Oslo
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On the way to Oslo we sailed up the fjords of Norway. The scenery was breathtaking and the villages on the shore
were picturesque. Out in the water we passed lighthouses here and there and it all added to the tranquility of the fjord atmosphere.
We reached the harbour in Oslo and found it to be very busy with sailing ships, ferries and many people going about their business.
A group of us got together and located the tram stop which would take us up to the Sculpture Park, or Frogner Park but known today
as Vigeland Park.
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Wow! How fabulous was this! There are 192 sculptures here with over 600 granite figures, all full sized and
designed by Gustav Vigeland himself. He did employ other craftsmen to carve the figures in stone to his specifications.
The focal part of the park was originally the Fountain, however sometime later the Monolith was built and about 36 groups
of figures were put around this magnificent piece of art. The Monolith column is 46 feet high, carved out of a single block of stone.
At the bottom the figures appear to be lying down and then begin to be upstanding with small children towards the peak. All the
figures are based on a family and relationships theme and reflect family values throughout.
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After our visit to the park we then caught a ferry over to one of the islands to visit the Vikingskiphuset (a Viking
Ship Museum). There were relics of the past here and we were amazed at the size of the Viking ships of long ago.
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Another busy day in port but we couldn't resist a visit to Akershus castle which was located on the way back to our ship.
There are beautiful grounds and wonderful views of the city and harbour. Many theatrical and concert performances are held here in the summer months. Today the castle hosts a Resistance Museum which delivers an historical account of the
German occupation in Norway.
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