Christmas 2012 is over and within some hours we can say the same about the year 2012.
I want to thank all my blog readers for following me through this year too.

In 2012 I have delivered 167 blogposts, and since I started blogging i 2005 totally 1719 posts can be linked to the Arne´s Blog. Over 220.000 visitors have found my blog during these 7 years, and although I have been more active on my FaceBook profile last years, I will continue to posts here in the coming year.

Happy New Year to you all

Holmenkollen last Friday 2012

This Friday I took Tullen up to the Holmenkollen Ski area where she wanted to experience the tracks around the famous Ski-jump hill. Her own photos will possible be added to this blogpost when she returns, but with the weather forecast for the coming weekend, it is great to experience a really fantastic winter day at the top of our city.
Update:

Tullen´s image of the track between Frognerseteren and Ullevålseter. The track is a little bit steaper than the photo can show. But dreaming conditions for ski lovers.

Boxing Day Christmas 2012

2nd day of Christmas and Tullen skiing in the surroundings of Oslo. 

White Christmas for those in favor of that.

Season Greetings from Andalusia

The MYRAMAR FUENGIROLA HOTEL team wished me a Merry Christmas yesterday, and I return the wishes including all the best for a HAPPY 2013 to dir. Carlos (grey sweater in the middle) and all his staff including the ladies in room service and the personnel in reception and restaurant off duty when this photo was taken. See you soon.

Sunset at the Royal Castle

The sunset seen from the Royal Palace Garden can be spectacular a few days before Winter soltice. Being a neighbor to the palace we have great opportunity to register many activities at this square. The low sun setting over the Ruseløkka area 44 hours before it start to rise again, is a great memory of the light we have experienced during 2012.
It is maybe a little premature, but Merry Christmas to all of my blog readers.

Christmas in Kindergarten

It is "Nisse"day in Maja and Mari´s kindergarten. It looks that our grandchildren are as excited as expected. Christmas time is children time.

Kakelinna (Cake Linna)

From dry to soft snow. Temperature has gone up till +2 C. Expecting rain later. Time for baking with reference to Wikipedia:

Cake Linna, at some places also called lefsetøvær or lefsetøyra, a term used for a period of mild weather that often occurs in December before Christmas. Cake Linna is through folk tradition closely linked to Tomas Messe on 21 December. In earlier times, it was claimed that the cake linna was due all baking - all ovens caused mild weather. Today, this popular belief is abandoned, but the term "Kakelinna" is still used.

Snowing in Oslo

After a nice evening at Fru Burums (see previous blogposts) we had to return home in the heavy snow. The streets are almost impossible to walk in and the cars are covered with heavy white carpets. Temp is +0,6 C and we fear for the announced rain next morning.

JazzLovers with Yvonne Prytz

Fru Burum's with friends at Christmas Jazz

Jazz at fru Burums

Yvonne is great. Barmaid with a beautiful voice

12.12.12 Afternoon and Edward Munch

This afternoon we strolled down Karl Johan for some important pre Christmas issues. The main street in Oslo is embellished with lights, colors and Christmas markets. The cold is still reducing the volumes of Christmas shopping people, but in Shopping Centers the activities are high.

For 149 years ago today our famous painter Edward Munch was born and next year we are celebrating his 150 year anniversary. His painting Afternoon at Karl Johan (1892) is from the same position as my own photo (or almost). I would have liked to present the decision by politicians to build the new Munch Museum today, but as in many years before our political elite are not art lovers but budget lovers.

The world did not collapse today. Next possible date is 21.12.2012. In the mean time enjoy the art and the present view of Karl Johan.

Sunrise 12.12.12

No end of the world today. The Inca calendar must be interpreted in another way.
This morning we got up early and turned the car to the east and Sweden.
On the motorway the sun started to rise and the low sun made it almost impossible to speed drive in the traffic picture.
At Nordby we shopped food and in Strømstad our 8 bottles of wine was added to the groceries. Together with filling 51 liter of patrol on the car our savings this morning added up to almost 1k nok.
A nice Harry Tour on an ordinary Wednesday before Christmas.
And tonight we wait for the Viking Lotto.

A cold winter afternoon

Yesterday afternoon at the harbor outside City Hall. The low sun over the fjord gives no warm feeling, but strolling towards Aker Brygge and Cafe Sorgenfri and the nice welcome by the personnel can thaw any frozen body part. After a glass of wine also the inner organs feel more comfortable.
It is only two weeks till Christmas.

Cold winter morning

The moon is half on it´s way to disappear.
The sun is low on the eastern sky. Only the top floors of the buildings are caught by sun beams. The streets below are in the shadow and the freezing winter are here to stay.
 

Heart surgery on open TV

Last night we followed two operations at Oslo University Hospital on TV. An open and a closed procedure of swapping heart valves on two different patients. Both very sick patients and as far as we were told yesterday with a successful outcome.
The program can be watched here from NRK2 Open / Closed Heart Surgery

The program may be a little rough for somebody , but with my background as a heart / kidney transplanted person, I found the program very intriguing. The program takes about 2,5 hours, but well spent hours. This is really reality television.

Oslo, the city of Samis

Oslo, Tjuvholmen and Aker Brygge from "Solsiden" on this beautiful Sunday morning.

 The photo of the harbor skyline is taken 5km after start below the Akershus Fortress on our 9,13 km walk. Average speed 5,6 km/h during 1h 37 min. A nice Sunday city stroll although the temperature was around minus 8 C. Forecast the coming week is down to -16C tomorrow night.

Oslo, is the largest Sami city in Norway. Today we also could see some rain deers at Karl Johan. The lack of snow in the streets (see photo below) was no challenges for Rudolph and his friends. Training for Christmas has started.