Summer Solstice, St John’s or St. Hans or St Mark’s Eve, Cornelis Vreeswijk and Jesus Christ Superstar in a long Norwegian summer night, is a perfect combination for a midsummer celebration. In Oslo (60° North) we have 19 hours daylight and placed as close to the Arctic Circle, it doesn’t actually get dark at all. This calls of course for a joyously celebration, in Norway. St Hans Eve (Sant Hans aften) is normally celebrated around a bonfire; done to bring prosperity and luck as well as protect the home on what was believed to be the longest day of the year. My wife and I celebrated in a more cultural way this year – at a concert at Akershus Fortress called:
In the Light of Cornelis: Cornelis Vreswijk (1937 – ’87) is undoubtedly one of Scandinavia’s greatest musical artists of all time and has become relevant again from the movie “Cornelis“. Hans-Erik Dyvik Husby played the role of the legendary Swedish troubadour in the film, and at Midsummer night Husby together with Vreswijk’s son Jack, held a concert using the music from the movie and interpret some of his songs in their own way. It took place in a historical and geographical landmark on Oslo harbor, at Akershus Fortress (see pic to the left) built in the 1600s. The location, surroundings, architecture and atmosphere on a long summer night in Oslo, were perfect. This panoramic photo, taken with my Nokia N8, is from about 10PM:
There were beautiful arrangements with acoustic guitars, strings and subdued production and I could not resist trying to capture some of this magic moment with my Nokia – with photos and even some movies – to share with you. I hope you enjoy the scenery and music in the edited movie – even if the language is Swedish – although since Husby is in fact Norwegian, some Swedes may object to that last statement ;- )
From Jesus to Cornelis:
Hans-Erik Dyvik Husby has gone from hell to heaven and back again. From the time he was front figure and singer of Turboneger, under the name Hank von Helvete, singing hard rock and struggling with drug addiction, until he went clean and checked himself into a rehab clinic in Sweden. He then made a strong come back in the role of Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar. Now he meets again another kind of underground when he debuted in the film role as the beloved, Swedish-Dutch troubadour Cornelis Vreeswijk: Left: Husby after the concert – Right: Husby in Jesus Christ Superstar
Cornelis came from Holland to Sweden at the age of 12 years. He bought his first guitar in 1954 and released his first album – Ballader och Oförskämdheter – in 1964, including the famous Ballad of Frederick Åkare and Cecilia Lind. His life was influenced by alcoholism, drug use, multiple marriages, imprisonment and economic problems, as well as a brilliant musical career. He is considered one of Sweden’s greatest poets and artists, in line with Carl Michael Bellmann and Evert Taube. Left: Hans.Erik and Jack – Right: Capture from my movie
Hans-Erik Dyvik Husby’s interpretation of Cornealis’ music was an interesting combination of the two artists, both nostalgic in the old melodies, and new in the at times more rocking presentation of the music. Since we have seen Husby in both rolls, as Jesus Christ superstar and Cornealis it was interesting to compare these two rolls and forms, and we enjoy his versatility and changeability from different types of music. The setting at Akeshus Fortress was the top of the cream in this St. Hansaften celebration and the perfect ambiance for a summer concert on one of the longest days of the year.
One of Norway’s most beloved sculpture artists, Skule Waksvik, uses natural motifs; animals and voluptuous women. Sculptures by Waksvik; a deer, a moose, a penguin or maybe one of his luscious ladies, may be found all over the country – and even abroad like in Bremen, Abidjan and Singapore. The statues are placed mostly in public areas within local communities, like street corners or business centers. Born in 1927, Waksvik made his debut as early as in 1948 and has even been awarded The Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav (the Norwegian equivalent of being knighted) for his work.
I have admired his art around the capital city of Oslo and even have a selection placed in our neighbourhood just 100 meters from our home. Today I had the privilege of meeting the artist himself while visiting an exhibition at Harald Kjeldaas Gallery. A very friendly, modest, down to earth man gave us a guided tour around and shared some of the ideas behind his work: Waksvik, me & “Eva after the fall” “Luscious bathing beauty” & to the left: “Showoffs” – right: “Family as a building set” Left: “Shoo cat” – Right: The Fox family
In contact with nature:
In the 60s Waksvikv started collaborating with Selvaag (a major residential builder in Oslo area). Of about 400 sculptures that Selvaag invested in and placed out in his residential areas over the next 40 years , almost half were Waksvik’s work- He praises Selvaag for having made sculpture a part of everyday life:
When Waksvik so often depicts animals, it is because he “would like to contribute to modern urbanites maintaining contact with the nature we come from.” Bronze animals are to be seen in gardens and parks, on sidewalks and places all over the country – luckily one of these installations is in our neighbourhood – the photo above. Since my blog is about the significant four seasons, let me show you the same instalment in winter time:
Lady in red & at the wharf:
Two other rather famous sculpture of Waksvik is displayed at Aker Brygge on the Harbor of Oslo City. This area which was earlier a shipbuilding wharf is now a shopping and entertainment center on the lovely fjord. I have taken photos of this sculpture many times; one of them some days ago – the other in fact, is among my most viewed photos on Flick’r. Left: “Summer Lady” – Right: “Lady at the wharf”
It was a pleasure to meet this artist himself and get an idea of what kind of person he is, the thoughts behind his work, how he works and the variety of his art. Since these statues are placed right in our own back yard I feel a personal connection to his work, and the themes also fall into my personal taste, enjoying both women in their natural forms, and the nature all around us. This was a magic moment for me and I hope you get an impression of this talented artist from my post.
