A family travel blog meant to track our family goals and to inspire the world that anyone with vision backed with SMART goals are meant to have their dreams come to a reality!
We are all born in a little port but not all of us sail the vast oceans.” – Mehmet Murat íldan
View of Aker Brygge — an elegant neighbourhood in central Oslo, Norway
Aker Brygge is a neighbourhood in central Oslo, Norway. It is a popular area for shopping, dining and entertainment, as well a high-end residential area. For our family’s third visit to Oslo, we have chosen to enjoy these area and we didn’t regret this even for a tiny second.
Aker Brygge – their playground for 17 days! ❤️
Universe happens for us — we want a yacht and really, that’s not a lot. To be more specific, a Norway-based yacht 😄cruises depart day in and day out for passing through the scenic Oslo Fjord.
At street level Aker Brygge a vibrant commercial district, and the large open-air areas and indoor shopping street are often used for photo exhibitions, concerts and pop-up events for fashion, art and culture.
For more than a century Aker Brygge was the site of a shipyard, Akers Mekaniske Verksted. The architecture at Aker Brygge is distinctive, with its combination of old, venerable shipyard buildings and modern architecture.
Part of the Central area, Aker Brygge’s pier is fabulous and majestic, to say the least. Eateries outdoor tables serve upscale Nordic, Italian or casual menus like burgers and steak. There are a lot of Oslo food trucks to choose from. A popular summer boat bar is moored nearby, ferries and cruises depart day in and day out for passing through the scenic Oslo Fjord.
Local cultural draws include the Nobel Peace Center, with exhibits on the famous prize and the striking Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art.
Local cultural draws include the Nobel Peace Center still under renovation for more improvements!
Enjoying the almost midnight sun in Aker, Brygge Oslo, Norway
striking Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art.
Aker Brygge is a port of happiness and elegance in Oslo, Norway!
Visit Vikingskipshuset for a face to face experience with some of the world’s greatest Viking treasures! The best preserved Viking ships in the world and unique burial artifacts from boat graves around Oslo Fjords. These ships have been on voyages of the sea before they became the final resting place to their wealthy owners.
Incredible woodcarvings, mysterious skeleton remains and Viking era mood; definitely out of the ordinary!
Face to face with some of the world’s greatest Viking treasures!Incredible woodcarvings, face to face with Viking artifacts seem surreal 😀
The Ship Graves
The Viking Ship Museum houses four Viking ship burials from Oslo Fjord area: those found in Oseberg, Gokstad, Tune and Borre. All four were excavated between 1852 and 1904. Three of the graves contained ships that have survived to this day, the Oseberg ship was built AD 820, the Gokstad ship shortly before AD 900 and the Tune ship AD 910.
The three ships had been at sea for several years before they were pulled ashore and used as burial ships. The dead were placed in burial chambers built on board the ships. They were buried with generous supplies of food and drink, various animals and a large number of objects
The Oseberg ship was used as grave ship for two women, while Gokstad and Tune servedas grave ships for men. Most of the objects in Oseberg and Gokstad graves were well preserved because the ships had been buried in moist ground and covered with clay and turf. Both Oseberg and Gokstad had been looted in the Viking Age; no jewelry or weapons were found.
The Discovery of the Oseberg Ship
The Oseberg ship burial was discovered in the autumn of 1903 on the Lille Oseberg farm in Vestfold county. The following summer excavations were carried out, led by professor of archeology Gabriel Gustafson. While the excavation itself took five months, it would take 21 years to complete the conservation and restoration of the ship and its grave finds.
The ship was complete but crushed when it was found, The many pieces had to be slowly dried before being pieced back together. The Vikingskipshuset consists of over 90% of the original wood.
Two Wealthy Women
When excavating the Oseberg Ship in 1904, the archeologist found the remains of two women. One of them could have been in her fifties when she died, the other around 70-80 years. But who is the main person in the grave?
The Oseberg mound with its rich array of grave goods indicates that one or both of them played an important political – and perhaps also religious – role. Their kin and community used the ship grave and the burial ritual and to mark the importance of the women. Is it possible that one of the women was sacrificed to accompany the other to the grave?
Both women were approximately 153 cm tall. The younger woman had healthy teeth with little sign of wear, indicating that she had enjoyed a good diet. Throughout her life she had used a metal toothpick to clean her teeth. A broken collar bone shows that was injured some weeks before her death, but the skeletal remains do not reveal the cause of her death.
The skeleton of the older women shows signs that she had been seriously ill during childhood. In old age, she suffered from osteoporosis, a lumbar fracture, two fused neck vertebrae and a knee injury, which most likely had made her stoop and walk with a limp. The woman suffered from advanced cancer, and had probably been in great pain in her final years.
