Cheap Weekends away Oslo, Norway, seeing sculptures, Viking boats and Kon-Tiki

 

Kon-Tiki, on display inside the Kon-Tiki Museum, Oslo

Bahnfrend - Own work

Oslo is the capital of Norway.

Wrap up warmly. Wear your woollies, your thermal underwear, and your ski clothes.  The Norwegian weather is changeable and they have a saying, there's no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.

What To Do and See 

1 Guided walking tour past the sculpture of a huge cat. 

For an overview of buildings, areas, and scenery, extra or alternative tour options, depending on the weather, include a hop on hop off bus, and other land and sea vehicles including bikes, and boats, and a side trip fjord tour

2 Munch museum. The man who painted The Scream and many more.

3 The National Museum, on the waterfront, contains The Scream.

4 Viking ship museum

5 Kon-tiki Museum. (Thor Heyerdahl's boat named after the old name of an Inca god.)

6 Food tour including reindeer, moose, fishcake, whale, waffles. 

On a press tour to Finland I opted for steak instead of reindeer, thinking the reindeer would cost more to my hosts, but reindeer meat was readily available, and beefsteak was rarer and more expensive. So check the menu prices. The local speciality might be dearer or cheaper.

7 Royal palace, huge place, neo-classical with gardens.

8 Oslo Opera House. Rooftop walk, suggested sunset.

9 Henrik Ibsen Museum. Playwright. 

10 Vigeland Sculpture Park (Vigelandesparken) - sculptures of Gustav Vigeland. Highlights are the boy, the stages of life. (You might wish to visit a second sites of interest, the museum, where he worked in the attic. A third location is the museum of his brother, which contains more artworks and a mural.)

Some of the locations and tours are offered as a two part package ticket. 

Weather , Sun, Snow, Rain Skiing

Going north, you could see the Northern Lights in winter. Experience long hours of daylight in summer, but only 6 hours of daylight in winter. Skiing in some areas in winter, swimming in summer.

Flights from the UK to Norway go from London, Heathrow, London City Airport, and Gatwick.

Useful Websites

Flights

https://www.skyscanner.net/uk

https://www.kayak.co.uk/stays?lang=en&utm_campaign=Destination+-+IS+-+Iceland+-+Country

https://www.expedia.co.uk/Flights-Search?trip=roundtrip&leg1=from:LON,to:OSL,departure:

Norway

https://www.visitnorway.com/things-to-do/art-culture/art/museums/the-national-museum-of-norway/

Oslo

https://www.localcityguides.com/en/oslo/itineraries/oslo-in-one-day-top-attractions-day-1

https://www.viator.com/Oslo

https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Oslo

https://wikitravel.org/en/Oslo

https://www.visitacity.com/en/oslo/activities/all-activities

Photos

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Works_by_Gustav_Vigeland

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kon-Tiki,_Kon-Tiki_Museum,_2019_(03).jpg

Updated Monday March 30th.

Xmas trees and decorations - the countries they came from

 Santa in Thailand, entrance hall at Sunwing Hotel, Kamala beach, December 2023. TUI is the low cost airline. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

It may surprise you to see real or more usually artificial Xmas trees in India, thailand and other parts of the world. Where did this custom start and when?

1 Trees in Germany/Europe in winter with candles supported on branches provided light and warmth.

2 King George's III's wife, Charlotte, brought one to the UK in.

3 An engraving, not a photo, of Queen Victoria and Albert (who was German) with their tree in 1848, makes trees popular in the UK

Later additions were glass baubles. Recent imports from Germany at Xmas time include gingerbread biscuits and stollen cake.

Christmas cards

Christmas crackers

Dickens writes about Scrooge in the Christmas Carol.

Grinch, an anti-Xmas character is created by Dr Seuss. The character is voiced by Danny Kaye and Wlter Matthau and others.

Ladybird Books

I have an ol Ladybird book (for children - but conveniently succinct for adults) which tells the story of the Xmas tree and Xmas customs.

New (to me) in 2023, the book Christmas tree.

If you have only one book, and don't mind folding the pages, you can create a tree decoration for the dining table. This makes a cone shape tree.

