Last Night in Norway

Well this is the last evening in Norway, June 21st.  The longest day of the year.  Can't complain even though hard to go to sleep when still sunny it's better than the other way around.  Weather going from 60 degrees to 97 in Houston when I'm scheduled to land June 22.  We had a big gathering last night at a place owned and run by a transplanted Texan who runs an award-winning barbeque place in Stavanger.  He had a bumper sticker on his pickup truck (a rarity over here) that said "I didn't get to the top of the food chain to become a vegetarian".  We got to help make the dinner and it was all quite tasty though the clothes I had on (now packed into suitcase with other clothes) are soaked in smoked mesquite smell and will inevitably contaminate the whole bag now. 

Ok, I'm trying to catch some sleep before take-off - set to wake up around 4am.  Talk to you all soon!

Love, Paul

Some weekend pix

Picture from top statue in Vigeland park full of sculptures.

The top statue in the center of the park.

The most famous statue in the park of an angry little boy.

A statue of Lincoln in the park given to Norway by people of North Dakota (probably Norwegian immigrants) early 20th century.

Our US embassy.  Under lock and key and fence and guards.  As usual.

A picture outside the city hall morning they gave 1991 belated Nobel Peace Prize to Suu Kyi this past Saturday.  The king and queen were there too. 

The National Theatre on Karl Johans Gate.

An orchestra playing in the gazebo on Sunday evening.

Orchestra take 2.

In the Oslo Hard Rock Cafe, this is the drum set used by Alex Van Halen to record the first Van Halen album in 1978 and also went on their subsequent tour.  Autograph on upper left drum in picture says "Turn it up".

Some thoughts

Noticed that Norway is only place I know of that eats earlier than the USA. breakfast seems to be at normal time but lunch is no later than 11am and dinner is at 5. I don't understand it have to force feed myself at lunch. Someone told me they'd "starve" if they couldn't eat lunch till 1130. Saw people filing into canteen at 1030am one day for lunch. Also notice in their airports their domestic terminals are much nicer than the international terminals. That is a sharp contrast with the rest of the world but is in line with their protectionism ideals.

No Scream picture

In case anyone was wondering the museum did not allow any pix in the room where Munchs Scream painting is. It was the only room where no pix allowed. Funny the security around it. The painting has been stolen twice since 1994. The first time by some pro life activists amazingly. So now they are just all over it with security. Patrons seemed to follow he rule I saw no one taking pix unlike in the Sistine Chapel where the rule was completely and utterly ignored even despite guards yelling at people who did it.

Pix from weekend

Trying this again hope it works this time.

Nobel peace price center

Atop the roof of the Oslo Opera house.

The opera house.

Oslo Harbor one of them anyway

Part of the seafood and music festival.  Band was actually playing Johnny Cash music hard to believe.

Pathway to dungeon of old castle and fortress.

View from palace front down main street Karl Johans Gate.  Nazis marched up this street upon 1940 occupation.

Royal Palace.  I noted to a local there is nothing stopping a vehicle from driving right up to the front door (a security concern I would think).  They replied that there is one guard sitting at the front door...

Van Gogh self portrait

Picasso, Man and Woman

Cranach painting

A Monet painting

Painting by Johan Christian Dahl

Weekend

Hope to get the picture thing fixed soon.  Regardless had a good weekend in Oslo.  A vibrant city and easy to walk around.  That's good about Europe - if things on map look far away the really aren't that far away.  Visited their National Gallery (Munch's Scream, Van Goghs, Goyas, Renoits, Rodins Thinker, etc etc), the Palace, the ancient castle and fortress, their new Opera house, their Cathedral and the Nobel Peace Center. By the way, if by chance there is a new US prez next year the Euros will be completely shocked. Not that they follow too closely but their image of US politics is circa November 2008 and there is no one who could be better suited for the office than the incumbant.  Maybe best of all here in Oslo is their seafood sold from the waterfront.  Had my fill on shrimp, scallops and salmon since arriving.  Some of their salmon is the tastiest I've ever had. 

The trouble with pix

Having trouble posting pictures this weekend which is a shame I've taken lots of them.
If you go back in my posts you'll see I picked the Belmont-winning horse Union Rags to win......the Derby.  Something fishy about that I'll Have Another scratch, I have a feeling there's more to the story than is being told right now.

Food

Even the Danes and Swedes (Norway neighbors) marvel at costs here Especially the food. I've been eating many many salads here so when I saw Hard Rock Cafe last night was dying for burger. For burger fries and beer it was about $50. Hate to keep carping on the prices but it is really something. So the hotel here has breakfast for free actually it's just included in room charge. So I'm at buffet now and people just crawling over each other. Stocking up on multiple plates so they can avoid hunger for few hours. By the way I looked at the menu yesterday of the only Starbucks in Norway at the Oslo airport. A large cappuccino was 9 bucks lol. Hope to see Oslo now but of course started to rain this morning for first time in few weeks. At least it's not cold.

