I want to got to Iceland. And Norway. Actually, there are a whole host of countries I would give my left- I would pay dearly to be able to visit for an extended period of time. However, for the purposes of this post I am keeping the list short at just those two. My reasons are sepcific; those two are the subject of streaming webcams that I have been watching recently.
The Inspired by Iceland website started a year or two ago as Iceland was trying to rebound from a catastrophic financial collapse. One of the things they tried to jumpstart their economy was to increase tourism, and that is where the streaming webcams came in. Running twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, visitors could click on any of the active webcams and get a live feed. At its peak there about seven different cams from all over the country. Alas, now there are only two; one in the thermal spa of Blaá Lónid (lit. Blue Lagoon), and one overlooking the small lake of Tjörnin in the capital of Reykjavík.
The other streaming webcam that has captured my interest is the Hirtigruten stream from Norway. It might be best if I just quote from the webpage:
People have travelled along the Norwegian coastline with “Hurtigruten” since 1893. The journey is known as “The World’s Most Beautiful Sea Voyage”. Now everybody can travel along in the world’s longest TV program! Spectacular fjords, midnight sun and genuine Norwegian scenery make the setting for a trip from Bergen to Kirkenes. We broadcast the whole trip live minute by minute for 134 hours!
The stream is actually done for now, and I don't know if they are going to do another broadcast as the ship makes the return leg. However, that is unimportant as you can watch all 134 hours of the original trip on the website. I'm not suggestiont that you actually watch ed all one and thirty four hours, but you can certainly skip around in the recording to get a good idea of the spectacular beauty on display. I think I originally dropped in around the seventeen hour mark, and just stared, enraptured by the gorgeous fjords.
Bloody hell, I want to take that cruise! And yes, I'm re-watching it as I type this.
That's it for tonight. Seven more days of this and I can...well, what will I do? If I stop doing daily updates then this whole exercise has been a waste of time. Dammit.
