Holmenkollen Ski Jump arena in Oslo is Norway’s most visited tourist attractions and has been the centre of Norwegian ski sports for more than 100 years. The first ski event took place in January 1892 with a hill record of 21.5 meters. Since then, there have been 18 reconstructions. It was for the Winter Olympics in 1952 that the ski jumping hill got a modern look and during the last two years it has gone through a significant facelift; rebuilt and upgraded to host the 2011 Nordic World ski Championships:
The most spectacular about the new Holmenkollen, is the jump tower. The silhouette of the new tower has a sharp and simple cut. The profile follows the jumper’s descent and is offset to create necessary wind protection:
Today was the official opening and Norway’s best woman ski jumper was given the honour to be the first. Norwegians think it’s a shame that women aren’t treated equally to men in participating in the Olympics and World Championship so to prove their support, our Anette Sagen was the first out:
I know it’s hard to spot, but the Norwegian Eagle is flying here -click to enlarge!
Would you like to try to fly yourself in the New Holmenkollen – to feel free like a bird and experience a ski jump (with no risk) – just for the fun of it? VisitOslo has made it possible for you so click and give yourself a thrill money can’t buy!
Like I said; Holmenkollen Mountain is Norway’s most visited tourist attractions and no wonder. It proves Oslo’s advantage of being the world’s most compact capital with the city, the fjord and this mountain only 20 minutes with public transportation from down town. From there, like today, you have a breath taking view of the city and the fjord with its tempting islands:
This afternoon before the ski jump – sunset around 6PM – it called for a photo session!
At the Oslo Blog Gathering in August this year, you are invited to meet up with bloggers from all over the world! Then you can experience and explore this beauty of nature in and around Oslo. The only difference, is that in August there will be nice and warm summer, no snow and even more: The sun won’t go down till after 9PM so a late romantic sunset is readily available. Go check the OsloBG official Program Site and book to get on board!
Girls and boys playing in the snow in Norway is no sensation of course – rather a habit 
The Winter Olympics in Vancouver proves it gives result. We enjoy being outdoors in the snow with the cold, fresh and crisp air. It makes you feel alive, surrounded by the beauty of the nature. We’ve had the greatest, good old winter this season: around -10C (10F), lots of snow and quite a lot of sunshine. Today was a snowy day and even more the reason to be outdoors:
We’ve had winter vacation this week and a little visitor is staying with us while her Mom takes a break. Today she could chose from all the options; swimming at the indoor pool, going to the movies, going to the library or a trip into the neighbouring village but she was determined: her choice, play in the snow! Sometimes we adults try to plan too much, the simplest is often best. No objections from my wife DianeCA and I so we dressed for the weather and went out in the yard – and I grabbed my cam to share with you:
Playful girls in Snowy Norway
After a couple of feet of snow last night, calls for shovelling and since I had the cam:
Still as a photographer, I tried to capture the snowy atmosphere in the neighbourhood:
Left: Dogs dressed appropriate too – Right: Snowy fairytale
This play and fun in the snow always takes me down the memory lane; I loved making snow forts and having a friendly snowball battle with my friends – I loved skating and of course skiing – but most of all, I loved ski jumping:
Me after a ski jump at 5 years of ages – Yes, I fell, but who cares after a personal record of 10 meter (33 feet)
Extra: This might explain why the Norwegians do so well in the Vancouver Winter Olympics – here is an up to date medals’ table:
The Canadian Winter Olympics symbol of the Vancouver games is well known for Norwegians: The inuksuk is to be seen in Oslo by the Maritime Museum at Bygdøy island:
An inuksuk (plural inuksuit) is a stone landmark or cairn, used by the Inuit, Inupiat, Kalaallit, Yupik, and other peoples of the Arctic region of North America, from Alaska to Greenland. The inuksuk may have been used for navigation, as a point of reference, a marker for hunting grounds, or as a food cache. The Inupiat in northern Alaska used inuksuit to assist in the herding of caribou into contained areas for slaughter. There are four authentic inuksuit around the world donated by the government of Canada: in Monterrey, Mexico – Washington, D.C. – Guatemala City and Oslo, Norway:
In 2005, The Canadian Ambassador to Norway unveiled an inuksuk at Bygdøy Maritime Museum in Oslo to celebrate Norway’s centennial (100 years since end to the Union between Sweden and Norway, 1814 – 1905). It was of course also recognizing the fondness our people have for each other and given as a symbol of the special relationship there exists between our two countries of the North.
The strong ties between Norway & Canada started with the Viking visits to Newfoundland, their brief settlement at L’Anse aux Meadows, and continue through Roald Amundsen’s successful exploration through the Northwest Passage one hundred years ago. (1903-1906) During World War II Norwegian pilots trained at Little Norway, a training camp in southern Ontario. Today, our two countries share common visions on the international scene; we cooperate in fields such as Arctic Council, human security, the UN reform among others.It is especially poignant that the inuksuk is created by Joseph Suqslak, a resident of Gjoa Haven in Nunavut. Amundsen spent three winters in Gjoa Haven before his successful attempt at sailing the Northwest Passage. The name of the community bears witness of the visiting ship. Without the willingness of the Inuit to share their knowledge and skills of survival in the arctic winter it is questionable whether Amundsen would have succeeded in his attempt:
Left: Amundsen’s boat Gjøa to the right – Right: Opposite side with Gjøa in front of The Fram and Maritime Museum.
