Norway Sept. 1-15, 2004

Our trip to Norway was a return after a four year hiatus. In the intervening years Philip, Ingrid, Elsa and Maija had visited us twice: once in Florida and last year in Texas.

We arrived in Oslo after an overnight flight made our way to the hotel by the Airport bus and a few blocks walk. The room at the Hotel Rainbow Munch was ready for us so we had a Lunch at Gabler Cafe and then returned to our room to take a nap before exploring Oslo.

The hotel was a short walk from Karl Johans Gate, the main drag, where we found a delightful park lined Boulevard. We caught the the route 30 bus to Bygdoynes where the Fram Museum and the Kon Tiki Museum are located. The fare is Half price for Seniors on all public transportation so be sure to claim your status. The fare, 15 Kroners, was about $2 each. The ride was quite scenic through the city and out around a small harbor to the end of the peninsula.

Fram is a famous Arctic Exploration Ship that was used by Fridtjof Nansen, Otto Sverdrup, and Roald Amundsen in their travels to find the North and South poles.

The ship has been described as the strongest ship ever built. The hull is triple planked and ranges from 20 - 24 inches thick. Round bottomed and round ended she was designed to rise up onto the ice instead of being crushed by it.

Fram is housed inside this museum

Here is a view of the Helm. Behind the wheel you can see a grate around the rudder post.

The ship was deliberately run into the freezing ice pack of the Arctic ocean where it would become lodged during the Three Year passage around the north pole. 1893-1896

The rudder could be pulled up through the Grate so it would not be damaged by the Ice.

Here is a link to the Fram Museum Web page if you wish to read more.

We spent the whole afternoon in the Fram Museum so we missed the Kon Tiki. Both close at 5 PM.

Oslo Harbor as seen from the Fram Museum

We took the ferry boat back across the harbor (10 Kr each) and found a floating barge that featured Pizza and Beer. Rating *** $$$$ View ****.

That rating translates to Good Pizza and Beer, more Expensive but the view compensated. We quickly found that there are no bargains in Norway.

We celebrated on the walk back to the Hotel with Ice Cream Cones. Same Rating as above.

The rest of the report is in separate chapters for ease of loading:

    Norway in a Nutshell
    Bergen
    Stavanger