18 May 2011 – News & Sentimental Memories!

Dominique Strauss-Kahn, IMF chief jailed on Rikers Island, charged with attempted rape. What do you think the consequences will be when the charges are released on Fri? Guilty or not, his political career has come to a dead-end!
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/05/17/new.york.imf.head/index.html?hpt=T2

Wow, this is quite something. The Queen visits Ireland. The last time a British monarchy visited Ireland was nearly a century ago! At last some form of dialogue is in the progress…
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13425722

Spent yesterday watching the celebrations and parades around the world. Yesterday was also Vesak Day, a public holiday in SIN too. Buddha’s Bday provided beautiful weather here for Norway’s Bday! Started celebrating 17 May since 1968 and have been doing so every year no matter where in the world and even after the children are grown. Memories from the 1st 17 May 1968 – in Dublin/Ireland where a breakfast was organised outside the apartment of 33 Mitchell House in Appian Way. Made 3 types of sursild/pickled herrings then. 17 May 1978 – where there was still snow in Tromsø/Norway! 17 May 1981 – invited the neighbourhood into the new house@Piggsoppgrenda 6/Kolsås, Norway as it was raining.

Pix postings are taken from yesterday’s Norsk Rikskringkasting NRK/Norwegian TV. Delighted for the nice weather but just as happy to be a couch-potato munching on Norwegian hot-dogs and ice-cream! The parade started 1000hrs with Hans Majestet Kongens Garde HMKG/Royal Guards (such handsome young men!) marching in amazing precision. The commentator said that it was one of the greenest 17 May ever, with full bloom of all the trees@Karl Johan Gate.

Learnt that there were 108 elementary schools which the royal family had to stand waving to from the palace balcony and that took over 3hrs! Universitetets Aula/ceremonial hall@the University of Oslo has been closed to the public the past 3 years, reopening in Jun and looking forward to viewing Munch’s mural Solen/The Sun again. This location has one of the largest collection of Munch’s work besides the Munch Museum.

Nature is not only all that is visible to the eye… it also includes the inner pictures of the soul – Edvard Munch