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Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Oslo a Return Visit

Well over 10 years since i first stepped on Norwegian soil I return, it is over 8 years since i last visited so joining Ray and Fiona as they went to a gig(A-ha) was the excuse to go for me and Marko.
The Ryanair Rygge airport was closer to Oslo that I expected bout an hour to central station. We were lucky to get there considering the weather in dublin, there was more snow in Dublin than Oslo!! Nonetheless it was Freezing -14celcius, maybe the wrong time of year to go it is amazing how things change and things stay the same visited my old abode, and office, and the Palace, dinner in Egon and TGIs (had to be done). Met some nutcases over for the concerts, women of a certain age.
A visit to Frogner park, the fat statues and Museums then wander round Oslo.
Aker Brygge for dinner and some bars, then met up with old boss Jarle and his drunken companions... ended up making him miss the ferry and heading to 3brodre and talking about old times, very old places we were in! Should have stayed in aker brygge.
Got up to go on a bus tour which seemed not to run at times that suited us, also we missed the boat tour by some 15mins either we heard wrong or were told wrong!
Went up to holmenkolen but so cold we went up to a chalet for food, had to get the bus since the t-bann was out of action. Grunerlokka seemed the place to be later, but after 2 bars, we adjourned to the post gig crowd and their singing of a-ha songs. Ended up in a depressing blues bar....
Missed opportunities, missed ferry, missed boat tour, train not running the story of the trip. But a nostalgic trip reminded me of the good days I had there.

Monday, January 25, 2010

Saalbach, Hinterglemm, Austria,..

Excellent skiing, excellent apres-ski, accommodation very nice, and very very helpful. 2 days snow, 2 days sun and 2 murky days. Lots of wonderfully naff stomping apres ski songs from germany austria and holland - cant get them out of my head.
The Hinterhaglem - was an experience and skiing at night in the dark. The Pension was very nice indeed, and the owner Kevin took us out 2 days guiding us round the pistes which was great. Ok the snow could have been better, and the blue run to the door was closed but hell we were apres-skiing it on the other side.
On the chefs night off we missed the tobaganning down from a restaurant in the hills since we left it a bit late.
Sadly 2 zipper handles on my ski jacket broke, so paper clips were used as handles after serving me for 6 years its time to retire it.
A resort and the pension "Ezian", I certainly intend to return to in the future. Ah the songs are on youtube....

Monday, January 04, 2010

Hamburg via Ryanair Hamburg(Lubeck)

A couple of days in hamburg for new years or Silvester as they call it.
A whistle stop tour, hard to find hotel, helpful German girl on the bus and strange green german guy giving us wrong directions, fairly cold, lots of Currywurst .
Jeepers they are mad for their fireworks, the whiff of sulphur stinging.
A boat trip(without marko who was feeling the affects) on the Thursday round the port, massive, very industrial an engineers dream so del was happy. the hot chocolate. Overall not as enjoyable as my previous times in hamburg even if i was only passing through it was summer and more to do.
Arrived home in mother Ireland to SNOW.