Filipino Chess Player League (FCPL) – Qatar Relaunches OTB Blitz Tournament

Fact: Philippines has now completed 10 years without the distinction of producing even one chess player GM.

10 years?! Ang unang reaksyon ko?! NOOO!!! Ang gagaling kaya ng mga Pinoy sa chess! Our traveling family discovered chess when our then Under-9 wanted to play in tournaments. Tatlong taon na suporta sa among GM-wannabe made us realize the obvious – there’s not much exposure sa mga Filipino chess players around the world.

More than 40 days in Serbia playing chess has improved our now U12 chess player. Bakit? Kasi ang daming tournaments na accessible at puwedeng mag join both tourists and locals alike. Knowing chess is one thing, having the opportunities to play in tournaments makes a lot of different. Sadly, if we stay in the Philippines for more than six months, we doubt na magkakaroon ng ganong karaming tournaments.

Kaya naman, pagbalik namin dito Qatar, we aim to be engaged in the already existing Pinoy Expat Chess Community!

We are very fortunate to be now part of the Filipino Chess Player League – Qatar! ANG GAGALING NA MGA CHESS PLAYERS! There are a lot of stories na nanalo sila Top Prizes even defeating GMs who are globally known na sa larangan ng chess! Every single tournament na hosted ng Qatar Chess, for sure laging mag Pinoy! Kakaproud grabe. This group of people for sure will accelerate our chess player kid’s GM GOALS!

Hence, this appeal – please reach out to them to sponsor more tournament!! To kick start, we held the first blitz tournament last 25 February , kahit sa bahay lang venue we tried to accommodate para naman masimulan muli ang OTB tournaments. Grabe, you can feel the passion for chess and love of chess games! Imagine what could happen when tournaments are FIDE-rated na.

And the bigger point – ang daming GM-material na Pinoy everywhere. Kailangan lang talaga ng suporta. In our little ways, let’s give help.

Here are some photos from this tournament.

We need to inspire Filipino Chess Players from within our Expat Filipino Community here in Qatar – please reach out to FCPL-Qatar!
They are not “professional chess players, some of them don’t even have FIDE number, pero HALIMAW sa galaw pag maglaro ng chess!
Our dining table never had so much laughters around! Iba talaga mga chess players!
FILIPINO CHESS PLAYERS LEAGUE – QATAR
The winner of First Blitz Tournament 2022! Congratulations to Ryan Mendoza – Champion, Marlon Tallayo 2nd prize and John Orven Tia 3rd prize! – in terms of Filipino congratulatory endearment – balato naman! ❤️💪🏽

Remember these faces (minus the one in orange kasi chess mom yan) – these people will conquer the chess world!
Winners!!!
Special shout out to The Empanada House – isang tawag for a cause – bigay kagad nga discounts para magenjoy ang mga chess players for this tournament. In photo is the president of FCPL- Qatar enjoying delicious yummy empanada!!! More collaborations to come, we hope!!

Another Fact: The Philippines used to be the #1 chess-playing nation in Asia. Now it’s not even #1 in Southeast Asia. (Consider the point I’ve outline how good in chess Filipinos are! Kaka-sad di ba?!

Now the question is : May magagawa ba tayo to reverse this ? If so, what do you think should be done? How can you help?

How family travel memories helped us in 2020 Pandemic

Our family has a clear conviction that family travel is one of the best gifts we can give to each other. From planning the travel itinerary to long after arriving home, this has proven to be true. Indeed, during the pandemic, our family travel history has proven to be quite beneficial to strengthen the family bonds, personal relationships and every family members’ resilience and strength in dealing with adversity such as the quarantine and loss of loved one.

Family travels enables us to form a much stronger relationship with each other. We all benefit from exploring familiar culture and not-so-familiar ones. Family travels give a better appreciation of the big picture, the fine, intricate and sometimes overwhelming details and, of course, love of life in its entirety – glory and gory!

