Two Days in Oslo

In spite of our best intentions, we only spent two days in Oslo during these past three months. Each of those days was spent with friends from America, so we know they enjoyed their time. Not that any of our Norwegian friends would not have enjoyed their time in Oslo, but, you know, it wouldn’t have been the same excitement for them…having been there who knows how many times before. And, for us, during each of these days, we were able to experience several new things, so even if we had been in Oslo many times before, it was still fun for us!

Joanne and we walked approximately 16,000 steps that day–according to her step-counter. Seems like a lot to me. Exiting the main Oslo train station, we headed toward the Oslo Opera and Ballet House next door–saving the actual walking up and over the top of the building to when we were there with Maynard and Karen. The Opera House is pretty impressive–built to resemble, I believe, an ice floe or glacier on the Oslofjord. Visitors can walk up the gradual incline of the roof, around the top, and down the opposite side, avoiding, hopefully, the chance to fall, trip, or otherwise twist an ankle on the unmarked irregularities of the smooth surface. From the top, one can enjoy a sweeping view of the fjord as well as the city of Oslo.

View overlooking the Oslo train station and city from the top of the Opera House.

Opera House from the fjord.

From the Opera House, we walked next door to the new Munch Museum…built in a design which has been slightly controversial. There are some people who think the building’s design is less than appealing. I happen to think it looks like a crooked finger. However, the inside is stunning–lots of natural light, wide open spaces, 13 floors with galleries designed specifically for the prolific work of Edvard Munch, Norway’s premier artist from the 20th century. With Joanne, we both toured this museum from bottom to top (and shopped a bit in the gift shop), but, I stayed downstairs our second time–doing research for the rest of our day in Oslo.

The controversially-designed Munch Museum in Oslo.

One of Munch’s larger pieces, Solen, displayed in the ‘Monumental’ gallery.

From the Munch Museum, Joanne and we walked up the main drag in town, Karl Johans Gate, and found a tiny cafe in which to eat our lunch–the oldest one in Oslo, apparently–W.B. Samson on Egertorget (ranked #9 out of 70 cafes for coffee and tea according to Trip Advisor). I recommend it for location, price, and selection. With Karen and Maynard, we chose to catch the ferry to the island of Bigdøy to take our lunch at the harborside restaurant of Lanternen. Karen was hankering for one more reker smørbrød (shrimp open-faced sandwich), and I had wanted to return to this restaurant where we had lunch with a friend seven years ago. Also, I just have to say, taking the ferry direct to the front door of Lanternen from the Munch Museum [instead of schlepping the 56 miles…or so it seems] was magic. I recommend it. And, I also recommend this restaurant. (ranked #230 of 1,215 restaurants in Oslo–should be higher.)

Taking a little lunch at Lanternen.

…because of the harborside location…and the food.

Taking the ferry back to the ‘mainland’ from the island of Bigdøy with Joanne.

Another destination for newcomers to Oslo, I believe, is a visit to City Hall, or Rådhus, the location of many city events/performances/weddings, and more significantly, the presentation of the Nobel Peace Prize. It is open to visitors most days until 4 pm, and one can either walk through it alone or schedule a time to join an official tour. Both times, we walked through it on our own…and the beautiful paintings and design of this building are quite impressive. Unfortunately, with K and M, we only had 15 minutes before closing to whisk through it quickly, but it was enough to get an impression…and leave one wanting to visit it again at a later date, perhaps? According to Maynard, it was now time for a coffee break, which usually includes cake, so we stopped at this delightful bakery at the foot of the Rådhus in Fridtjof Nansens Plass, called The Fragrance of the Heart.

City Hall from the harbor.

The beautiful murals painted in the main hall of the City Hall.

Frequently time for a coffee break.

Finally, onward, by trikk, to Vigelands Park! This is one of my favorite places in Oslo to visit, and I don’t think I have ever grown tired of visiting it. We took the #12 trikk (an electric tram) straight to the park, and proceeded to casually stroll up the center walkway past the many amazingly moving and relational bronze statues to the obelisk at the far end of the park. This obelisk is surrounded by larger-than-life granite statues extolling the beauty of youth, age, love, joy, and any number of other feelings. There are 212 bronze and granite sculptures created by Gustav Vigeland in this beautiful expanse, created over a period of almost 20 years, from 1924-1943. For the use of a studio, Vigeland agreed to donate these sculptures to the city of Oslo. This sculpture installation, if you will, is the world’s largest sculpture park made by a single artist.

Along the walk to the obelisk. Bronze sculptures on both sides.

Looking down at the main path from near the obelisk.

Heading up the steps to the obelisk.

I love the innocent beauty of his work.

Fun can be had in this park!

