Oslo, Norway

I love Norway. My people. Getting back to my roots (My Grandpa was Norwegian). Everywhere I went I'd tell people I was part Norwegian. They'd ask me, "Which part?"

With a population of 4.5 million - and something like over a million came to N. America - it is underpopulated at best. But the Norwegians live in some kind of strange bubble. It is the most expensive place in Europe. Check this out:

2nd highest GDP per-capita in the world (US is 9th)
cost of living is 30% higher than the US, 25% higher than the UK
58% of their exports are oil and gas related
less than 2% unemployment
women get 9 weeks minimum maternity leave (up to 32)
men get 4 weeks paternity leave

my beer at the local pub was 12 euro.



Typical Norwegian. They all look like this. Except for the men. The men have hats with horns and usually carry axes.



This is my 15th ship museum. I'm now up near 20. This is the famous (famous to me) Gokstad ship. It is 1157 years old. Happy birthday!



It's been 5 months since I last photographed a bird. Still got the touch!



Gustav Vigeland created hundreds of these amazing sculptures. The monolith in the back took 3 artists 14 years to create.



Train ride to the west coast of Norway. Most of the traditional houses have one of these 4 colors.


Bergen (West coast). Rain. We are now on our 7th umbrella. They keep breaking and getting lost.



In Bergen an ammunition ship blew up in 1944 which caused some of the buildings near the water to do this. Don't laugh, you'd do it too.



Yes that's whale meat and reindeer. Green peace and Santa are not pleased.



Norwegian paradise aka Aurland. Gateway to the Songefjord and a few days of nature.



The Fjords. It rained. and rained. oh well..