Oslo’s oldest marketplace, from the early 1600’s when the capital of Norway was called Christiania, holds the Old Town Hall (1641) – today, a restaurant and museum – and the city’s oldest building (1626). This town square, originally a water station, is where today you find the fountain monument with the Glove of King Christian IV. This Glove symbolizes the King’s words, when he declared: “The new town will lie here!”
The square is part of the city that Christian IV (the King of Denmark-Norway) founded after a major fire in the older part of Oslo in 1624. This is therefore the oldest existing district of Oslo – called Kvadraturen (The Quadrature) – and was until the city limits were expanded in 1794 the only non –military buildings in Christiania; placed right behind Akershus Fortress and therefore easier to defend. A panoramic photo of the square circling around the fountain monument.
The Old Town Hall:
There’s nothing modern about this dining establishment and patrons, including myself, come here for a nostalgic experience. Housed in Oslo’s former Town Hall (“Det Gamle Rådhus”) stands as one of Oslo’s oldest restaurants. With the interior adding to the authenticity you can get plenty of traditional Norwegian dishes. Their specialities include fish entrées as well as deer, moose, beaver, game birds or other from the Norwegian fauna. Last time I was there, I had a blog friend visiting from Singapore (click to read the post!). Hope you get the idea both of the building and interior from these pics (click to bigify & enjoy): Left: Yellow building = Old Town Hall – Right: Authentic interior.
Rådmannsgåren = House of the City Manager:
Oslo’s oldest reminding building was constructed for the City Manager Lauritz Hansen, who some years later also led efforts to build the Old Town Hall. It has two floors, with exterior walls of Dutch bricks. The estate in the Renaissance style, is mostly red cup yellow pages and running pages, and shifts are added so that the walls are red and yellow stripes (left building): Left: Rådmannsgården – Right: Old City Hall
The Anatomy House:
One of the few remaining houses in Oslo, built with the timber framing method. In fact about 50 % of the buildings in this area were half-timbered in the middle of 18th century. The façades (brick walls) of the building are sanded and covered with layers of protective rock materials, so the timbers are only visible on the gables (left building):
The age is unknown, but the house is likely to be from the 18th century. It is conserved, like the adjacent Rådmannsgården. In the 19th century, the Faculty of Medicine of University of Oslo had its division of anatomy here – hence the name Anatomigården (= “The Anatomy house“).
I hope you enjoyed this historical look at one of the charming old experiences you can have in Oslo. I am proud that we are careful with our history so future generations can appreciate the craftsmanship and culture of days gone by.
Malta in the Mediterranean – just a stepping stone between Europe and Africa – has been a home to some of the oldest man-made stone structures in the world and the famous Knights left a considerable legacy when settled here in the mid 1500s. Served as a watch keeper and guardian of the Mediterranean trade routes, it has been a launch-pad for European invaders as well as an idyllic retreat for rich aristocracy. This Republic within the British Commonwealth’s history is long and complicated and its geography unique. Together these have made it one of the most enticing islands in Europe. Its characteristically Mediterranean climate – quite different from Norway – was proven when my wife and I were visiting in the beginning of April. We gladly invite you along on our two days adventures, starting with the proof : -) Through the plane’s window: Left: From snowy mountains around Oslo, to Right: a sunny island in Malta.
Local cuisine and seafood delight in a charming city:
We stayed in St. Julian’s at The Westin Dragonara Resort and the hotel, the view, the beach next to it as well as the city, were quite exotic to us Norwegians. Here are some panoramic photos taken with my Nokia N8 to set the scene: The Hotel & The view The beach
The old fishing village of St. Julian’s immediately north of Sliema, made up of the districts of Paceville and St George’s Bay, has made great efforts in recent years to develop its tourist facilities, and now competes with Sliema as a holiday center. It has long sandy beaches, first-class hotels and several night-clubs. The modern parts of the town form an attractive contrast to the picturesque old fishermen’s quarter. Some more photo examples:
To me, food and drinks is an important part of a country’s culture and traditions. That’s why I always go for restaurants with local food on the menu, and sharing it with my wife makes even more adventures and even romantic ; -). Let’s start with lunch at day two were the food was actually quite general, meat pie for my wife and of course seafood salad for me, but the drink however, was their local beer; “Cisk”
Even more local – and romantic – was our supper in the middle of the city with Maltese’s food on the menu – two courses: Seafood & Rabbit! Romantic with a local charm. Left: the restaurant outside – Right: inside Left: Fresh local calamari – Right: Traditional Maltese rabbit in sweet sauce with Mediterranean vegetables
A gourmet adventure at Lulu Restaurant
Since our three days in Malta was a business trip: A Council Meeting for CEPIS (The Council of European Professional Informatics Societies), the local computer society invited all delegates and their SO for dinner. You’ve seen our food experiences so far – all with a local touch and to our satisfaction – however, the dinner at Lulu Restaurant was the top of the cream. Not because of the interior (although it was modern, fascinating and I liked the view from our table of their vine cellar behind a glass wall) Left: entrance terrace – Right: view through the window from the terrace
and actually not because of the food either (although it tasted delicious!), but because of the atmosphere created by the staff and especially the owners; Nicky & Caroline Pillow. With their social awareness, how they made sure each and every guest was noticed and important to them and at the same time their attitude and service was far from intrusive, but heart-fully meant to make you feel good, relaxed and happy. More than 30 CEPIS delegates from all over Europe had a jolly good meal and when shaking our hands goodbye, saying we hope to see you soon again: that was a mutual feeling!
