Sitting at Oslo airport at 5am, waiting for 6am flight and surprise surprise, about half a dozen people here!

Arrived here in the dark and leaving in the dark! Daylight hours for winter 9am sunrise and 3.45pm sunset.

The sun coming up in the morning 30000 feet up

Reflecting on our time in Malta, Italy and Norway., all the adventures, laughter, friends and family my favourite snaps from each place…

Malta the long and short of our Maltese family, and everyone in between.

Gozo the salt pans

Rome – the Roman Forem and the many bridges we crossed over the Tiber river, which winds its way through the city of Rome.

The Donkey on the walk of the Gods – Amalfi Cost.

Fashion on Capri Island, Italy.

The Holmenkollen ski jump Oslo Norway 🇳🇴 heads in the clouds!

On top of the world – riding the Ferris wheel at Vinterland Christmas fair…

It’s been a fantastic ride over the last three months

Next Chapter – about to wing our way to Texas!

Monday, our last day in Oslo, and we had to be out of our Air BnB this morning as we are staying at the Airport hotel tonight for a very early flight tomorrow.

Perfect day planned, cases packed and dropped to storage at the central train station and boarding a day cruise of the Oslo Fiords!

Coffee stop after depositing bags.

The cruise left at 11am, so we had plenty of time to savour our coffee in the cool 1 degree daytime temperature.

Our boat to the left which is modelled on the opera house (at right in the background)

Unfortunately, the best laid plans cannot control the weather and, before we left the city, there was the odd snowflake falling. The views were exceptional from inside the nice warm boat! So that was a plus.

Leaving the wharf a great view of the Opera house.

In and out of the inlets around Oslo (most of which we have explored on foot), here is the Akershus Fort from the sea.

The city hall.

A retired lighthouse, now a restaurant in the middle of the sea.

We had a running commentary inside and I zoomed in and out when there might be a photo opportunity. Far too cold to stay for long on the viewing decks!

Getting close to our stopover and the fiords were closer together.

Following in the wake of this tug boat off to guide a ship in.

Docked for two hours at Drøbak, a quaint little village. Historically the winter harbour for Oslo as due to the fiords freezing, the ships used to stop here and then products taken to Oslo by horse and sleds.

These are the winter flowers that I see everywhere, not sure what they are called, but obviously flourish in cold weather.

Christmas decorations in the streets.

The highlight – a visit to the best Christmas shop in Oslo greater!

Everything is Santa, mice, moose, reindeer, witches, sheep, babies, trolls and practically everything you can imagine.

A sleigh of Santa’s!

Santa houses – two stories of Santa!!

Drøbak wharf. The weather is holding off, still no rain and, having warmed up with some hot food and a 2nd hot coffee, Russ and I climb on the boat (inside as still only 1 degrees) for our journey back.

The next 48 hours we will be travelling – to South Texas. I think Oslo (at least if not more of Norway) should be on everyone’s bucket list. It is a beautiful city, even in winter.

Winter in Oslo dawned with a chilly but bright sunny day (around 9am) – Sunday a day of rest – no way, out to explore some more…

Walking to Kat’s house, the sunshine breaking through the trees. Hats, gloves and puffer jackets all needed as a clear day means lower temperatures (think it got to 4 degrees today).

Kat and George took us about a 10 minute tram ride out of the city centre to Ekeberg Park – this one high on a hill with some interesting sculptures and fantastic views. Put your broadminded hat on….

First sculpture that hit us as we left the tram – say no more except “where’s Wally?”

This one was also interesting – these artists do not believe in modesty!

Sue and the big shiny one called Marlyn (female version)

So now to some of the views…

Oslo city to the right and out into the fiords.

Sue and Russ having a tourist moment.

Discussing the trail to follow – at this point squirrels running up and down the trees, but too quick to capture on the iPhone camera!

Another sculpture telling a story….very detailed.

The fiords through the tall trees. Nearly at the top.

George finally found a girl taller than him – this sculpture is called “The walking girl”.

Higher view of the fiords.

The park opened up into huge playing fields and green spaces.

Rest time for the team before the descent.

From here, we trammed back to our abodes as George had to leave, at 1pm, to get his plane back to England.

We said our goodbyes and Russ and Sue went in search of another couple of attractions on our to do list.

Telthusbakken Street, a quaint street with well preserved (and still lived in) wooden houses built in the 1800’s. A contrast to most of the brick and plaster residential housing.

