God Dag Everybody!

I absolutely positively, did not want to get up this morning.It's also rainy, wet and cold out there in Oslo this morning.I'm tired and just want to sleep this day away.But, this may be the last time I pass this way.I have to keep thinking that.

We all ventured up to the Windjammer for breakfast..Everyone in this place looked as though they were on their last leg, including me.We ate and laughed a bit, all the while in the back of my mind, I'm thinking, "I don't want to be wet today."

I usually have my bags with me and am usually ready to get out right after breakfast.I headed back to the cabin for a few minutes.Not really doing anything, just hesitating.I finally got it together and headed on out.YUKKA!What a mess.Cold and wet.I went right out to check out the area, looking for a "Hop On Hop Off Bus."They were already lined up.I knew I definitely didn't want to ride in the one with the covered top, because the sides were open.This proved to have been there better ride, as you could take pictures of the scenery as the bus was moving.

I waited for the next bus and dipped into the terminal while I was waiting.They actually had a few nice souvenirs, but I decided to wait as I don't like carrying stuff at the beginning of my day.I headed out to buy my ticket and the salesman, placed a "Hop On Hop Off" sticker on my chest near my neck.I thought, is this guy trying to be fresh or what?But I didn't know him and he didn't know me and I lean against the wall to wait for my bus.

The bus finally arrives and I'm beating myself up for not getting out here earlier. Procrastination!Looking at the map, I realized I only would be able to make one go round and I had to make good use of it.

Kvadraturen is the heart of Christian IV's town Christiania, built after the town of Oslo was burnt down in 1624. The city was not renamed Oslo until 300 years later. The sculpture on Christiania Torv square symbolises the King's words, when he decided "The new town will lie here." A statue of the king himself can be found on Stortorvet . Kvadraturen offers fine dining at Statholdergaarden , Mediterranean dishes at Celsius or dine in modern elegance at Brasserie Hansken .

Boarded the bus and off we went. Through the rain splashed windows we passed Akershus Festing which was originally built as a castle in 1299, Akershus Festning was later developed into a city fortress. Standing on the walls and ramparts you will get truly great views of the Oslo fjord and the city. The original Akershus Castle is located inside the fortress. At the Information Center, there is an exhibition on the history of the fortress, and guided tours depart from here each day between May and September. Within the fortress is Norsk Hjemmefrontmuseum. Situated within the walls of the beautiful Akershus Fortress in an over 300 year-old, half-timbered house, this permanent exhibition takes you through the history of the Norwegian resistance movement during World War II. Small models of many of the encounters, particularly during 1940 and also lots of authentic objects are to be seen and even heard.Admission is free, but no time to stop here.

1st stop, The Grand Hotel in Oslo. It is perhaps its most venerable and elegant deluxe hotel, forming a striking landmark on the city's grandest street, Karl Johans Gate.

The Grand Hotel is a mix of tradition and new styles - timelessly classic, yet offering today's celebrities, world leaders, and you too, all the luxury, quality and comfort you have the right to expect from a modern first-class international hotel. The Grand first opened its doors in 1874. For more than 130 years, the name has been synonymous with quality and atmosphere. World-famous Norwegians such as Henrik Ibsen and Fridtjof Nansen made the Grand their second home. Today, we are proud host to Nobel Peace Prize laureates, celebrities and heads of state. This is actually a beautiful hotel, rain or shine.

Oslo Rådhus or Oslo Town Hall, located next to Akershus Fortress and right in front of the harbor, was inaugurated for the city's 900th anniversary in 1950. The impressive entrance hall is used for the Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony every December. The Town Hall is richly decorated inside and out by famous Norwegian artists from the first part of the 20th Century. Guided tours are available for free.

The Parliament (Stortinget) building houses the Norwegian Storting(Parliament) and dates from 1866. Guided tours are arranged daily between 1 Jul and about 20 August in Norwegian, English, German and French at 10am, 11.30am and 1pm. Between 15 September and 15 June guided tours are arranged every Saturday (in Norwegian only) at 10am, 11.30am and 1pm. Tours for groups can be arranged upon request between September and June. Admission is free. The tours last approximately one hour.

This is Oslo's main street, a pedestrian area leading from the central station to the palace . Visitors can watch the world go by at one of the street's numerous watering holes or simply follow the crowds down the road, past street vendors and entertainers, past the parliament , national theatre, Grand Hotel and the university. With hundreds of different shops, the street is also a Mecca for shopaholics. The park between the parliament and national theatre is turned into an ice-rink in the winter. Wish I had time to stroll along this street. I know there's plenty of good shopping here.

On to the Ibsen Museet. Henrik Ibsen's apartment, where the famous Norwegian author lived from 1895 until his death in 1906, has now been restored and turned into a museum. His study contains original furniture and belongings, and the rest of the apartment has been restored to its original appearance.Throughout the year, the museum arranges lectures and theatrical performances with a new program every spring and autumn. There are also temporary exhibitions.

There was a shoe store near here that, I'm told, sells large size shoes, but again, there's just not enough time in this city to shop. I gotta hit the important spots.

Det Kongelige Slott (The Royal Castle) in Oslo is the home of Norway's royal family (currently headed by King Harald V). It sits on a small hill, looking down on the parliament as well as Oslo's principal street Karl Johans Gate. The Royal Castle was completed in 1849, and was built as a residence for the Swedish King Carl Johan (Norway was in a union with Sweden between 1814 and 1905). It was originally planned to be H-shaped, but due to a lack of finances it ended up in its current U-shape. There is a changing of the guard daily at 1:30 pm.

