Category: Scandinavia and Ireland – 2018

When we woke up this morning the sun was rising over the Norwegian coast and our ferry was approaching Oslo. We had a wonderful breakfast at a window table.

We got off the ferry about 10 am, checked into our hotel and started exploring Oslo.

Our first stop was the cathedral.

The we walked around the palace.

The Oslo Opera House opened in 2008. The architecture is special. It is designed to look like a glacier. The marble sides and roof allow you to walk up one side, across the roof and down the other side. The views were wonderful.

For dinner we at at a restaurant called Stock. We started with a scallop sausage with celery and langoustino.

Then Duke had pork and I had fish. .

We got an early start this morning and took the Metro to Frederiksberg. We had coffee and pastries then walked through Frederiksberg Have. It’s a beautifully landscaped park that is one of Denmark’s National Palace Gardens. As an added plus the park borders the Copenhagen Zoo so we got a free look at the elephants and flamingos.

The trains on the Metro are centrally controlled and driverless. So we get an added bonus on our Metro rides. We sit in front and have a drivers eye view. Here is Duke looking out the front of the train at our hotel.

Around 11;30 we checked out of the hotel and took the Metro and then a bus to the Ferry terminal. Usually the bus goes right to the terminal. But today we had to walk the last several blocks because the Copenhagen Ironman Race is today. We were able to watch the cyclists as we walked.

The ferry to Oslo left soon after 4 and will arrive in Oslo around 9:30 tomorrow. We have a nice cabin.

We had dinner in the steak house. Everything was very good but my home made ice cream was exceptional. I had chocolate, banana, mango and raspberry. The flavors were intense and wonderful.

Valerie and Vicky left for home at 2:25 this afternoon. We had time this morning to go into the center, have pastry and coffee and walk around a bit.

Their plane was on time and we saw them off with no problems.

On the way back from the airport we stopped for beer in a bar we stopped at yesterday. It seemed very Danish. It was a bit smokey but full of locals enjoying their beer.

For dinner we went back into the center and had pizza. Many of the streets were closed for street festivities. We ate outside and watched the Indian dancing at the restaurant down the street.

We had a full day today. First we took the Metro into the City Center and took the Hop On Hop Off tour of Christiania.

Next we walked through Christiania Freetown. The settlement was created in the 70s when squatters took over an abandoned military base. Apparently the settlement has been run somewhat separately from the rest of Copenhagen since then. The bus tour narrative said that weed used to be sold freely but isn’t any more. But as we walked down Pusher Street we saw about twenty different guys selling quite openly. The aroma was very strong. As we left the area we saw a van full of police pull up and empty out heading towards the area we had just left. We decided to retrace our route. This time as we walked down Pusher Street their were lots of police and no one selling weed.

Our next stop was Our Savior’s Church. Duke and Valerie climbed to the top. Duke said the steps at the very top were so narrow that he wouldn’t fit.

We stopped far a coffee break. Right after we got our drinks it started to rain so we went inside.

Our last sightseeing stop was the Danish National Museum. The history and relics starting from the Stone Ages up to a the present were fascinating.

Finally we ate a great restaurant, P Eatery. Our last dinner with Valerie and Vicky,who fly home tomorrow, was special.