The Oseberg mound with its rich array of grave goods indicates that one or both of them played an important political – and perhaps also religious – role
The Oseberg mound with its rich array of grave goods indicates that one or both of them played an important political – and perhaps also religious – role
Prototype and functional Oseberg Ship in Tonsberg, Norway
“If I have a thousand ideas and only one turns out to be good, I am satisfied.” – Alfred Nobel
Oslo City Hall (Norwegian: Oslo rådhus) is a municipal building in country capital, Oslo, located in the northern part of Pipervika neighborhood and faces Oslofjord. It houses the city council, the city’s administration and various other municipal organisations. The building as it stands today was constructed between 1931 and 1950. It was designed by architects Arnstein Arneberg and Magnus Poulsson.
Our Small Friends Exhibition besides the Oslo City Hall
Oslo City Hall is built of red brick and has two towers, one 63 meters tall and other 66 meters tall. The bricks used are larger than what was typical at the time of construction, but are roughly the same size as bricks used in the Middle Ages. The bricks – measuring approximately 27,5 x 13 x 8,5 cm – were produced by Hovin Teglverk in Oslo. The eastern tower has a set of 49 bells
On December 10 each year, during the death anniversary of Alfred Nobel, the Oslo City Hall hosts the Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony in which the annual laureate gives his or her lecture and is awarded the medal and diploma.
A podium for the laureate and the Nobel Committee is erected in the far end of the hall for each ceremony. The Norwegian Royal Family and Prime Minister attends the ceremony.
Inaugurated in 1950, Oslo City Hall is the city’s administrative body and the seat of the City Council.Enter a captionThe building has been decorated by great Norwegian art from 1900-1950, with motifs from Norwegian history, culture and working life.Future Nobel Peace Prize Laureate – it’s in his smile already!
On December 10 each year, during the death anniversary of Alfred Nobel, the Oslo City Hall hosts the Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony in which the annual laureate gives his or her lecture and is awarded the medal and diploma.
There are free tours inside the Oslo City Hall. Have you seen the interior of this administration building?
“In summer the empire of insects spreads.” ― Adam Zagajewski
This third time around in Oslo, we stayed in Aker Brygge and it’s fantastic. We get exposed to all things great and beautiful.
One fine day we were exploring the city, there’s a rainbow and there’s the “Our Small Friends” photo gallery that made us stopped for almost anhour.
In the exhibition, “Our Small Friends” , we meet the insect face to face. Jannicke Wiik-Nielsen, a scientist at the Norwegian Veterinary Institute, has taken these portraits using electron microscope, which magnifies the object under examination many thousand of times. Since the electron microscope is restricted to black and white photographs, the scientist/ artist has colorized the images to provide greater contrast and detail.
Have you ever stared directly at an insect and felt small? 🤗
Don’t you just love Oslo. Walking around the city always make you feel better and smarter.
Have you ever stared directly at an insect and felt small?
There’s always a time to explore outdoors and explore indoors… not fun learning experience for our worldschooling kids! So off we go to … indoor museum! With great pleasure. Oslo have lots!
Norway’s largest science center has installations that let children explore natural science and technological principles in energy, physical phenomena, the body, mathematics and space.
There are exhibitions about value creation throughout the ages, dive into oil history and try energy sustainable productions.
The exhibition Grossraum illustrates war stories in a very creative way for kids.
The medical history exhibits cover everything from the inside of the body to operation techniques that will make kids shudder – that’s a great things! In Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology, there’s a lot of opportunities to see Norway’s first passenger jet, as well as cars, bicycles and vehicles from different eras.
Oslo Science Center is the place make sure kids have fun while learning.. a lot! All can be tested.. from green screen, seeingYou own colors and testing reaction time!
Oslo Science Center is the place make sure kids have fun while learning.. a lot! All can be tested.. from green screen, seeingYou own colors and testing reaction timeIn Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology, there’s a lot of opportunities to see Norway’s first passenger jet, as well as cars, bicycles and vehicles from different eras.In Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology, there’s a lot of opportunities to see Norway’s first passenger jet, as well as cars, bicycles and vehicles from different eras.In Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology, there’s a lot of opportunities to see Norway’s first passenger jet, as well as cars, bicycles and vehicles from different eras.Traveling outside Earth from Oslo. Astronaut mode.Traveling outside Earth from Oslo. Astronaut mode.
Yes, it’s always great to be in a museum. Yes to travel. Yes to museums! That’s worldschooling, a school without boundaries or border in learning!
What’s your favorite indoor museum in Oslo, Norway?
Considering the fact that Tønsberg has been infamous for holding the status of being the filming sight for numerous marvel movies, the most commonly known being it’s role as “New Asgard” I’ve come to the conclusion that Lillehammer; emphasis on the hammer, would have done delightful. Although I’m certain of the fact that even the god of thunder had a hard time heaving up hills.
