Oslo Norway May 7-10, 2026

May 13, 2026

Vigeland Sculpture garden

I tried a Fjellbekk, a very refreshing cocktail made with aquavit, vodka, lime juice and soda.

our bartender has pronouced fjellbekk now 3 times for me

from a very neighborhood bar where everyone knew each other and English wasn't heard. My friend Soumya recommended this place and their fish and chips.

Vigeland Sculpture garden

Vigeland sculptures are all over Oslo as well

Kon-Tiki Museum

From the Kon-Tiki, they saw schools of several thousand tuna, more than a hundred sharks at the same time, and pods of whales. One day a 15-meter/45-ft sea monster appeared behind the raft and observed them. It was a whale shark! (a favorite fish of mine) I thought when I saw the photo and model it was to draw people to the exhibit and wasn't based on what happened on the Kon Tiki (might have been the Ra, I don't remember)

RA was a reed boat and used to sail around the Atlantic.

The Kon-Tiki raft sailed the Pacific. The collection of island art was interesting.

Across the walkway from the Kon-Tiki museum is the Fram Museum. The Fram was the first ship specially built in Norway for polar research. She was used on three important expeditions: with Fridtjof Nansen on a drift over the Arctic Ocean 1893-96, with Otto Sverdrup to the arctic archipelago west of Greenland - now the Nunavut region of Canada - 1898-1902, and with Roald Amundsen to Antarctica for his South Pole expedition 1910-12. The Fram is now housed and exhibited in the Fram Museum at Bygdøynes, Oslo. https://frammuseum.no/polar-history/vessels/

I couldn't believe that I could feel seasick inside this museum ship! I had to leave and the young man at reception said someone every week has to go outside for air.

Fram electric panel

We had passes for all forms of public transportation: ferry, tram and bus. The passes were never checked.

Most ferries were included in our transport and museum pass. Hovedoya island was our destination.

First stop was the loo

most efficient setup I've seen and experienced.

nice trails

new greens--liverwort

Common Eider (new to me)

nice flowers

nice ruins monastery established 1147

I heard new birds and appreciate Merlin. I love the sound the Fieldfare makes.

ferry dock

Nature surrounds and is embedded in this vibrant city of Oslo

plum blossoms

ground ivy

Siberian tea

Even the seaweed on the shore at the ferry stop is diverse, colorful, plentiful and very healthy looking.

This species of seaweed looked cool.

Birds I saw in Oslo: European Herring Gull, Common Eider, Fieldfare,White Wagtail, Eurasian Oyster Catcher, & Greylag Goose; some I took photos of. Merlin has been helpful when I listen and it was the call of the fieldfare that really got my attention.

Art is everywhere. It catches and pleases my eyes

I couldn't choose a perspective--wise to have other perspectives in more than photos

Not a door, but really caught my attention.

These doors were adjacent!

Had to stop by the Munch Museum to see Edvard Munch's Scream as well as 11 floors of other exhibits. No wonder our feet were sore today!

Munch Museum on waterfront, more interesting outside design than inside, architecturally speaking.

There are so many different versions of The Scream that they rotate every 30 minutes.

Under the Stars 1900-1905 Edvard Munch

We started our last day by visiting the botanical gardens. Parks are great for early risers since museums don't open until 10.

An alpine favorite of mine is Colorado is the gentian.

Great light on the skunk cabbage

The greenhouse was full of tropical color and surprises. This vine and flower cascaded from the ceiling.

Often enough, the museum you wouldn't have thought would spark your interest does--the Norsk Folkemuseum did this for me. What made it most special was the musician stationed in the wedding house. She explained the unusual hardanger fiddle. The lower set of strings provides resonance.