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Lofoten in Clouds Pt. I

The Lofoten islands are situated far north at 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 to local fishermen thousands of men from the main land used to come to these islands in winter for a good catch. They lived in typical red fishermen 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 interesting 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 more quiet and enclosed Baltic Sea in the east and the more wide and open Northern Sea in the west. At the shore there are endless sand beaches and many quiet islands to relax with these unique colourful beach chairs. The most interesting feature though is most probably the wadden sea (last three pictures). It is a kind of a 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 micro organisms because it is biologically very rich in nutrients. Also it is home to the sandworm and to many kind of birds.

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Hallig Hooge

Hallig Hooge is also called the Queen of the Halligen. The Halligen are very special 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 it’s nature is truly something extraordinary, a calm spot in midst of a rough sea.

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Nature of Latvia

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

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