Our traveling family has a huge gigantic desire to travel. #happyfeet

Who would have thought that these family travel memories would have us equipped in dealing with the pandemic? Here’s how it went for us:

  1. Memories are forever. A lot of ice breakers. A lot of “DO YOU GUYS REMEMEBER WHEN…. Inserts a funny anecdote.” A lot of inside family jokes. A lot of “blackmail” materials against each other. Priceless. We could get stuck at home for a year (hey, this happened!) and we won’t run out of stories.
  2. Global education in any form. We have been using Zoom, Teams and other online means way before the pandemic. Nothing new to see here. Reading books for days and days – oh yes please! Learning is everywhere. Besides, with all the “souvenir” books we have been accumulating from our 40+ countries of travel, we have plenty to read for the next months or so.
  3. Strong family bonds. Been there, done that. We already annoyed each other to death during our family travels. What’s almost a year of quarantine stuck in a small space together? Cabin fever for a year? That’s nothing. We have already endured days and hours in flight delays and travels in all transportation mode.
  4. Appreciate the little things. It’s in the detail. Devil is in the details. Art is in the details. Full focus on every day blessings is good for the soul. Appreciating each other and showing them. “Please,” “thank you” and “How can I help?” are few of the phrases we are used to saying to each other again and again during family travels – short or long travel itinerary. These words mean a lot in confined space – saved a few lives and hormonal outbursts!
  5. Life is enriching. Every day. No Matter What. Yes – say that several times over. Looking at life as an enriching experience is natural for travellers. The perspective of looking at the huge wide sky and realizing that the a lot of other places have the exact same sky with variety of perspectives, is a fantastic blessing, not a limitation nor a curse. And this happens, we look at the window from our home during the quarantine period, and there’s appreciation; there’s a deep knowledge that life is always enriching.

When the world is wide open again for family travel, we will continue realizing our family goals. Until then, we will keep utilizing the benefits of our previous travels. There’s a lot t hang on to.

BIG YES to “Never let your memories be greater than your dreams.” YET, memories can be a strong powerful tool NOW to dream some more for the future.

We are barefoot and in our pajamas at home… we’re happy together and we’re thriving. On to family time and realizing dreams! No to “SOMEDAY” wishes. We seize the days, now and the future 🥂👊🏽🥳🍾❤️

On Family Values: Hope and Experience

“And patience [worketh] experience; and experience, hope” (Paul, Romans 5:4).

As Malcolm Gladwell argued in his bestseller book, Outliers, it takes 10,000 hours which is approximately 10 years of deliberate practice to become an expert.

With the goal to travel to 100 countries in10 years, that would make us seasoned family travellers. We’re onto our six years of happily traveling the kids along our family adventures, and by far, explored 36 countries, including the new territory we are currently exploring at the moment, Canada!

Yes, there are certain traveling tasks that feel so routine, like appointment with embassies, visa applications, packing, adjusting to jet lag and body clock. These are great expertise to have as a working professional. Patience with documents, mastery of own body sleep and up close encounters with countries diplomats… necessary skills of a future CEO or founder of a corporation, and we can discuss further why!

However, more importantly, though skills which we are yet to master, there are hormones, grumpiness and boredom.

Hormones, there traveling women vs. two patient men makes a team. This means at the very least, two weeks of PMS (premenstrual syndrome) of emotions, the struggle is real. Acknowledging this, makes the battle easier, though we can only monitor, not control. Experiences on the pattern makes it understandable and yes, conquerable, if not tolerable for the surrounding men around these women.

So you think you can balance girls’ hormones?! 😘

Grumpiness, or bad hair day moments, or waking up at the wrong side of the bed, is also normal during family travels. One day something too personal embarrassing the other. Too close for comfort takes patience and experience, too.

This traveling little man in the middle, gives a lot of patience to the family. He’s smile always cure anybody’s grumpiness!

Boredom, because what parents may find interesting, may be so very boring for the kids and the other way around. We would not be telling the entire truth to our traveling adventures, if we would lying if we say “everybody loves visiting .. insert name of place/ country/ region… Nope, most of the time, there’s someone who will rain on somebody’s parade when family travels together.

Kids these age will pick Legoland anytime over any museums, that we know. And parents don’t particularly enjoy Legoland. It takes a lot of give and take among family members to enjoy a long period of travel!

BUT, there are also the AHA moments, the wonder-at-first-sight moments, laugh-out-loud-together-moments, we-actually-saw-what-happened-together-moments.

AND… these moments turn into memories. Memories that would be from imprints on their lives and define the decisions and actions they would do in the future, what will define who they will be by choice.

Experience together over any material things… no argument there. We’re armed with experience-building patience, even if it takes 10,000 more hours together!

