http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Norway/Ostlandet/Oslo/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Europe , Norway , Østlandet , Oslo en-us Thu, 31 Dec 2009 14:06:16 +0000 Thu, 31 Dec 2009 14:06:16 +0000 GrenscontroleWe hebben momenteel een huisje in Strmstad niet ver van de ZweedsNoorse grens. Gisteren zijn we een dagje naar de Noorse hoofdstad Oslo geweest. Hoewel Noorwegen geen lid is van de Europese Unie hoort het wel bij de Schengenlanden wat wil zeggen dat er in princiepe geen grenscontrole tussen Noorwegen en Zweden is. Zo wel voor ons. De snelweg werd hermetisch afgesloten en wij wer http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Norway/Ostlandet/Oslo/blog-459512.html The conductor blows her whistle and the train starts mowing from Oslo Centralstation toward Bergen. This train journey passes through a beautiful mountain pass and reaches on its highest point 1222 Meters above sea level. this train stretch is one of the most beautiful train stretches in the world. A friend have written a train story on MyBesJourneys httpwww.mybestjourneys.comstory2009091 http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Norway/Ostlandet/Oslo/blog-450220.html Have had two sleeps in Oslo at the Perminalen Hostel. Liked it so much that I have booked myself in for January.Arrived at 0625 by train from Bergen.Hostel open but room not accessible. Have coffee and eat the sandwich i had made on ship ... yesterday.Walked past fortifications to Pier 3 and paid the fare to go on a cruise around Oslo.Big deal cruise ... sailed by motor saw the fortifications http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Norway/Ostlandet/Oslo/blog-449267.html Oslo AirportReykjavik and then Gardermoen Airport both sport hardwood floors. Almost felt embarrassed when I asked for little footsies during the customs control check. It was only as I was putting myself together again that I realized how spotless the area appeared to be.The toilet paper is less bleached the toilet seat less bulky the stalls less spacious and the counter tops around the sink le http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Norway/Ostlandet/Oslo/blog-443731.html Day 10 September 10 Our last sightseeing day in Oslo started with the Munch Museum via two busses. At the stop the only sign was a road sign up the street. We started walking and brushed past a group of preschoolers dawdling on the sidewalk. A block up it became evident the preschoolers knew where they wanted to go and we did not . A university student directed us back in the direction we ha http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Norway/Ostlandet/Oslo/Asker/blog-442978.html Day 9 September 9 After a half banana 2 cookie breakfast we left at 830 and picked bus 54 north to the cemetery. Most graves had red flowers and while neatly arranged lacked variety of tombstones. Busses 34 and 30 took us and 12 preschoolers to the Norsk Folkemuseum which had buildings from all over Norway including Gol stave Church from the 11th century old farm buildings animals towns http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Norway/Ostlandet/Oslo/Asker/blog-442961.html At 830 we walked to the tourist information center and got two 72 hour Oslo Passes for 820 NOK137. Bus 30 dropped us right at the door of the VikingskipshusetViking Ship Museum. Three burial ships about 1100 years old thrilled us along with the associated artifacts. They had platforms to look down on the ships and with no tour busses dropping off hundreds until we had finished we walked th http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Norway/Ostlandet/Oslo/Asker/blog-442941.html Day 7 September 7 We beat the sun up walked to the central train station stood in line to buy a 42 DKK8 supplemental ticket and got on the train to the airport. At the xray security two guys got in a verbal screaming match when one attempted to butt in the line. As we sat in the parked Norwegian Air plane they announced As we are presently refueling the plane please remain in your seat http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Norway/Ostlandet/Oslo/Asker/blog-442937.html Wow It started Tuesday morning Sept 22 and just finished today September 27th at about lunch time. I was into the beer at 9am on Tuesday morning and it didn't stop until my last sip of wine for breakfast this morning. And this was a sports trip...Every year students from Denmark Sweden Norway and Finland studying at Life Sciences Universities get together to participate in the Nordic Game http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Norway/Ostlandet/Oslo/blog-440204.html Arrived in the rain and fog again but by 10 a.m. the sun was out and no more rain. We went to the sculpture park Roger Roxie and I stayed in the bus in fact