Back thru Bergen, then on to Oslo

Am I going backwards? It sure looks that way, doesn't it? But there is a method in my madness. From Stavanger, I took the boat back to Bergen, then hopped on the train for a return to Oslo. My initial plan was quite different, but for several reasons, most important of which was the desire to take that train ride, I adjusted the plan. So now I'm back in Oslo, and will leave here on either Monday or Tuesday for Orebro, Sweden.

Back to Stavanger. Told you about the Oil museum, and again, I was impressed with it. The next day, I decided it was tome to get some culture, so I took in the Rogland Art museum. A nice walk from the town center alongside a lake, and with trees and such buffering the noise form the cars. The museum itself isn't all that big. It mainly promotes one of Norway's artists, raised near Stavanger, Lars Hertervig. His work was mostly landscapes and seascapes, but a few portraits. Not bad, but who am I to say.

A number of other Norwegian artists were on display as well. Some impressed me more than others. Photos were allowed, no flash, so I took some of those that struck me for one or another reason. Also one American "artist", somebody? San Francisco. Not much of his work impressed me. The kind of stuff you'd swear was done in elementary school, or discarded from the hobbyist's wood-shop. Nuff said.

From there, I tried one I didn't think I'd think much of. To my surprise, I enjoyed it, and learned something. Can you believe I enjoyed a museum on how sardines were canned in the early 20TH century? Believe it or not, I found it very interesting. Maybe because at one time, for a very few months, when much younger, I worked in a can manufacturing plant. Did any of you know that Sardines aren't officially from Norway? They are native to the Mediterranean. The ones in a can from Norway are in reality brisling, a close relative of the sardine. Aren't you glad to find that out?

And then on to the museum that I didn't enjoy. Has to be at least one. I guess I've been to to many Maritime museums on this trip. Ship model after ship model after ship model. It was supposed to be about Stavanger's history and connections with the sea, but didn't touch on that aspect very much at all.

After dinner, with time to kill, I went into a bookstore. They showed me to the English language section, in the basement. So I spent time browsing for something light to read. After some time, I finally chose a James Patterson mystery, against my better judgment. Right. Anyway, when I went up to pay, they were in the process of locking up. They forgot all about me down in the basement. If I'd stayed down a few minutes more, I wouldn't have been able to get out until midnight, when they had a Harry Potter sale starting.

Then the highlight of the day. I'd been chasing a concert around all of Norway, it seemed. It was in Trondheim, Alesund, Oslo and Berger but always either before I arrived or right after I left. Finally caught up with it in Stavanger. A Berlin string orchestra, with a two plus hour performance of several noted classical composers, including Norway's own favorite, Eduard Greig. Have to say I enjoyed that.

Getting late, so it's time to put this in the drafts folder for a while.

On to Bergen and Oslo. The next AM, I caught the ferry back to Bergen, then the train to Oslo. I'd decided that the scenic ride was worth watching from the south side of the train, so made a reservation that I was told was on the southern exposure. Wrong! Seat was on the same side as the first trip. But after the train started, I found an unoccupied seat on the other side, and settled in. All was well until I decided I was hungry, and went to the dining car for a hot dog.

I asked a couple if I could share their table. Turns out they were Canadian, but live in Houston. They are here on business, and had taken a weekend excursion. On the good side, it was an interesting conversation. I need to speak English for long periods every now and then, so I don't forget how. On the bad side, I missed all the great scenery I'd taken the train to see in the first place. A very good friend recently said something about still having a lot left to do when you pass on. So I'll add another trip from Oslo to Bergen to my list. I've got a whale of a lot still to do, so I hope that means I'll be here for a long time.

So now I'm in Oslo. Today was a get organized day. Hotel reservation in Orebro, bus ticket to Orebro, do the laundry, etc. Did it all,and still had time left over. So I decided on more culture. Glad I did. I went to the Oslo National Gallery. What a great art museum! It's primarily for Norwegian artists of renown, highlighting Edvard Munch and J. C. Dahl. I preferred Dahl, lots of landscapes and such. Really enjoyable. Munch was an impressionist, and in the same league as some of the notable ones, Gauguin, Manet, Picasso, Manet and the likes.

In a case of locking the barn door after the horse is stolen, two of Munch's most notable paintings, The Scream and Madonna, were stolen from here a few years back, then, fortunately, recovered. Now only those two are on the wall with sheets of Plexiglas bolted over them separating them from the public. Amazingly, much of the artwork is hung on the walls with no separation between the painting and the viewer. They do have alarms if someone touches them. Yes, I did. Security politely asked me not to do that again.

There is one room with Gaugin, Picasso, Degas, Mamet, Renoir, all the names you've heard before. Those are separated from the audience only by a rope strung several feet in front of them. Within easy reach if one wanted to. Another room has noted European artists from the 15Th century on through the early 18Th. I really did feel somewhat in awe of what I saw today. Not sure if it was because I recognized the names and was impressed, or if it was truly the art I was looking at. But whatever it was, it made for a very pleasant experience.

So now it's on to Orebro, Sweden tomorrow AM. We'll see what Sweden has to offer on this pass.