Useful Websites

Daily Mail

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12881075/The-secret-history-Christmas-tree-fairy-lights-began-West-End-stage-tinsel-emerged-Germany-17th-century-Queen-Victoria-popularised-baubles.html#reader-comments

Wikipedia

How to make a book Xmas tree

Pages taken from books (or old printed paper from your printer wastebin). Tthis makes the cone shape tree.

https://www.rokolee.com/diy-book-page-paper-trees-xmas#:~:text=Fold%20the%20first%20page%20over,to%20all%20of%20the%20pages.

https://www.instructables.com/Bibliophiles-Christmas-Tree/

https://www.wikihow.com/Make-an-Origami-Christmas-Tree

Cider in Norway and Cider festival in Norway

Norwegian flag.

 

Where is Norway? North of the UK. East of the UK. 

But west of Sweden, and Finland.

Norway is known for its fjords. And gravadlax from salmon. I was pleased to learn that the gravad lax is frozen for more than 24 hours to kill off parasites before they add the salt and sugar mix and herbs. It is not smoked. It might be cured with lemon or vodka. And what of Norway's drinks? 

Cider, or alcoholic apple drink, has been made in Norway since Viking times. Nowadays their ciders are winning awards and have protected place name designations, like Champagne in France. 

Norway's cider festivals are in May. The next cider festival is May 9-11 2024.

Hardanger International Cider Fest.

The Fruit & Cider Festival in Øystese, is held in October.

For a non alcholic drink, try Eplemost.

Follow the fuit and cider route, from the village of Ulvik.

What Norwegian traditional food would you eat with your cider or Eplemost? Open sandwiches. 

Useful Websites

https://www.siderfest.no/

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20230920-the-rebirth-of-norways-cider-tradition

https://www.visitnorway.com/things-to-do/food-and-drink/norwegian-cider/

Please share links to your favourite posts.

Food & Drink to try on your travels, by country L-R Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal

(This post is being updated. come back for more later or send me suggestions.) 

Luxembourg

Malta

Mexico

Food savoury

tamale, seasoned meat

Caesar Salad

Drink

Tequila

Tequila is the premium drink and must be made only from the blue agave, a kind of cactus. 

Mezcal can be made from anything and could be a mixture. Therefore it is likely to be cheaper.

Moldova

Morocco

Pstilla - pigeon pie

Netherlands

Food - savoury

Cheeses, Edam, Gouda

Drink

Advocaat, made from eggs, sugar and brandy

New Zealand

Pavlova

Norway

Gravad lax is the national dish of Norway and Sweden. The salmon is treated with salt and sugar, added dill, or you can add your own dill sauce. Eat it plain with salad or on bagels with cream cheese.

Peru

Philippines

Chicken Adobo

Portugal

Food - sweet

Egg tarts

Drink

Port

s://www.wine-searcher.com/find/d+oliveira+bual+vintage+madeira+portugal/

Romania

Russia

Sweets

blini  - pancakes

Drink

Vodka

Useful websites

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caesar_salad

Christmas Lights Switched On in London, And Trees And Lights Around The World - Make Memories

 

UK

Christmas lights were switched on Friday November 12th, 2021, in Oxford Street, Regent Street, Piccadilly, Trafalgar Square. 

The next event to look forward to, at the start of December, is the arrival of the Christmas Tree, a Norway Spruce, in Trafalgar Square. The tree is the annual gift from Norway since 1947 as a thank you for Britain's help in WW2.

Singapore

USA

Christmas Tree, New York. Rockefeller tree.

For something different>

Peace Candle, Pennsylvania, over the war memorial

Useful Websites

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10196689/Oxford-Street-leads-festive-light-switch-London-gets-Yuletide-spirit.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ico=taboola_feed_article&ns_mchannel=rss&ico=taboola_feed

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Oxford_Street_Christmas_lights_celebrities

https://www.london.gov.uk/about-us/our-building-and-squares/christmas-trafalgar-square

https://www.timeout.com/newyork/christmas

About the Author

About the Author Angela Lansbury

BIOGRAPHY

Angela Lansbury B A Hons ACG ALB PM5 EH5 DL5 VC5 
The Author of several books, including  Etiquette For Every Occasion. Wedding Speeches & Toasts. How to be the Best Man. Quick Quotations. Who Said What When.

