Sunday, March 30, 2008

Norway

Hello everyone, I've been back in Wien for a couple days now. I've finally recovered enough from my trip to sift through the 300 or so photos I took. As I have a lot of photos, this entry will just be about Norway; I will start the Finland entry soon.


This is Oslo, where I spent most of my time with my relatives, Annbjorg & Lars.


Oslo's Statue Garden


Goofus like to cover himself in bronze and throw a temper tantrum; Gallant likes to experience culture through the visual arts.


The famous tower of people crawling all over each other.


the NFL's top infant draft picks


outside of the Central Station in Oslo


Lars


a major shopping area in downtown Oslo


I believe this is an important hotel...


Parliament


Karl Johann Street












The Nobel Prize place.... I know that's not the official name. :)












the ferry we took to the Fram and Viking Museums






It was rather cold outside, so I really felt no need to escape the boat.




The Fram Museum--This boat went the to the North and South Poles.


The Viking Museum






The "Tunnel" Line/Train



Now, I know someone can eat a meal "on the run," but the first thing I thought of when I saw this store was someone on the run from the law. Fugitives need gasoline and snacks too.


Fanta being politically incorrect.


a small shopping mall in the train station


This is how insane people stay physically fit.





a troll guarding the gift shop in front of the ski museum


Some kids start skiing at a very young age; some just pose for pictures.


These skis are hundreds of years old.


These ones are not.


climbing up the tower to the jump





Cognac and bobsledding--not a mix I would advocate...


a sweet lunch at a fancy konditeri in Oslo


dinner with my former roommates


a snowy road in the mountains


an old mountain farm town that has been restored and recreated




Lars and Annbjorg


A mannequin in the Volksmuseum


Lillehammer




an Easter tree




the view from Annbjorg & Lars's cabin










late-night waffles--some with cloudberries and apple jelly--others with Norwegian brown cheese




the entrance to the WWII Resistance Museum--This museum was about all the Norwegians who opposed and undercut the Nazi occupation of Norway by committing "illegal" acts like distributing secret newspapers, refusing to teach Nazi ideas in the classroom or training soldiers to hinder Nazi troop movement or prevent further weapons development.