Tuesday-Tuesday, June 6-13
NORSKE FOLKEMUSEUM (Norwegian Folk Museum)
Our last day in Oslo we spent roaming the Norwegian Folk Museum located on the Bygdoynes Peninsula. Established in 1894 to preserve historic structures, the museum’s collection increased substantially under King Oscar II. Now numbering 161 (to be exact) structures from the 1500s to current times, this museum provides an easy stroll through history.
Within ten minutes from stepping off JUANONA we arrived at the entrance on a lovely summery day. Being a bit museumed-out we decided to hit just the highlights, then head back to Juanona to prep for leaving the next morning.
Armed with a pamphlet we opted to visit the oldest buildings with their roof meadows
and wooden interiors with simple decor.
The Stave Church sitting on top of a small knoll dominated the oldest sections of the museum; a third of its original framework dates back to the 1200s.
Paintings from the 1600s post-reformation decorate the altar and walls.
And, it was here where we first encountered two wonderful people whom we soon discovered hail from the Boston area. Of course, that ended with us asking them aboard JUANONA for drinks.
Our tour complete an hour later we exited and headed back to JUANONA.
BITS AND BOBS
Before I continue to our last evening in Oslo I wanted to mention some incidentals from our week there. They may provide a fuller picture of our time touring, and living on a boat. In spite of planning a day’s excursion we never know what will pop up, which is how we enjoyed the “Dissimilar Festival”.
Staged in the main square next to the harbor and the Nobel Peace Center we watched as exuberant children and adults celebrated those who are different due to disabilities. I have to say you couldn’t help but join in when one of the performers started his act:
Pretty wonderful.
Next to the festival Max took on the challenge of trying his balance, which, of course, I wanted to document…
as well as his questionable culinary selection at an outdoor food vendor selling a dense white sponge composed of fish meat? slapped between two buns.
I declined his offer of a bite as I knew why he was offering…
On this day we also watched as the Norwegian rescue service, Redningsskelskapet (RS), shared information on safety at sea while thrilling little kids with rides in miniature RS boats.
Our days weren’t only spent touring but also with urgently needed necessities such as laundry. The effort to keep (and stay) clean requires finding a washing machine I can stuff to maximum capacity (and then some) – a search akin to hunting a rare, if not extinct, species.
At KNS, our marina, they offer free use of a washer and dryer, which is great; however, finding it empty of others’ salty attire meant constantly checking early morning and late afternoon/night. Finally, it happened on one of our last days and I zipped in, loaded the machine, tried the dryer (didn’t work too well) and then decorated JUANONA the usual way: above deck when the sun is out…
and below when the sprinkles start.
There’s nothing like fresh clothes and bedding to make both the boat and us smell sweeter :)
But, back to the best part of traveling…
GRAND FINALE
At 6 PM Melanie and Anthony came aboard and all we can say is what a spectacular end to our time in this fair city.
She’s a professor at Massasoit Community College; he’s the president and artistic director of Boston’s Children’ Choir, and together they’re an amazing team of living life to the fullest while managing to save for future travels.
For five hours we talked and laughed and talked some more. Their adventures are truly inspiring. They’ve seen more countries at their age than most folks would get to in three lifetimes, and their adventures could easily fill a book – one I’d definitely enjoy reading.
Hopefully, they’ll be starting to share their discovery of places and travel tips via some posting on sites; and, when they do, we’ll be checking them out. Already we’re using one of their ideas for future planning.
Suddenly it was 11:30pm in spite of a sky usually related to a much earlier hour. Time to say our good-byes, not something I wanted to do.
As they ran to catch one of the last buses off the peninsula back to Oslo center, Max and I realized just how extremely fortunate we’ve been to have met them. And, not only Melanie and Anthony but the other young people who have inspired us this summer: Thomas, Camilla and Michael with whom we shared a pontoon in Farsund (our first Norwegian port this spring)* ;
and, Snorre and Ingunn who invited us for dinner our first night in Oslo)**.
Our week in Oslo had come to a close. It began and ended with shared evenings, the most memorable of our time in Oslo, for sure, with hopes to continue our conversations in the future.
Cruising is amazing.
* S/y Equinox on FaceBook