Blogs travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com

dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com

translateforfun.blogspot.com

Braddell Heights Advanced Toastmasters Speakers Club Vice President Public Relations (VPPR), Previous President

Join BHA 1st Wednesday 7pm and 3rd Saturday 2 pm Singapore time 

Vice President Public Relations (VP PR) of Tampines Changkat Advanced;

Secretary of weekly online Singapore International Dynamic Toastmasters Speakers’ Club;

Member and past president of Harrovians toastmasters club, UK; Past member of HOD Toastmasters, London. Past member in Singapore of: Toastmasters Club of Singapore (TCS); Tiarel; and Senja Cashew.

More details from Toastmasters International find a club.

Regular attendee at annual Swanwick Writers’ School, England.

Regular attendee at annual Writers’ Holiday, Wales.

Contributor to poetry readings, and after tea courses on: Speaking On Radio To Promote Books; and Plots And Character.

Winner of many club and area speaking contests in the UK and Singapore.

Language advisor to Empire Toastmasters club in Indonesia.

Language and speech workshops in Singapore.

Speaker on radio and TV in England, Scotland, the USA, and Australia.

Compiler of a school course on public speaking for teachers to prepare pupils for school open days with attending ceremonies before government ministers, Singapore.

Former member of Harrow Writers’ Circle, London, and two writing groups in Singapore.

Angela is on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter. She would be delighted to link up with new friends.

I  also have a blog on comic poems.

 Please share links to your favourite posts.

What Are Stolpersteines? A new kind of holocaust memorial

 

Stones recalling the Frank family lived here. 

Maybe these are the first ones you have seen. But once you know about them, it becomes easier to find them. There are 70,ooo of these stones, in more than 700 locations,.

Countries include Austria, Germany

Stolpersteines sound like stepping stones but they are literally stumbling blocks. Stein is stone.  They are raised stones which make you stop and read the engraving that here lived a person before they were taken away by the holocaust. Mostly stones commemorate the last happy home of Jewish families such as the family of Anne Frank. But also other holocaust victims. 

The movement started small and spread city by city, sometimes unanimously welcomed, sometimes facing fierce opposition. Why put stones on the ground instead of the wall? Stones on the ground are harder to read.  You may have to stoop to see the writing. Is it disrespectful to tread on a memorial?

 Sometimes the actual house has gone. Sometimes you want the stones to stay even if the site is later redeveloped, unlike a plaque on a wall which could be removed. Sometimes the house is a private dwelling, but the road outside is public land so it is easier and quicker to get permission. Now these little memorials have spread through several countries.

Stolpersteine are found in Austria, Hungary, the Netherlands, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Russia, Croatia, France, Poland, Slovenia, Italy, Norway, Ukraine, Switzerland, Slovakia and Luxembourg.^[4]

Useful Websites

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_places_with_stolpersteine

About the author

About the Author Angela Lansbury

BIOGRAPHY

Angela Lansbury B A Hons ACG ALB PM5 EH5 DL5 VC5 
The Author of several books, including  Etiquette For Every Occasion. Wedding Speeches & Toasts. How to be the Best Man. Quick Quotations. Who Said What When.

Blogs travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com

dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com

translateforfun.blogspot.com

Braddell Heights Advanced Toastmasters Speakers Club Vice President Public Relations (VPPR), Previous President

Join BHA 1st Wednesday 7pm and 3rd Saturday 2 pm Singapore time 

Vice President Public Relations (VP PR) of Tampines Changkat Advanced;

Secretary of weekly online Singapore International Dynamic Toastmasters Speakers’ Club;

Member and past president of Harrovians toastmasters club, UK; Past member of HOD Toastmasters, London. Past member in Singapore of: Toastmasters Club of Singapore (TCS); Tiarel; and Senja Cashew.

More details from Toastmasters International find a club.

Regular attendee at annual Swanwick Writers’ School, England.

Regular attendee at annual Writers’ Holiday, Wales.

Contributor to poetry readings, and after tea courses on: Speaking On Radio To Promote Books; and Plots And Character.

Winner of many club and area speaking contests in the UK and Singapore.

Language advisor to Empire Toastmasters club in Indonesia.

Language and speech workshops in Singapore.

Speaker on radio and TV in England, Scotland, the USA, and Australia.

Compiler of a school course on public speaking for teachers to prepare pupils for school open days with attending ceremonies before government ministers, Singapore.

Former member of Harrow Writers’ Circle, London, and two writing groups in Singapore.

