Mother of Munch

 

Two tastes of Norway to start the day. First up, a drizzly run along the harbourside, turnaround point was the Munch museum to make it a flat 30 minutes. It was relatively flat in other ways, the roads and pavements, but also in terms of my physical sense, absolutely running on empty.  Missed the mother on that one even though it was sort of right in front of me!

Breakfast served quite early in the hotel and chance to avail myself of those sweet treats that appear to be the breakfast staple. Today it was profiteroles and custard creams. That came after yoghurt, bacon, eggs and some very Norwegian cheese. Did I hear a cheer for Jarlsberg?  And some local brie too.

Checked out, also super early, so had a few hours to finish up our time here. Quite a nice symmetry with the start of the adventure as we strolled around a few of the places that sit comfortably on the shoreline here. One such place been here the best part of a millenia with the Hilltop Fort allowing us to take a trip down Norway memory lane and get yet another city viewing spot.

The symmetry didn't end there, I had noticed a massive statue on the first night when up on the Opera House and wanted to actually see what it was. Turns out to be a massive sculpture by Tracy Emin, she has named it the Mother, to watch over Munch (the museum)

Can't believe I've found my inner artist on this trip, is well hidden and light touch. Also found a statue of Grieg that required a personal photobomb.  The whole sculpting piece takes us full circle to the origin of trolls, its people seeing faces in stone that stated all that, and to stone they will return!

Final airport train trip, and chance to use up far too much krone we have left.  Its just cashless out here, like Brewsters millions, you can't give it away!  Tasty pizza and then passport control. Hands Down the friendliest immigration staff I have ever met.

So we come towards the end of another trip, 4 flights probably not great for our carbon footprint, and might not do much better in June when we go even bigger. But looking at a return to Scandinavia that may involve a bit less flying and a bit more ferrying. Thinking Stockhom - Tallin - Helsinki. Just dreamed that one up whilst wandering the Oslo pavements. Its how my mind works.

Southern Softies

 

Twenty years since we marched up the Vegas Strip, been back there more times than I care to mention and plenty of other places beside. We talked last night about our best travel experience together, some of the early driving trips through France and Spain with the kids fond memories, Vegas rarely disappoints and again after some huge US driving legs, Paris in the Springtime (for rugby!) always good, Tromso (Paris of the North don't forget) as winter turns to spring would be up there too along with plenty of other European Chevy Chase style moments. Hoping for plenty more adventures still ahead, we started a list ....

Sleep a bare minimum and it was all about check out and check in to start our journey back South.  In the old days with a 5am start we'd have probably stayed up all night. These aren't the old days although I barely slept a wink anyway, but at least hadn't fallen asleep in Bastard.  Forgave the hotel for their lack of gym as they presented us a packed lunch to take on our 8 minute airport bus to the ..airport. Couple of hours chilling in Tromso airport, worse ways to spend time, the snow is actually thawing before our very eyes.

So farewell to the nearest I'll probably get to the north pole, reindeers, toothache and a Queen Camilla at home resonates with Carys and my regular Xmas film, Rudolph and the Island of Misfit Toys. If you know, you know.

Airline must have known it was our wedding anniversary as they seated us in different rows. Well, whatever it takes to get through!  I watched 14 Peaks on Ipad as recommended by my good mate Crofty as I had downloaded it on Netflix beforehand.  And got in a second breakfast on the flight.

Landed back in Oslo and on the familiar train territory, it strangely felt like we were coming home, but a bit more battle worn, and pretty tired all round.  It may be that this turns out to be a day too far on this trip but when seen as part of the whole experience you can't be going great guns all of the time.

As was too early to check into hotel (although we had been up forever) we had to find something to fill the time and Chrissi was keen on a fjord cruise. I'm not sure the fjords this end quite live up to their glacial counterparts further up country, and turned out to be a rather cold and extended harbour cruise.  A few islands dotted around made for the occasional glance at the beach huts, hard to believe people go into this water for enjoyment purposes! Pleased to hear its main airport up until 1939 was for sea planes, I'd love to go on a sea plane one day.

