Blues on Lake Norsjo at Telemark canal in Norway

Telemark Canal at Norsjø in Norway is ideal for active holidays. Biking or enjoy the canal in a canoe, you will however always find peace. It can be done at your own pace, as an active holiday here gives you the peace back. That’s what I found during the weekend in the heart of county Telemark in Norway when also celebrating our University College Class Reunion (35 years since finished). As always, I gladly take you with – let’s start with the celebration and place:

_{Lake Norsjø viewed from the hotel.}

It’s hard to believe we graduated 35 years ago, but it was some special bounds developed during our two years together in Bø, Telemark, As a matter of fact we’ve had these reunions every 5 years since 1985! As always, when we meet up; nobody or nothing has changed – or has it (click picks to bigify & enjoy)?

_{Left: The football team in ’74 – Right: This years reunion.}

The arranging committee had done a tremendously good job in planning for a 2 days reunion. We had a wonderful time on the deck in front of the hotel; catching up, sort out gossip and facts since five years as well as memorising the lovely, inapprehensive time in collage. Also in the evening, we had a delicious gourmet meal with great vine as well as coffee avec and were dancing and talking in the nightclub all night long. I’m sure you understand that I don’t go into details, but there is one special adventure in the afternoon before dinner, I can’t resist sharing: A boat trip on Lake Norsjø in M/S Telemarken. Let’s start with the breath taking view of the valley and mountains (the weather & company was perfect):

_{Lunch in Telemark gives you the peace back!}

The boat M/S Telemarken:
The Motor Ship “Telemarken” was built at Västervik yard in Sweden in 1951 and was one of the boats in the Stockholm archipelago. Her first name was M/S “Freja” and eventually renamed M/S “Karson “. In 1988 the boat was put into operation on the Telemark Canal and was named M/S “Telemarken”. She is 26m long, 5.6m wide, protruding 1.6m deep and takes 140 passengers: here you see her anchored:

_{M/S Telemarken & Norsjø Hotel on top, right.}

Find you’re peace back in Telemark:
Sailing along in sunshine, enjoying the magic in nature, what can be more recreational? To convince you, let me give a taste of the lake, the landscape and the locks from Norsjø up to the river Eidselva and back:

<sub>On Lake Norsjø

Left: The locks to……. Right: …. Eidselva (a wide but very quiet river)</sub>

Eidselva lies in Nome municipality in Telemark. It rises in Flåvatn, runs into Norsjø in Ulefoss with 4 locks and is an important part of the Telemark Canal. I am from Telemark, so maybe a bit disqualified, but admit it’s a natural beauty:

_{The river Eidselva.}

Blues session on Lake Norsjø:
The top of the cream, besides the weather, the food, the nature and the company (who could actually ask for more?), was the unforgettable concert on the boat by the blues musicians: Jostein Forsberg & Morten Omlid. They are very much involved in Notodden Blues Festival, the biggest in Scandinavia (25.000 spectators in 2010) and gave us one good blues pearl title after the other, combined in a jam sessions with Norwegian folk music:

So then I’ve saved the best for last: Filming with my compact Cannon G11 – Here you see Lake Norsjø, the monumental landscape and can listen to the blues guys who sat an adventuress atmosphere with their magic tunes – touching our soul and heart:

These are memories that stay forever and friendship staying the same way. For me the rural and being within the natural elements: Earth, Water and Air – when almost untouched – is the most inspirational and recreational there is. By this post I hope I have given you an idea of what I mean by that and why I love to be outdoors to charge my batteries!