the aquarium

One of the tourist attractions in Alesund is the aquarium. It is a modest size but a fun place to visit. My favorite was the large tank where assorted fish swim slowly past the viewing window. Every day at 1:00 a scuba diver feeds the fish. We saw him interact with the kids & the fish. The tank is back lit so the people standing up close are more of a silhouette. I found that to be a fun scene to photograph. That . . . and my husband.

Alesund, Norway

Don & I returned Sunday after spending last week in Norway. He works for an international company. Travels frequently for them. And this past week he got to relax a bit on a trip & I was invited. An opportunity I couldn't pass up. Alesund in on the west coast of Norway. A small town that attracts a lot of tourists. Don & I hiked up 319 steps (so we were told) to get to this lookout over the town. You can get there by car also but we were up for some exercise. Rain is a frequent weather forecast there & we saw a bit of it the first part of the week there. In landlocked Nebraska it is exciting to see so much water!

The Steamboat Arabia

Elaine took me on a tour of artifacts retrieved when the Steamboat Arabia was dug up in the late 1980's. The boat originally sank in 1856 in the Missouri River. No lives were lost except for a mule who was still tied up to the boat. But there was a vast treasure trove on the ship that to this day they are still cleaning & putting out in the museum. Much of it in great shape. Even canned food was found to still be edible. It is estimated that there are over two hundred more steamboats buried between Kansas City & St. Louis. Probably none with the supplies found on the Arabia. This one was dug up in a cornfield because the Missouri River often moved its banks years ago. A couple of photos show the water wheel. A few photos at the end are photos taken while digging up the boat. It was fun to see some clothespins among the collection. The museum is worth the trip if you are in the area.