Landscapes in Norway by some friend

Some of my blogfriends have asked me why I do not publish as many blogposts as before. The answer is clear: FaceBook.
This media has taken over much of my presentations and contact with the cyber world. In addition  more friends are on this platform instead of the old Blogger. I published my first blogpost in March 2005 (in Norwegian) and have now over 10 years given you over 2000 blogposts. Proud.

In this last blogpost of 2007 (number 33) I hace chosen Norwegian landscapes as topic. I have "copied" (or stolen) phothos from some of my FaceBook friends and hope they can forgive me using their beautiful images.

The first two image is taken by my wife. The above shows the sun in a foggy Oslofjord early December 2017

The second photo is of one of Norway´s most famous mountains: Hallingskarvet (Peak 1933 alt) taken from Vestlia Geilo December 2017

This image is taken by Astrid from her neighbourhood in Ålesund against the fantastic Sunnmørsalps dyring her morning walk a day the snow has fallen.

Towards the same mountains with Borgundfjorden below the city mountain Aksla my sister Brit has catched the low sun, the beaytiful sky and the snow painting a living Christmas  three.

With these images from Norwegian landscapes I send all my greetings to friends all over the world and wish you all

Happy New Year

Home from Spain and preparing for Christmas

December is dark and cold in Norway. However, we like to spend some time in this special country between our long periodes of staying in Andalucia. So what is the most wanted activities up here in the North:

 Having the possibility to come closer to our lovely grandchildren in Norway and England?

or is it the possibility to eat traditional Norwegian food like Lutefisk.

or is it to stroll the city

 fronting the City Hall

and the Royal Castle.

Christmas is coming closer every day and Life is Great both in Spain and Norway.

Friends and Family on visit at Costa del Sol

We have many friends at Costa del Sol. Not only among all the crew members at different restaurants, but also old friends either living down here or coming on short visits in their own vaccations.

 Our friends Anton and Grethe living at Manilva Beach are always coming to Fuengirola for a walk along the beaches and for lunch at one of our recommended restaurants.

 During the October school holiday in Norway our daughter and her family come to stay for a week. A lunch (paid by my sister living in Calahonda) is mandatory at the restaurant La Farola with Mago Manuel performing his magic for our Grandchildren (and the adults do not understand his tricks either)

 This year we also had an old friend (Gunnar) from DNV together with his partner (Carina) visiting.

 The sunshine boys (Arne and Audun) also find an opportunity to have talks about Organ Donation etc over a cup of  coffee. The photo session has now been an tradition, and the TX-personnel at the National Hospital always appreciate these images.

 One of the eldest long-stayers at the hotel; Irish John, is here caught during Halloween as Dracula.

and at last the Sweedish (Britt and Evert) and Norwegian (Lillian and Knut) neighbours at the hotel are saying goodby for now the day before we returned back home. We will meet again next year.

Arcos de la Frontera, Cadiz, Vejer de la frontera and Estepona

Going west. Visiting Costa de la Luz and villages de la fronteras (being the frontier of Spain's 13th century battle with the Moors) and Cadiz.

 Arcos de la Frontera are located on the top of this steep hillside. The town was a bulwark of Christianity after king Alfonso X of Castile 'the Wise' (1252–1284) expelled the Moors. He constructed a Gothic cathedral which remains on its high ridge.

 From Arcos we travelled southwest to the Atlantic Ocean and Costa de la Luz.

Cádiz, the oldest continuously inhabited city in Spain and one of the oldest in western Europe,^] was founded by the Phoenicians. The older part of Cadiz is located behind the old city wall.

One of Cádiz's most famous landmarks is its cathedral. It sits on the site of an older cathedral, completed in 1260, which burned down in 1596. The reconstruction, which was not started until 1776

 A lunch or a drink at restaurant Cafe Royalty with it´s beautiful decorations in the ceilings is recommended. One problem for us in Cadiz. The restaurants open for dinner at 21.00. Yhat is very late.

On the way back to Costa del Sol we visited  another "de la Frontera city" the white Vejer. It contains several ancient churches and convents, and the architecture of many of its houses recalls the period of Moorish rule, which lasted from 711 until the town was captured by Saint Ferdinand of Castilein 1248.
This Sunday the ciity was crowded due to an annual market activity so this image must represent the city this year.

 Next stop was Tarifa. At exactly 36 degrees latitude, it is the southernmost point of Continental Europe, situated south of the two African capital cities of Tunis and Algiers. It is also one of the southernmost points of geographic Europe with only Malta, Cyprus and the southernmost Greek islands of Crete and Gavdos being further south, with Gavdos being the southernmost point of Europe.
An interesting city with lots of Kite people and "Hippies" as one Spanish man told us.
The image shows the observation tower: Castle of St Catalina

 Last stop was Estepona. It is ten years since our last visit to this city and it has turned into one of the most beautiful cities along Costa del Sol.