Living up to our main family value, we really are a hopeful bunch.

Peace on Earth is possible. Travel with family?! Maybe possible. 😜

A Worldschooler’s Day with 50,000 Art Sculptures of Grass Roots Square

She had been buried in bed for the past ten minutes, debating on whether it’d be worth it if she had finally dragged herself out; although when it had come to it, her body felt as if it weighed a ton. Her brain barked and brandished psychological threats, though her body displayed no signs of swaying.

She squinted her eyes against the rouge ray of white light that had found it’s way through the gaps between blinds as she wiggled her toes and stretched her spine. Her brain had swapped tactics, and was now shuffling through memories of homework that had yet to be thumbed through; coincidentally- or rather voluntarily loitering on certain sore spots.

Six seconds later she had found herself in the bathroom.

It wasn’t hard due to the fact that the rooms within their current apartment- like any other, had practically been pulverized among one another, and she had been able to cover the living room with what had been consisted of three sluggish strides; although it’d be difficult to deny the fact that the dread that lay within her notebooks had egged her on a tad.

She slouched in front of the wall mirror, much to her mother’s dismay. Her mother’s voice bounced about in her head, her face that had remarkably mimicked one of a Saber-toothed tiger at the time flashed before her eyes. She grasped her toothbrush, although she couldn’t help but straighten her spine. Her hair jutted out at every angle humanly possible, though as much as she fingered fruitlessly it had bounced back to it’s former maddening mane-like glory. It was definite. She was indeed related to ferocious Felidae.

She breathed in the cool, crisp air. Her shoes clicked against the damp pavement, as it was slightly drizzling. Rain patterned against the roof of her hoodie, a mollifying melody. She yearned to dampen her hair, although wasn’t quite as zealous at the thought of awaking sniveling and stuffy the day after. She clicked across the wooden bridge, the usual light tone of oak mirrored one of spruce once it had been drenched.

She proceeded to pass sculptures that would have been considered scandalous if not for knowing Norwegians, eyeing a few people she presumed had been posing for the wrong reasons.

20 minutes later, her clicks had become less enthusiastic; if anything, they had morphed into piteous shuffles. Dad had map at hand, cracked at the rim; although allegedly function-able nevertheless. She made a show of her discouragement plastered at face, frowning at what seemed like scraps of metal that had miraculously managed to cling onto one another; although her father- oblivious to the lack of approvement, sauntered off, offspring ambling afterwards.

Another 20 minutes later, after passing the scrap-metal-map among one another, as if the change in person would affect the topography itself; they had found themselves at the point where they had started, the sought-after Grass Root Square quite literally underfoot.

Exploring Oslo, Norway: Grass Root Square –https://turknoytravels100.com/2019/05/29/exploring-oslo-norway-grass-roots-square/

She glanced at Dad, a mixture of triumph as well as daggers. He made a I’ve-had-three-kids-nothing-surprises-slash-tires-me-anymore kind of face, as he scrutinized the sculptures.

In all modesty, she had seen quite the number of sculptures in the span of her 13 year old lifetime, though nothing compared- or rather embodied anything nearly as unique as this.

From a further prospective, it seemed as if slabs off of the pebble-gray pavement seemed as if it were levitating; although at intimate inspection, hundreds of thousands minuscule men- and women, had been bolstering the bottom.

Their sizes varied, depending on whether they had been maintaining the weight of stone; since the immensely minute figures seemed only to sprout in the stead of numerous blocks. Their tiny jade heads clustered together in order to embody a single large, lime slab.

Their minuscule mouths appeared to gape in agony as her brother layered the slab the tiny figurines were bearing with his rear. A flat, elevated surface was equivalent to an inanimate object worthy of bottom smothering. At least, through a certain someone’s eyes.

Numerous people swept by, not a single fleeting glance at the grass-like population that had literally been sculpted under their noses. Well, we’re definitely one to talk, although considering the multiple renovations that took place surrounding the area, it’d be considerably difficult for anybody to spot. Anybody who wasn’t trodding all over it, that is.

With the expanse of knowledge she had unveiled that day, something bubbled at the pit of her stomach; something of a melancholy melody. The world had ballooned a green 50,000 time’s bigger that day, for how would she ever make it, if tens of thousands of people; excluding those below five inches, were clambering for “it”? She knew the answer, although the thought of it sent bile belting up her throat. How? Well, first things first.

