16 May 2012 – The University of Oslo/UiO

Founded in 1811, formerly Kongelige Frederiks Universitet/The Royal Frederick University  is the oldest and largest U in Norway. One of northern Europe’s most prestigious U, it is frequently ranked among the world’s top 100 U. Previous home to five Nobel Prize winners and the only U to host a Nobel Prize ceremony. The building is located centrally on Karl Johans gata the main street, also used as a concert hall and for the dissertations of a Doctor of Philosophy PhD and just a minute walk from the palace.

The only faculty in the old building is Law and the rest are out at Blindern about 3 subway stations from the Nationaltheatret stop where the old building is located. Was inside the old building for a concert some years ago and the interior of the U assembly hall, Aula contains a monumental room decoration by the painter Edvard Munch with the Sun, History + others but the two mentioned are impressive.

Celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2011. Was there after the Jul 2011 bombing and shootings to pay 1min silent tribute to those who were killed.

http://amylamsg.com/2011/07/29/when-the-nordic-world-stood-still/

Today UiO is under covers for cleaning and renovations. Covers printed with windows and doors to match the building is a new site for the eyes. B told me that is how it is done in Germany too. Certainly looks much better than just the usual boring plain covers, especially when it is on the main road in the center of town!

There is no flag large enough to cover the shame of killing innocent people – Howard Zinn

14 May 2012 – fire, parades, lawyer, recycle-plant & lunch!

Fri: awoken to the sounds of sirens with a fire truck in front of the window. Fire and a lot of smoke from the neighbouring block’s chimney were the reason. Thank goodness nothing serious and things were under control within a few minutes.

En route to the lawyer and was fortunate to run into the marching bands with flag bearers from various countries including Ireland and USA marching towards the City Hall ( probably 17 May rehearsals! ). Even the cool drizzle did not stop the kids from nursery and pre-schools from being in the audience 🙂

Horses trotted elegantly down the cobble-stone road by the National Theatre (under renovation). Interesting coloured-glass windows by the staircase at the lawyer’s office at Prinsens Gt. Solveig has been my lawyer for nearly 30yrs!

Sat: first experience to a re-cycling plant on this beautiful day. Emptying the house and driving the last few loads to this location where the car with everyone and everything was weighted at the entrance. Well-organized system with all the different bins clearly marked. After emptying the load, was re-weighted to calculate the stuff unloaded. A 30yrs old house did add up to many Saab loads of junk. 700NOK/S$150 for 1 ton!

Sun: Yummy Norwegian smørgårdsbord at M&B’s apartment with their friends, Ida & Arne, Julia & Harald on Mother’s Day but not celebrated here. Much appreciations to M&B for the lovely lunch, putting up with me, helping with the sales of the house and all the work involved before, during and after the sales.

Listen up, you couch potatoes: each recycled beer can save enough electricity to run a television for three hours – Denis Hayes

13 May 2012 – Happy Mother’s Day!!

What a Mother’s Day present and sure am glad that I have been on it a couple of times!

http://singaporeinformation.org/2012/05/09/singapore-flyer-sold-for-s304-million-as-mothers-day-present/

Mica, tkx for sharing the joke below and it is people like the guy below who can afford to buy the SIN Flyer 🙂

Never under-estimate a Chinese

A Chinese man walks into a bank in New York City and asks for the loan officer. He tells the loan officer that he is going to China on business for two weeks and needs to borrow $5,000.

The bank officer tells him that the bank will need some form of security for the loan, so the Chinese man hands over the keys to a new Ferrari parked on the street in front of the bank. He produces the title and everything checks out. The Loan officer agrees to accept the car as collateral for the loan. The bank’s president and its officers all enjoy a good laugh at the Chinese for using a $250,000 Ferrari as collateral against a $5,000 loan.

An employee of the bank then drives the Ferrari into the bank’s underground garage and parks it there. Two weeks later, the Chinese returns, repays the $5,000 and the interest, which comes to $15.41.

The loan officer says, ‘Sir, we are very happy to have had your business, and this transaction has worked out very nicely, but we are a little puzzled. While you were away, we checked you out and found that you are a multi-millionaire. What puzzles us is why you would bother to borrow $5,000? The Chinese replies: ‘Where else in New York City can I park my car for two weeks for only $15.41 and expect it to be there safely when I return.’