Angela is on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter. She would be delighted to link up with new friends.

 Please share links to your favourite posts.

Where are the Nobel Prize Winners' Statues, Walks, Monuments, Memorials and Museums? From Australia to the USA, worldwide.

Shimon Perez of Israel.

Menachem Begin of Israel.

Monument in Israel to Israeli Nobel Prize winners. The sign reads in Hebrew then English: The Nobel Prize Laureates Boulevard 

Rishon Le-Zion 

The bald Gustav Hertz. Won the Nobel Prize in 1925.

Einstein.

Richard Feynman, physicist, Nobel prize winner, investigator of the cause of the failure of Challenger.

Ernst Boris Chain, Discovered penicillin cured diseases.

Nobel prize winner Niels Bohr.

 As usual I am researching and writing several books. My latest two are Jewish Quotations and Quotations About Authors and Writing. following up on these will be Quoations for Christians, Muslims, Humanists, Agnostics and atheists. And all religions and none.

Whilst researching the Jewish Quotations (Disraeli, Einstein, Anne Frank) I had plenty to keep me busy with American Jewish writers, American Jews - then finally I thought of looking at Jewish Nobel Prize winners.

Of course, that led me to Nobel prize winners' Sayings.

Where are the Nobel Prize winners commemorated?

Australia

Nobel Peace Walk Wagga, Wagga

France

Caen Peace Museum, Normandy, includes a section on Nobel prize winners and peace.

Bust of Rene Cassin, who wrote the universal declaration of human rights for the UN, Nobel peace prize in 1958, memorial in Forbach, France. Photo by Christian Bohr.

Rene Cassin in Forbach, France.

Rene Cassin on a coin

A rather handsome bust of the man, Rene Cassin.

Marie Curie and Rene Cassin both lived in Paris, France.

Israel

 - Rishon LeZion - a street of raised markers

Macedonia

Monument to Mother Teresa in Struga.

Norway

Poland -

 Statue of Marie Curie

South Africa 

V and A waterfront, Cape town. Statues of the four South African winners. Nelson Mandela. Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Sweden

Nobel Prize Museum in Stockholm.

Alfred Nobel grave with obelisk.

Switzerland

Henri Dunant is honored in Geneva and elsewhere in Switzerland, where he founded the Red Cross. The Red Cross also has Nobel awards and statues.

International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum, Geneva.

UK

Peace Museum, Bradford

Ukraine

Nobel Economic monument - glove shaped.

USA

Nobel monument, New York, inscribed the names of American winners.

Pearl Buck Birthplace museum in West Virgina and Pearl Buck House Museum in Pennsylvania.

National Civil Rights Museum, Tennessee, USA. Honours Martin Luther King Jnr, where he was killed.

Kellogg Museum in Minnesota.

 Then I found that the Jewish Nobel prize winners are honoured in a street in Israel. I thought, I can list those, later statues of Nobel prize winners, Jewish or otherwise.

The street is in Rishon LeZion, about five miles south of Tel Aviv. What I liked about Tel Aviv was the Bauhaus architecture, like art deco, as well as the sandy beach and several major museums, hotels at all prices including budget ones, a factory tour to a diamond factory, and old Jaffa.

But I missed out on Rishon LeZion.

I have been to Israel several times, staying in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and homes of friends and family. (I have also been to Jordan on a press trip, and to Morocco on my honeymoon and to Tunisia on package holidays.)

Next time I shall go to Rishon LeZion. In addition to the Nobel Prize winners' memorials, it has interesting landmarks.

More monuments, memorials and museums to see worldwide, in the USA, Theodore Roosevelt,  and Moscow.

Useful Websites

Nobel Monuments Worldwide

http://peace.maripo.com/p_nobel.htm

Israel

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rishon_LeZion

Jewish

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Jewish_Nobel_laureates

Rene Cassin

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ReneCassin.JPG

About the Author

Angela spent her childhood and university years living in Edgware, North West London, England, surrounded by known Jews. In addition, years later she learned she was nearby to ones she never met, such as Anne Frank's father who was living around the corner, understandably incognito.

Who's The Heroine Of The Hollywood Walk of Fame? Marilyn Monroe's Memorial Stolen in the USA, but the best statue is in Norway

Who is in the Hollywood Walk of Fame? It's in Los Angeles, California, USA.



