Oslo was, by far, MY favorite town!
Karl Johans Gate, a very expensive street aimed at tourists. Good Freia chocolate shops, though.
Old town-y looking area.
The big orange building says it was 1641. Wow...
Some cool building by the waterfront. We thought it was the Nobel Peace center until we realized that was some obscure building right around the corner from our apartment. Still not sure what this is...
A cool cape and crown at the Akershus fort. Alpha Dog would have bought it if it hadn't cost $60!!!
Riding the T-bana, the underground train.
I fell asleep on the train ride up to the Holmenkollen ski jump, and when I woke I looked outside and wondered how on earth we ended up in Northern Minnesota. Alpha Dog insisted we were still in Norway. I didn't believe her. Oslo or Grand Marais? I'm still not sure...
The view of Oslo from Holmenkollen.
This picture is taken less than thirty minutes (by train) outside of downtown Oslo. It looks just like the North Shore without the 'Superior' lake.
Holmenkollen ski area.
The landing area.
Spectacular views of the hillside.
Just a mile and a half from our apartment was the Frogner Park with the Vigeland statues. Super cool!
Everyone found a statue they could identify with. This is how Beta Dog feels when he is home on the weekends.
Munchkin tried to hear what they were all saying. No such luck.
If I had to represent Munchkin and Little Dude in stone, it would look something like this.
Alpha Dog's absolute favorite statue of the park.
Little Dude didn't give his statue preference, but if I had to guess I'd say it was this since he always likes to be picked up and hugged.
This is the statue that best represents me. It's how I feel when everyone is clambering on top of me to play or pat me. Ack!
The pack in front of my stone epitaph.
About this time, Little Dude's body language began to tell us how exhausting traveling was becoming.
Alpha Dog couldn't get over how cool Norway integrates industry and nature. Here is a water drainage area that becomes a fountain when trams aren't rolling over it. Notice the tram tracks that go through the middle of it? Cars and buses have to go around it like a rotary.
When everyone got tired, the stroller put in overtime by hauling 98 pounds of kid.
Our apartment, decked out with IKEA kitchen.
The kids hideaway.
Another star sighting! But had this one been live we would have loved to shake her hand and get an autograph! Alas, a photo of a photo will do!
Helping Alpha Dog carry groceries home to the apartment. Food is SO insanely expensive in restaurants here - well over $100 for two standard adult and two standard kid dinners! Instead we purchased three breakfasts and one dinner for around $30 from the local Mini Pris (grocery) and it was all delicious (notice the bread bag is open? Little Dude had a nibble or two on the way home)!
The super cool Norwegian Folk Museum. The kids *loved* this!
A Sami house, quite similar to a Native American wigwam.
Munchkin lassoing a reindeer.
Got it!
Little Dude cheering her on. "
Go, Big Sister!"
Now show him who is Alpha!
Good job, Munchkin!
More of the original houses from Norwegian times past.
Love the grass roof!
Info...
Our tour guides...
An old farm...
A tractor!
Happy kids - this is always good!
Folk musician...
Folk dancers...
Tired, but entertained enough to keep his eyes open...
The "Old" town...
Cute bird house...
Riding the ferry back to the main land.
The über cool opera house, which Alpha Dog wanted to see but Beta Dog didn't think it would be cool enough to check out. On our early morning ride into the central station to catch the train to Stockholm he read the guide book and remarked, "
Huh, the opera house is supposed to be really cool." Alpha Dog just sighed in disbelief.
Onward to Estonia!
~ Yours Truly Thinking Oslo is Grand Marais on Steroids