One of Oslo's favorite attractions is the Vigeland Park, which contains 212 sculptures made by the Norwegian sculptor Gustav Vigeland. The statues (made from bronze and granite) portray all stages of life, from infancy to old age. The focus of the park is the 14 meter tall monolith, which took three stone carvers 14 years to complete. The statue closest to the hearts of Norwegians is Sinnataggen (meaning the Angry Boy), which can be seen on the bridge. Wet, wet and even more wet.

The next stop was the Norwegian Open Air Folk Museum. Now I had no clue if it was open, but I was gonna skip this one.

Ah, the Viking Ship Museum. The Viking Ship Museum in Oslo houses three original wooden viking ships (the Tune, Gokstad and Oseberg ships), all built more than 1000 years ago! The vikings believed that the deceased could bring the material belongings burried with them into the afterlife, and the ships have all been excavated from the burial sites of prominent vikings. Besides the viking ships, the museum also houses many other artifacts found along with the boats. Unfortunately Stuart, I felt as if, I'd seen one ship already and was not going to spend another 2 or 3 hours here. Times-a-wastin'. So, we back tracked over to the Norwegian Open Air Folk Museum to head over to Aker Brygge.

The old workshops belonging to Akers Mekaniske Verksted on the seafront beneath the town hall have been converted into what is, especially in the summer, one of Oslo's most popular shopping and nightlife areas. There are places to eat and shop, art galleries, theatres, an IMAX and a regular cinema. A walk along the waterfront is a great way to spend a fine summer afternoon. Take trams 10 or 15 or walk from Akershus fortress past a children's play area and numerous ice-cream stalls.

Now my next stop, is the stop I really wanted to see. The Nobels Peace Center. This newly opened Center is located in the heart of Oslo. The center is dedicated to Nobel Peace Prize winners and also throws light on the history of other Nobel Prizes. The center is high-tech and comprises an electronic wall newspaper containing information on the Peace Prize winners. There is also a virtual book that tells the story of Alfred Nobel. In addition, the exhibits also focus on peace and war issues. The Nobel Peace Center opened in the heart of Oslo, Norway on June 11, 2005. The Nobel Peace Center is a center where you can experience and learn about the various Peace Prize Laureates and their activities as well as the remarkable history of Alfred Nobel. In addition, it will serve as voice and meeting place where exhibits, discussions and reflections related to war, peace and conflict resolution is in focus.

The Center combines exhibits and films with digital communication and interactive installations, and has already received attention for its modern design and use of state of the art technology. The British architect David Adjaye, the American designer David Small and a number of other artists have contributed to making the Center an exciting new reason to visit Oslo. The opening exhibitions include a video installation called "The Triptych of Hope", a photo exhibition on "Control Arms" by Amnesty International in addition to a film theater, high tech presentations of the laureates and information about Alfred Nobel. The Nobel Peace Center is located in an old train station building from 1872, close to the Oslo City Hall and overlooking the harbor. Visitors are welcome to experience the center on their own or as part of a guided tour. The center also offers a shop and a wonderful cafe. Welcome! After this visit, it was especially gratifying, when my President won the Nobel Peace Prize, on December 10th (the anniversary of Nobel's death). I wish I could have seen it then. President Barack Obama's creation of a new climate in international politics closely fulfils the statues of Alfred Nobel's will.

For all you that don't read free newspapers, here's an exerpt from the March 2009 La Gazzetta Italiana (A local Cleveland Italian Community Newspaper). Alfred Nobel. "The man who invented dynamite in 1866 would later be troubled by the devastation, destruction and heartache his invention caused. So much so that in his will money was set aside for a prize awarded every year to those recognized for achievements in the areas of chemistry, medicine, literature, economics, physics and peace. Alfred Nobel was a technical genius, inventor, industrialist, author, linguist and pacifist. The Nobel Prize continues to be accepted as a "noble" achievement and the epitome of worldwide recognition."

If I never pass this way again, I will always remember this place and the recognition. I was a bit tired after this but felt refreshed for some reason.

It's about 5 P.M. and I thought I'd better head out to catch the next bus in order to get to the ship on time. I also wanted to do a bit of shopping in that terminal outside in the dock area.

On to the next stop. The Oslo Opera House. Of course, I'm not dropped off at the door, but near a footbridge across from the entrance. Clad in snow-white marble and blue-tinted glass, this stellar building by Snohetta, Norway's acclaimed architectural firm, suggests a glacier with cultural aspirations. Offering superb acoustics, the hall also has a pitch-perfect relationship with its environment: its swoopy roofs are open to visitors, who clamber up for city and fjord views. I know this is actually very beautiful when covered with snow.

Last stop the cruiseship terminal. Now I'm really wet. I headed in but wanted to stop and try one of those sausages a guy was selling from and enclosed stand at the end (but outside) of the terminal. When I walked up there were two ladies there and just as I walked up to the window, I heard one of the ladies say (whispering to the other), "oh no, he just wiped his nose and didn't wash his hands. You all know I did not hesitate to just turn around and go in to shop. But I'm telling you, those sausages had to be about a foot long and smelled divine. But I'd already left London with a cold, I didn't want to go home with a cold.

I didn't get to take very many photos here because of the rain, but I did manage a few. You all just cannot believe how tired and exhausting this trip is. It's really, actually, a good thing. I never call these trips-vacations. These are adventures and adventures aren't usually relaxing.

This evening was a casual evening. Thank goodness. I couldn't dress up if I wanted to. Not after being wet for 5 hours. Bernice and I headed up to meet with Gloria and Joe in the Wind Jammer for a casual dinner. I like this place the best.

This was the first trip, I didn't even bother with a massage. Absolutely too much to see and do.

We set sail at 7:30 P.M. sharp.

Ha Det Oslo!