Monday odd shot

May be not odd for some but taken from high above the fjord.

Atlantic ocean 23.27

The view from our summer residence with ASBJORN and anne.kat . 30 min before midnight.

Friday coast

Greetings from skule island

ABc wednesday - w

W is for www sent by mms

Odd shot monday

Mobil greetings

Flammentanz roses

This weekend we are watching the opening of the Flammentanz blooming. During the weeks to come the walls will be covered by hundreds of red beautiful roses. It is Summer.

Happy Midsummer

Tonight we have summer solstice and the sun start its tour "down" to the southern hemisphere. We still have, however, a lot of wonderful summer nights ahead and the people living longer north will experience the Midnight Sun.

Yesterday a new milestone where passed in my blog when the new layout gave you the beautiful scenery of "Storfjorden" and "Valldal" in Møre and Romsdal, Norway where we will stay this weekend.

The shortest night this year will be used for traveling for the celebration among very good friends at this north-western part of Norway. The weather condition is not the best, but well dressed and with enough good Italian wine and food, we all will happily gather around the Jonsok Bonfire A special thank to EVLAHOS PHOTOGRAPHY for the help with this revised layout.
Happy Mid-Summer to you all.

Rafting in Japan - Kyoto

During one of my visits to Japan and Kobe after the Great Hanshin Earthquake we had the great honor to participate in our employees annual company trip to Kyoto. Part of the transportation to Kyoto was by boat and River Rafting.
On the Hozugawa river from Kameoka to Kyoto's scenic Arashiyama we were surrounded by stunning sights and the many sounds of nature
On the way to Arashiymaya where the Hozugawa becomes the Kamogawa river, which in turn flows into the Yodogawa river we had time for a break in silent water.

At the Arashiyama Hotel we had hot bath and was dressed in Local Costumes, had a Great Dinner and was singing Karaoke.At bedtime the local "floor sleeping equipment" became a big surprise, and especially the pillow (made of dried rice?) gave us a some sleeping challenges.
The day after we visited the Toei Movie Land and the Samurais, the Golden Tower and the Heian Jingu Shinto Shrine with the great Torii.
Tullens body guard . The Last Samurai.
Eating in Japan is a sitting challenge, but the food is fantastic either you get it in season-colored boxes or in luxury restaurants.To all my colleagues and friends in Japan: Thank you for your great hospitality.

First Painting - 2008

I wrote some time ago that I had difficulties in finding topics for blogging every day. The writing obstacle or hurdle disappeared more or less when joining the different blogging memes and coming in contact with a lot of nice new readers of my blog. Swapping into English text also helped.
However, when having all this focus on blogging, my active painting became reduced, and the activity almost totally stopped. I have always motives in process, but starting with covering the canvas has been another hurdle.
Hopefully my Ganesh has helped and today I finished my first painting "Night over Molja" (72x100) Acrylic on Canvas in 2008.
I know that more painting will be worked out in the summer weeks ahead, but until so please visit my other paintings at My Gallery.

ABC Wednesday = V

This week my ABC Wednesday post will be covering my wife´s trip to Vietnam in January 1995.
Only a year after the lifting of the US embargo, Tullen and three friends took a short break from the expat-wife luxury living in Singapore and visited Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Halong Bay in Vietnam. A memorable tour at a period of the country´s development prior to the increase in economy, business and tourism.

See some of their experiences as presented in:

V is for Vietnam

In front of the Ho Chi Minh City Post Office you may see a sculpture of the great hero Ho Chi Minh. Ho led the Viet Minh independence movement from 1941 onward, establishing the communist-governed Democratic Republic of Vietnam in 1945 and defeating the French Union in 1954 at Dien Bien Phu. He led the North Vietnamese in the Vietnam War until his death; six years later, the war ended with a North Vietnamese victory, and Vietnamese unification followed. In Saigon, as the city was called earlier, the transportation at that time was almost only by bicycle-taxies (Cyclos), and they rented one pr. day for each for almost no pay, and a tour on the Saigon River made them see some of the living condition at that time.
The next photo is taken underground in the defense tunnel system beneath the jungle surface.
It was one of the head quarters for the resistance, and Tulenh = The boss.
The entrance to this tunnel system, and no claustrophobia is required to go down.
Some of the hidden entrances were traps, and the real entrance could be right under the sharp knives.
Ho Chi Minh City is located 1760 km south of the Capital of Vietnam, Hanoi and the temperature is much lower in the north. The market at that time is shown below.
Time, they are a´changing in Vietnam too, but still you may find the look and smell of this extraordinary country and its citizens. Go for a visit before it is too late to feel the real Asia.
East from Hanoi you may find the fantastic Ha Long Bay in the Gulf of Tonkin. The Bay has a coastline of 120 km long with thousands of limestone karst and isles in various sizes and shapes. The last photos on this journey is taken inside one of the great caves in Ha Long Bay.
For more ABC Wednesday = U adventures, go to Mrs. Nesbitt Place.

Tuesday Facts - Henrik Wergeland 200 years

Henrik Arnold Thaulow Wergeland was born June 17, 1808 in Kristiansand. He was a Norwegian writer, celebrated for his poetry but also a prolific playwright, polemicist, historian, and linguist.
He is often described as a leading pioneer in the development of a distinctly Norwegian literary heritage and indeed of modern Norwegian culture. (The painting above is Reidar Aulie´s "I natt red´n Henrik forbi")

Wergeland became a "symbol" of the fight for celebration of the constitution at May 17, which was later to become the Norwegian National Day. He became a "public hero" after the infamous "battle of the Square" in Christiania, which came to pass because any celebration of the national day was forbidden by the Swedish Royal Decree. Wergeland was, of course, present and became renowned for standing up against the local governors. Later, he became the first to give a public address on behalf of the day and thus he was given credit as the one who "initiated the day".Many people in Norway only think of the 17th of May regarding Wergeland, but many have the meaning that he is remembered for the "wrong" things. His fight with Welhaven, his sad loving affairs instead of his happy marriage, the many court processes (which he lost), the refusal of being a priest due to his lifestyle and that many others played a more significant role in the May 17 process. More of this can be read in this article (in Norwegian) from bt.no

When celebrating his 200 years birthday I think it is important to remember at least two women who have had an important influence of the way we today look at Wergeland. His sister Camilla Collett and perhaps mostly Ingeborg Refling Hagen who called him the Great Sow Man.
Jørgen Holen´s painting "Såkvinnen" can be a tribute to these ladies.Wergeland died 37 years old on July 12, 1845 in Christiania ( Now Oslo )

Odd Shot Monday

Artists have during the last years developed into a diversity of entertainment in Summer Oslo and Karl Johan Street. One of them is performing his music in a really spectacular way. His puppet on the strings is playing the piano or the violin and performs great classic music.
Compare to the other performers you may find at the "Artist"-link, I think this one deserves the Odd Stamp.

PhotoSafari - A week with blossom

A week on photosafari. In my own neighborhood. My camera is always there. Battery uploaded and 2 GB ready for short term storing.

My Beautibush has from June 7th (last saturday) till yesterday (june 14th) developed from an ordinary green bush to an ocean of pink white flowers.
My Kolkwitzia has every June/July from late 70s been a "starting tag" for communication with persons passing our cottage. They just have to stop and admire the fantastic blossom.

The first photo was taken last Saturday when the small red flowers emerged
The second taken three days later (last tuesday)
and yesterday (Saturday 14th) she looked like this.
Outside the garden Heggspinn-møllen is making a different view of the Bird Cherry. The net around the bush is completely making a spooky image. Thousands of insects are crawling inside the net eating leaves. The only positive reflection is that the tree itself is not harmed and can next year show its blossom like Herman Wildenvey wrote in his poem Heggen der Hjemme read by Liv Dommersnes The link will also give you music by Karin Krog and John Surman.
No wonder I am relaxing with a glass of Rose wine and the sense of Peonies in full blossom.

Saturday Urban LIfe - Hong Kong

Hong Kong Skyline taken from Victoria Peak january 1996 towards Kowloon and the main land. At that time Hong Kong was our bridge-head to mainland China and Shenzhen / Guandong
Our Chinese employees had at that time problems to get visa to Hong Kong and even travel in China, but through special arrangements we managed to have meetings with them in Shenzhen.
However back to Hong Kong. In Kowloon we visited the "Bird Market.And on the other side of Hong Kong island we visited Stanley Market, one of the must-go places for tourists when they visit Hong Kong. You will find an interesting array of little shops selling silk garments, sportswear, art, Chinese costume jewelry and souvenirs.
The market has changed in twelve years, but will still give you interesting bargaining possibilities.
Going to Hong Kong from Singapore was easy (only three hours flight), but quite surprising when my secretary SUSIE suddenly pop up at the market and of course joined in for lunch. She was on a visit to her sister living in Hong Kong, like Mette that had moved from Singapore in 96.
In Oslo today the clouds are grey with rain and ab 13 C, while the weather in Hong Kong has doubled the grades and raining.

Sunset at Rawa Island - South China Sea

Lots of people around the world are sharing photos on Fridays. My memories from the period in Asia Pacific mid 90s could of course be part of this. The relaxed position or bathing in tropical seas make me smile and remember.
Sunset at Rawa Island is beautiful.
If you want other skywatch photos go to Tom

Singapore memories

Scanning old photos from our stay in Asia will in the coming days (and may be weeks) result in some presentation of the fantastic adventures and experiences we had in the mid 90s, individual and as a family.
Most of our photos are from traveling around in the fantastic diversity of cultures and countries more than twelve years ago in Asia. Being Director of Human Resources in DNV Asia Pacific resulted in lots of duties in areas/countries like Dubai / Oman, India, China / Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, South East Asia and Australia, and traveling between airports and cities all over Asia. Lot of work but also the possibility to gather memories of places and peoples.
This post will cover some of our relaxed periods in Singapore:
My wife in our home at Ardmore Park.
and on the jungle track (rough path) from home and the Orchard Road.
Relaxing in Cafe Flora at Orchard Road on the way to our local Emerald Hill No.5
where a Tiger Beer always was ready to cool you down.
Sometimes we went for a day-trip to the islands Bintan/Batan (Indonesia) where I felt like The Old Man and the Sea and can be seen as a quiet recovery only 45 minutes from Singapore.

For Norwegian Readers. ORGANET 2/2008

For those of you reading Norwegian, ORGANET, the information Magazine by the Heart Lung Transplant Association in Norway can be downloaded from the organization´s websites here (pdf)

ABC Wednesday - U

U is for Uncovering Nature

at the Mount Kinabalu (13,435 ft above sea level) in Sabah Malaysia Borneo.

Put yourself in the situation where you wake up in the complete dark at 06.00 am. From the east the glimpse of light starts to uncover that you are at Low´s Peak or the summit of South East Asia´s forth highest mountain. The sun rises fast at 06°05′N 116°33′E
and within minutes it appears above the horizon
At the 20th most prominent peak in the world the day is wakening and you start to see nature
and soon "half" of the northern part of Borneo
The uncovered nature is there for you to visit at 4095 meter above sea level.
But before you start on the journey see some of the photos taken in April 1995 when Tullen, Rikke and Mette Kjønø (a friend) came, saw and conquered Kota KinabaluUse of ropes are mandatory up and down for climbers like Rikke and some other conquerors :
At the summit the temperature is much lover than the starting point at 1583 m, so you have to cary warm cloths when you start (in +5 dgr C) on the last climbing ( aprox 2-3 hours) from base station: Laban Rata at 10.800 ft (3300m). Going for the sunrise you have to start in the dark at 03.00 am, so don´t forget your flashlights.
The day before, the path (between 1800 - 3300 m) was exhausting for the 14 years Rikke, and you too will certainly feel happy when reaching the Laban Rata (3353,7 m) after ab 5 hours walking and climbing.
15 months later Rikke reached 6.000 m in Ladakh, north India, when she as a student at UWCSEA was tracking 14 days in this Kashmir plateau.On the tour to or from the sleeping cottage on steep paths you may be passed by female climbers carrying all the supplies (30 kg each) needed at Laban Rata, or come in contact with nice fellow climbers from all over the world.

for more ABC Wednesday = U adventures please go to Mrs Nesbitts place

Tuesday Facts - Møre og Romsdal

I have not got a penny to bring you this advertisement, but sometimes I just feel you need to be professional informed about one of the most beautiful parts of Norway, Møre og Romsdal. (Click on the link)
This time I am not only promoting Ålesund and Sunnmøre but bring you my own photo of Hustadvika and Atlanterhavsveien:Fishing in the stream may be dangerous
The bridges are fantastic.
But I am asked by anemone to give some facts about myself :
1. What did I do 10 years ago:

Recovering after combined Heart and Kidney Transplantation. Creatinine increased this week in 1998 to ab. 270 due to body refusing my new Kidney. SoluMetrol made everything in order after a few weeks. Pacemaker justification by el chock after Flutter on the new heart, was also necessary.

2. Five items from my time-manager list today:

Blogging. To Ullevål Hospital for Eye check (medication side effect). Shopping groceries for the days to come including T´s Team-meeting tomorrow. Sketching my next painting. Making dinner (trout). Relaxing by gardening.

3. Snacks I love:

Lakrisbåter. Paprika chips. Gjende biscuit without chocolate. Crispo chocolate.
I believe wine or beer is not under the category of snacks

4. Bucket list if being a billionaire:

Being a billionaire would probably have changed me totally, so I rather will change the challenge to What would you do if you had 1.000.000.000 Norwegian Kroner.
I would first give 100 mill to each of my daughters. Tullen would have 300 mill separately so she had the possibility to choose her future with no economical problems, and the rest 500.000.000 nok I/we would have spent on art, traveling and just doing some of the things that we today have no chance to dream about.
One billion is a lot of money to spend.

5. Places I have lived:

The question is not places I have visited so:
Ålesund, Troms, Oslo (Lamberseter, Tåsen, Ulsrud, Sinsen, Ammerud, Ullern, Frogner and 31 summers at Solvang Kollonihaver) plus Singapore.

6. Somebody I want to know more about:

Everybody in the web that feel they can contribute to this challenge with interesting facts about themselves even if they face the threat of sharing secrets

Photo Safari and something real odd

The pink Beautybush (Fagerbusk or Kolkwitzia amabilis) starts the Photo Safari on my 500 sqm parcel at Solvang 4. Walking around on sunday afternoon I see more and more of the flowers that are blossoming, and behind the bench my Chives (Gressløk or Allium schoenoprasum) are showing their beautiful light purple color.
This flower showoff is meant to be my contribution to the PhotoSafari, and if any non Norwegian also want to participate see the rules at Petunias Blog

On the other side of the cottage the Pink Peonies (Peon or Paeonia) are opening up their petal and spreading their flower sense all over the area.

The Iris and the Rosebush and the one with the blue bells (we call her "Aunt Ragna" because she infiltrated the ground many years ago) will also show their beauty
This monday I have not forgotten the Odd Shots.

Since the Photosafari are connected to new life, my Odd Shots Monday is connected to death.
At my visit to Portugal a month ago I entered one of the largest Chapels of Bones in the Portuguese city of Evora. At the Church of St. Francis, built by Franciscan monks between 1460 and 1510, the chapel is constructed of the bones of some 5,000 people. The inscription above the entrance carries a ghoulish message to visitors: “We bones that are here are waiting for yours.”Click to see more of the Chapel`s History
More Odd Shots? Go to Katney

Solvang - News in Brief Sunday

Sunday News in Brief from Solvang 4 cover the start of our BBQ party at Bitte and Terje´s cottage "Toppen" where the ladies salute you all with Cremant de Bourgogne and strawberries (and Bittes selected napkins).

The view from their Parcel is amazing and you can see the Oslo Fjord with Bunnefjorden and the hills of Oslo East. The photo also includes Vestre Aker Church to the right, the City Hall Towers, Ullevål Haveby in the centre and in front of Bekkelaget and Sjursøya, Oslo Plaza Hotel and "Postgirobygget" covering Ekebergrestauranten (where the Oslo photo at ABC Wednesday is for Oslo was taken), and the top of Ullevål Hospital to the left.
Living at Frogner two thirds of the year, the value of this place cannot be underestimated.

Due to the very dry weather conditions at present the water spreading (24 - 7) gives a nice photo shot during the sunset over Vettakollen .

Friday night sky - Introducing Reiseradioen

Last night the new Moon opened up for this summer´s main event - Reiseradioen!!!!!

Normally I listen to P2 every morning, but today when Nat King Cool sings his Those lazy hazy crazy days of summer, in NRK P1, we know that the summer is here.This photo was taken yesterday at City Hall Square on our way to Aker Brygge and a cold Beer or a glass of white wine.Good to have the down town visit done yesterday. Now the sun has top priority.

A surprising visitor - Nina Volden.

Suddenly she was on the other side of the hedge. New color on the top, but as smiling as always; one of my very good friends from the Heart / Lung Transplant Association - Nina Volden.
She was at "Rikshospitalet" for her annual evaluation, 17 years after she became the "first successful" Lung-Heart transplant patient in Norway. And still successful.

A year ago when I had to get a new pacemaker she was one of the happy persons I met at the hospital, and I blogged about her and others in the FHLT Blog .
She showed up at Tullarbo in time for dessert (strawberry) and the ending of the bottle of white wine we had for the BBQ Salmon today. Next year she will call earlier and join us for dinner as well.
Nina is at the moment well prepared for the European Sport Games to be held in Vichy, France between June 21st and 26th this year. She is the most winning transplant in the EHLTF history, and I am convinced she will return from this year games with new trophies.
Thank for the visit and good luck in Vichy to you and all the other Norwegian participants.

Summer in the city

The film "Sex and the City" is on the movies around the country these days. I have not followed the TV-series and have no intention to see the movie either.
The summer heat makes it more interesting to have Summer in the city and stay outdoor. Posh (port out starboard home) and visitors was attending my candle light dinner yesterday, and the chef at the BBQ delivered as expected - always.

Rikke and Tor Marius left the "party" when the mosquitos became too interested in blood sucking from our skin. We had to withdraw to the cottage where calls from the Wales family always are nice. Outside the summer night and the northern light kept us safe

T is for Tullen - part 2

Although I posted my ABC Wednesday on T yesterday, I see no excuse in not continuing to do so this on the real ABC Wednesday for T.

T is for Tullen

After the last 4 month of blogging in different Memes, my wife made the comment that she almost never appeared on our photos anymore. That´s why I does all the photos of her this week. Yesterday from 2002 till date, and today from our return from Asia Pacific 12 years ago in 1996 till 2002.

Today photos are scanned from paper prints. The one on top was taken at Christmas 1996, and the next in Rome, Italy six month after our struggle during my Combined Hearth and Kidney transplantation in 1998.

During summer 1999 we joined a group of people from Ålesund and Sunmøre on an evening voyage with D/S Børøysund to the inner fjord of Oslo
Prior to that we visited Amsterdam´s Flower Market on the way to see the BA graduation of Trine in England
In 2000 we arranged the Sport games for Heart / Lung Transplanted at Sandefjord, Norway.
and had a great time at the end of the year in front of our kitchen fireplace at home.
Early 2001 we visited the painter Terje Fagermo at his Studio in Ålesund. He is as I have blogged about earlier one of our most recognized painters.
Barcelona and Park Guell made by Antoni Gaudi was on the travelling list that year, and I will highly recommend the Miro museum in this fantastic city.
If you did not know, Here is the model for Edward Munch´s painting the Schream
Autumn 2001 at Bjorli, Norway with beautiful colors in the Norwegian Mountains
Early summer 2002 we went to Cote D´Azur and Eze Village.
and also had a walk on the Croisette during the Cannes Film Festival in May
In August 2002 we celebrated a combined 50 + anniversary with 55 friends including our two beautiful daughters. Tullen in her dress from Cannes.
That concludes this week ABC Wednesday.

ABC Wednesday - T

19 years ago The People’s Liberation Army of China brutally crushed pro-democracy supporters, killing hundreds of supporters, injuring another 10,000, and arresting hundreds of students and workers when performing the violent end of the Tiananmen Square Protest 1989.
One of the Historic moments of the world was filmed during the protest between April 15 and June 4 1989.
See once more the video of the Unknown Rebel´s brave attempt to stop the tanks during this protest.

T is for Tiananmen Square Protest 1998 and the Tank Man

However, the main topic for this ABC Wednesday (posted tuesday as Mrs Neisbits Linky is up) and the letter T is a tribute to my dear wife.

T is for Tullen

I start this presentation after I got my first Digital Camera at Christmas 2002
Next photo is from Verona, Italy where we saw a fantastic AIDA summer 2003
Visiting Hamburg, Germany on the way back to Oslo
In spring 2004 we made one of our traditional trips to Copenhagen, Denmark
and visited Dublin, Ireland in June / July
In the summer 2004 our first grandchild Helene visited Norway.
and our daughter Trine celebrated her marriage at Solvang
Spring 2005 we made a visit to Vienna, Austria.
and stayed part of the summer holiday in Odense, Denmark
New Year eve 2005/2006
At Tullarbo early summer 2006
and this year Nordic long-weekend was to Stockholm, Sweden and Berns
The two week holiday to southern Italy and Puglia in 2006 included a stopover at Taranto
The "julebord" in November at Dr.Holms at Geilo, Norway can be recomended
Tullen´s 60 years birthday in 2007 was celebrated with two weeks return to Asia
while the Oslo summer at EkebergRestauranten can be recommended.
In October 2007 we had our autumn holiday in south Spain, and this photo is taken at Puerto Banus.
Cheers to this summer and I promise to continue to shoot photos of my wife.

Odd Shot Monday - 6 months till Christmas

At the Flee Market yesterday I found this Odd Shot.
It is six months since last Christmas and even six months till next, but the Nisse Family is ready.The Nisse or Tomte is a mythical creature of Scandinavian folklore originating from Norse paganism. Tomte or Nisse were believed to take care of a farmer's home and children and protect them from misfortune, in particular at night, when the housefolk were asleep.
We are happy that nissen is watching over us in the summertime too.

Update:

Because I forgot (a side effect of medication after tx ?) I have to add that this midsummer photo also must be given the interpretation of a bridge between the two winter milestones.

Flee Market, Air Force and Charlie

At Solvang as most other places, we need money to manage the common activities. Arranging an annual Flee Market is a tool for this together with the possibility of swapping things in your cottage with something from others. This year we delivered our "old" living room table and a person got it after bargaining for 150 nok. The table was in excellent condition, pre second world war (ab 70 years) and we think he got a good buy. We ended up with a book and four interesting glasses for 40nok.Children´s corner managed by children themselves.
Tents covering most of the merchandises and buyers looking for excellent (?) articles.

In the middle of the marketing process we got visitors.
Above our heads two F16 planes from the Air Force interrupted the bargaining with very noisy attitude, and left after seconds. I believe they had no chance to stop and buy anything.
Back in the garden (60 meters away) we got another visitor.
Charlie (a girl in origin) wanted to sit in the apple tree and say hello and "Ha de" (good bye) to those walking by the cottage. She is 13 years now and one of the most important sounds up here. Children love to stop and talk to him/her.



This was today News in Brief from Solvang 4. At 10am the temp is 23 deg C, no wind, no clouds and we expect it to be a hot, very hot day.