She’d have to try.

Exploring Oslo, Norway: Nobel Peace Center

I intend to leave after my death a large fund for the promotion of the peace idea, but I am skeptical as to its results. – Alfred Bernhard Nobel
Alfred Bernhard Nobel was a Swedish businessman, chemist, engineer, inventor, and philanthropist. Nobel held 355 different patents, dynamite being the most famous. The synthetic element nobelium was named after him.

 

Reading intently on what it takes to be a Nobel Peace laureate 

The Turknoy’s favorite Nobel Peace laureate – finally a realization that it takes a lot to become President of a Great Nation – far cry on what they always see in the news lately (fake or real …but but but BUT Disclaimer — there’s no such thing as a fake news — it’s news or not news at all! 

Reflection Questions for the kids    during their visit to the Nobel Peace Center.
1. Who is Alfred Nobel? Why was the Peace Prize named after him?
2. Who are your top 3 favorite Nobel Peace Laureate? Why?
3. What would you do in the future to win a Nobel Peace Prize? How? When?

 

The Nobel Peace Center is a showcase for the Nobel Peace Prize and the ideals it represents. The Center is also an arena where culture and politics merge to promote involvement, debate and reflection around topics such as war, peace and conflict resolution.

On the 5th April we at the Nobel Peace Center opened our new Exhibition KlimaLab, a vibrant exhibition about the climate, nature and people. It is an interactive experience for children and adults consisting of art installations you can touch, feel and even eat.

Quote on Obama’s Nobel speech acceptance ..on climate change..apparently, the kids favorite topic on how to win the Nobel Peace  Prize for their generation.

…the world must come together to confront climate change. There is little scientific dispute that if we do nothing, we will face more drought, famine and mass displacement that will fuel more conflict for decades. For this reason, it is not merely scientists and activists who call for swift and forceful action it is military leaders in my country and others who understand that our common security hangs in the balance.

Exploring Oslo, Norway: Vikingskipshuset, Viking Museum

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

Exploring Oslo, Norway: Oslo rådhus, Oslo City Hall

“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.

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The 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? 

Exploring Oslo, Norway: Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology

“All men by nature desire to know.” – Aristotle

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 time

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.

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?

Tønsberg, The Ancient Capital of Norway

 

“The brace man well shall fight and win, through dull his blade may be.”- ~Fafnismal 28

Tønsberg is generally regarded as the oldest town in Norway, founded by the Vikings in the 9th century and also regarded as an Ancient Capital of Norway.

The town is also eventful in this present time as it is ancient. Tønsberg is a town filled opportunities for those with an urge to explore (like our Turknoy family and the Vikings!) We have noticed buzzing activities just below the The Castle Rock Tower, Slottsfjellet, and Brygga during our visit.

Tønsberg has beautiful nature to explore, too. At the coastal path, gorgeous and ever changing magnificent landscape can be enjoyed.

As mentioned, the town of Tønsberg is the oldest town in Norway. It was founded during the Viking Age, and celebrated its millennial jubilee in 1871! The greatest testament to the town’s significance during the Viking times is the world-famous Oseberg ship, which was discovered just north of Tønsberg center.

After the Viking Age and throughout the Middle Ages, Tønsberg remained a center of power until 1671, the only established town in the Vestfold region.

Tønsberg was a hub for commerce and shipping, and sites as Tunsberghus, several churches and monasteries, as well as the Earldom of Jarlsberg served to reinforce the town’s position of importance. Tønsberg was also a member of the Hanseatic League and played a major role in the establishment and development of commercial whaling in Northern Europe.

For hundred of years, Oseberghaugen has concealed one of the world’s largest Viking treasures, the Oseberg ship, excavated in 1904. The 21.5 meters long Oseberg ship turned out to be the grave is an eminent woman, perhaps a queen. The ship was filled gifts for the journey to its not so obvious doom! A copy of the Oseberg ship’s beautifully carved bow can be seen at The Slottsfjell Museum. Another complete replica of the ship can be seen at the harbor of Tønsberg.

The world’s most important discovery from the Viking Era was made just outside of Tønsberg in 1904, the famous Oseberg Viking Ship

The Castle Rock Tower is Tønsberg’s most famous landmark and is part of Slottsfjell museum which is located at the foot of the hill. The present tower was built as the 1000-year anniversary and was completed in 1888. The tower is 17 meters high, with a stunning view of the town. The original cross from the Maria Church and the engaged signature of three Norwegian kings can be seen in the tower.