Really needed to check in to the hotel and chill for a bit, although Chrissi somehow found the energy for a run. I think this is the year I recognise that perhaps all day travelling, day in, day out is maybe needing to be phased out from my backpacker past.  50 is a good innings and we do have some extremes over the Summer but after that ... it also means I'm pleased to have got a lot of this done over the last 20 or 30 years as would need to be incredibly well planned in retirement. That being said my good buddy Rob is perhaps showing us the way to backpack in retirement so rule nothing out and take a look at his work, very thoughtful blogger.Robs Roaming

With it being an occasion of sorts although not one we tend to do much with publicly (other than name a blog after which perhaps is as public a display of affection as I can muster) I've always seen an anniversary as quite a personal and private milestone (unless you have a party) so we spent a couple of hours at another Indian Restaurant in Oslo, must be all they ever eat out here! It's pretty much all we have eaten!

And then sleep beckoned as we wound our way home through the deserted streets of Oslo with the strains of A ha haunting us at every turn.

Another B@$*@** day in Paradise

 

So back on Facebook, maybe a new lease of life for the blog.  Been interesting following peoples reactions to the posts Chrissi (or indeed anyone) puts up on Facebook. Predictable comments often although pictures only show the view in one 'safe' dimension, the sanitised pic, the blog provides the other dimensions! 

Most of them are still pretty good it must be said, but a question or thoughtful comment can go a longer way than an assumption.  The dental woes have probably capped (hmmm .. pun?) the enjoyment factor on the last few days at about 80%, as the pain creeps in at some inopportune times. Nothing can be fixed out here unfortunately, checked that this morning.  Will need to sort on Friday when we get home. Not sure what this means for the marathon on Sunday, clearly you don't run with your teeth but running when run down, not a great idea.

After a handpicked breakfast, but leisurely and with time to people watch, it was out for the main 'expedition' of the day. On a friends recommendation (cheers Lyndell) we walked over to the mainland (not sure we realised we were on an island in the fjord until today) via that very exciting bridge and then up to the cable car station.

Was a great ride up to the top of the nearby Storsteinen mountain, where a snow plateau offered further peaks in the distance. Followed one well trodden trail for a little while, and for a short moment we were in a wilderness that conjured memories of Hoth, the Ice Planet from the Empire Strikes Back.  We rounded upon a ski school and a few skiers.  I think the word Ski originated in Norway from the old norse word 'skith' and so was great to see a few plying their trade, winging their way down the mountain with ease.

From our new vantage point we were able to look right across Tromso, the fjords, the fir trees, the football stadiums. The airport also drew the eye.  Thinking some of the cable car rides we have done in recent years, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, (technically railway!), Austrian Alps, Table Mountain, Victoria Docks ? they don't half lead to those panoramic memories.  

We also took some moments to relax and soak in the views in the hilltop cafe, lovely not to rush about on this trip but still feel that we are constantly taking new stuff in hour by hour.  The trip down in under 2 mins followed by a 30 minute or so return walk to the hotel provided new and old talking points.

The hotel gym (or nearby gym they have use of) has not been accessible throughout this stay which was a disappointment on one hand, but it did mean that I needed to get outdoors to run my 4 mile easy, which also turned out to be one way of providing some respite from tooth pain.  Not the most picturesque of runs apart from the snowy mountains always on the horizon both ways and a reminder as to our latitude.

Wanted to give Tromso the send off it deserved so dosed up and went out for a meal. Found a restaurant with an array of far east on the menu, disappointed the Ethiopean is not open until tomorrow, but we are all about the multinational cuisine in Norway. Real tasty Tom Yum soup for starter, with plenty of fresh fish; main course a slightly more mundane crispy beef, but washed down with some of the local ale, Mack.

The night was still young, last chance for northern lights although to be honest we haven't really been chasing them, you can't really!  We'd noted in Lonely Planet another Bastard named bar here, not at all like the one we found in Iceland. Well this one was more of a musos hangout, with cheap beer, cocktails and a buzzing student crowd. One of those cracking nights you don't expect with people jamming together on all sorts of instruments and just a good vibe in the Tromso air.

Who needs northern lights? No sign of them as we stumbled back from the bar.  They apparently called this place the Paris of the North back in the 19th Century, lets call Paris the Tromso of the South. Loving the Scandinavian culture, rocks and rolls all round.