OFF TO SEE A MIGHTY ICE SHIP:
Up early as I did not sleep very well, the night was a series of short naps. Soon will clean up and have some coffee here in our room.
Not a bad Spread and they have HP Sauce
We normally do not get the breakfast here at the Red Moose Lodge (Radisson Red) as we usually take the train into Oslo. City Center. We got a deal and are trying the breakfast here.
Breakfast was nice and plentiful all well prepared items, great fruit and bread selections. Very good coffee. No biscuits and gravy or grits. :)
After breakfast we gathered our day bags and headed to Oslo City Center. From the airport there are two trains that go to Oslo City Center.
First is Flytoget (Airport Express): Takes 19 minutes to Oslo Central Station (Oslo S), departing every 10–20 minutes. Cost is 258 NOK one-way for adults (children under 16 are free with an adult, and students get 50% off). Tickets are available via the Flytoget App or station card readers.
Next there is the Vy Regional Train: Takes 23 minutes to Oslo S. Cost is about 129 NOK one-way. Tickets can be bought on the Vy App or airport ticket machines. (Our choice as it is included with the Oslo Card) For us we find the Oslo Card to be a great value as we visit many of the museums and with the Oslo Card local public transport is included.
We took the VY train to the Central Station. At the Central Station we did a little recon for our stay in May of 2027. Then to the Tram stop catching the #12 tram to Aker brygge stop. From there it is a short walk to the ferry which will take you to the Fram Museum.
Our timing could not have been better as this route just clicked and we were at the Fram.
A quiet morning at the station
In Oslo one can not swing a dead cat without hitting a 7-11 or a Narvesen. There are just a couple of the several at the Central Train Station.
FRAM Museum
For me, I must visit the Fram. To get there take the public ferry from City Hall Pier 3 directly to Bygdøy. It is a scenic 10-minute boat ride. Yes, it is included with the Oslo Pass, otherwise 70NOK.
FRAM A MIGHTY ICE SHIP
Having done extensive study of polar exploration, visiting Fram is always a moving experience. Located in the Fram Museum which is a museum dedicated entirely to Norwegian polar exploration. Located on the Bygdøy peninsula, the museum's centerpieces are the historic vessels Fram and Gjøa. Fram is the strongest wooden ship ever built, used by legendary explorers Fridtjof Nansen, Otto Sverdrup, and Roald Amundsen. It holds records for sailing furthest north and furthest south. Colin Archer was the designer of the Fram and she was built just a few miles from Oslo. A name that is often over looked is Adolph Lindstrom, the cook on Fram and Gjøa. Famous for his pancakes, when Amundsen returned from the South Pole, Lindstrom greeted him with coffee and pancakes. Also the Gjøa Ship: Located in an annexed building, this was the first vessel to successfully navigate the Northwest Passage. Side story on Gjøa is when Amundsen was preparing Gjøa and creditors we en route to repossess Gjøa, Amundsen raced to the ship cut the lines and the expedition started early with the creditors standing on the dock.
Yes, Lindstrom was the cook on Gjøa. He was also the first person to circumnavigate the the North American Continent.
Standing on the decks of these historic vessels I feel the spirit of those great explorers.
Since our last visit one year ago, there have been some nice changes to the Fram Museum, new displays and more information.
After visiting the Fram and Gjøa we went to the Maritime Museum. There are some amazing works of nautical art there. This museum also tells the story of Norway’s link to the Sea.
After the Maritime Museum we got a hot dog at the stand just outside of the Kon Tiki Museum. The dog was good and served in Lefse with crispy onions and mustard and ketchup, or both. Very traditional and not bad, but not Iceland.
We then visited the Kon Tiki Museum. Let me tell you they have some excellent changes and all for the better. The new interactive exhibit about Rapa Nui was great. Yes if you have been there a return is in order.
After returning on the ferry, we then walked back to the #12 trolley stop and continued on to the Vigeland Sculpture Park. The sculpture park is Gustav Vigeland's life work, comprising over 200 sculptures in granite, bronze and wrought iron. It was installed mainly in the period 1940-1949, but is nevertheless a result of over 40 years of work. It is a beautiful park and is open year round. It is said to be the most visited site in Norway. Before taking a stroll in the park, we consumed some sustenance in the form of an ice cream bar. Great is the Ice Cream here.
We felt some rain and are getting tired as we have been on the go since 0400 so we headed back to the train station. We made a 7-11 stop for some pizza and a couple Fanta sodas. We did not catch the first train back as the train platform was a mass of humanity. The next train was in about 10 min. Well worth the wait as we avoided a standing room only train.
Back at the Red Moose Lodge, we met the HX representative and checked for any further information or itinerary changes. We checked in for tomorrow's flight to Longyearbyen and have our bag tags. Tomorrow the HX rep will be guiding the group to the terminal, my plan is to be checked in, bags dropped, and at the gate way before the group processional.
Back in the room, finishing this Blog entry and trying to stay awake to further adjust to this time zone.
NORWAY INTERESTING TIPS AND TIDBITS:
Tip- Almost cashless, a credit card works everywhere. Just make sure your card does not charge you a foreign transaction fee.
FYI: There are Polar Bears everywhere!!! BEWARE!!!
Tid Bit - Norway consumes the most frozen pizza per capita in the world, with Grandiose acting as the undisputed cultural icon and unofficial national dish. Norwegians eat about 47 million frozen pizzas each year. In the grocery stores is an amazing amount of freezer space dedicated to frozen pizza.
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