A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools – Douglas Adams

11 May 2012 –  59°55′43,572″N 10°43′0,12720″Ø

Majorstuen is known for its vibrant downtown, especially its shopping area and has several elegant townhouses from 1880-1890. An important public transport junction in Oslo, where all metro lines, three tram lines and five bus lines operate. It is served by Majorstuen station, the nearest station where M&B live and just one station from the center!

The neighborhood was named after a well-known public house which was located on the east side of Sørkedalsveien. Dating from the 1700s, the house was named for the Major Michael Wilhelm Sundt (died 1759), stue/cabin, house with one single room. It has long been discussed, Majorstuen and Majorstua – stuen is when stue is treated as a masculine, and stua is a feminine word. The original pronunciation was -stua, but since Danish was the only written language in Norway well into the 19th century, the name was written -stuen (Danish common gender inflection).

The station was opened in 1898 and the original station building was built in 1916.

A pigeon coop & sculpture by the track! Majorstuen school is a primary and secondary school and was designed by architect Bredo Henrik Berntsen (1877-1957). The first phase was completed in 1908.

The Colosseum Kino is the largest cinema in Northern Europe and the largest THX cinema in the world. It is distinguished by its large spherical dome.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colosseum_Kino

Baker Hansen***$$ bakery chain in Norway. Expensive but nice ambience, especially when the weather is good enough to be sitting outdoors.

Junction of Valkyrie Gt and Jacob Aalls Gt

So very nice to catch up with Ellen (L&M paternal grandmother) on Wed and Ingrid on Thu. These people crossed life’s journey path over 40yrs and 30yrs ago and are some of the people who brighten my stay in Norway!

Say what you want about aging, it’s still the only way to have old friends – Robert Brault

8 May 2012 – and the Briskeby area

Today at 1415hrs Piggsoppgrenda 6 at Kolsås/Løkenhavna, Norway  was sold, thus tieing up this inter-section in life. Tomorrow will be another new day for more experiences in life’s journey 🙂

http://www.finn.no/finn/realestate/homes/object?finnkode=34572583&reference=2012%2F4%2F27%2F3%2F345%2F725%2F83_1217717725.jpg

Briskeby is an area located in OSL. It is mainly a residential area with some commercial activity, especially along the Briskebyveien. Attractive and expensive neighborhood just around the corner of the Castle and Frognerparken.

Uraniborg kirke/church is situated on Uranienborghøyden behind the Castle. The Church was designed by Balthazar Lange and was consecrated 1886. Built with a sober Gothic feel, decorated with frescoes of Enevold de Thømt and stained glass Windows by the artist Emanuel Vigeland. In 1930 the Interior got its present design by architect Arnstein Arneberg. Above 4 pix credits to various sites.

It is now a cultural monument and under more works and cleaning.

Another beautiful day exploring around the Briskeby area with many interesting and charming buildings including where Johan SC Welhaven/1807-71 lived. Poet and literary critic, his first major poetic achievement was Norges Dæmrin. A good number of poems inspired by folklore and folk poetry. He also wrote some hymns and was a professor in philosophy at The Royal Frederick University in the 1840s Christiania!

An interesting brown house has motives from the viking time and stave church. The red one has a lovely white window arch with birch tree and a lovely flowering magnolia tree by the entrance, blooming to welcome the occupants 🙂

Street and park trees provide tremendous benefits to cities – Gavin Newsom

7 May 2012 – in the Woods and the Park

Youngest grandson is adorable, just like his mom when she was a baby! Do wonder what is going on in the 8 months mind? Blessed to be able to watch him interact with his parents who are the world to him, for now! Did not take him long to be familiar with his mormor. Seeing his charming and delightful smiles makes my day. This is a public blog and his parents have requested to not post Olai pix, will need to respect that. Those who are interested in pix, plx email me.

Sun: clear blue sky and perfect temperatures for a walk. Spring is in the air with blooms of  hvitveis/anemone nemorosa, an early spring white flowering plant in the Genus Anemone in the family Ranunculaceae. Common names include wood anemone. And the blue blåveis/anemone hepatica. Both delicately beautiful!