Oslo

Got into Oslo early this morning.  Staying next to the Royal Palace in the Radisson Blu hotel.  Weather is great.  Europe seems teetering on the edge with their fiscal problems but Norway seems almost totally insulated from it. 

Heard the horse pulled out of the Belmont before trying for Triple Crown, seems odd.  Maybe better this way would not be good for the horse to win Triple Crown with a trainer accused/involved in so many rules/drug violations. 

Queen Victoria ship

Speaking of cruise ships I watched the Queen Victoria pull into harbor the other day.  Haven't researched it but it is the largest ship I've seen come in here.   Must've taken it an hour to maneuver and harbored in the little harbor here.

Cruise Dreamin'

Saw this in the harbor the other morning.  Excited about our cruise to Caribbean later in summer.  Going to Grand Cayman, Cozumel and Montego Bay.

Bathroom Doors

Saw these unique bathroom doors in the Bergen airport...no other comments really.

St. Svithuns Update

Been to St Svithun past couple weeks.  Looks like they've had slow progress on building and some scaffolding is down.  I've seen some workers there.  Took another collection at church today for the renovation fund.  I think they'll get there but it's slow going.  Their English-speaking congregations seems quite devoted.  When it's done I think the buildings will look fine too. 

Plans

Just three weeks left on this Euro trip and got the following plans set to go.  Will be in Bergen, Norway this coming Monday.  Going to Oslo June 8-18.   The second weekend (June 15-17) planning to hit Stockholm, then back in Stavanger and to Houston 22 June.     I mean June 22.  That's what so much time in Europe can do to you...

News from Home

Some pictures from Pearland of recent note:

Christian pre-graduation picture.

Christian with his teacher this year, Ms. Maria

Teddy just returning from the groomer where they sheared off tons of hair and gave him a good bath.  He's ready for summer now.

Hitchin' A Ride

Yet another update to the swans.

If you can expand and get a close in on the picture look closely at the back of bigger swan.

Swan Update

Remember the swan nest I'd pictured a few weeks ago.  Closely guarded by ma and pa.  Five eggs.  Walked by the other day and guess what?  Seems all five babies are out and doing just fine:

If you look close I think there are three of the babies in the nest.

Later on the other parent and other two siblings arrived and they went exploring.  I have a movie also but having trouble uploading it. Those parents can dive down deep in water for food.  I don't think any of the other wildlife around here wants to mess with ma and pa.  Glad to see they're doing well.

Hike to Pulpit Rock

One of the most popular things to do in Norway (#10 according to Lonely Planet) is to see Pulpit Rock.  Can be done by cruise (see my Lysefjord cruise post below) or by hike. The hike is considerably more difficult.  About 2.5 miles each way up mostly narrow, steep and rocky terrain not to mention many other hikers.  So on Saturday May 26, on a clear, warm day I set off on the hike. Others had told me not to visit if bad weather due to rain and clouds at top when you get to top so pictures are worthless.  I think I nailed it today. 

This rock is about 2,000 feet high with straight drop to the fjord below.  Tradition to sit or stand on edge and no railing has ever been installed. No accidental deaths on records though some suicides.

View behind others sitting on edge.  I saw no enjoyment of sitting on the side myself.

Another view from the top of the rock.  It is predicted that someday this rock will detach and fall into the fjord (numerous cracks are visible just before reaching the summit and you even step over some of them).  Legend has that it will fall when seven brothers marry seven sisters on the top.

Self-photo at top near the ledge though you can't even tell. Adding to scariness was fair amount of wind blowing out over the ledge. Sun was very powerful this day and heat was bad for Norway. But not a cloud in the sky, a true rarity.

View looking the other direction.  Two cruise ships on the Lysefjord.

Another view of the ledge.  People sitting/posing with legs overhanging.

Near the top were some swimming holes which I'm certain are unswimmable probably 300 days a year. But today was the exception.  Almost got in myself if I didn't have a bus and ferry to catch to get back to Stavanger. 

Flying back Friday

Via Amsterdam I'm back in Houston around 2pm CST Friday. At least for a week.

Oaks winner:  On Fire Baby

Derby order of finish:
Win:        Union Rags
Place:      Creative Cause
Show:      Daddy Long Legs

It's 5 o'clock Somewhere

It was over 60 and sunny in southwest Norway today. And it was a holiday, so there was quite a bit of activity.  Big cruiseship came in - mostly of British retirees - er, I mean "pensioners", flooded the town most of the day though many shops were closed as it is Norway's Labor Day.

I've realized there are Parrotheads all over the world (those are Jimmy Buffett fans for the uninitiated).  There's some active bar on the waterfront I pass most days and they're always blaring his happy hour/weekend anthem "It's 5 o'clock Somewhere". 

Swan Nest Nearby

There are two swans watching over three eggs in a large nest they've made in the lake by my flat.  I pass by them each day and they're never more than a couple feet from the eggs and usually one of them is laying on them. I caught them while they were just out of the nest.

