Let's go see the Vikings and ski-jump while we're there!

We are going thru some very scenic cruising up the Oslofjord to get to Oslo, Norway.  The landscape is both rugged, jagged mountain side and also green rolling hills with small towns dotting the coastlines.   These have to be some hardy people living up here.  Nature does not make it easy on them and transportation alone would be a major challenge.   Steep roads or long boat trips to get anywhere await you.  But they get their strength honestly as most of them are probably able to trace their roots back to some pretty vicious people called the Vikings.

While the Vikings are long gone, their heritage and histories are well documented at the Viking Ship Museum.   There we saw 3 authentic longboats dating back to the Viking Age.  These boats are known to exist but they are very difficult to find and restore.  The boats the Vikings built were of a simple but very useful design.  Some were strictly rowed by those on-board and later on, some were with sail.  The large center beams were one piece and an overlapping of the rest of the hull made them very rugged.   They were small and shallow enough to be able to be grounded easily, exited very quickly and that resulted in surprise raids followed by much bloodshed.  The Vikings got their reputation honestly.

Just adjacent to the Viking museum is the Open-Air Folk Museum.  Here you wander around the grounds and sample Norway with a glimpse of Norwegian culture and history.  Over 150 authentic buildings from different regions were moved here including the oldest structure left standing in all of Norway, the Gol Stave Church, built in the 13th century.  It is not unusual to see the roofs made by very tightly weaving thatch and then covering that with dirt and turf.   It used to be they would put a goat up on the roof to cut the grass.   I need some goats at home!

Grass is still very popular on the rooftops of many homes today!

Our next stop was up in the Holmenkollen Hills for a fantastic view of Oslo from above and to the first ski jump built there in 1892.  This ski jump was also the main venue for the 1952 Winter Olympics and most recently, after being updated in 2011, the World Championships.  It looks easier and less steep on TV than when you see it up close and personal.   It is a looooooong way down and is narrow all the way.   No thanks!  Vi was ecstatic here.  She loves the Olympics and pretended to be "Eddie the Eagle", but definitely would have felt the agony of defeat!

The Troll watches over the ski-jump!

After a great lunch up on the mountain which offered up many beautiful sunny panoramic vistas, we went to the Vigeland Sculpture Park.  This park was created and completed by one man, Gustav Vigeland.  A favorite place for the locals to come out and enjoy the sunshine and over 150 stone and bronze statues which symbolize a different stage in the lifespan of mankind.   But the centerpiece is without doubt the 55 foot monolith featuring 121 stone figures of men, women and children climbing over top of each other in their struggle for life.  It was created out of one piece of stone so any mistake would have ruined it all.   It is very impressive.

Oslo is wonderful, and we would definitely come back.  Did we mention Oslo is home of the Nobel Institute?   The city is very clean, uncrowded and everyone speaks English as well as Norwegian, but beware, it is also rated as the second most expensive city to live in in Europe so bring your Kroners.  We have one more stop in Norway so we are off to Flam.