Finishing up our day in Oslo!

On both days, our ‘tour’ ended at Vigeland Park–we returned to the main train station via trikk. With Joanne, we returned straight back to Moss, but with Karen and Maynard, who were staying in Oslo for the night in order to catch an early flight the next morning, we stopped at the station for a bite to eat. Sushi! On a conveyor belt! Life is good! So, when you plan your next trip to Oslo, these are some ideas for you! Ha det bra! (Have it good! aka, Good bye!)

Just a little smooch in front of the Stortingen, or The Parliament building on Karl Johans Gate.

Syttende Mai (17th of May)

For an American with Norwegian heritage, celebrating Syttende Mai, Norway’s independence from Sweden on the 17th of May, in Norway, is akin to a pilgrimage to Mecca. And our friends, Karen (the one with Norwegian heritage–her great grandmother and great grandfather emigrated to America from the region of Hadland) and Maynard, expressly planned their visit with us to coincide with Syttende Mai. We were thrilled that they could experience the pride and patriotism that is so prevalent here on that holiday. Our friends made sure that we were included in their own celebrations as well as had the opportunity to attend the town’s programs.

The day began at the crack of dawn…well, not exactly, because dawn in these parts at this time of year is around 4:30 am…but the cannon and bands and raising of flags began at 0700. Karen and Maynard spent the night of the 16th at Astrid and Asbjørn’s home, mainly for ease of transportation the next morning, but also because the invitation was offered, and our friends have a darling guest suite. (as opposed to our simple and spartan Airbnb apratment measuring less than 500 sq. ft.) While waiting for our ride to the breakfast at Mossik and Kjell’s home, which, we were told, began exactly at 0800 hrs with the raising of the Norwegian flag, we stepped outside to watch and listen to the band playing down at the bridge over our little canal. They were playing very peppy as well as patriotic songs/marches, and we saw many people walking to the town wearing their festive bunads and suits.

The flag being raised by Øystein and Kjell.

Singing the National Anthem during the flag-raising.

The main table of breakfast delights.

Cheeses and crackers.

Otto and Grethe in their Hallingdahl bunads.

There were more than two dozen guests at this great breakfast–sitting at three different eating areas–with food items at several different ‘stations’ in the kitchen. Most of the guests knew one another, and we sat with a couple we had just met that morning. (I had been to a birthday lunch with the woman and had been introduced to her then) Funny story: as the guests were arriving before 0800 hrs, as instructed, one woman, who seemed very familiar to me, approached Karen and gave her a big hug and greeted her as one who had known her for a long time. I thought to myself, “How does Karen know her? I have been with her this whole time, and I don’t remember introducing them…”. Then, this woman, with a smile that went on for days, saw me, and suddenly greeted me with a hug and a “Debbie!” This was Fifi, and her husband, Egil, who we knew from our time in Moss in 2002, and we had not seen them in 20 years! She had actually saw Karen, and she thought Karen was me! What a treat and a joy to get reconnected with these dear friends from so long ago!

Fifi and I, reconnecting after 20 years.

The large table and guests.

Our table with Vidar and Tøve.

A small group of us left in time to drive to the nearby community of Rygge, to attend the Syttende Mai program at the 1100 year old church there. There is a brief program in the church yard, with speeches and a men’s choir, prior to the longer program which takes place inside the church, with hymns sung and Scripture being read and other readings/songs. Following this program was the barnetoget, translated the ‘childrens’ train’, taking place along the crossroad in front of the church and nearby park. It is a parade of the children’s school classes from the area waving flags and saying ‘Hip, Hip, Hurra!’ Hundreds of parade watchers stood along the roadside cheering on the children.

The Rygge Kirke, built around 1170 A.D.

The program outside the Rygge Kirke prior to the program inside the church.

Our little group watching the program outside.

Inside the Rygge Kirke, dating from the Middle Ages.

We visited with these men following the program…they are a father and son…which one is which?

The ‘barnetoget‘, the children’s train, the festive parade for Syttende Mai.

Are you tired yet? I hope not, because our day’s activities are not nearly approaching the finish. After cheering on the children in the barnetoget, we left for a little polse (grilled hot dogs) lunch at Astrid and Asbjørn’s. Maria, the grillmaster extraordinaire and day’s Uber driver for us, gave us a quick tour of the land. Not every day here in Norway is a beautiful sunny day, but today was a lovely one, and our small group enjoyed sweet conversation and grilled polse, wrapped in lomper, a lefse-like soft flat tortilla-shaped wrap. As is typical, kaffe and something sweet, this time it was fruit-covered vanilla ice cream, was served afterwards. There was a program scheduled at our church at 5 pm (with more polse and sweets to follow!), and we all needed a bit of a rest, so when all were full and ready, we left for home and a quiet time.

