140612 Lillehammer – Copenhagen

The Plan

Journey to Oslo Airport for our short flight to Copenhagen. Then free time in Copenhagen. FB Two Night Stay: Copenhagen

A Summary of thoughts on Norway

Norway has the highest cost of living in the world, and it shows.  Petrol AUD 2.50 per litre and they ‘harvest’ it just off the coast.  They are proud of their natural beauty and say they don’t have any reason to provide 5 star hotels; “you have come to see our beautiful country. You haven’t come to stay in hotels with gold taps and shampoo and large Asian style rooms.” There is much imported labour to do the mundane work. Things are organised, yes, and no-one will change that. A country where tunnels are predominant as you travel around. We had never seen a round-about in a tunnel. Food is expensive, but all the cafes along the streets are doing very well.  A country where the history of the Vikings is very interesting. There are very few poor people but then there are very few very rich people too.  High taxes and no national debt enable the government to have high reserves and provide excellent retirement lifestyles and welfare, when required, for all.

To experience a visit to Norway has been exciting and a privilege, and one I will treasure in the years to come as a country full of beauty and majestic scenery.

How the Day Turned Out

Today is just a transit day so lots of time deadlines; have bags out ready before breakfast,  on the bus, arrive at Oslo Airport, boarding time, flight time, immigration, collect baggage, on a new bus and off to the hotel in Copenhagen city. Our driver in Norway deserves the Socceroos football scarf to wear for the day as a thankyou gesture for his excellent driving.

We have a comfortable room, and take a rest before finding a place to eat dinner. Trusty ‘Trip Advisor” came up with lots close by and, after reading a review on one that sounded good for us, we choose the restaurant right next door to our hotel. There is an enormous buffet with lots of low salt dishes, I am told by the chef on arrival, even soup I could have, so ended up with a second on that one.

We take a stroll down a narrow avenue and find a young lady with a food barrow. We purchase a couple of punnets of the most sumptuous cherries from Spain. Val C purchases too and gets chatting to the young girl about cherries, as Val grows them in the Wandin Valley. I said to the girl selling them that Val has a cherry farm. She said she was hoping to come to Australia in November this year. Val offered her a job picking cherries on her farm and now Val has a new ‘picker’ on her list. The lass shows her excitement at the prospect of already having an employer before leaving for her holiday in Australia. We move on for some delicious ice cream and sorbet at another food seller.

There are many buskers along the streets entertaining the evening strollers; a magician, violinist playing heavy classical music, clarinettist, a guy with an electric piano at a fountain setting the place a go, another guy doing the normal juggling skills with his twist. The city seems much more relaxed than what Norway seemed to be.

An opportunity for an early night awaits us but it is the start of the Brazil World Cup. That is on when we drift off to sleep sometime before the first half has finished.

We have a walking tour of Copenhagen tomorrow morning, followed by a city canal cruise in the afternoon.

For our photo section today, I have included a few photos taken around Dubai and Norway that you may not have seen so far.