USA
Stars show everybody from Charlie Chaplin to Marilyn Monroe, Michael Jackson and Mickey Mouse. Charlie Chaplin is listed as Charles Chaplin.

2690 stars, as of 2020.

Marilyn Monroe's star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, USA.

























Aerial view of Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, USA.




At the end of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, on Hollywood Boulevard, there is a monument, a gazebo, showing to women of four races, one of them being Mae West.

 Marilyn Monroe is at the top with the billowing skirt pose which was used to advertise her forthcoming film The Seven Year Itch, filmed in New York.

Her statue was stolen in 2019.

So where are the larger statues of Marilyn?

A huge 26 foot statue was placed with the skirt up and back view to a church. It was part of a temporary outdoor exhibition. In Chicago, Illinois, and Hamilton, New Jersey and Palm Springs, California. Alas it seems to have been destroyed.

Another similar, even larger one, 30 foot tall, ended up in a dump in China in 2014.

I am surprised there are not more statues of Marilyn Monroe.

Whilst in Hollywood, look for these other landmarks:

Hollywood and Highland Center, photo by Woo, in Wikipedia article on Hollywood.


Grauman's Chinese Theatre


Hollywood Bowl

But if it's Marilyn you're after, off to Norway.


Flag of Norway.



NORWAY
I found a statue of Marilyn Monroe in Norway, Haugesund Harbour. It shows her dates, 1926-62. Easy to remember, as 26 and 62 numbers are reversed.

Photo by Defacto.

Another view of her.

Statue of Marilyn Monroe at Haugesund waterfront

Jerzystrzelecki - Own work

Whilst in Norway see the mining museum and the Statue of Liberty, on a smaller scale, because copper from Norway was used on the Statue of Liberty in New York, USA.

Her grave is disappointingly small, just a little space like a microwave oven.

So small, despite all the hoo-ha about the mystery person leaving flowers on her 'grave' every day. I guessed that it was Joe di Maggio, her devoted first husband, when I read that he refused to shake hands with President Kennedy, who Joe thought was responsible for Marilyn's death. After Joe died, the flowers stopped, and the mystery donor was revealed.

Useful Websites

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_stars_on_the_Hollywood_Walk_of_Fame
https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Hollywood
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/jul/20/marilyn-monroe-sculpture
https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/marilyn-monroe-statue-stolen-from-atohollywood-art-space
https://www.christianpost.com/trends/marilyn-monroe-statue-thrown-away-in-china-photo-goes-viral.html
About the Author

New Underwater restaurant in Norway and Underwater Views Everywhere

Under is the name of the new underwater restaurant in NORWAY.  In Norwegian under means under and wonder.  It's Norway so in Europe it is relatively nearby. Depending where you are in Europe.
the largest in the world.

Underwater sightseeing is not new.

VIEWING UNDERWATER
AQUARIUMS


Underwater Aquarium - Australia
I took a bus from Sydney to Manly to enjoy the beach, but round myself by the aquarium. I walked through the underwater tunnel seeing fish and other sea creatures nad wafting plants overhead, beside me and all around in Manly Bay, Sydney, Australia. I was impressed by the size of the great white shark swimming towards me. I just hoped it would not bang on the glass and break it, showing me with water. I have a vivid imagination.



UK
A popular day out from London is to the seaside south at Brighton. The main attraction is the exotic The Royal Pavilion. However, for families the Aquarium is another attraction.
Another underwater tunnel is in the UK in Bristol Aquarium.

BY BOAT
Boats
You can see underwater in glass bottomed boats. In the USA they are in California , Texas and Miami.



Underwater Views - Israel
Go down to a viewing platform underwater in Israel - yes it's real.

EAT AND SLEEP WATCHING FISH OR SWIMMERS
Lunch beside a glass panel - USA
Sit having lunch in an underwater restaurant in Disney, Florida.

Description	English: Inside Ithaa restaurant
Date	1 July 2007 (original upload date)
Source	Taken by Alexey Potov - Noblige
Author	Alexey Potov - Noblige

Underwater Hotel On An Island - the Maldives
Sleep in an underwater restaurant on an island beginning with M, the Maldives. Watch others creatures dive whilst you dive into your food on the Maldives

Underwater Hotel Planned - Dubai
Another, first underwater hotel, Hydropolis, has been planned for Dubai, (See Wikipedia.)