The inuksuk next to the boat Gjøa was installed by Mr. Mattiusi Iyaituk, and artist and President of the Board of Directors of the Inuit Art Foundation in Canada.
The Olympics logo has become more and more a national symbol of the hosting county and showing some typical or genuine part of the countries roots or nature. Vancouver’s is a great example and here is the similar for the two games in Norway:
Left: In the centre the Olympic rings with the silhouette of the New Town Hall of Oslo. On the outside border the inscription “The VI Olympics Winter Games Oslo 1952″.
Right: A stylized aurora borealis (Northern lights) and snow crystals, the Olympic rings.
Since the start of the Vancouver games, the inuksuk in Oslo has been a very popular photo object. When my wife DianeCA and I were there today to shoot the pics for this post, we met people from all over the world – even China! Two girls where swarming around this strange stone statue. When I told them what it was and the purpose of my visit, they willingly posed – even if it was freezing cold
It is always fun for me to meet new people from around the world and I am hoping this summer to meet many more friends! Remember the museums on Bygdøy Island will be available to participants at the Oslo Blog Gathering in August and I am really looking forward to guiding you around this beautiful place. So do another local gathering host, posting about the same: TorAa.
Winter Olympics in Norway is culture, traditions and even good habits – just like the theme of my blog. In Vancouver, Canada there was a blast of a medal party today, so excuse me for being a bit patriotic, but not to blog (brag 
) about it would be a shame.
Left: Tora Berger & Right: Emil Hegle Svendsen – both gold medal! (Photo: ScanPix)
My regular readers know I’ve said it before: Norwegians are born with skies on – read one of my posts about it: Ski Museum Proves: Norwegians are born with skis on. For a nation with not more that 4.9 mill inhabitants, it’s not bad to be on the all time top list of medals in the Winter Olympics. Here is the statistics before it started in Vancouver:
Norway: 280 – US: 216 – SovietUnion: 194 – Austria: 185 – Germany: 158 – Finland: 151 – Canada: 119 – Sweden: 118 – Switzerland: 118 – German Dem Republic: 110 – Italy: 101.
Before Vancouver games, Norway had totally 98 gold medals! Today, both for women (Tora Berger) and men (Emil Hegle Svendsen) in Biathlon, we won gold – and even more; a sliver medal (Ole Einar Bjørndalen) too
Update: Up to date medals’ table:
The best Winter Game ever for Norway was at Lillehammer in 1994: Best nation with 26 medals – so you can tell, we have way to go
I know I’m crazy about winter sports, so bare with me this kind of untraditional post. How about you: Do you follow the Winter Olympics in Canada and what is you’re favourite sport?
The Norwegian Museum of Cultural History comprises a huge park containing examples of all the major folk architectural styles from throughout Norway. It’s the oldest open air museum in the world (established as early as 1894) with 158 buildings representing different regions and time periods in the Norwegian history dating back to the 16th century. They are carefully taken apart, transported from their location and put back together again on the site:
The Farmstead of Numedal; extends from the Hardanger plateau down to the town of Kongsberg.
So the placement of these buildings in relation to each other followed regional patterns. The loft and bur in Telemark were commonly placed side by side:
The loft has a gallery on three sides on the upper floor and is decorated with carved floral motifs.
Not only are you able to see the houses outside, but inside it’s furnished too:
Farmhouse from Hallingdal – 1750.
Throughout the year there are activities and exhibits of all kinds, as well as various reconstructed activities of everyday life:
How about horse &carriage rides through the open-air museum?
You can participate in spring cleaning or buy authentic lefse, a kind of soft flat bread baked on the open fireplace like it was 200 years ago:
Inside an old farm house, two girls were demonstrating making the dough and baking and all gets a taste:
They willingly shared the baking tradition and recipe – Hardanger Lefse: 2 egg, 250 gram sugar, 125 gram melted butter, ½ litre milk, 1 teaspoon of baking powder and 1 kilo flour.
Mix egg, sugar & butter and stir in milk. Mix baking powder with some flour and blend. Mix enough flour so it’s easy to roll. Bake on a griddle or a dry pan:
The Old Town part of the open air exhibition contains buildings from the 1600s and upwards. There is a Historic Playground and an old fashioned Grocery Store from the beginning of the 1900s as well:
Colonial – Milk – Delicacy
This historical museum is enjoyable for the entire family. They plan activities for the children as well, and this was always a popular place when my children were small. They loved to go in and out of these fascinating buildings, they loved to pet the horse drawing the wagon and maybe give him some hay, and they loved the children’s activities. This weekend the theme was fastelaven, or the Sunday before the Easter fast, which the Catholics call Lent. As in Mardi Gras and Carnival, the rich foods like eggs, crème and butter were supposed to be used up so we have a tradition with crème filled sweet rolls. At the museum they had mask making for a kind of Carnival experience which as you can see here the children really enjoyed!
There is a lot more to explore and learn about Norway, our culture and history: The permanent exhibits include Folk Art, first half of the Parliament, Norwegian Folk Costumes, toys and more. The Norwegian Evening is an event held here in July and August where music, traditional dance, singing and other activities take place. I hope you will join us sometime – maybe at the Oslo Blog Gathering in August??
Update: I shared this adventure with my wife – hop over and read her report too: DianeCA