I took a little nap and ski jump again but did drive on a few different streets and got a very detailed description of Oslo people and their lifestyle. They are every active and like most Europeans they walk and bike just about everyw http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Norway/Ostlandet/Oslo/blog-440160.html Okay so Ive been in Sweden since Thursday coincidently thats the last time I showered but thats a whole other story. Not a lot of time to blog between almost being hit by a moose swimming in the freezing cold ocean and eating Swedish meatballs.Back to Honefoss for a minute.One of my days there Ingi took me to an amazing sculpture park not far from the town. To put things in perspective http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Norway/Ostlandet/Oslo/blog-440136.html When I returned to Oslo from Bergen I intended to spend a day checking out some of the museums I actually wanted to see. I had read but seemingly forgotten that most museums are closed on Monday. So I wandered around the city for a few hours before hopping on a bus to Honefoss to spend a few days with MacKenzies friend Ingi her husband Simon the cutest two month old in the world Oscar an http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Norway/Ostlandet/Oslo/blog-439297.html Arrived in the rain and fog but by 10 a.m. the sun was out and no more rain. We have been so lucky with weather. Roxie and I took a tour which included the old new town the Vigeland sculpture park and an open air folk museum. The Vigeland park contains 214 sculptures with more than 758 figures all modeled in full size by Gustav Vigeland without the assistance of pupils or other artists. H http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Norway/Ostlandet/Oslo/blog-438787.html Some pictures I took at Vigeland Sculpture Park on Weds afternoon. I didn't read so much about it but here's the scoop via the always accurate and every dependable Wikipedia entry''Vigeland Sculpture Park is a part of Frogner Park located in Oslo Norway 3 km northwest of the city centre. The park covers 80 acres 320000 m2 and features 212 bronze and granite sculptures created by Gustav Vig http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Norway/Ostlandet/Oslo/blog-437709.html I arrived in Oslo on Tuesday after a nice 430 am wake up call to get to the airport. The plane landed around noon a two hour difference from Iceland. Jumped the express train from the airport to the city threw my bag in a locker at the train terminal an wandered around the city.Things I've observed about Oslo.1. It's beautiful.2. Everyone walking either has a child or a dog. Or both.3. The http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Norway/Ostlandet/Oslo/blog-437704.html Since Dave told us Norway was so beautiful we decided to take a spontanious trip there. We drove 8 h to Oslo where we slept in the car since the hostels and hotels were filled up due to a conference.We walked through Oslo and thought it was a very pretty city. We did a tour of the castle and walked along the pier. Then we drove to Vigelandspark a huge park with spectacular sculptures. We had p http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Norway/Ostlandet/Oslo/blog-436467.html Motorhome News from Europe 23.NorwaySweden June 2005 Oslo Norway and on into Sweden To the best of my knowledge I have never seen a photograph of Oslo so I had little by way of expectations when we arrived at the campsite overlooking the city midmorning. The E18 motorway runs straight into the City through the tunnel under the centre and out the other side. Consequently there is little t http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Norway/Ostlandet/Oslo/blog-433525.html Motorhome News from Europe 22 Norway June 2005From Norfolk to the outskirts of Oslo in a week. Yesterday the last day of May we lsquocast a final cloutrsquo looked forward to a June lsquobursting out all overrsquo and planned our departure from Norfolk for phase three of our motorhome tour of places that previous European holidays have failed to reach. Our unplanned return home in Apr http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Norway/Ostlandet/Oslo/blog-433520.html blabla http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Norway/Ostlandet/Oslo/blog-432451.html Irsquove really really missed writing this blog. Really. Recap of the last 45 monthsBack in March when I had to return to Sweden for a month because my Australian Work Visa ran out Life asked me to rethink my home country as a possible habitat. Considering how things turned out thatrsquos quite ironic. Or brutal depending on how you see it.To convince me moving back home would be fabulo http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Norway/Ostlandet/Oslo/blog-432213.html