Arandale

Our first cruise in a while. Starting in Oslo. The ports were Arandale, Eidfjord, Stavanger, Olden and Bergen before disembarking in Copenhagen in Danmark.

We spend 3 days in Oslo prior our departure.

Oslo

An interesting city, still almost daylight at midnight. Oslo is incredibly expensive, especially alcohol.

The roof of the Oslo Opera House building, which was completed in 2007, angles to ground level, creating a large plaza that invites pedestrians to walk up and enjoy the panoramic views of Oslo. The building is said to represent an ice-berg.

Oslo City Hall (Radhuset) houses the city council, the city’s administration and various other municipal departments. The building as it stands today was constructed between 1931 and 1950, with an interruption during the Second World War.

The building has many different galleries and is open to the public. The City Hall tower is home to the largest carillon in the Nordics. The bells in Oslo City Hall play every hour from 7 a.m. to midnight. The bells play everything from classical pieces to more recent pop.

The building of Akershus Castle and Fortress was commenced in 1299 under king Håkon V. The medieval castle, which was completed in the 1300s, had a strategic location at the very end of the headland, and withstood a number of sieges throughout the ages. King Christian IV (1588-1648) had the castle modernised and converted into a Renaissance castle and royal residence.

The castle has also been used as a military base, a prison and is the temporary office of the Prime Minister.

And some pics from around Oslo Town…

Arandal

In the middle of the town centre is an area with wooden houses dating back to the 17th century. This area is called Tyholmen, and is what is left of buildings from before the 19th century. The inner harbour of Arendal is called “Pollen”, where the fish market, pubs, and restaurants are located. The Trinity Church dominates the skyline of this area.

Eidfjord

The village has been inhabited for a long time. There are Viking Age Burial Mounds located just up the hill from the village on a small plateau. The Old Eidfjord Church was built in Eidfjord in 1309. It was in continuous use until 1981 when the newEidfjord Church was built just northwest of the old church. Eiden has a few nice, good-marked hiking trails.

Stavanger

Especially in the summertime, Stavanger’s harbour is full of large cruise ships. The Port of Stavanger is a popular stop on the route to the Norwegian Fjords. The charming city center is just a small walk from the quay.

Olden

Olden, a small village with about 500 inhabitants, is located at the mouth of the Oldeelva river at the northern end of the Oldedalen valley.

Bergen

The second largest town in Norway offers a nice small-Town charm. Bryggen i Bergen is one of the most famous attractions in the city and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This was the first place in the city where there were buildings, and almost 1000 years later there is still a lot of life and movement here.