Christmas in Europe starts early and is about lights and snow (unlike NZ Christmas which is BBQs and swimming)
Vinter Wonderland markets and fair. Just had to tack this on to yesterday’s adventures.
View from the Ferris Wheel – Oslo lit up with the joys of Christmas.
Market stalls with Christmas goodies
Sue and George enjoying the fair.
No Christmas show is complete without Santa and his helper (I refrained from the sitting on knee invitation)
A magical special evening!
This morning was decidedly greyer than envisaged, however we still had five hours left on our Oslo pass (24 hour pass which includes all public transport and free entrance to museums and points of interest). Not that we didn’t get value for our investment yesterday but there was still one more item on the list of must sees!
That’s us, taking a rest stop on the climb up the mountain to the ski museum and famous Oslo Ski Jump! George had met us just after 9am and we had trammed and trained into the hills on the outskirts of Oslo.
A bit further up the hill and the clouds were coming in – our hopes for an incredible view of the city somewhat diminishing by the minute.
Second rest stop before reaching the museum entrance.
Looking down into the jump runoff and stadium seats – in the distance you can see cross country dry training (with a form of long rollerblades)
Museum time. Norwegians have a long history of cross country and Nordic skiing and of course Jumping.
We were at Holmenkollen – the home of the worlds oldest ski museum and the impressive ski jump which hosts a major ski jump event each year.
Skis dating back to 600AD are on display here – these ones not quite so old.
Model of the first Holmenkollen ski jump dated 1892.
And the latest modernisation in 2011 for the world champs.
1960’s to 1980’s range of skis – I could pick the style I learned to ski with in the 60’s.
Another of these gorgeous moose creatures – will need to get deeper into the mountain to have the real life experience.
We then took the elevator to the top of the ski jump, still devoid of snow – but very high up and a test to the vertigo tolerance.
Looking down from the top – you can just see the seating and run off at the bottom. Oh and it was freezing up here!
This ones from the bottom looking up, just catching the top in the clouds!
Back down in the midday train and home for a quiet afternoon – getting chilly outside and we have Kat (George’s girlfriend) cooking us a traditional Norwegian meal for dinner tonight!
Is it really only three days we have been here? This amazing city will keep a little bit of our hearts.
People are so nice, helpful and ‘Happy’. The public transport system is so efficient with electric, trams, buses and trains. The city roads are practically carless (due to road toll charges and expensive parking in the city environs). The city is clean, rubbish bins on every corner. Pedestrian crossings on every corner too, and vehicles stop for you to cross! (Unlike Italy)
Happily, our time in Norway is not over yet!
All who wander are not Lost girls 