Maria and Maynard assessing the polse and extras.

Sunshine, food, and drink for everyone!

Toasting the freedom in Norway today!

The four of us walked to church, as is our custom, for the 5 pm service. By this time, Karen and Maynard had met a large number of our church body and may have felt quite at home. Maria led the meeting, Asbjørn spoke a bit on our spiritual freedom as well as Norway’s freedom, Ragnhild read a piece written by her mother years ago about Norway’s history, we sang patriotic songs which are traditional for Syttende Mai, and we prayed. I had approached Maria before the service about the possibility of taking a congregational picture after the service in front of the church. (I had done this seven years ago on this same occasion, and, if memory serves, it was like herding cats to get the congregation up to the front for a group picture.) So, at the end, she actually told the church that the American, Debbie, would like a group picture, and could they all come up…yep, it was still like herding cats.

We all finished off the day of celebration with a gathering downstairs in the Fellowship hall, drinking kaffe and soda, eating polse, and enjoying a veritable smorgasbord of homemade desserts….as well as delighting in the singing by, whom I have affectionately called, the ‘Ole Gaither Quintet’.

What a day! Hip, Hip, Hurra!

Den Frie Evangeliekirken. May 17, 2022. (not all are present)

Celebrating together.

Hey, look who are from the same area! Ragnhild, Britt, and Bente!

Maynard and Karen–hip, hip, hurra!

Gratulerer med dagen, Norge!

Good Save!

This is the kind of stuff comedies are written about…showing up to a dinner at a friend’s house on the wrong night. And, yet, when it happens, and it’s completely your fault, laughing is not the first thing you feel like doing. We have our good friends from San Diego visiting us, Karen and Maynard, and our Norwegian friends have shown such kindness and interest in hosting all of us. So much so, in fact, that our dinner social calendar is completely filled up. I thought I scheduled a dinner tonight with our friends, Anna and Leszek, but I made a significant mistake. As the story goes…

Last Thursday, we had Anna and Leszek over for dinner, and they, in turn, wanted to have us for dinner. We told them that we had friends from America coming for a visit in a couple of days, and they would be here until the following Friday. So, Anna gets out her phone and pulls up her work schedule. We scroll down through the following week and agree with a Monday that was free. I thought the date was the 16th…but, whoopsies, it was the 23rd. Meanwhile, our week’s schedule continued to fill up with planned activities as well as delightful visits with our Norwegian friends…Saturday lunch in Oslo after meeting them at the airport, Sunday–cake/coffee after church through Sunday dinner with friends, Monday biking in Gamle Fredrikstad followed by our dinner with Anna and Leszek, Tuesday Syttende Mai celebrations, Wednesday ferry ride to Horten/Midgard Viking Center/lunch followed by BBQ dinner with friends, Thursday all day in Oslo.

Velkommen til Norge, friends!!

First evening walk along the kanal.

Glad to be with friends!

Arriving at Den Frei Evangeliekirken on Sunday morning.

Table is ready for guests!

Visiting before lunch.

Smoked salmon…

Special creamy dessert…#1.

Special dessert #2…”Mother-in-Law’s Cake” and the Hosts of the Day.

Karen and Maynard ready for biking in Gamlebyen Fredrikstad…

…and Debbie and Paul, too!

Taking a little tour around the fortified island of Gamlebyen Fredrikstad.

Now we come to the tiny error I made… We returned from our biking in the Old Town of Fredrikstad with just enough time to walk to the store for flowers for a hostess gift for Anna and to call a taxi to take us all to their house. I quickly emailed Anna (the best way we have communicated during our stay in Norway) to confirm our arrival for dinner tonight at 5:30. We all arrive at their house at 5:32, the taxi departs, and I ring the doorbell. No answer. I ring again. Still no answer. I knock….by this time, I am kinda wondering if I got the date wrong.

Well, yep, I did. I call Anna, and she answers the phone. From work. My heart sinks as we realize my grave error, and she is so sweet about the whole thing. She assures us that Leszek will be right there, to wait on the back porch (overlooking the beautiful garden and Oslofjord in the distance), and that we should stay for coffee and cake anyway!

Our view while we waited…

Table set for surprise guests!

So, within minutes, Leszek arrived, prepared the table for guests with cake, coffee, and home-made special adult beverages, and we sat around visiting as if nothing was out of the ordinary. Karen and Maynard thought of heading out for pizza, and Leszek graciously agreed to join us. Sigh. As I said, Good Save.

Best Chicago-style pizza in Norway with American and Polish friends.

First evening in Norway for Karen and Maynard.

