posted on 9th July 2010 under Habits, Reiseblogg2010
The artist in film, web and graphic design, Charles Ravndal has redesigned my blog using WordPress platform. The brand new look for RennyBA’s Terella really fits my theme I think; About Norway and the Nordic countries, our culture, traditions, history and habits – and even better than before. Of course I’m thrilled about the result and just had to make a post about it:
The new logo:
One example of Charles artistic design capability and with his own explanation: “This is a logo created for RennyBA’s Terella, a blog based in Norway. The symbol’s form was shaped after a terrella or terella (means Little Earth) which is a small magnetised model ball representing the Earth. The wave-like pattern inside shows the spiral movement of the terella and an abstract letter “R“. While the colours red, white and blue represent the colours found in the Norwegian flag. The font used in this logo is called Helvetica Rounded”.
From Blogger to WP & good to excellent:
I met Charles almost 5 years ago in Blogsphere and we soon we became good friends. Already at that time, he had an eye for special and characteristic blog design and soon he changed my blog from a dull, ordinary Blogger design, to something unique; The Norwegian look.
Then about two years ago, he helped me migrate to WordPress on my own domain name; Terella.no. Soon he suggested a brand new look, even more special, but still faithful to the theme of my blog. Here you see both of them:
Left: Unique Blogger design – Right: Special and unique WP design
Charles Ravndal: Geek is chic:
He calls himself an ordinary guy from Bergen, Norway – to me he’s kind of special! As a film/multimedia design student at “Noroff Institute in Bergen” and currently freelancing, he is hunting for a stable design related position. I would say this design of my blog is a perfect proof of his talent and of course I give him my highest recommendations. If you like more facts about his skills:
He is Articulate in HTML, CSS, Javascript, PHP and Actionscript in that order. Can Flash, Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, After Effects and Avid as well as ambidextrous with OS X and Windows.
Click to check out his home page, and take a look at his blog, his portfolio and learn how to get in contact with him!
So what do you think about my new blog home? I’m curious to know so please leave a comment and tell me what you think!
Comments (55)
posted on 3rd July 2010 under History, Reiseblogg2010, Summer, Travel Abroad
Vaholm covered bridge from the 17th century, is Sweden’s only covered and leads over river Tidan – a suspension bridge in two spans. Bridges of this kind are otherwise very common in the US, but in Europe they are just a few examples in Germany and Switzerland. In Scandinavia there is only similar bridge in Norway; The Hammer Bridge in mid Norway – looking almost the same as this Vaholm:
Vaholm bridge was renovated in 1992 after having been close to collapse.
Located in the courtyard Vaholm it has been discussed as a possible location of the former royal farm, which gave its name to the local area. The farm’s current main building is from the start of the 1800s. Last weekend, when in Sweden, my wife and I took a little road trip looking for this well known covered bridge and we gladly take you with (click pic to bigify & enjoy):
The suspension wooden bridge is a two-span, totalling 34 feet of the main girders of round logs. The land attachment, like bridge piers in the center, built of hewn stone brick and is held together by tension straps of iron. On the main studs are longitudinal spans of wood with wrought iron hangers carrying the bridge deck:
The bridge house itself is independent and built in the traditional manner with a single pole design works. The house is covered with a Falu red paint panels, and the bottom decorated with a carved scallop design. Neither the bridge nor the house is particularly remarkable on its own – but the combination makes a unique facility.
People who have crossed over the bridge late at night report feeling strong feelings of discomfort and the feeling of evil or death present.
Others have reported seeing crying child faces on the wall while others said they felt like someone wanted to kill them while standing there. Some have even said that they felt someone tried to strangle them when standing in the bridge house after dark, and it is rumoured that something very terrible may have happened here.
Tidan is a locality situated in Skövde Municipality, Västra Götaland County in Sweden which has about 1000 inhabitants and only 20 minutes from our vacation home in Mariestad. In spite of the ghost stories I didn’t notice anything about the bridge except how lovely it looked in the nice summer weather. I didn’t feel anything while crossing it, although Diane was a bit sceptical to driving the car over:
Whatever its history this fine bridge over Tidan river didn’t seem to mean us any harm. How about you – do you know or have heard of any of these kind of bridges?
