This summer Nick took the wonderful opportunity to study abroad in Norway as part of his studies at Hamline Law School. (I had the chance to study abroad in South Africa in 1999 and India in 2010, so I thought he should certainly take this opportunity as he finishes up his education!) Nick was in Norway for four weeks (while I worked, gardened, and took a grantwriting course). After he finished exams at the University of Oslo I flew out to meet him for a wonderful adventure together in Scandinavia. He posted some nice photos of each of the four countries we visited, on his blog (see the link on the right: Nick's Extended Adventure). Here's me, fresh off the plane, with Norwegian trolls and reindeer skins.
Nick got to see quite a bit of the country of Norway, but I only visited Oslo. Probably the most famous thing in Oslo is the sculpture park designed by Gustav Viegeland. The sculpture park is gorgeous and FREE, which is unusual and wonderful in the incredibly expensive country of Norway. (Or, maybe it's just that the USD is so weak right now...)
I loved these iron gates and their use of space.
Many of the gates and doorways of Oslo's buildings depicted snowflakes.
A folk village in Oslo, called Norsk Folkemuseum, was probably the coolest thing Nick took me to. We took a ferry to get there, and enjoyed miles of walking paths through the forest to different salvaged Norwegian rural and urban buildings. This stave church (1200 CE) looks a lot like the wooden temples we saw in northern Thailand around Chang Mai, don't you think?
Nick has lots more great stories to share from his month in Norway, but I would say that it's too expensive to enjoy for long (at least, on our budget). I can to report to my Minnesotan friends that people in Norway really do say "uff da", much to my delight. Norwegians tend to look as I imagined: tall and blonde with sharp cheekbones. Crossing the border to Sweden, the hair colors and heights of the native Swedish varied quite a bit more. I'd be curious to learn more about that, but didn't have much time on this trip. On to Sweden!
Nick has lots more great stories to share from his month in Norway, but I would say that it's too expensive to enjoy for long (at least, on our budget). I can to report to my Minnesotan friends that people in Norway really do say "uff da", much to my delight. Norwegians tend to look as I imagined: tall and blonde with sharp cheekbones. Crossing the border to Sweden, the hair colors and heights of the native Swedish varied quite a bit more. I'd be curious to learn more about that, but didn't have much time on this trip. On to Sweden!
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