Blogging from A to Z 2026 - G is for Genovesa and Gotland

As I travel the world I take many photos that pique my interest. During the year April 2025 to March 2026 our travels included visits to many islands large and small. My theme for 2026 Island Hopping will give precedence to Islands visited in the past year but for those difficult letters like X and Z I will dig into my photo archives for content.

"Genovesa Island (Spanish: Isla Genovesa), also known as Tower Island, is a shield volcano in the Galápagos Islands in the eastern Pacific Ocean.[1] The island occupies about 14 km2 (5 sq mi), and its maximum elevation is 64 m (210 ft).[citation needed] The horse-shoe shaped island has a volcanic caldera whose wall has collapsed, forming the Great Darwin Bay, surrounded by cliffs." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genovesa_Island

Genovesa Island

Also known as Bird Island Genovesa is home to many bird species. While I explored from the sea my husband went hiking and came back with some amazing avian images. Sorry I can't determine the species. 

Mother and Baby

Sharing parental responsibilities

"Gotland (/ˈɡɒtlənd/; Swedish: [ˈɡɔ̌tːland] ⓘ;[5] Gutland in Gutnish),[6] also historically spelled Gottland or Gothland (/ˈɡɒθlənd/),[7] is Sweden's largest island.[8][9][10][11] It is also a province/county (Swedish län), municipality, and diocese. The province includes the islands of Fårö and Gotska Sandön to the north, as well as the Karlsö Islands (Lilla and Stora) to the west. The population is 61,023 (2024)[12] of which about 23,600 live in Visby, the main town."

As we had previously visited Visby on Gotland we opted for a scenic tour and tourist train ride through the area. Following are some snaps of  the buildings, landscapes and things we spotted.

Visby Town Wall

First stop at Hedjeby Medieval Kirka

Fabulous frescoes in the Church

The Pulpit was rather grand

The tourist train was old, rattly and uncomfortable

The Volunteer Conductor took his job seriously

The vintage engine

We didn't stop at the distillery

Agriculture is an important industry

Windmills are a local feature

Another church - I wonder if they are well patronised

Could be a house or school?

Fishing Village

I didn't expect to spot a little library on a country road

Typical House 

Not sure this boat is still used

Fishing Stations

Fishing Stations

A long time between visits - I realised I had been here to the Ancient stone graves
at Gnisvard in 2006. Shaped like Viking ships they carry the dead to the afterlife,

Back in Visby we saw some local ferries across the bay

Bonus Posts Maison des Esclaves   The Little Chapel   Not singing in the rain   
Not quite 20,000 Leagues

Other G Islands we have visited include

Garden Island

Gozo

Gotland

Gorée Island 

Grand Cayman

Granite Island, South Australia

Granville Island

Great Stirrup Cay

Green Island, Australia

Greenland

Greenwich Island

Guernsey

Gharapuri Island (Elephanta Island)

Trolls on our Trail

 As we travelled around in Norway and Sweden recently we met many Trolls. We didn't bring any home but you can meet some of them below. 

Oslo, Norway

These next five are from a display in a gift shop in Oslo

Also in Oslo

It was a warm day in Molde, Norway

Welcome to Nordkapp, Norway, Europe's northernmost mainland point 

This chap in Honnigsvag, Norway needed anew wardrobe

We found these last three in a souvenir shop in Solvaer, Norway

We met so many Trolls but most of them were camera shy.

Nobel's Legacy

For yesterday's outing in Stockholm we took the ship's shuttle bus into the city and ticked another item off our bucket list.

 
Since reading about the Nobel Prize Museum, https://www.nobelprizemuseum.se/en/, I had been keen to pay a visit, yesterday was the day.

 
We alighted the ship's shuttle near the Opera House and made our way to the Museum that is housed in an old government building in the Old Town. We spent a few educative and enjoyable hours there. We were most impressed with the way the displays gave us an insight into the lives and minds of many Nobel Laureates. There were also dotted around interactive terminals that one could ask about recipients of the awards, their lives, countries and their subjects of expertise. 

Very impressive set of modern doors

After a few wrong turns we found the museum that is housed in a former government building

My first stop was an information kiosk whose contents one could search for Nobel Laureates by several filters and keywords. My search term was Australia.

 I was embarrassed to find that I had not heard of all these august Australians my query returned.

One of the Australian Laureates

People perusing the display cases containing that collection of those items. Each display case is related to a particular theme and contains items donated by laureates.

There was a section of the museum related to Nobel and his life. This shows an image of his laboratory.

This rotating carousel on the ceiling delivers biographical posters of the laureates via a track. Visitors can sit one of the benches in the rooms and read the biographies as they travel around the track above them.

A copy of the medal

When we arrived we made straight for the entrance without noticing the Museum's environment. After exiting we looked around and saw that it was in a lovely square behind the Copenhagen Cathedral and has as neighbours some beautiful old buildings

The Square outside the Museum