On the opposite side of the street each house had its own garden allotment (in the middle of the city). Looking a bit unloved at this time of the year, but no doubt flourishing in summer.

Then to the hand craft market – even too hippie for me and very small, but in an interesting part of town called Bla!

Street art and graffiti on the walls (a nightclub area)

The best part of the market, a huge crafted chandelier of baubles!! This was impressive (but not for sale).

One other site, we had missed on our must see list, was the palace or castle at the end of Karl Johans street, the home of the king of Norway!

Happened to pass another impressive 17 meter high sculpture on the way (in the middle of a roundabout). It is a light fountain and was catching the last rays of the day… Sun due to set at 3.45pm!

And the castle/palace surrounded by several acres of greenness.

Russ (still standing but a little weary) at the start of Karl Johans Gate (road) which runs through the centre of the city of Oslo to the Cathedral!

One last glimpse of the beautiful day before heading home for the evening (by tram – I love these trams – they are so efficient).

Colourful 2 meter diameter flower pots line many of the city streets.

This day of sunshine has left a lasting impression of a city of wide open spaces, good coffee, happy people (even in winter), sculptures (leaving no stone unturned), great views and surprises (good ones) at every corner!

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!

A moment of rest with a coffee catch up with George, before a day of hot spots and off track adventures.

To the grand central station, a good starting point then took the tram to Frogner Park!

A huge park of 110 acres with naked sculptures by Gustav Vigeland, green spaces, lakes and rivers and so much more…

Children’s playground with a gothic theme

Tree lined avenues with the last of the Autumn leaves.

And Sculptures, made of granite or bronze, of naked people….to follow but a few…

Throwing his woman into the lake

Girl child

The athlete….and Sue!

A bunch of babies…and Russ

And the yoga pose…many more amazing statues, a total of 212 (just a taste for you here)

Wandering through this peaceful park with postcard autumn scenery.

The final golden leaves still falling, Russ hiding in the trees.

Iron gates with more of the artists creations.

Large green spaces and resting areas. This park is the biggest tourist attraction in Norway, although today we felt like the only ones (almost) in the entire park!

We had planned from here to take the bus to the three museums on our days schedule, however the sun was trying to peek through and we decided to walk the forty minutes instead,

The inlet at the start of what turned out to be a beautiful coastal walk (again two kiwis and the world around us)

Boardwalks and rocky paths – looking out into the fiords on this beautiful day.

Lunch stop (having anticipated our need to eat at some point we had brought rolls before leaving town)

The coastline was spectacular and colourful!

We swung past the boathouse of the castle on the hill, which was built by King Oscar, king of Sweden and Norway in 1852.

Here is the castle looking up from the track.

Not long after this we had to head up to the main drag to the Viking Museum (first stop on the museum tour)

Viking ship Oseberg built in AD820. The Vikings originated from Scandinavia and were the pirates of their time stealing from churches, monestries, villages and cities.

Many Norsemen settled down in the lands they invaded and the ships were then pulled ashore and used as burial sites – these ones have been uncovered and evidently they have just found another one in Norway!

These ships and Viking adventures reigned from 800AD until 1066AD.

Next stop the Kon-tiki museum.

The adventures of Thor Heyerdahl who was born in 1914 and died in 2002. A Norwegian explorer who believed that South Americans may have settled in the Polynesian islands (against historic theories) He set out from Peru, in a balsa wood boat and let the sea currents take him on his travels.

This trip took place in 1947 and he arrived at Raroia Island (one of the Tahitian islands) in 101 days!

This other boat the “RA 2” he made from papyrus reed and he then set out to prove another theory; that Africans travelled to South America by using the currents. He left from Morocco and arrived in Barbados, thus questioning again the accepted historic theories.

Coffee break needed, by the sea, before the last museum experience of the day.

Russ getting in the fold with Ronald Admunsen and his team, who were the first men to reach the South Pole (about a month before Robert Scott and his party arrived).

This takes us to the third and final museum “The Fram Museum” – which houses the ship that Admunsen made this voyage in.

From the viewing platform. And we could climb aboard!

Sue at the helm! We went below deck and watched movies of the voyages. Fabulous old ship and very well maintained.

We are now back in Oslo at Vinterwonderland – the Christmas fair that just opened today.

And we are doing this before heading home!

This city has to be one of the most beautiful cities I have visited so far. It has everything you could wish for, even in winter!

A grey morning greeted us, but no wind or rain so we set off on foot, on our self guided tour, with a list of must sees from Kat (George’s girlfriend and our native Norwegian).

