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September 12, 2014September 12, 2014

3 Great Places to Buy Wool in Oslo for the Hip and Chic Knitter

If you knit (or crochet) and you are visiting Oslo for a day or more, then you have three great options for wool shopping. In Norway, if you see “strikke” on the shop window then it is probably a wool or yarn store as we know it in North America.

If you are cruising the Nordic countries and docking briefly in Oslo, there are two shops within walking distance of the port. The first, Strikkedilla (translated as Knitting Craze) is conveniently located in the Oslo City mall (a highrise next to the main train station). The mall includes a grocery store, so be sure to check out the aisle dedicated to nut butters! The knit shop is the smallest of the three and jam-packed with colorful fun projects children would like to wear.

The second shop is my favorite of the three, Husfliden. It is inside the department store Glasmagasinet at Stortorvet 9. I was a little befuddled at first by this idea of a department store; it was a bit more like a mall without walls. In the basement I found the yarn, buttons, traditional costumes, and many other beautiful textiles. It was a feast for the eyes and fingers. They also offered readymade Oleana sweaters. If you only have time to browse one store, make it Den Norske Husfliden.

If you are taking a day trip to see the Vigeland Sculpture Park, there is a yarn shop a stone’s throw from the metro station (Majorstuen) for the sculpture gardens. I did not spot Tjorven at Valkyriegata 17 right away, so I have included a photo. The clerks were friendly and the yarn lucious. They did not offer any patterns in English (they call them recipes). I realized too late that it would have been smart to look for some patterns on Ravelry before I went shopping. The store clerk showed me a website that has language choices including English. These are the same Norwegian inspired (modern, not traditional) patterns featured in Drops magazine.

There are also two readymade wool shops that offer beautiful, albeit expensive, sweaters and other wool garments. Dale of Norway at Tullins gate 5 offers more classical sweaters and made me want to go skiing. Oleana garments are inspired by traditional Norwegian design updated with a modern twist and a more colorful palette.

It is Dah-ley, not Dale like Yale next to the Hard Rock Cafe in Oslo. No yarn for sale here.

One challenge with yarn shopping in Norway is the patterns are almost all in Norwegian, of course. I bought a couple of patterns with yarn to make them, thinking that between Google Translate, friends who speak Norwegian and my knitting experience I could figure them out. Hah! Not yet. When I return to Norway I am taking some patterns that I want to make and then shopping for wool. All of these shops are perfect if you need a tool, or inspiration.

I visited these three shops in July 2013, and I have just checked and they are all still in business. I also used Linda Marveng’s blog post as my guide. She lists additional shops and I visited a few others; however, I am including my favorites here. Linda Marveng is also enthused about Norway Designs, just know that there is nothing knitting related in the shop.

Norway can be one of the most expensive countries to visit in Europe, so I was very pleased to find wool prices a comparative bargain. Shops are both plentiful and the ones mentioned here carry a good variety of quality yarn. It is good to be in a country where a lot of people still knit. There were some awesome patterns, if I only spoke Norwegian.

September 6, 2014September 6, 2014

Oslo Defying 3 Stereotypes

Norway has been on my list of high priority destinations for a while. Walking around Oslo it quickly became obvious that I was operating on some old stereotypes. The Norway I discovered is delightful, modern and much more complex than these 3 stereotypes I packed in my bags.

1. Not Frozen.

Disney's Frozen animated fairy tale stars Olaf the snowman. — Disney’s Frozen animated fairy tale stars Olaf the snowman.

The Visit Norway folks are using the movie Frozen in much the same way the New Zealand tourism industry is marketing Lord of the Rings/Hobbit. There are some challenges. First and foremost, Frozen is a cartoon. Also, much of the story’s action takes place in deep snow; whereas, most visitors plan their trips in summer–a time when the animated snowman Olaf would be distinctly uncomfortable. Modern Norway is a progressive democracy no longer ruled by royalty–even spunky princesses.

They do have reindeer. Frozen’s Sven is a very charismatic reindeer. I did note the reindeer in photos tweeted along the route of the 2014 Arctic Race of Norway, the world’s northern most bicycle race held over several days each August. Makes me want to go watch this race in person. (Adding to personal list.)

Sven the charismatic reindeer from Disney's Frozen animated film. — Sven the charismatic reindeer from Disney’s Frozen animated film.

2. Not Vikings.

Many people in Europe can trace their ancestry back to a Viking invader. My grandfather was 100% Norwegian, and very proud of the accomplishments of the ancient Vikings. Norwegians are not the only Scandinavians who can claim to descend from the seafaring and conquering Vikings–the Swedes and the Danes can too. Because of my grandpa Olson, if you say Viking, I think Norway.

