I know it has been quite a while since my last post, but as many of you know everything is expensive in Norway, including internet. Aside from that Norway is wonderful! I have to say that it has to be one of the most beautiful countries in the world!
I flew into Stockholm, Sweden on Aug 16 and took a night train to Trondheim, Norway. Trondheim is a little south of the Artic Circle. It wasnt too cold, and the scenery was good. I saw a huge church and some viking statues.
The next day I took a bus to selund, Norway..in fjord country (along the way the bus had to take 2 different ferrys). This was an excelent little port town. The highlight of this stop was a daytrip I took to the Geiranger fjord, the most beautiful fjord in all of Norway. I decided to take the boat there and the bus back, which was an excellent idea. The boat ride was on a cruise ship destined for the very top of Norway. My ride was only 4 hours, but the scenery was top notch, waterfalls and trees along huge cliffs. The town of Geiranger was a nice little town, a little touristy though. The bus ride back was kinda scary at times, very sharp turns on a steep mountain, but it was worth it. I have to say that Norway is one of my favorite places so far. It met and exceeded all of my expectations.
After selund, I went to Oslo, the capital which is pretty far south in Norway. To give you an idea about the location of Oslo, it has the same latitude of Ankorage, Alaska. Yesterday was a very nice and sunny day, with temp almost 80. Today is quite the opposite, it is rainy and 50.
I had a nice day in Oslo. I first went to the Openair Norse Folk Museum, which had a bunch of old buildings that were transported here. One of the buildings was an old stave church (wooden) that was very interesting. Next stop was the Vikingship Musuem which had three vikingships that were used in burials. As someone interested in archaeology, it was stunning. At the last minute I decided to go to the the Edvard Munch musuem. Munch was a local artist with quite an odd style. I loved it! He is now one of my fav. artists. After the Munch Museum, I headed to a large park that had hundreds of sculptures.
The Norweigens are very friendly people, and almost everyone speaks English. I am definitely planning on returning.
I was just there:
OSLO, Norway (CNN) -- Armed robbers have stolen two classic paintings by Edvard Munch, including "The Scream," in a brazen daytime heist in Oslo.
The picture frames were later found in another part of the city with the pictures cut out. Authorities have found the getaway car and are using video footage of Sunday's robbery in an effort to track down the thieves, police said.
"They knew exactly where the paintings were and took them down from the wall," said Jorunn Christophersen, head of information for the Munch Museum.
The masked thieves also stole Munch's "Madonna," which shows a mysterious bare-breasted woman with flowing black hair.
The paintings -- which Munch painted as part of a series about love, fear and death -- are said to be worth millions of dollars.
"They are our most valuable paintings," Christophersen said.
"The Scream" is one of the most famous paintings in the world. Munch painted four versions, the first in 1893.
The best-known version was stolen from Oslo's National Art Museum 10 years ago. It was recovered three months later after thieves failed to extract a ransom for its return.
Sunday's theft from took guards and patrons by surprise.
An eyewitness said one man dressed in black rushed towards the "Madonna" painting, "grabbed that off the wall and then started banging it against the wall and against the ground because the gray strings weren't breaking off for him."
"He then saw 'The Scream', ran towards that and grabbed that off the wall and then he started rushing out the front and we started rushing out the back."
"The Scream" was attached to the wall by wires, witnesses said, noting that no alarm bell could be heard when the painting was taken. They also said guards did not prevent the robbers from fleeing with the paintings.
At a news conference, government officials expressed outrage that the paintings were not more carefully protected.
But Christophersen said an alarm did go off after the paintings were pulled off the wall. She also said the paintings were "stuck to the wall with solid screws." The robbers "used force in taking the Munch (paintings) away," she said.
Christophersen also said the robbers threatened the guards with guns as they headed to their getaway car.
Munch lived from 1863 to 1944 and was a pioneer of modern expressionism.
I flew into Stockholm, Sweden on Aug 16 and took a night train to Trondheim, Norway. Trondheim is a little south of the Artic Circle. It wasnt too cold, and the scenery was good. I saw a huge church and some viking statues.
The next day I took a bus to selund, Norway..in fjord country (along the way the bus had to take 2 different ferrys). This was an excelent little port town. The highlight of this stop was a daytrip I took to the Geiranger fjord, the most beautiful fjord in all of Norway. I decided to take the boat there and the bus back, which was an excellent idea. The boat ride was on a cruise ship destined for the very top of Norway. My ride was only 4 hours, but the scenery was top notch, waterfalls and trees along huge cliffs. The town of Geiranger was a nice little town, a little touristy though. The bus ride back was kinda scary at times, very sharp turns on a steep mountain, but it was worth it. I have to say that Norway is one of my favorite places so far. It met and exceeded all of my expectations.
After selund, I went to Oslo, the capital which is pretty far south in Norway. To give you an idea about the location of Oslo, it has the same latitude of Ankorage, Alaska. Yesterday was a very nice and sunny day, with temp almost 80. Today is quite the opposite, it is rainy and 50.
I had a nice day in Oslo. I first went to the Openair Norse Folk Museum, which had a bunch of old buildings that were transported here. One of the buildings was an old stave church (wooden) that was very interesting. Next stop was the Vikingship Musuem which had three vikingships that were used in burials. As someone interested in archaeology, it was stunning. At the last minute I decided to go to the the Edvard Munch musuem. Munch was a local artist with quite an odd style. I loved it! He is now one of my fav. artists. After the Munch Museum, I headed to a large park that had hundreds of sculptures.
The Norweigens are very friendly people, and almost everyone speaks English. I am definitely planning on returning.
I was just there:
OSLO, Norway (CNN) -- Armed robbers have stolen two classic paintings by Edvard Munch, including "The Scream," in a brazen daytime heist in Oslo.
The picture frames were later found in another part of the city with the pictures cut out. Authorities have found the getaway car and are using video footage of Sunday's robbery in an effort to track down the thieves, police said.
"They knew exactly where the paintings were and took them down from the wall," said Jorunn Christophersen, head of information for the Munch Museum.
The masked thieves also stole Munch's "Madonna," which shows a mysterious bare-breasted woman with flowing black hair.
The paintings -- which Munch painted as part of a series about love, fear and death -- are said to be worth millions of dollars.
"They are our most valuable paintings," Christophersen said.
"The Scream" is one of the most famous paintings in the world. Munch painted four versions, the first in 1893.
The best-known version was stolen from Oslo's National Art Museum 10 years ago. It was recovered three months later after thieves failed to extract a ransom for its return.
Sunday's theft from took guards and patrons by surprise.
An eyewitness said one man dressed in black rushed towards the "Madonna" painting, "grabbed that off the wall and then started banging it against the wall and against the ground because the gray strings weren't breaking off for him."
"He then saw 'The Scream', ran towards that and grabbed that off the wall and then he started rushing out the front and we started rushing out the back."
"The Scream" was attached to the wall by wires, witnesses said, noting that no alarm bell could be heard when the painting was taken. They also said guards did not prevent the robbers from fleeing with the paintings.
At a news conference, government officials expressed outrage that the paintings were not more carefully protected.
But Christophersen said an alarm did go off after the paintings were pulled off the wall. She also said the paintings were "stuck to the wall with solid screws." The robbers "used force in taking the Munch (paintings) away," she said.
Christophersen also said the robbers threatened the guards with guns as they headed to their getaway car.
Munch lived from 1863 to 1944 and was a pioneer of modern expressionism.
VIEW 13 of 13 COMMENTS
you have my number anyway.
[Edited on Aug 25, 2004 6:37AM]
-Jac