This is a day of many sights and stories, so here goes…

We headed downtown to our first destination, window shopping on the way.

Colourful window displays, the day no longer grey!

Spare parts for our retro bikes back home (Sue and Don!)

Trudi and Kevin, Russ has found your next destination for your new found hobby (moving on from Malta)

Russ is still searching for the perfect suit (must not be a dark colour)…took a rain check on this one however.

Traditional Norwegian dress style, beautiful but possibly not for Russ either.

First destination reached..

The Old Oslo cathedral at the start of Karl Johans Gate (street), which continues from this point to the Parliament buildings.

Completed in 1866 and joined two separate street so Karl Johans Gate now runs from the Cathedral to the Oslo Palace through the city.

Our tour guide (and google) then had us heading to the Oslo Grand Central Station.

The Grand Station Hotel next to where we arrived in the dark last night.

A much needed information centre was within, where we then collected a physical map to follow to our recommended landmarks.

Next stop – the Opera House on the Oslo seafront.

One of the many attractions, on our planned walking tour, outside the must sees, a bronze statue of a lion. But I was actually capturing this eight seater baby buggy. We assumed it was a childcare vehicle and this poor woman did not actually have eight babies!

We climbed to the top of the Opera house…weather still being kind to us.

This monument is a modern sculpture by an Italian artist, made of stainless steel and glass, sitting atop an anchored concrete platform. It turns with the tides and winds and changes colour depending on light reflection. Quite spectacular.

Up top, Russ making new friends with this very large seagull (possibly Jonathan).

Sue puffed up with the fiords in the background.

Leaving the opera house views behind us we followed the waterfront towards Akershus Festning.

On the way….

Through an area called Salt – bars, entertainment and indoor saunas ( rather quiet at this time of the year)

However, if you have a spare shirt, you can’t quite bear to throw out, you can hang it here and visit it when you feel the need.

Akershus fortress, located in the heart of the city. It’s history includes; royal residence, dramatic military events, prison facilities and is currently the temporary seat of the prime minister of Norway (so Wikipedia tells me)

Adjacent is the military museum and base.

Changing of the guards at midday – entrance to the castle.

The treelined cobbled streets leading to the castle inside the fortress walls.

From the upper walls of the fort (and in the harbour) this US Naval helicopter carrier ship, is moored and heavily guarded.

A little footsore from the cobblestones, we left the fort and headed to the next scheduled stop.

Franklin D Roosevelt and Russ needing a little sit down (Russ did not realise that he was adopting Franklins pose)

Colours of autumn/winter on this path to City hall square.

Female statues and the city hall behind.

This beauty close up and a little too personal.

Onwards, in hunt of sustenance (at not too exhorbitant prices) we stumbled on…

The Nobel Peace Centre (a few winter renovations underway) and is a showcase for the Nobel peace prize and the ideals it represents. The award ceremonies are held in the Oslo city hall (pictured earlier), annually in December.

Still no food, next stop…

Aker Brygge, shopping, eating, commercial and apartment waterfront development. The two seaward sections connected with bridges over waterways.

Or stilts to cross – one of the many sculptures in this area.

Horsemen at edge of the sea (and Christmas decorations going up)

Art piece of Snow White and the seven dwarfs cake!

A motorbike inspired reindeer. About 8 foot tall.

And Jill this ones for you – red shoes, for a moment there I thought you were joining us in Norway!

Hunger and thirst sated at a very reasonable cafe somewhere in this area, we decided it was time to turn back towards our Oslo home.

The adventures not over yet…there’s more.

Google took us through another square, and large area of a Christmas wonderland being set up in readiness for opening tomorrow. Stalls, lights, rides, and everything Christmas.

Overlooked by a very Christmas decorated Grand Hotel (not to be confused with the earlier Grand Station Hotel – we were on the other side of town!)

Sue has found her reindeer for the second time today! One day – a walking talking one will appear. A dream to yet fulfill.

Time was marching on and so were the wandering Kiwis.

Along a diverse street of architecture to what we had seen all day…

Frednsborgveien street – with quaint wooden brightly coloured houses

And Damstredet (street). It felt like we had just been transported to a totally different town… for a moment.

Then this happened – from apartments and beautiful built up areas to..

Kuba Park – with Rapids!

An old Grain Silo converted into student accommodation (another change in architectural style)

Part of the rapids bursting through a bridge – I can see a wolfs face in the water!

From above some very fearless artists have decorated this bridge.