Well despite the fact, Tønsberg is indeed an abode for godly beings, and today had definitely proved that point:
Today had mirrored the day before, despite the slight shift of breakfast; but I had happily guzzled away. We had managed to catch bus 54, with the help of Dad’s pestiferous prodding, though it had been slightly more eventful then what I had expected.
A little girl, around six, stood blatantly at the bus station. Tears ran down her cheeks as she sniveled forlornly, Dad pointed out. This fact surprised me, for Dad hadn’t been one to barge in the business of other people; though in this scenario I see as to how one couldn’t. We stood rooted to the spot a few feet away, ogling observantly, yet unsure as to what to do. I blinked as a woman bulldozed her way out the bus that had been parked alongside the pavement, scooped the ill-fated fledgling in her arms and bounced back onto the bus. I’m not sure as to why this surprised me, though at a level I had expected her to- at the very least, comfort the poor soul rather than dragging her off like neglected luggage. I wasn’t in any place to protest, for I can’t possibly expect every single mother to be as magnificent as mine. (yeah, yeah, “sucker” or whatnot.)
We tramped off shortly after, though this event had spawned a series of tedious tutts from dear mother, but I doubt we’d ever stray, considering the constant- yet caring cuddles she’d give every few minutes. Some more than others, though you didn’t hear that from me.
Traipsing into Oslo Central had come a teensy bit more natural this time, and the furious fingering we had fumed onto the unfortunate ticket apparatus last time had somewhat subdued, so it’s safe to say we’re professionals now. Even the duration of train had dimmed, and not to mention the fact that the conductor hadn’t been quite as vociferous; thank Thor.
Now onto Tønsberg, the oldest city in Norway. When Mom had stated the fact I hadn’t assumed it’d be a ghost town. That may have been slightly overemphasized, although there truly wasn’t a person in sight. The stores stood vacant, and we were left to mingle with the bitter breeze; for it seemed as if even the sun had skedaddled.
Tønsberg seemed to be surrounded by a rolling ocean of hills and herbage, with tiny tufts of trees brimmed with blossoms. A turret stood isolated on the tippity top fold of green; a turret of which I had had no idea as to exactly how long it’d take to get there.
“I don’t know, it must be something with the internet.” Mom had the map at hand. Now I knew for certain Dad was stumped. We were lost.
Mom gestured wildly towards a road of which had been layered by construction. I sighed, pushing the arms of my jumper up to my shoulders, for apparently Tønsberg had chosen right now the perfect time to convert to sweltering hotness. Dad took charge once more, and we trudged up a steep slope; the likes of which wasn’t smothered by construction, until we halted abruptly at the face of an ivory cottage.
I inhaled sharply as Dad trotted towards a gap between the greenery that sat conveniently alongside the ivory cottage, though if the fact it was somebody’s backyard wasn’t tangible enough, a clothes wrack stood embedded into the earth; although Dad walked on nevertheless.
One by one family trickled away after Dad until I remained. Shortly after the mass of green had engulfed the single remaining family member that had been in eyesight, I sighed as I succumbed, and plunged into the forest.
I sighed as I succumbed, and plunged into the forest.
Mom nearly scoffed at every step we had taken, for apparently she had what was considered experience in these type of things; although I’d hardly call what we were taking “steps”, or rather more of a earthy embrace.
Finally we had made it out, although to my dirty distress my knees were caked in soil, coincidentally on the same day I had decided to start anew in the pant department.
Face to face with the famous fortress. Excitement sparked in my belly, although I feel as if it was partially due to the tarnished trauma it had taken to get there, although of course, the history behind it too. Though the view!! A large lake occupied the dip between hills; calm as well as comforting. Despite the fact that winter was far ahead of us, a layer of glass seemed to plaster the surface, tingling my toes with the urge to sprint onto the sheen surface. The lush grass immersed my legs at every step, though I took care of the fanciful flowers. Wind whipped my face, kissing my cheeks pink.
Face to face with the famous fortress. Excitement sparked in my belly, although I feel as if it was partially due to the tarnished trauma it had taken to get there,Though the view!! A large lake occupied the dip between hills; calm as well as comforting.
We stopped by a cafe on the way back down, the original request of ice-cream quickly morphing to a numerous amount of items once hungry eyes were unsheathed. Shortly after a flurry of lip smacking and chomps we made our way to the port, although once the fact that certain items remained sinkable was made clear, I wasn’t as quick to dive in.
The ride back was a sad one, though it had been perfect for pondering. Reflection was inevitable by the time we’d be home, so I might as well ponder. Tønsberg was beautiful, and it had been such an eventful trip it’d be hard to form the right words. Once again I had fallen for another bit of the Norway I had come to treasure.
One thing was for sure, I definitely had a lot to write.