You can certainly see Viking ships and buy an impressive variety of souvenirs with Viking stuff on them in Norway. Grandpa loved the Hagar the horrible comic strip. I have since learned that Hagar’s classic horned hat is an inaccurate depiction of what a Viking might have worn. And the modern Norwegian is more known for peace than pillage.

This did not stop me from romantically seeing these Viking laws as part of my DNA influencing my own values:

Viking Laws
1. Be Brave and Aggressive
Be direct
Grab all opportunities
Use varying methods of attack
Be versatile and agile
Attack one target at a time
Don’t plan everything in detail
Use top quality weapons (or technological tools)
2. Be Prepared
Keep weapons (or tech equipment) in good condition
Keep in shape
Find good battle comrades
Agree on important points
Choose one chief
3. Be a Good Merchant
Find out what the market needs
Do not promise what you can’t keep
Do not demand overpayment
Arrange things so you can return (do business another day)
4. Keep the Camp in Order
Keep things tidy and organized
Arrange enjoyable activities which strengthen the group
Marke sure everybody does useful work
Consult all members of the group for advice

(From postcard purchased in Viking Ship Museum)

3. Not my Grandfather’s Norway.

My grandpa was called “Ole” by his friends and he was an active member of Sons of Norway in Santa Rosa. His grandfather immigrated from Lillehammer to Donaldson, Minnesota in the 1880s. It took me a few days to realize that the things my grandfather cherished as Norwegian are actual artifacts of Norwegian life in the 1880s. These traditions of drinking coffee morning, noon and night; lutefisk, and saying “Uffda!” are carefully preserved pieces of culture that my great-great grandfather brought in his luggage and passed on to his children and grandchildren. Meanwhile, Norway’s culture continued to evolve.

The Norway we discovered is more ethnically diverse, a World War II survivor, a titan of the merchant marine and an oil producing state.

Hope you discover Norway sometime soon. If you have been to Norway, what was your biggest surprise? What was your favorite memory?

September 3, 2014September 1, 2014

Travel theme: Edge

Pulpit Rock was a real hiking challenge, for me. My son Tevis did not seem to work as hard to reach the top or to descend safely. It is also a mental challenge and I have lots of friends who would be terrified of the edge–especially given the 604 m drop (and no safety rails). When we saw pictures of Preikestolen or Pulpit Rock on Pinterest, all on a sunny day, we agreed it was one of the things we had to do when we visited Norway.

We left on the first ferry from Stavanger. There was only about 50 feet of flat before the climbing began so we were glad for the cool, foggy morning. We shared the trail with hundreds of European girl and boy scouts who were in Norway for a jamboree. It did not take long for this to become a “one step at a time” physical test for me. I found all of the languages, none of them English, oddly soothing as I focused on my ascent. Tevis waited for me at several points along the trail, always looking irritatingly fresh.

The last 100 meters was the hardest. I was so relieved to get to the top and see Tevis waving from the distance. I did not find the edge particularly intimidating; it might have been different on a clear day. We ate our picnic lunch and recovered from the exertion. We agreed that even with the view-robbing fog the effort was worth it.

Tevis and American Julie made it to the top!

I did not think I was concerned about the edge at the time, but notice how I am leaning away from the edge and into my son Tevis! I kept remember the stories of people who hiked to the top with their dogs and then stupidly tossing the ball and watching in horror as their dog chased it over the edge. Preikestolen legend or true story? I do not know, I just know that I breathed a little easier for children and dogs as we hiked away from the edge.

Descending was just as challenging, mainly due to the crowds ascending and my overall weariness. It took me 2 hours to hike up and another 2 hours to hike down to the Visitor’s Center.

When I saw the Where’s My Backpack “Travel Theme: Edge“. I immediately thought of Pulpit Rock.

September 1, 2014

Vote to Name My MINI

Mini Cooper S to be named... — Mini Cooper S to be named…

Please vote. I drove my British racing green Mini a lot this weekend and realized she needs a name! Since Mini Cooper is a classic British brand, she needs a British name with English roots. Please vote for the one you think fits my Mini best:

August 29, 2014

Racing to Write a Tour de France Guide

I am setting ambitious deadlines to write a Tour de France guide for spectators and amateur cyclists for release this fall. Jane Friedman’s class “How to Write a Powerful Book Proposal Workshop” has really helped me focus. So I will not be traveling as much and writing more. Instead of taking a hiatus, look for posts on Norway from a trip my son and I took together just before I began this blog.

In the meantime I will tweet progress reports on the Tour de France guide. My goal is to be high-fiving you all with a finished book by the time the Tour de France 2015 route is announced.