Russ with the street art in the rock walls

And finally, if you are still reading today’s adventures..

One last view of this beautiful park that continues winding up (we didn’t as a short lie down was needed before we are out to dinner)

What a wonderful place!

5am start, locked and loaded and one last dose of the Maltese Island Sunrise promising another sunny warm winters day.

Costa Coffee after depositing bags, and a very easy check-in. Rather warm in our winter woollies! (But not for long)

Plane was delayed leaving by an hour just to give me a little more time to get used to the fact I’m leaving (even though I was sitting in the plane)

Saying goodbye from the skies above Malta!

Air Malta leg room has shrunk and luckily the back row was free, so Russ could fit!

Lots of coughing and spluttering on plane so we donned the face masks

Hiding in my corner – keeping everyone’s germs away!

Landed to a very quiet Munich airport and, with three hours to wait, Russ thought it would be a good opportunity to have a stretch out!

Sue went for a wander and Russ minded the bags!

Will be boarding next hop to Oslo, Norway, in less than an hour.

It’s not where you end up it’s all about the Journey!

Bluebird sky this morning for business trip to Valletta and clean up day.

Our time in Malta is coming to an end but not before one last ferry trip to the capital, haircut for Russell, and Lunch at our favourite restaurant.

Malta in winter – lunch by the sea. (And a quiet little rum and coke)

This chocolate mastiff enjoying the winter sunshine as well.

Having cleaned the flat as best we can, and packed ready for an early start tomorrow morning, it is rest time for Russ and we have our last supper with our family tonight!

Cheers to our life (friends and family) and adventures of the last two and a half months. The love and laughter, we have shared, will be forever in our hearts, until we return and do it all over again.

Dropped the visitors to the airport this morning and we are two again.

One last visit to our favourite cafe, Cafe Du Brazil, in Birgu.

Russ savouring the moment.

Home to clean and start packing. Too much to pack and a quick trip to the post office before closing at 1pm.

Bormla in the sunshine. No time to waste, back to the apartment and realised I had forgotten to take the key! Locked out. Then drove to Kevin’s to collect spare and a quick look at their planted deck!

Home again to hang out more washing and then the call to go meet Charlotte and Marcella (cousins) to say goodbye!

I will miss these beautiful ladies!

Back home to clean, and repack, before another busy day of chores before we leave my 2nd homeland, early on Wednesday morning.

After a rather late night, and the weather looking mixed with thunderstorms and brighter patches, we left around 10ish in search of the ‘hole in the ground’ where an entire town used to be….

Tal-Maqluba, it is legended, was a town in the 1300’s which housed a community who had turned their back on God. Except for one woman, who was told to advise her villagers to change their ways! Ignoring this advice, the angels were sent to rip this village out by its roots and deposit it out to sea off the coast from the blue grotto! (Where a circular island stands today)

What remains is an enormous circular hole, with only a church perched on its edge.

St Matthews church, Tal-Maqluba on the edge of the hole near the town of Qrendi.

We began the descent into the hole!

Definitely a path less travelled.

Down and down until the views opened up (or rather down)

The cliff faces into the hole (we could not see the bottom)

We imagined below sea level!

Russ and Russell taking a breather before the climb out.

On the track up with the bell tower of the church in sight.

The almost sheer cliff faces of the circular hole.

We affectionately named this site the ‘Maltese Grand Canyon’ – certainly a path less travelled and not for the faint hearted or vertigo sensitive ( I seem to be improving in this trait)

So the question is ‘do you believe the legend?’ Or the more recent scientific explanation of a massive sink hole? Either way it is a unique formation and within its cylindrical depression houses its own (very green) eco system!

Our visitors wanted to take another trip to Valletta and, as the rain was now getting heavier, I drove. Only to get caught in traffic jams and torrential rain! A drive around the outside sufficed and we then headed back to Birgu for lunch.

The band club inside and warm! Seemed a good day to settle in for the afternoon!

Fantastic meals, we all chose seafood (mine the calamari version)

Mid afternoon drive (last tour for our visitors) included:

Kalkara, Fort Rinella, Malta film studios and Smart City and its evirons!

Malta film Studios – Universal studios cannot hold a torch to this seaside location!

And with Russ (number one) now dozing in the front seat, Malta is not complete without a visit to the Garjola gardens on Sengleas point.

And for me, from here, one last view of the Giraffe Crane, still lording it over the dockside port!

The Malta adventure is coming to an end for the visitors and the Kiwi-Maltese.