The Castle Rock Tower is Tønsberg’s most famous landmark

Family photo The Castle Rock Tower is Tønsberg’s most famous landmark

The Slottsfjell museum and the area around is a culture heritage that represent the long history of Tønsberg. The ruin park shows remains of the one of Norway’s most significant medieval fort. In the museum’s Viking hall is Norway’s forth Viking ship, the only preserved ship that is placed outside Oslo, and the story of Oseberg findings. The Whale exhibition shows whale skeletons and the history of Svend Foyn. The blue whale skeleton  is the world’s  largest preserved skeleton.

The Quayside and old warehouses restored in 1978-1980. The brygga is a popular place with restaurants, marina and activities in a maritime setting.

View of the Tønsberg Brygge from the Bridge!

Playing Knight!

Viking longboat repair station… fine, fine … or any normal boat

Torvet, the main square of city center is a 10-minute walk from Tønsberg Brygge or Wharf and also to the Tønsberg Station. It was Sunday when we visited so everything was closed. It was still a very fun walk to do with kids!

Leading path to the Torvet, the main square of city center.

All dreams will be great 👍🏾

Torvet, the main square of city center.

Built 1919

Dream catchers

Last but definitely not the least trivia about Tønsberg is that the town is the New Asgard! Hello Marvel movies fanatic like us! Though, a little bit of reality from a Tønsberg resident.

It does make a lot of sense, though, that Marvel Universe is in a town with Norse mythology and Viking background. Tønsberg was the Earth-based battleground of Orin’s war against the Frost Giants, revealed during Thor’s prologue. It is also the location where the Red Skull, back when he was Johanna Schmidt, first discovered the Tesseract, containing the Space Stone, which has had a massive impact on the fate of the Avengers. The New Asgard with a new queen Valkyrie, that’s Tønsberg, Norway. What a fateful location indeed.

Marvel Studios may or may not have filmed in Tønsberg, well, they should have. This town is fabulous and Asgardian in any way!

Top of Castle Rock where our Marvel fanatics play loving the view and Endgame at the same time!

Have you been to New Asgard… hoops, Tønsberg? 🤗🇳🇴😜❤️

Exploring Oslo, Norway: Det kongelige slott, Royal Palace

“I think the main task in life we all have received, is to become the best version of ourselves, no matter how difficult life can be. ” King Harald V of Norway

Det kongelige slot, or simply, Slottet is the royal residence home to HM King Harald V and HM Queen Sonja. Slottet is located at the top of Karl Johans gate, completed in 1849.

The Royal Palace Park surrounds the palace on all sides and features grassy areas, majestic trees, small ponds and statues. These grassy ares are perfect for a quick picnic/ hanging out in front of the castle while admiring the majestic neo-classical style with the facade of stuccoed brick.

Great fond memories in front of His Highness home residence

The building is in neo-classical style with a facade of stuccoed brick, and was completed in 1849.

Our prince and the Royal Palace

Beyond hanging out during sunny days (or any cold days!) there are tours in summer, changing of guards every 1:30pm and service in the Palace Chapel every Sundays at 11am.

Our family believes the King Harald of Norway is THE coolest monarch. He is a champion sailor; he represented his country three times in Olympic Games; he support all genres and religions.

Not so long ago, he quoted Love Actually, in comparing Norway with United Kingdom,

“We may be a small country, but we’re a great one…”

He is certainly has more right to state this than Hugh Grant.

If you don’t think that is way too cool for a monarch, you should hear the love story between King Harald and Queen Sonja.

Once upon a time in 1950s…. so the real fairy tale starts King Harald saw a commoner, love at first sight, chased after her, courtship of nine years! King Olav V disapproves of the Prince not marrying another royalty from Sweden, a country of alliance. They defied all odds and eventually got married and live happily ever after ruling a great country… making it greater every day…

It’s a lot better than Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s story, right?!

Hanging out at The Royal Palace Park

the top of Karl Johans gate is the a Royal Palace

Obviously, lots of positive energy around The Royal Palace that our family wishes to absorb. And really, it’s a fine place to visit!

Don’t miss passing through The Royal Palace when in Oslo, Norway!