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

30 Apr 2012 – Happy Bday JohnC

Sat: chaos on the home grounds to discover a leak in the pipes from the hot water tank. The whole tank had to be replaced with a new one. Just as well that I was doing some spring cleaning when the leak was noticed. Would be really unfortunate to have gone off and return to a flooded flat!

Yummy dinner@PorKee Eating House****in Tiong Bahru with my favourtie coffee ribs. A night of karaoke@K Box/Kallang Leisure Park with the young people was a nice relaxing evening on this last weekend before flying off. Supper@Selegie Tau Hauy/bean curd**** Tkx to Leonard, Audrey for their lovely voices and to niece SueLynn for good company to get the mind off packing, closing down the flat, traveling,  etc 🙂

http://www.kbox.com.sg/Home.aspx

Sun: Casa Bom Vento****hot and spicy Eurasian and Peranakan lunch with KimBeng. First time tasting their food was nearly a decade ago when they catered for one of the Orchid Shows. Liked it then but they closed down and only recently re-opened on Joo Chiat Rd.

If you are a fan of this kind of cuisine, the Devils curry will do the job. It nearly burnt a hole in the stomach and probably kill my taste buds but it was delicious. Ayam Buah Keluak/chicken stew with black nuts was tasty and one could savour the distinct black nuts. Keep up with the good food Lionel and will be back with overseas visitors. This kind of cuisine is certainly Uniquely SIN 🙂 🙂

Have a wonderful 1 May tomorrow and welcome to the month of May…

Sweet April showers Do spring May flowers – Thomas Tusser

29 Apr 2012 – Condolences to cousins Vincent, Jerry & the family

From posting Thu 9 Sep 2010: Farriess Court Care Home/Alvaston, Derby is a home where auntie Betty TSENG is now staying. She is the remarkable lady who married mother’s 8th brother Eddie TSENG who passed away in 1989. It is good to see her and to see that she is in good hands. She will be 93 in Nov. She told of how uncle Eddie proposed to her… she fell and was covered with mud and he thought she was the one for him there and then!

This was my last meeting with auntie Betty when she was then 93. She passed away on Saturday 28 Apr 2012 at 0300hrs UK time. Cousin Jerry told his bro, Vincent she was really cheerful the night before, and for the last two weeks. The carers who found her said she looked as if she was asleep – there were no signs that she suffered.

Fond memories of auntie Betty who was a real lady, graduated from the U of Peking in the 1940s, fought and survived stomach cancer in the 1980/90s, made the best Peking duck. May she now RIP.

Jerry used to tell us that his dad, uncle Eddie’s favourite quote to them:

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime – Chinese Proverb

27 Apr 2012 – With The Lucky One!

The Lucky One***US Marine Sergeant Logan returns from his third tour of duty in Iraq, with the one thing he credits with keeping him alive-a photograph he found of a woman he doesn’t even know. Learning her name is Beth and where she lives, he shows up at her door and taking a job at her family run local kennel…

On reflection to this movie, many of us are lucky and blessed but seem to forget and count our blessings! One of the scenes (when Keith attacked Logan and how he handled the situation was admirable) really got me thinking as to when, where, how, why and what makes people turn ungracious and ugly?? If only there are more people like Logan, this would be a better world to live in!!

Shakespeare in the Park – Twelfth Night*** produced by SIN Repertory Theatre@Fort Canning Park.

Another coincident, met Juliana who was with a friend from NZ. Paul happens also to be a friend of Euphemia in NZ! Either that this is such a small world or many coincidences have been happening at this stage of life’s journey 🙂

It was the same scene throughout the play but nice, especially with the background waves of the sea. Food catered by Indochine** was decent with 2 glasses of wine. And the comfort of a chair under a tent is quite decadent 🙂 🙂

Tkx Clem and in good company of Ivy, we had a delightful evening in the park with Twelfth Night in a modern setting.

http://www.srt.com.sg/

If music be the food of love, play on – Shakespeare/Twelfth Night

26 Apr 2012 – School of the Arts

Appreciations to John for his visit. Got to see and do lots in spite of the hot humid weather!

The orange generation enjoying the Fried Prawn with Salted Egg. SunSun, like her father is not a fan of food! Memories of Lee having a mouth full of food which took him forever to chew!! The other dishes: Steamed Grouper in HKG Style, 8 Treasures Duck, sautéed Mini Fungus with Lily Bulb and Vegetables and Mango Pudding. Thank you to Lawrence for hosting the family dinner and to Les & Ivy for all the wines.

http://www.wopeng.com.sg

School of the Arts (SOTA) is SIN first national pre-tertiary specialised arts school to offer a 6-year unique integrated arts and academic curriculum for youths aged 13-18 years old. With an unusual handicapped ramp and vertical gardens, this interesting building is located at the beginning of Orchard Rd.

http://www.sota.edu.sg/

Strange shape from the condensations of a passionfruit ice tea bottle@Cathay Basement. Lunching and saying goodbye to Tommy who will be heading back to the USA after his one semester@SMU. Safe journeys and good luck to him for his intern@DC and to his final year@Lehigh/PA, USA.

Lehigh is a reminder of the Twilight Zone from the AT Hike where a century of unregulated emissions from zinc-mining destroyed the surroundings. It was an extremely disturbing barren site then! Hopefully the new trees that were planted will grow again!

Society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit under – Greek proverb

23 Apr 2012 – … to the 70th Floor!

Raffles City Food Court on the 3rd Floor – Mr Prata***

http://www.rafflescity.com.sg/

70th Floor, Swissôtel The Stamford– Equinox, City Space and Jaan which made the world list on CNN top 50 best restaurant some years ago! These locations are way beyond my budget!

http://www.swissotel.com/EN/Destinations/Singapore/Swissotel+The+Stamford/Hotel+Home/Hotel+Description

Band Stand@Singapore Botanic Gardens SBG/新加坡植物园-Chinese, Taman Botanik Singapura-Malay. A new sign@the Tanglin entrance.  This is a 74-hectare/183-acre botanical garden. Half the size of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew/UK and around one-fifth the size of Central Park in NYC/USA. It is the only botanic garden in the world that opens from 0500hrs to 12 midnight every single day of the year, and does not charge an admission fee, except for the National Orchid Garden.

Theme with dried leafs promoting SIN Garden Festival SGF to be held in July 2012. Lucky me, SIN national flower Vanda Miss Joaquim are in full bloom and that is not the usual sight!

The Bookreader by the library. A real book reader on the lawn. A Curtain of Roots to protect a local from the tourist 🙂

http://www.sbg.org.sg/visitorinfo/mapofground.asp

A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots – Marcus Garvey