Bjørn was at the shooting range while May & I enjoyed our stroll in the woods with the hvitveis & blåveis. Olai was snoozing inside his soft, warm sheep skin in the stroller on this glorious day. He is not sleeping thru’ the nights yet, thus keeping his parents busy and tired… and that too shall pass 🙂

M managed to grab a nap while B and I took another walk with O in the stroller around the Majorstuen area where the Holmenkollen Ski Jump  (the world’s most modern ski jump ) can be seen clearly.

App 15mins walk for the apartment is Vigeland Park located here on 80 acres ground with 212 sculptures.

http://amylamsg.com/2011/06/19/holmenkollen-ski-jump/

http://amylamsg.com/2008/09/18/gustav-vigeland/

The most heathen thing I have seen in Europe – Evelyn Waugh

For those who were wondering about the recent moon. Pix credits to ST. 

 http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/TechandScience/Story/STIStory_795976.htm

5 May 2012 – State of Qatar

Thu: closing down the flat is not that fun but good to have that done. Appreciate to have SueLynn checking on it now & then so that there will be no surprises upon return! Was at SIN airport T3 for some local supper (will be app 6 months without this food!) and surfing online before the 0220hrs flight to Doha/DOH.

SIN-DOH: a passenger had quite a dramatic nose bleed just a few seats across the aisle from me. Thank goodness there was a medical doctor on board and things were under control. After 7+hrs on a rather full plane with 4+hrs in DOH was an experience.

Fri: Arr DOH 0430hrs with the sun way up above the horizon. The new airport is under construction and was strange to fly into an airport where the only airline on this entire desert environment tarmac is Qatar Airways (with the exception of some helicopters and a private jet)! Had not seen so much fence with bulb-wires since childhood days.

Passengers had to be bus to different terminals. Their tentative system by colour coding as to which terminal you are supposed to be reminds me of my own colour-coded family tree! A glass-wall prayer room does not give much privacy to worshippers. Signs posted No sleeping in prayer room, maybe some are illiterate or perhaps they were so into their prayers and did not see the sign! USA flight gates have the best view at present, with the town in the background.

DOH-OSL: 6+hrs and with an empty seat next to me was a luxury after 7+hrs tightly squeezed in the window seat. Uneventful and pleasant flight watching 3 movies and landing in OSL 30mins ahead of schedule but to get stuck at the immigration for 40mins with only 3 counters opened. Convenient with a direct bus right outside the airport (NOK 205/S$45) to M&B’s apartment on this lovely cool drizzly afternoon…

The closest thing you will ever come to a brain storm is a light drizzle – unknown

2 May 2012 – not on my wish list!!

Tue: appreciations to Grace WU for lunch and for introducing this Halah buffet place which is my first time at Sakura***Cairnhill Place. Has a wide selection to choose from but being Halah, no pork is served, so dim-sum should not be the first preference. Laksa was good, especially when one can go to the cold counter and add as many prawns as ones stomach can handle! Reasonable for seniors, S$20+ If you are creative enough, add mango ice cream to the mango dessert and you are in for a feast 🙂

It was a pleasure to meet with Rev & Mrs Gabriel LIEW.

http://www.sukigroup.com.sg/suki/sakura.htm

Tried to run some errands on this May Day and it was completely hopeless. Was about to go out of my mind in the crowd on this public holiday. Got home with a splitting headache and had to nap. Is this what ageing is about?? But then niece SueLynn was also at Plaza SIN and found the crowds overwhelming! Tkx to her for stopping by to pick up instructions for checking on the place in my absence. Hopefully NO leaks this time round!!

May special dates

1 May – Happy May Day
5 May – Happy Cinco De Mayo & Happy Vesak Day
6 May – Happy Bdays WONG Wai Kit & Jan SOSA
10 May – Happy Bday Andrew LAM
13 May – Happy Bday Susannah LAM
17 May – Happy Bday LAM Poh Chee, hurra for 17 mai
18 May – Happy Bday Helen VICKERY-YEO
23 May – Happy Bday Yasmine AMEEN
27 May – Happy Bdays LAM Sui Chang & Karen LIM
28 May – Happy Bday Vanessa LAM
30 May – Happy Bday Hans Kristian HUSTAD

Time is a circus, always packing up and moving away – Ben Hecht