Update 28 - Summer has landed!

National Day 2007

National Day 2007Thursday. Public holiday. Sunny.Jo organised a big buffet breakfast for the foreigners just like Kjetil had donelast year.Looking good Shank!We feasted on good food and wine......before heading off in to town. Here is one of the 'Russ' buses that the final year high school students party in for a few weeks before exams.And they go around dressed like this!The train station was packed full of people doing the same thing as us.Here we have an american, a russian and an englishgal celebrating Norwegian day! The main street.The crowd got too much so we wandered towards the water to find a spot to sit.Some of the national costumes...they differ depending on what area of Norway you come from.All the restaurants were full so we hung out on these steps by the water.This kid is collecting 'Russ' cards. The kids spot them by their red pants and ask for their card.Luckily the weather was quite nice for being outdoors.Jeff gets into it.Dan, Eirik and Shank all looking too cool.Our last Norwegian National Day!You see flags outside almost all of the apartments in our area on May 17th.

Out and About

Mmm sun...This is our new favourite eating spot. It's a little restaurant in the nearby boat marina that not many people seem to know about.The food is surprisingly good there too!I'm going to miss this view (but perhaps I've taken enough photos to remember it by?)Basking in the sun filled lounge room at 9pm.Ooo now it really is warming up.Looks like a great day for a bike ride to Sognsvann!We were surprised to see a snake. Apparently there is a venomous variety here in Norway...aww, getting homesick ;)An absolutely gorgeous spot on an absolutely gorgeous day.Getting close to nature.Bbq'n it up.Does it get much better than this?Trees are funny.Looking sexy in his helmet.A few people had the same idea as us that day.Eating at the boathouse again.Our favourite Thai restaurant...it's gigalicious.

Oslo Music Festival

One weekend there was a music festival on in Oslo so we went to check out Rich and his bro play a set.First Shank needed food.And I needed a mango lassi.We watched some other bands play first.Then met up with Jo, Trygve and Marie.A bunch of troublemakers.All the photos with white borders were taken with Shank's camera (some of them...like this one...by Dan).Here's Rich and his bro Matt...they are both from England but Rich lives here in Norway.We really enjoyed their set.Then we walked to Jo's apartment to meet her cute little puppy.Rufus is adorable!He has a cute little attitude.We took Rufus with us for a picnic dinner in the park near Jo's house.Ha!Shank asked if we thought he should go and photograph this woman and we convinced him to. Straight afterwards she disappeared indoors!It was a very relaxing way to end the day.

Maren’s 2nd Birthday

The next day we caught a bus 40 mins outside the city to Bærems Verk.It was an absolutely beautiful day.We wandered around looking for Ingvild's parents house.Because it was little Maren's 2nd birthday party!She seemed to like the plastic sandwich kit we got her.Here is Simon and his adorable baby Selma.Maren didn't quite understand what a birthday meant but she was really enjoying all the presents!She has a little baby sibling on the way so it's good to see her practising on the doll...even if she is feeding it thru the nose.Simon's wife, Ingy and baby Selma looking too cool.Will tries to entice Maren into a game but she's not having any of that.For lunch we had a bbq cooked by Ingvild's parents.And here I am holding the baby. Yes I did get all gooey!Maren loves cake and couldn't stop licking the icing off :)Heheh....me back with the baby.It was a really fun day and a nice chance to meet Will & Ingvild's family.This is the house Ingvild grew up in. The garden is amazing.AwwBoth Simon and Will are from England. Ingvild and Ingy are both Norwegian but both have lived in England before.Ingvild looking very pregnant :)It was a fantastic day. Thanks for the invite guys! Happy Birthday Maren!

The neighbourhood

Going for a 9.30pm walk around the neighbourhood.The river that was frozen over not that long ago.Playing around with the macro lens again.We stopped to watch a doggy agility class.More 'Russ' buses. Apparently some of these buses cost almost 0k AUD to purchase and deck out! (the rich kids buses)The community vege/plant gardens near us.The doc from Back to the Future taking a walk with his ski poles.Will, Tibi and Trygve at work.

Summer has landed

Summer hit with a bang and we experienced 28 - 32 degree days for over a week. One day it was actually hotter in Oslo than the rest of Europe!So after work we rode to Bygdoy for a picnic dinner and a swim.This is what we've been waiting 8 months for!The water was cold but really refreshing. Here's Robert at work. He's a swedish guy I've been working with and his real name is Chill. Seriously.Norwegians enjoying Summer in the park.The other week Shank, Markus and Einar had a housewarming party.Their place is the top floor of a listed building. It's pretty cool! Here is Shank opening his first bottle of wine...ever!The view from Einar's room.Enjoying a few wines before the rest of the crew arrive.Shank bought our uplamp. He loves it.We also gave them one of our plants as a housewarming present.Banos is a banana spread...it tastes great!Mmm banos! I think it's a Norway thing. I'd never seen it before.This is how light it was at 3am after riding home from Shank & Markus's place.The longest day is coming up this weekend so I'm going to take a photo at midnight to remember this crazy light by.Mmm another gorgeous day. This is when you start to wander if winter really was as long as you thought. Summer forever!