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posted on 26th June 2010 under OsloBG, Reiseblogg2010, Summer, Travel Norway
Oslo Blog Gathering in August will give a compact three days to explore the city and Norway’s history, culture and traditions. Oslo Pass – included in the program fee – gives free travel on all public transport and free admission to museums and sights. This means that participants (coming from all over the world; check guest list so far!), may choose from the top shelf according to personal interest in a compact city by the fjord and mountains.
I often have visitors for business or social matters who are curious to see what I’ve been posting about. This time I take you along on a tour I gave an Italian guest one afternoon a few weeks ago:
Oslo New Opera House:
If you arrive at Oslo Central Station, a must see is the Opera House which is located right across the street. You will love it even if opera is not you’re cup of tea. The construction – designed by the acknowledged Norwegian architectural firm Snøhetta – is the largest single cultural-political initiative in contemporary Norway. It took five years to build and the cost was about 500 million Euros. The result is an extraordinary building that rises directly from beneath the fjord like an iceberg. The white marble clad roof cape forms a large public space in the landscape of the city and the fjord – the worlds only Opera where you can walk on the roof:
As soon as my Italian friend saw it from the viewpoint in this photo, he could tell it was marble from his homeland and from which districts.
Vigeland Sculpture Park:
In 15 minutes by street car you are at Oslo’s most famous park. In addition to being a nice green recreational area it covers 80 acres and features 212 bronze and granite sculptures created by Gustav Vigeland. He sculpted every figure out of clay and individual craftsmen were contracted to fabricate the pieces into what they are today. These works of art reside along an 850 meter-long axis divided into six sections: The Main Gate, The Bridge, The Children’s Playground, The Wheel of Life with a Fountain and The Monolith Plateau. Here are two examples with me and my Italian friend:
Left: The angry boy on the bridge – Right: At the Monolith Plateau
Btw: If you fancy an outdoor swim, Frognerbadet is situated next to the park with 3 pools, diving towers and a water slide.
Holmenkollen mountain and Ski Jump:
Since we had only a few hours, I had to cut out the next usual stop – up on the mountain, only 15 minutes by metro; Holmenkollen. Here you can enjoy the view of the city and fjord, pick blueberries and/or experience the oldest and one of the worlds most famous ski jump. Read my earlier post about it here: Holmenkollen a cultural high point in Oslo.
A gourmet Adventure at Aker Brygge:
Back to Oslo centre, close to the City Hall on the harbour, we ended up at Aker Brygge: a seaside shopping and nightlife centre with lots of glam and fun. There are plenty of pubs and sidewalk cafes to chose from. I’ll let some photos sum up our evening there when my wife DianeCA joined us too. Click the pics to bigify & enjoy and don’t miss the last photo which was taken at 11PM in the lovely Nordic night:
Left: fried cod in wine sauce with potatoes and asparagus – Right: King Crab legs
Left: Us at a charming outdoor Restaurant – Right: Light evenings at 11PM
OsloBG offers it all:
This is just an example of a day with RennyBA at the OsloBG. I am thinking of offering this precise tour to bloggers from all over the world when I team up with my special helpers to offer unique personal guided tours by locally known residents. Mostly Expats like my wife DianeCA and Beaver Bush, or real Vikings like me and TorAa. So click to see The Program and hop on before it’s too late – this is an experience of a lifetime you know 
Comments (16)
posted on 21st June 2010 under Food, Habits, OsloBG, Reiseblogg2010, Summer
Summer Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere gives longest period of daylight. In Oslo, Norway (latitude of 60°) we have 19 hours and actually quite bright even at midnight. Let me show you by a photo I shot around 11PM at a BBQ-party on Saturday:
The word solstice derives from Latin sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still) and this year it occur the 21st. The term is also colloquially used like Midsummer to refer to the day on which it occurs, except in the Polar Regions (where daylight is continuous for half of the year) – like north in Norway; The Land of the Midnight Sun – see my report from a few years back: Arctic Adventure Rafting The Barents Sea!
Since it’s the end of a season or semester and beginning of summer (schools close for 8 weeks and people normally use at least 3 of their total 5 weeks vacations), there is a lot to celebrate – and mostly outdoors. Who blame us; in 6 month we have winter & snow and 5 hours daylight. So we party, party, party – with co-workers, colleagues and friend. Let me give you a couple of examples:
Culinary sensations at Nodee Asian cooking:
This year’s party with colleagues at the Norwegian Computer Society was at an Asian restaurant, 5 minutes by Tube out of Oslo center. Okay, we ate indoors, but it count as a summer party anyway 
Let’s go directly to the 5 course serving and start with a friend of mine, well known to my regular readers:
The one and only; TorAa
Colleagues around the table.
