Arriving in Oslo,Norway

Oslo is located at the end of the Oslo Fjord ("Oslofjorden"), 100 km (62 miles) in from the sea.  We spend the morning and early afternoon cruising up the fjord, passing many small towns and islands that are reached by the ferries that zip back and forth by us and the fishing boats pulling in and out.  It is mesmerizing watching it all go by.

 Cruising up the Oslo Fjord

 Fishing boats and ferries

Approaching Oslo

Our ship is berthed near the new Opera House, completed in 2007 to house the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet.  The Opera House grounds are packed with people hanging out and walking up (and down) the ramps to the building's roof.

Opera house

Across from the opera house are two floating saunas with wood-burning ovens, each holding up to ten people, for use at the dock or for a comfortable cruise through the fjord.

 Floating saunas

Near the saunas are food stalls and restaurants making the dock a great destination for relaxation, including a duck stand called "Duck Off," offering pulled duck, burgers, and fries (unfortunately, closed while we are here).

 Food stalls at the dock

We wander off the dock to the Central Train Station and admire two great statues out front, one a memorial to the Osvald Group (Osvald-gruppen) for its resistance efforts during World War II and the other a tiger celebrating the 1000-year anniversary of Oslo, in honor of the city's nickname Tigerstaden ("The Tiger City") as an exciting and happening place.

 Oslo Central Train Station statues

From the station, the pedestrian street, Karl Johans gate stretches 1.6 km (1 mile) to the Royal Palace.  The street is lined with shops, decorated with art, and full of performers entertaining us all.

 Karl Johans gate

 Street art

 Music on the street

As we get closer to the Royal Palace, the street opens up with a park running along the street, including great fountains, an ice skating rink (not currently in use), and the National Theater.

 Approaching the palace

 Fountains

 National Theater and Concert Hall

Across from the park, at the Grand Hotel, a statue of the Fearless Girl stands, matching the one on Wall Street in New York (facing the bull).  This statue was created in Celebration of Women:  in support of women in leadership positions, the empowerment of young women, women's education, gender equality, and the reduction of prejudice in the workplace.

Grand Hotel and Fearless Girl

We turn around and head back to the ship, catching more sights from the other direction as people are out enjoying this fine day.  On the way, we spot our first troll of the trip, the mystical, sometimes dangerous, creatures from Norse mythology and Scandinavian folklore.

 Heading back

 Reapproaching the train station, spotting the first troll

We pass the station and get back on our ship, watching the city light up as the sun sets.

 Oslo at night

Wandering Through Copenhagen

We head out in the morning and walk through Copenhagen, past the beautifully-painted movie theater and over to Orsteds Park (Ørstedsparken), a few blocks northwest of Tivoli Gardens.

 Movie theater

 Orsteds Park

Orsteds Park was created in 1872 as one of a series of parks built on the grounds of Copenhagen's old fortification ring.  Construction of the park including converting the moat to a lake and building small hills out of former bastions.  One prominent feature of Orsteds Park is a monument to Hans Christian Ørsteds, the Danish physicist and chemist who discovered that electric currents create magnetic fields.  Also, scattered throughout the park are many additional statues funded by the Albertina Foundation created by the head of Carlsberg.

Monument to Hans Christian Ørsteds

 Sculptures around the park

Leaving the park, we spot several great bicycles in this city famous for its biking culture.

 Fabulous bicycles

We walk through the great little streets to the Frederiksborggade pedestrian street and then across the canal to the castle, home of the Danish royal family and built surrounding a large equestrian field.

 Great little streets

 Over the canal

 Through the castle and grounds

Just past the castle, we come back to the pedestrian street (renamed at this end as Amagertorv Street).  This end of the street is a serious high-end shopping district and we head right over to the Royal Copenhagen shop.  We have a family history of collecting Royal Copenhagen Christmas Plates and we start by viewing this year's plate in the shop and then admiring all the other great porcelain products, made in Copenhagen since 1775.

 2018 Christmas plate

 Admiring the Royal Copenhagen (and buying some)

From there, we walk along the canal and riverfront back to our hotel.

 Along the canals and river

We pick up our luggage and have one more adventure on our way to the ship (remember, we're getting on a cruise to Norway and Scotland), a visit to the Little Mermaid statue and a stroll back through the Kastellet, one of the best-preserved fortifications in Northern Europe and still an active military base for Danish Defense, both a short walk from the dock where the ship will depart.  The Kastellket also contains a monument with the eternal flame for Danish military previously or presently deployed, including a chronological list of all places in the world where Danish soldiers have been sent and a list of all the deceased.  The inscription at the eternal flame reads:  "One Time, One Place, One Human Being" ("Et Tid, Et Sted, Et Menneske").

The Little Mermaid

Kastellet fortress (cannon not aimed at our ship)

 Memorial and Eternal Flame

Soon, it is time for us to grab some lunch at the small restaurant next to our ship that serves as our cruise terminal and then head onboard to depart for new adventures.  It doesn't get much better than this, great food, then a few seconds walk to board the ship.  And, no lines!

 Assorted Danish sandwiches and fish and chips before boarding

Cruise terminal/restaurant

Our first evening after we depart, we wander into the bridge (Windstar has an open bridge policy when they are at sea and not arriving/departing a port), chat with the ship's officer and the cadet who are piloting the ship, and look at the view (really great)!

 View from the bridge