Christian's Kindergarten Grad Photos

They are just the prelim photos before we order the final ones.  Christian has really torn up his classes this year.  He looks quite a bit like Jack Jack Dugan in these pictures I think.

Cup 'o' Heaven

This is what heaven looks like after too much machine-made coffee.  A double handmade cappucino - in a wifi area to boot. 

Lysefjord Cruise

On Saturday I went "on a three hour tour" (Gilligans Island reference) of a noted fjord (pronounced fee-yord) leaving the dock by my flat. I've posted some pictures below but certainly not all the ones I took. In English it's the "light" fjord for the granite shiny rocks gleaming from beneath the water. Hard to capture the scope of these as the fjords are usually narrow with rock walls on both sides thousands of feet high. Water is usually very deep too. 10,000 years ago Norway was under a mile thick layer of ice creating these fjords.  Recommended way to see Norway if you ever make trip as these fjords go deep into the country.

On the way to the fjord.  Got on boat top for pictures.  Wind made it quite cold.

Example of a rock wall from the fjord.  I think the water can be thousands of feet deep.

Three goats on the fjord hillside "grazing". They actually wait for ships to come by and they receive generous amounts of food thrown to them from people on boat.  Here they are picking some up. Moments later hundreds of seagulls came and stole much of it.

Waterfall into fjord.  They say it is 400 feet high, hard to gauge sizes.  See if you can watch video of it below. They collected some of the water from these falls in buckets and we drank it.  Fresh as can be!  All in all a nice way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Random thoughts

Went bowling tonight. Pretty much the same as US but they call the lanes "tracks".  Also a nice restaurant inside it.  Cost for dinner + 90 minutes of bowling $90 USD. 

St.Svithuns on Sunday mentioned construction "funding issues have developed" and work has slowed. Well until today I never saw anyone working.  It's a shame cause they can't just leave it like it is. I don't know full story but based on some other comments it didn't sound good.

I heard the big cruise ships (Norwegian, Royal Caribbean) come here soon and dock just blocks from my flat.  This is hard to believe they can even fit in this harbor.  In US we're used to docking and finding dirt cheap prices at some Caribbean locale.  Here the people probably run back and eat in the ship!

I've been thinking they just need to go ahead and rename that fireworks show that kicks off the Derby Festival" for what it really is - Traffic around Louisville.

Tuesday

Yesterday I was able to get to the Oil Museum here - yes there is such as place - with all kinds of interesting artifacts and stories.  In the 1950's the Norwegians gave up looking for oil in the North Sea but the crazy Americans kept on it and now Norway is very well off indeed.  The prior generation was fisherman and farmers and now it's one of the most prosperous countries on earth.  I've already met people here in a few weeks who have permanently moved here from all parts but mainly other Euro countries.

Norway cost of living nugget for the day:  $20 USD to see a new release movie in theater.

There is also a maritime museum here but it's always closed seems like.  Here's the anchor by the front door:

Sunday thoughts

Just some thoughts while cruising the cobblestone streets of Norse country 1. Still haven't seen any chariots though Im keeping a look out 2. Very glad I spent thunder over Louisville night 5000 miles away from the traffic 3. There are no khaki pants or light colored coats in Norway. They just love dark everything. I went to work in khakis and people didn't know what to think. I really liked it strangely. 4. Manual labor is hard to come by. All drinks are from machines. Finally found place makes cappuccinos by an actual human. Boy do they need a Starbucks. 5. For a cold weather place they sure eat lots of ice cream it's all over the place 6. Sometimes this place feels like Disney World with the prices. But I can't seem to find the Pirates of the Caribbean ride anywhere... 7. There is a museum here devoted to the subject of and history of "canning". Seriously. Dont wait up for me to de-brief you all on that place...

Weekend Musings

This morning the temps in Stavanger were upper 40's with no rain which was more than ample to get the town abuzz and hit the streets in force.  Norwegians just need a slight crack in the weather, and I mean slight, to take advantage.  This is practically t-shirt weather.  There was some sort of things in city centre all these people were dancing to music from ABBA and the movie Grease. City is maybe comparable to a mid-size US city a few decades back - low crime and just....simple.

The lake by my flat this morning.

Then I came across this car which gave a good laugh:

If this car was even allowed to enter the state of Texas, I think it would live a short life.  If the owner could stand being laughed at incessantly, it would still be run off the road in no time. Many trucks and SUV's could run it over and not realize anything happened.  Have to be serious safety issues driving a car like that.  I saw some of those three wheel cars in the UK years back, you know one tire in front two in back.  Keeping an eye out for scooters and chariots now.

Christian Jersey

Saw this autographed jersey today inside a glass case outside a UK soccer sports bar in Norway.  This guy Christian must be some well known footballer in the UK.  Well there's a pretty big soccer player named Christian in my house too! I should bring back another autographed jersey for them.

Just a shout out on the 100th anniversary of the unsinkable sinking.