J and K Adventures: Goodbye Scotland, Hello Norway and Vigeland Park

Jeff here: We're getting good at this packing up and getting out of Dodge but in this case Edinburgh. We cranked up Fabio for the last time and headed out for a ten minute drive to the airport where we only encountered 11 roundabouts (gee we're going to miss them).

Hertz was efficient and had us checked out in 4.5 minutes. The airport was just a short walk and we had our luggage checked, boarding passes in hand and security behind us in short order.

Shirley, our intrepid travel agent had booked us on SAS, an airline we had never flown but if I had my druthers, I would never fly anything else. It was a hour and a half flight. We left on time to the minute, had wonderful leg room with comfortable seats, hot damp towels handed out at wheels up to wipe down the grime of travel, drinks and a complimentary tasty lunch served, gentle commentary from the Captain as to progress, landing like a feather on a field of blossoms and getting to Oslo 10 minutes ahead of schedule! ARE YOU LISTENING UNITED?

Breezing through customs and luggage retrieval, we asked the info lady the best way to get into the city. She gave us the skinny on dollar exchange, which train to take, stop to get off at and where the best coffee is served. Info in hand, we buzzed through airport red tape and soon were speeding through the countryside of Norway. We got to our stop and that's when the fun began.

We had a map and were told it was a 10 minute walk to the hotel. Yes, cabs were plentiful but we are stubborn, not cheap. We're looking at the map but who knows where North lays?? We asked two people before we were pointed in a vague, general direction. It only took 3 more citizens and 25 minutes before coming across our hotel, the Thon Munch.

Checking in to room 414 and getting our luggage stowed was all we had left. We collapsed gratefully onto our comfy bed and awoke 2 hours later, ready for our first Norse dinner which in our case turned out to be Chinese and actually delicious. It must be because the restaurant is directly below our window and we see tour buses pulling up and disgorging mobs of Asians who march in and put locusts to shame with how much they can consume over a relatively short amount of time.

Due to losing 1 more hour due to travel, 9:30 was now 10:30 and my natural inclination was it's time to start settling in for the night - our boogie has done got up and boogied!

Real food on an airplane

They even provided dessert,

Kathy here: The next day was grey, but not raining so we took the opportunity to go to Vigeland Park. Gustav Vigeland was a Norwegian sculptor who specialized in realistic statuary of humans in every kind of human condition. He designed the park and all the sculptures in it, and was even provided a home in the park by the Norwegian government while he worked. Jeff first visited the park 46 years ago, but never forgot it, and after seeing pictures, it has been on my bucket list.

Jeff 46 years ago on his trip to Norway

Jeff took this picture of his friend, Bob at Vigeland

All of the sculpture subjects are unabashedly naked and absolutely stunning to view. The bronze sculptures have a wonderful patina and the ones done in marble are smooth as glass. Amazing.

He even constructed the gates

After our walk through the sculptures, we caught the tram back to the harbor. There were tents set up, music and crowds of people enjoying some kind of festival. We found out it was a food festival and companies from all over Norway were displaying samples. There was sausage, cheese, salmon, cod, and a whole reindeer on a spit. It was Friday night and it seemed like all of Oslo was out enjoying the party.