Of course I have not forgotten the food – Bon Appétit: Left: Home – cured salmon with a citrus relish; wholegrain mustard vinaigrette and petit salad.
Right: Prime cut of beef fillet served with a Barolo wine jus, potatoes and seasonal vegetables.
Wine: La Valette – Blanc or Rouge. Chocolate fondant with fresh cream and strawberries
So as you can see this was exactly the kind of trip we enjoy. We had the opportunity to explore the rich and ancient culture in Mdina (click to read my post!), meet the friendly local people, and enjoy wonderful culinary adventures together with my wife, and with friends from around the world. I hope you enjoyed our little view of Malta. Make sure you check out, to see for yourself, mine and others reviews on TripAdvisor!
Called Melite, Mdina earlier was the capital of Malta and has its present name from the Arab influence on the region. Mdina means ‘walled city‘ and is called ‘The Silent City’ by the locals because with few inhabitants and almost no vehicle it is totally silent after dark. It’s a very small town with a population of less than 300.
With many new knights and masters ruling through the ages the town faced many political ups and downs over time. The fortifications constructed by the Arabs, then by the Romans and finally by the Knights of St. John in the 1500s. They divided the town into two parts, one lying inside the wall and the other outside, developed into the town of Rabat. The town lost its importance during the reign of the knights of St. John and the Malta’s capital was shifted from Mdina to Bigru which could better guard the Great Harbour of Malta from invasion.
On a business trip to Mata, bringing my dear wife along, we had a guided tour in this historical place and we gladly take you along to this medieval walled city located on a hill lying on the South Western coast of Malta. Let’s start with the breathtaking view from the wall inside and panoramic photo of the Maltese countryside, taken with my Nokia N8, a view towards part of the town of Rabat:
Then we turn around and concentrate on The Walled City, and announcing: the location on the top of a hill captivates tourists to Mdina’s mesmerizing beauty, while the medieval era culture and atmosphere takes you back in time away from all modernism and mechanism:
The medieval age alleys and narrow streets running down add to the dramatic touch of Mdina. These were intentionally narrow so that in the event of an attack they were difficult to negotiate on horseback giving the locals time to hide. Today these narrow alles and limestone walls reflects the true Maltese charm and tradition with minimum impact from the Knights:
The city is well maintained and kept clean by the locals:
The locals getting ready for the Good Friday procession. This is a typical band which leads the procession with the local icons on display and carried through the town.
Museum of Natural History:
By the Vilhena Palace, St Publius Square, you’ll find the large baroque Magisterial Palace. It was built by Grand Master Vilhena in 1724 and converted into a hospital during the British rule. This houses the natural history museum which holds exhibits on Malta’s geological formation over 10,000 rocks and minerals, a vast collection of Maltese flora and fauna, as well as local and exotic shells and insects. Our guide told us there is also a reference library on natural sciences for enthusiasts, but we only had the time to admire the beauty from the outside:
St. Paul’s Cathedral:
Ancient Baroque architecture is the main attraction of this place. St. Paul’s Cathedral designed by the architect Lorenzo Gafa leads them all. It displays minute detailing by the master designer. The dome, the bell towers and other structures are very lovely designed:
The interior of the cathedral features Irish wood carvings and lavish tessellated floorings. The cathedral is a house of precious paintings, sculptors and baptistery. This is a must visit stunning example of Baroque art and architecture.
Today Mdina is a major tourist attraction recognized internationally as an important UNESCO heritage site. We were certainly charmed by the well maintained medieval feel of these historical – yet still living – grounds. Even more; the whole Malta took us by storm, so there is a lot more to tell about our adventures on theses exotic islands – stay tuned for more local culture and romance !! ; -)
Cornelis Vreswijk (1937 – ’87) is undoubtedly one of Scandinavia’s greatest musical artists of all time and has become relevant again from the movie “Cornelis“. Hans-Erik Dyvik Husby played the role of the legendary Swedish troubadour in the film, and at Midsummer night Husby together with Vreswijk’s son Jack, held a concert using the music from the movie and interpret some of his songs in their own way. It took place in a historical and geographical landmark on Oslo harbor, at Akershus Fortress (see pic to the left) built in the 1600s. The location, surroundings, architecture and atmosphere on a long summer night in Oslo, were perfect. This panoramic photo, taken with my Nokia N8, is from about 10PM:
