of a rough sea.

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Nature of Latvia

Last summer I had the privilege to spend some weeks in Latvia again. The country is situated in the center of the Baltics in Northeastern Europe. The population is concentrated mainly in the capital, Riga, and in other larger cities, while the countryside still maintains a lot of charm and beauty which is already gone elsewhere in Europe. Some impressions.

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