Norway, Part 1

Oslo

Oslo was mostly wet and overcast….

Tributes to the common hen are not common anywhere, but Henry found one!

Maybe they deserve more respect with the price of eggs commanding so much attention nowadays. And speaking of which, Norwegian groceries have begun using electronic shelf labels on many products so that they can adjust prices in seconds many times a day, to stay competitive and to keep up with supplier price hikes.

Gustav Vigeland was a sculptor who designed and populated Frogner Park in the early 20th century with over 200 of his works in bronze, granite and wrought iron.

The sculptures of human forms are intended to capture all aspects of the human experience, from birth, joy and love to isolation, loss and death. It’s an intriguing collection.

From Oslo, our journey will continue through parts of Norway and Sweden by train, our driver (Henry) wanting to enjoy the travel process, rather than dealing with traffic and roundabouts. Here is the planned route:

The first leg from Oslo to Stavanger will take over 8 hours in total, first by bus and then by train.

Stavanger

Stavanger is on the North Sea, a key center of offshore oil exploration. Its Norwegian Petroleum Museum documents the history of the industry in the area…

Of greater interest to the average consumer are the Norwegian Canning and Printing museums, two closely-tied businesses. Please note that when we say “canning” in Stavanger, we are talking primarily about sardines…..

The invention of lithography in 1798 enabled mass production of multi-color pictures…. As the canning industry emerged in the late 19th century, marketing depended on colorful labels, thus aligning the two industries in Stavanger…….

The modern sardine enthusiast enjoying an open-face smoked-fish sandwich…..

Stavanger celebrates its multi-cultural ties…. Here a tribute to the Norwegians who emigrated to America….

And this is a replica of an archaeological artifact from the ancient city of Nineveh from about 700 BCE. A winged deity, the Lamassu had stood near modern-day Mosul, Iraq until 2015, when it was destroyed by ISIS in the aftermath of the Iraq War.

The artist intended this work as a reminder of the devastating impact of political conflict in less-affluent countries, the importance of culture and its monuments, and especially how human lives are affected…. Those that are lost and those that continue to search for sanctuary.

Unfortunately, similar scenarios continue to play out across the globe….. hopefully enlightened leadership will continue to strive for peace.

Bergen

Onward by bus and ferry to Bergen, generally considered the rainiest city in Europe…

Plenty of rain and drizzle, but a fortunate brief break in the weather allowed a glimpse or two of the harbor and historic waterfront…..

Rainfall is measured graphically on this bright arts-y rain gauge.

A fascinating conversation with a young man whose father makes tin soldiers, the only craftsman in Norway to do so in the old way, casting in molds and painting by hand. The son is learning the trade!

We acquired a tin “Nils Olav”, a king penguin who is the mascot and a Major-General in the Norwegian King’s Guard. Here’s a photo of him in real life inspecting the troops….

Bergen was the site of the most chaotic second-hand store either of us has ever seen….

Some other miscellaneous images from Bergen….

Norway in a Nutshell – from Bergen to Voss to Gudvangen to Flam to Vatnahalsen to Oslo

Norway in a Nutshell is a tour package that takes one from Bergen through small towns by rail, bus and ferry…. Through magnificent fjords and mountains covered with waterfalls. Unfortunately, it is oversubscribed and mostly crowded. Probably best experienced in the off-season.

The train made a brief photo stop and dance performance next to a waterfall….

From Oslo, we will travel by rail on to Stockholm and further experiences in Sweden.