“We interrupt this Norwegian Staycation to bring you a Wedding!”

Even though it has been two weeks since my last blog post, and I could have written several times in the interim, there was just no time to do so! I will try and make time in the near future to bring you all up to date on the Norwegian happenings, but for right now, I must share of our daughter’s wedding in Washington D. C.!

As the story goes, back in August of 2021, Paul and I had already reserved this apartment here in Moss and made our plans to live in Norway for March, April, and May of 2022 when our youngest daughter, Rachel, announced to us that she and her long-time sweetheart, Connor Wentz, were engaged! And a spring wedding 2022 in Washington D.C. was in the works. Wow! We didn’t want to cut short our time in Norway, so we decided to simply fly back to the States for the wedding and return for our remaining three weeks. (One does not miss celebrating Syttende Mai in Norway with friends if one can help it.) The trip back to the States was not as simple as it sounds, however, due to the required negative Covid test one must have before one can board a plane to America. Uh-oh. We took the advice of well-traveled friends and enlisted the services of a British online Covid verification site to simplify, and lower the cost, of the testing. Having practiced this with our friend, Joanne, the week before, it went off without a hitch.

I had rented a large house through VRBO in Vienna, Virginia near the wedding venue, Meadowlark Botantical Gardens, and we hosted all of our extended family, plus extras, for the four nights surrounding the wedding. What a joy to have so many loved ones sharing life together and celebrating with Rachel and Connor. This house had space for everyone, six bedrooms with king-sized beds in all, and 4.5 bathrooms, plus an extra sleeping nook, large media room, game room with ping-pong and pool table, a music room with a grand piano, living room with double-sided fireplace, formal dining room, wrap-around porch, huge kitchen and table which fit ten for meals…all this and a resident family of wild foxes living under the porch! The backyard would have fit a nice football game and bar-b-que if the weather had been a bit better.

The House was full with these beautiful people.

Our resident family of foxes whose antics entertained us for four days. (and, coincidentally, the name ‘Todhunter’ means ‘Fox Hunter’ in Welsh)

Front view of The House.

The formal dining room ready for the Baby Shower for Emily.

Even though the weather was not ideal, the events of the week, (bachelorette picnic party, outdoor rehearsal, outdoor-wedding-turned-into-indoor-wedding, and baby shower), happened beautifully. The rehearsal was held at King Street Gardens Park, a delightful pocket park with greenery-covered trellises, quaint benches, tiled walkways, and lush trees, and was across the street from Joe Theismann’s Restaurant, where the rehearsal dinner was to be held. The dinner was absolutely delicious, and Bruce and Angie Wentz, Connor’s parents, were gracious hosts.

The rehearsal in King Street Gardens Park.

On the day of the wedding, life at The House was calm and serene. Bridesmaids and moms were getting their hair and make-up professionally done, photographers were quietly taking videos and photographs, family were visiting, eating, and drinking coffee. The wedding was scheduled to begin at 5:30 pm, so we all climbed into our cars by 5 pm and off we drove the five minutes to the wedding venue.

Watching for the foxes.

Pre-wedding selfie of the bride’s folks.

It was a lovely ceremony, and the venue was filled with flowers, plants, trees, and a babbling brook! There was a cocktail time following the ceremony so the guests could visit over appetizers and drinks while the professional photos were being taken. Seating was assigned at specific tables so everyone knew where to sit, and the DJ did a fine job of guiding the festivities throughout the night. The buffet dinner included a plated tossed green salad with pecans and berries, broiled chicken, bar-b-qued pork loin, pasta alfredo, roasted asparagus/carrots, garlic mashed potatoes, and assorted rolls. Paul welcomed the guests to the dinner, offered up a Grace for the food, and, in a true geographer’s fashion, did a survey as to where everyone came from to attend this wedding. It was a joy for us to see that guests came from far and wide (California, North Dakota, Florida, Illinois, Arizona, and Norway (!)) to celebrate the wedding of Rachel and Connor. Toasts were given by Jordan, the Best Man, Emily, the Matron of Honor, and Paul, the Father of the Bride. Paul is a public speaker by trade, so speaking comes easily for him, and he had prepared well in advance for this toast. I wish I had taped it (no memory space left on my phone/camera), but the main points I wish to remember were that Rachel was a special and strong young woman, and he knew that she would choose a very special man to be her partner. Connor is that special man. He finished up his speech by emphasizing that Grace, Forgiveness, and Love should be important parts of a strong marriage, and he gave advice to the new couple to intentionally incorporate all three in their marriage. Skål!

The cocktail hour after the ceremony while photographs were being taken.

The wedding cake…green and gold…nod to NDSU, perhaps?

The First Dance of the Happy Couple.