1: King Crab, Soft shell Crab & Sea Bass. 2: Crispy Duck
3: Lobster wok Shao. 4: Ching Lak Ao Lau 5: Grilled Scallops
University collage mates from 73-75 at Aker Brygge:
The last 10 year or so, I’ve invited old school friends (yea, I’m kind of a HUB 
) to summer party in Oslo. They are spread all over Norway, but 10 to 20 persons shows up; this year at Aker Brygge:
In the background you see Akershus Fortress! Aker Brygge (former ship yard established in 1864), across Oslo harbour and close to the Town Hall, is the city’s finance and amusement aria with shops, restaurants, cinemas, office space and apartments as well as a small boat harbour. Let me show you what we had to eat, before I show you the aria:
I had Blue Mussel (love seafood you know), some had just a burger.
After dinner we walked around to soak in the summer atmosphere at Aker Brygge and checked the service at some of the restaurants (click to bigify & enjoy!):
These photos is shot around 9PM – still sunny and bright
Don’t you love this summer party rituals and the late, sunny – and even romantic – nights? Norwegians have learned to take advantage of this, since we don’t have it all year around you know
Would you like to experience this and soak in the summer late night atmosphere yourself? Well here is you’re chance: I invite all to the Oslo Blog Gathering in August – click to check the program and book to join us! – if you then go to bed at sun set and get up at the rise; you haven’t waste you’re stay in Oslo by sleeping
Comments (20)
posted on 19th June 2010 under Culture, History, Reiseblogg2010, Tradition
The historical, cultural and Royal event when Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden will marry Daniel Westling in Stockholm Cathedral (Storkyrkan), is of course to be mentioned since my blog is about Norway and the Nordic countries. I mean after all; Norway is Sweden’s closest neighbour and friend and so are our Royal families too.
A non Royal husband or wife?
When Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and Mette-Marit became engaged there was much discussion; was it appropriate for an heir to the throne to marry a person who was not royalty. Now you have the same debate in Sweden and some wonder if Daniel Westling is appropriate for Victoria. To me it actually seams like it strengthens the Royal’s position and the fact that we both have a Kingdom in our countries.
When The Norwegian government invited to dinner before Crown Prince Haakon’s wedding in 2001, the Crown Prince held a direct and humble speech:
“Few things in life happens by chance, at least not that Mette-Marit came into my life. The more I got to know her, the more I realised that and therefore we wanted to live a life together. I do know that our choices have not been as easy for everyone else. A fact I just have to respect”, he said, and also was thankful for all the support they’d got.
Bridesmaid Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway:
Ten young bridesmaids and page boys are taking part and three of them are the Crown Princess’ godchildren.
Further more, as future monarchs themselves; Norway’s Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands, both 6 years old, are to be bridesmaids, while Danish Prince Christian, age 4 1/2, will be a page boy. So, there will be a lot of young children playing a part in this wedding. It certainly should be a sight to see!
This is Princess Ingrid Alexandra (see photo to the left – borrowed from ScanPix) biggest public appearance so far in life and a special reason for Norwegians to closely follow the ceremony of course
The biggest Royal event?
500 million TV viewers across Europe are expected to watch the 2 million € spectacle in Stockholm’s specially renovated cathedral. Stockholm’s airport has been renamed for the occasion, as Official Love Airport 2010. The wedding comes after a lengthy struggle by Princess Victoria to persuade the royal family to recognise her relationship with a commoner.
You should also read about this from a local’s point of view; My friend, the one and only; Mrs. Lifecruiser: Swedish Crown Princess Wedding Pre-Report!
How about you; Did you see any of this Royal Wedding? – and what do you think?
Comments (16)
One example of Charles artistic design capability and with his own explanation: “This is a logo created for RennyBA’s Terella, a blog based in Norway. The symbol’s form was shaped after a terrella or terella (means Little Earth) which is a small magnetised model ball representing the Earth. The wave-like pattern inside shows the spiral movement of the terella and an abstract letter “R“. While the colours red, white and blue represent the colours found in the Norwegian flag. The font used in this logo is called Helvetica Rounded”.
