Hellooooooo Oslo!

A fresh change, nice and cool. An understated, sophisticated, friendly place. We immediately 'chill.'

Hey Oslo is coooool. Our first selfie - we like the temperatures here, about 16 degrees.

walking to the hotel, I won't loose Mikey - he is recognisable.

An upcoming election in Oslo .. a promo booth.

The back entrance to the Royal Palace is temporarily the main entrance - the front square is being resurfaced.

We wondered about these guys in the garden, then the recognition hit Mike like a bee in the forest ....

Norwegian beekeepers!!! in the Royal Garden, making honey for the queen of Norway?

Gorgeous Gertrud, our guide in the Nobel Peace Prize Permanent Exhibition/Museum. She was just so lovely, I wanted to bring her home and introduce her to my boys. Just as friendly and funny, as she is stunning. She was a real joy to listen to. (Almost everyone here speaks perfect English, from the taxi driver to all accommodation providers etc.)

The Oslo Town Hall where the Nobel Peace Prize is handed out each year. Inidviduals and organisations can win the prize, and last year controversially, the European Union won.

We take the ferry to the bay that the Viking Ship Museum is in. Great day for it.

We spy the Museum of Modern Art on the way.

The air is just so crisp and clear.

Ahoi captain, we are on our way to Bygdoy. - the names are a scream!

The breakfast Room in the Thon Hotel we stayed in the first night. Nice and normal. Tip for anyone going to Norway - book your accommodation ahead. Otherwise you will spend a lot of time looking while you are there. Norway has limited accommodation, especially in summer.)

ooooo yes, the bread is decent once more. Italy was a shocker in the bread/breakfast department

ooooo but what will it be for lunch - moose or reindeer??? quite a change from pizza and risotto

The face says it all .... mooseburger :) heehee, but it tasted pretty good except for the mayonaise-y potato salad that they squished into the bun as well.

When we got back, the Harbour was busy .. .there was a free performance of Beethoven's Ode To Joy, by the Oslo Philharmonie, it was wonderful, the singers especially. Spine-tingling, what luck we had.

And it was O-week for all the universities as well and our second night we stayed in the university area. Julian, these are med students organising an activity. They said hi.

And to top it all off, it was the jazz festival too. Mike could be talked into listening to one 'piece' by this great band.

Coch's Pensjonat, our hotel the second night. Unfortunately we could not book two nights at the same hotel but this worked out really well anyway.

To balance out the moose from lunch, we had take-away sushi for dinner, in our room.