Quick quotes from the Traveling Parents before we pass the torch to our eldest worldschooler who is extremely passionate about exploring and writing:
“Every secret of a writer’ soul, every experience in his life, every quality of his mind, is written large in his works.” – Virginia Woolf
You got this, kyvelo! – Turknoy Parents
—-
Saturday, May 5, 2019; 8:00 AM.
The night before, Mom had mentioned something among the lines of waking up at 4:00 AM, and had even went as far as planting the bloody phone alarm bomb alongside my bed. Protest had been on the tip of my tongue, although I hadn’t mustered the courage to do so.
As much as this fact had threatened my usual sleep-stocked slumber, I had slept soundly nevertheless. I had managed to pry my eyes open to what I thought had been four hours of sleep, when Mom bludgeoned through the unfortunate door; halting in her tracks as I allegedly “slept” on, completely unnerved. I had been semi-conscious at the time, so I hadn’t completely deceived mother dear. Mutinously mumbling, Mom trudged back through the door, which much to my surprise, had managed a piteous “click”, as she shut it behind her.
I squirmed beneath my sheets, partially due to the psychotic steam that had practically originated from myself, as well as the fact that I had started envying my former frozen self the day before.
Worldschooler, proud and happy! She did wake up like this!
Fast forward, although not too much so as to deprive Mom of precious “reflection”; I had been seated at the dining table a few minutes ago, where I had went through the usual territorial dish disputes; which hadn’t been much use since Dad had knowingly distributed accordingly, wary to the single grain.
Kim had decided to grace us with his bed-headed presence shortly after I had finished, although soon enough he wasn’t far behind.
We arrived at Oslo Central Station pink-faced and breath deprived, tapping for the troublesome tickets furiously, for the train had been due to leave in the next six minutes. As soon as I had stepped foot on the train, it had heaved and huffed, gradually gaining speed as we sped through the greenery. We stumbled through the numerous occupied seats; the occupants of which made noises remarkably like the exasperated huffs originating from the train itself.
The view to Lillehammer is marvelous… my favorite sister thinks so, too!
Speeding through luscious lakes, and fanciful foliage, the train rocked here and there, lulling me into a dream-lavished snooze of which I had debated on whether this infamous “Lillehammer” really had anything to do with hammers at all.
I clenched my teeth as another ear-piercing ring rang through the air. I had woken a few minutes ago, and had fruitlessly been screwing my eyes tight, in hopes of returning to thoughts of mjolnir.
The two hour train ride had finally screeched to a stop. The staff door swung open, revealing the person I guessed was the conductor. I narrowed my eyes begrudgingly, as I couldn’t find a reason as to why a grown man was in need to “toot, toot!” every five minutes. I stepped off the train all too gladly, skipping the way to Lillehammer.
That is, until I had caught sight of exactly how steep their roads, as well as their pavements were. You attempt skipping on a surface where the tiniest nudge would make it perfectly acceptable as a wall.
Map at hand, we marched up up up, family members overlapping family members; desperate for the front position, desperate for the valid excuse of “waiting” for the rest.
“Museum”. My heart skipped a beat as I saw those letters peek out of the green landscape that my skin tone had done a remarkable job of mimicking. I stumbled towards the building, eyes bulging as a bus sped past. Nostrils flared, I huffed as we stepped into the museum.
st. “Museum”. My heart skipped a beat…
“I suppose it was worth it.” I thought grudgingly, although I dare not say it out loud in fear of being accused of sucking up. Dad drawled on about the Vikings in the 1800’s in custody of practically nothing, whilst I fought the urge to roll my eyes. Nothing, huh? An enormous expanse of green stretched as far as the eye could see, shades of mint, lime, and emerald dotted here and there. Houses clustered just above the crystal lake, although it wasn’t difficult so as to imagine it’s former pre-beach-house beauty.
I pressed a palm against the spruce-like wood the cabins consisted of, breathed the scent of worn wood. Mom had teased about taking care of time portals, although now I had the strange urge to seek one out. A river rushed nearby, it was ridiculously accessible.
An enormous expanse of green stretched as far as the eye could see, shades of mint, lime, and emerald dotted here and there. Houses clustered just above the crystal lake, although it wasn’t difficult so as to imagine it’s former pre-beach-house beauty.
Seeing, smelling, and feeling things that had such stories behind them was simply indescribable. I’m not a lazy writer, so I don’t say that to the advantage of a decrease of words, which the previous extremely detailed paragraphs should hold proof of.
I had LITERALLY trotted through time today, from Viking abodes, to the perfect, prim, and proper peoples and places of the following decades; I had thoroughly enjoyed the adventures today had held, as well as Lillehammer itself. The architectural astonishment, and the historical heaven I had experienced the moment I took my last excruciating step uphill had been one of the most memorable; despite the lack of hammers.
The architectural astonishment, and the historical heaven I had experienced the moment I took my last excruciating step uphill had been one of the most memorable; despite the lack of hammers.
Turknoy Travels 100! 