Just in case you get muddled up, as I do, between the Maldives, Mozambique which just (sun 28 April 2019) got in the news because of bad weather, and Madagasgar, here is a quick guide to what is where.
MALDIVES - underwater restaurants
The place with the underwater restaurants is the Maldives, in the Indian Ocean, south of India.
MOZAMBIQUE - E Africa
Mozambique, hit by bad weather, is on the East coast of Africa, down south, far south of the Maldives.
MADAGASCAR
A big island of the coast, offshore from Mozambique, again, far south of the Maldives.

The Maldives, food features fish, see Wikivoyage. Great if you like eating fish and coconuts. Yummy. Ideal destination if you are Muslim or against alcohol and eating pork. To be sure of complying with local laws and being up to date on safety, check out the descriptions of what you can and cannot do in Wikitravel and Wikivoyage and your country's foreign office travel advice.

WATCHING HUMANS SWIMMING

JAPAN'S FAKE POOL
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-3393808/Don-t-worry-not-drowning-fake-swimming-pool-creates-illusion-visitors-submersed-nine-feet-water.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sky_Pool,_Houston

See also infinity pools.

Useful Websites
NORWAY Under Underwater Restaurant
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Under_(restaurant)
www.under.no
In websites the ending no stands for Norway.
https://www.visitnorway.com/

AUSTRALIA
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manly_Sea_Life_Sanctuary
australia.com

UK
https://www.bristolaquarium.co.uk/displays/amazing-underwater-tunnel/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Aquaria_in_England
http://www.brightontourist.com/Brighton_Sea_Life.html
visitbritain.com

USA
https://www.aquariumrestaurants.com/aquariumNashville/dining
visittheusea.co.uk

MALDIVES
https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Maldives
https://wikitravel.org/en/Maldives

DUBAI
Al Mahera underwater restaurant, Burj Al Arab hotel complex, Dubai, UAE.

Dubai's Projected Hydropolis
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydropolis

Reviews and Roundups
mentalfloss.com/article92880/9/-amazing-underwater

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer author and speaker. Please save, bookmark, and send links to favourite posts to your favourite friends, family and colleagues.

Mac the Rack, Moose Statue Height Contest

Norwegian Flag. From Wikipedia.

Canadian Flag. From Wikipedia.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moose

Canada had the world's biggest elk or moose.
Now Norway has built a bigger one, to warn motorists to beware of animals on the road.

It is a real problem, not just on the road.

The rack means the antlers.They are for fighting other animals. But you would not want to confront a moose either. The moose, even without antlers, is huge. It is not good for humans, nor their cars.

At a chateau hotel in Canada on a hillside (not the lovely one at Lake Louise down by the waterside) I was confronted by a moose at the car park exit. I was supposed to be bringing my wheel along bag, which slowed my progress, following my husband who had dashed into reception ahead of a coach party to try to get a bedroom or a restaurant table. He wondered where I was.

Eventually a car drove up and the moose moved.

If you like seeing or photographing statues, or just reading about them, here they are.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-46913318

Travel information, see: (maps, flags, photos and websites will be added later.)
Canada
Norway
Wikipedia
Wikitravel
Wikivoyage

If you want to learn Norwegian before your trip, or just for fun or out of curiosity go to Duolingo.
https://www.duolingo.com/course/no-BO/en/Learn-Norwegian-Bokm

Norwegian Airlines.


Author
Angela Lansbury
See my other posts on Norwegian budget airline and sites in Canada such as the mural which gets covered by the rising tide and then revealed again.

Christmas Lights in Trafalgar Square, Regent Street and Carnaby Street, London

Problem

I have London friends and family going to Edinburgh, Scotland or Singapore, whilst my Singaporean friends are coming to London. What will visitors to London see? What will visitors to Singapore see?

London: Trafalgar Square fountains and the Norway spruce tree, given in gratitude for help in wartime (WWII). Underneath carol singers gather and sing and collect money for charity. Photo from Wikipedia.

Lights in London, 2017 and the red London buses. Photo by Trevor Sharot.

Lights in London. Photo by Trevor Sharot.

Where Oxford Street and Regent Street meet, look for pedestrianised Carnaby Street.

Lights in Carnaby Street. Photo by Trevor Sharot.