Oslo, Norway

Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Oslo, Norway

09/14/2008 Today is a Sea Day, “Thank you!”; we all need the slower pace, but were still up at 5:30 for our normal routine. This gives me time to download my photos, write my blog, check-up on the stock market, and do my other computer work. This afternoon I’m going to a talk on setting up a business on the internet. I spoke the presenter the other day and she told me that the cruise ships of looking for people to come on cruises to talk about using the internet and other technology in exchange for free passage. This could turn into a travel opportunity for Nita and I; I’ll be looking into it when we get home.

09/15/2008 Oslo, Norway We tied up in Oslo at the base of the Akershus Fortress built in 1300, it’s castle dates back to the 1700’s. The rest of Oslo is a very cosmopolitan city with a lot of retail at very high prices. As in most of the countries that we have gone to they have their own currency but are happy to accept the dollar, it just doesn’t go very far anymore. Avie opted to take one of the ships tours while Ron, Nita and I chose to walk the town and try to meet the people. As is Ron and my policy we only approached attractive women for directions; we had no problem finding our way around. We did stop at a bakery for two cookies, a small apple pie and three coffees = $30 US. As I said, Norway is a very expensive and highly taxed country.

If I could come back to only one of the six countries that we visited on this first leg of our trip it would be Russia. This is because Russia is so different culturally and is so important to history and our future. When I think of Russia I have two images that come to mind: the thousands of young people ascending from the subway station dressed in brown, and the art and opulence in the Hermitage. Some how, some day I feel certain that those young people will claim the Hermitage and it’s contents as theirs.