I am pretty gaaga-googoo on my mind these days and hence this craving for norse adventures sprouted up in my mind..
Of the gallant sagas of the northmen, is my mind obsessed with these days. So colourful and vibrant are some of the songs that are sung about them, that they ignite a wish to be along with them or at least see the world as they saw it. Brave were the worshipers of Odin and the likes to travel to far away lands in extremely precarious climatic conditions, seeking fame,money and adventure.
These rustic Norsemen were the first to cross the Atlantic and land at what is now called the Newfoundland( my memory is source,didn't bother to double check by googling). And praise for them only increases further, when you think of the plain longboats used by them without any navigational equipments like the compass. They had what is called the mariner's instinct and knew the seas like the back of their hands.
These men lived a merry life on and off the boats, drinking and eating to the full before and after an adventure. Though very limited records exist depicting lives of these seafarers, most of the tales are in the form of songs or sagas. Most of the written records are from the point of view of other nationals who came in contact with the Viking raiders( at a later part of history ). They depict the northmen as barbaric, though a major part of English history has been affected by the presence of these ferocious fighters and seamen of the North Sea. One such would be the support that Harald Hardraade the Viking gave to William the Conqueror to capture the English throne( from AOE memories ).
Here is an article from Wiki about Vinland