Costa del Sol - Mijas Pueblo - blogpost 4

 In this blogpost I will share with you some images from Mijas Pueblo, the white village above Fuengirola, and the Secret Garden that completely has changed our oppinion of visiting this area.

 Behind the tourist paths there is this restaurant. Silent and with good food. Find it and feel better

 Outside the restaurant the steep road can take you further up the hillside where local artists exhibit their works.

Further down at one of the squares there are restaurants and shops to be visited. normally crowded, but in +40 degr most tourists aare at the beaches.

Costa del Sol - Malaga - Blogpost 3

 Plaza Merced is one of our often visited squares in Malaga City. Not because of the restaurants og the column, but because Pablo Picasso´s birthplace (at home?) is located at the plaza.

 Tullen and Pablo are friends. I did not know that before I discovered Pablos image of her face.

Close to Plaza Merced you can find one of the most popular Tapas bars i Malaga. Meson Cortijo de PePe is highly recommended and we are at the tapas bar almost at every visit to the city.

This blogpost ends with an image of the main shopping street; Calle Marques de Llarios.
At the posting of this blogpost this street is covered with great christmas decorations. The restaurant at the right LePanto is usually our last pitstop before going to the train back to Fuengirola

CoS Blogpost 2

 We have many friends at Costa del Sol.
Anton and Grethe (with their house at Manilva Beach something more south at the coast)  are two of the most appreciated friends and they come often to visit us i Fuengirola. This autumn they  were joined by Grethe´s brother and his wife in the lunch at La Charolais.

Autumn at Costa del Sol Blogpost 1

At usual we have stayed 8 weeks in Fuengirola this autumn. Costa del Sol ia our most atractive area between September and December.
Since my blog has been "out or order" during this periode the coming blogpost must be a review of our daily life in Spain

First this image show how we celebrate the arrival in the Aqua Bar with a glas of Cava

2nd an image of my wife at Restaurant La Caracola (our favorite fish restaurant).

Visiting the Royal Palace with Helene

A visit to Norway by our grand child Helene give us a great possibility to show her (and ourself) the interior of the Royal Palace in Oslo

We start with some external images showing her in front of the palace including the Kings Guard Daniel and Tullen in the rear garden. In addition a photo of our queen Maud, princess of UK and her husbond King Haakon VII.

The statue of King Haakon is placed outside the royal garden at the June 7th square

It was originally named The Triangle Square, but was renamed in 1962 after 7 June 1905, the day when the Union between Sweden and Norway was declared dissolved by the Norwegian government. 

It is not permitted to take photos inside the palace anymore. Last time we visited the palace there was no such limitation, but on the web you will always find images taken hidden or by official media.
I therefor present some of the rooms we visited based on web images.
See also The Royal Court

One of the most famous rooms at the palace is the Bird Room where official photos of guests together with our Royal Family are taken. There are 43 different birds painted on the walls covering images of Norwegian landscapes

The next saloon is the waiting area for foreign guests and the come-together room for ministers before the weekly meetings between the king and his councel.

The Council of State is the name of the government body that is meeting every Friday to make formal  state desicions. The king and / or the Crown Prince are leading the meetings. Their chairs are are red and seen in the front of the table.

From there we moved to the Mirror Room or Queen Maud´s saloon. To enlarge the room the queen got mounted mirrors in all doors and her piano where she held conserts for the family is still there.
This room is also used as part of the Head of State suite including the bedroom below.

This bed is only used once by a person with no Head of State level. That happened after the 2nd WW when sir Winston Churchild visited king Haakon VII.

On the other side of the mirror room we were passing through the beautiful breakfast room. Be aware of the ceiling and the blue colors on the paintings on the walls.

Then we enterd the small ball-room where we this year could see some displays of the belongings to crew serving the royal family since 1905.

This is the Ball Room where the royal family arrange Palace Dances and  "smaller dinners". A beautiful room and even more beautiful than the great Banquete hall (where more than 250 seats could be serves) alongside this room.

This blogpost opened with our grand daughter Helene at the castle. I also ends it with images of Helene at Aker Brygge having Moules Frites and Ice Cream for lunch.

A great day in Oslo for us all.

The last painting of Summer 2017

With the "Portrait of an Artist" it is time to end the production season in front of my easel on my balcony.
When moving from our large apartment at Frogner Oslo, after my leg disease, I had no more room or studio with easel inside the apartment. That made me move outdoor when painting, and part of our balcony became occupied. However, since late 2014 to date almost 40 large paintings have been signed so it is not the environment that makes limitations. In addition many sketches in A4 format have been made during my stay in Spain.

This morning painting, paintbrushes and other tools are placed into the storebox and put away before the autumn and the wintercold. No canvas are leftovers this year, and preparing blind frames and cover them with canvas, must be the job before next year spring and creativity season.

Once again I offer the world that for those of you who would like to have one of my paintings, visit my blog from september 2014 to date and have a look of the last 3 years production.
Prices are around 2000-3000 nok, but bargening is possible.