Tuesday July 10, 2007

16-Oslo 1We sailed into Norway’s capital this morning, while we were still waking up and eating breakfast out on deck. Set at the head of the magnificent Oslofjord, Oslo (pronounced ‘Oos-low’) was founded way back in the 11th century by the cheerful-sounding Harald the Severe.

16-Oslo 2Once ashore, we were bussed through the city centre, past a charming collection of old and even older buildings – then (while some of us snoozed) out into the countryside, through lush farmland and conifer forests, to the Hadeland Glassworks. Here we sampled some divine cake-&-pastry in a cosy old barn-cum-restaurant before watching artists blow and shape their gorgeous glass.

Then it was back into town for a quick visit to Oslo’s famous Viking Ship Museum (displaying three excavated longboats from the 9th and 10th centuries – that’s REALLY old!)) before returning to the Marco Polo.

16-Oslo 3

This evening, we kissed goodbye to Norway and the stunning, unforgettable scenery we’ve enjoyed over the past week. The Norwegian Fjords were winners, everyone agrees – an absolute TREAT!

PEOPLE NEWS: Another mad award was dished out today:

* The ‘Mucking Up The System Award’ to Patty T – for kindly picking up all the little bits of paper the housekeeping staff use to tell them if we’ve left our rooms. (Each morning they poke these tiny, almost invisible, scraps in the door jamb; when we leave our cabins the tiny scraps fall to the floor, signalling to the ever-watchful staff that we’re up-&-about. Not knowing this, tidy Patty has been confusing her cabin-boy.)

TOMORROW: We drop anchor in Skagen (Denmark) with its lighthouses, squat yellow dwellings, and migrating sand-dune. So stay tuned …

Yours bloggedly – JOHN

P.S. Don’t forget – if you want to leave a message for anyone in our group, just click on ‘COMMENTS’ under the title for today’s blog, and type away!