Jens Voigt high-fiving fans at the end of Tour de France 2014 in Paris.

August 23, 2014

How to Dine Alone “Adjacent”

Traveling alone is a choice that I make regularly. Sometimes people tell me, “I could never do it.” When I ask why it is sometimes because they cannot bear the thought of dining alone. Experience has taught me that sometimes the best encounters with the place and its people happen because I am seated alone and so I am more accessible and open. And the food tastes the same.

Recently my friend Ray shared with me how he uses opportunities to eat alone as a date with himself. While in France and England I had the chance to enjoy dates with myself on several occasions and it does change the atmosphere in a very positive way. Or travel with a group for a long period and suddenly dining alone, eating just what you want, taking only the amount of time you want to take, leaving before or after dessert and coffee. It is divine.

On the last page of the September 2014 issue of Bon Appetit, actor Jason Segal shares his “Rules for eating out alone:

1. Bring a book. When you have a book You aren’t really alone. It’s more alone adjacent.

2. Don’t be bashful. The other people alone probably feel the same way you do. You’re all “alone together.”

3. Think of it as a date with yourself. Get to know yourself. If you get along with yourself, there is a very good chance you will get to go home with yourself.”

I’ll toast to that!

August 21, 2014

Touring Buckingham Palace State Rooms

About a month before my departure for the Tour de France I read a tweet from VisitBritain about the state rooms at Buckingham Palace opening for visitors from July 26 to September 28. On previous visits to London I toured the fascinating Mews (stables) at Buckingham Palace so I clicked through and bought tickets.

Did not give it much more thought until I was in France and looking at my itinerary for the end of my trip: ticket on Chunnel to London, check; hotel reservation at The Ampersand, check; tickets to War Horse at Theater and Buckingham Palace state rooms, check and check. Leaving myself a little time left over to go book shopping. My flight from Heathrow was not scheduled on Air New Zealand until 4:00 p.m., so I had time to take the tube to the airport. I was all set to make the most of my 24 hours in London.

London is an easy city to navigate with the underground, taxis and footpaths through parks. My hotel’s location was perfect: a half block from the South Kensington station on the Piccadilly (red) Line. The Ampersand did not exaggerate its charms in the Booking.com email advertising its special rate. It is beautifully decorated and the service was superb.

I already blogged about the thrill of seeing The War Horse on stage. So let us fast forward to the next morning and Buckingham Palace. A quick trip on the Tube and soon I was walking past the Queen Victoria Memorial and looking at the gorgeous Buckingham Palace gates.

I was just here on Tour de France Stage 3 and so I reveled for a moment in happy memories. When bike guide Daniel asked me the highlight of my trip while we were in the Pyrenees, I said riding the race course into the heart of London, turning the corner at Big Ben and seeing Buckingham Palace and then the finish line. I felt like a rock star. I reserved the possibility that Paris might top it, but it did not. So it was great to be back to the best spot of my Tour adventure so soon.

It took a few minutes to find the visitors entrance on Buckingham Gate Road, and then a couple of minutes to change my computer print out for actual tickets. I arrived just in time to the correct waiting area to be able to get through security and enter the state rooms a few minutes past my appointed time.

Wow, the Queen must feel like she is slumming it when she visits the White House. During the week, she lives above the store, so to speak, and what a store! Beautiful works of art, mostly portraits of family, fill the rooms where official drawing rooms and ballroom. In addition, there was a very interesting collection called “Royal Childhood.”

I decided to forgo the free headphones and enjoy the rooms and the overall ambiance. After the walking through all of the rooms, I enjoyed a snack at the café and a browse at the gift shop.

The exit takes visitors through the garden. I wondered if the Queen or any of the royal family gets to enjoy the garden on their own or only on official occasions. Not that I feel sorry for them. This is one of their many stately homes and most of the others offer much more privacy. Still, what must it be like to grow up seeing art masterpieces hanging on the drawing room walls?

After a quick trip back to the hotel, I hopped on the Tube to head to Heathrow Airport with about 10 pounds of new books. Air New Zealand docks in the hinterlands so I got plenty of exercise before the 10.5 hour plane ride home.

Spending time in Yorkshire and London reminded me why I have returned again and again to England and Ireland. Looking forward to the next opportunity.

August 19, 2014

War Horse as an Act of Remembrance

Winding up my Tour de France adventure, I enjoyed my last 24 hours in London. I stayed at the exquisite Ampersand Hotel in South Kensington. They sent me an email a few days before my arrival asking if there was anything they could do to enhance my experience. My friend suggested seeing the stage production of War Horse. The concierge efficiently fetched tickets and after an afternoon of fossicking around bookshops in South Kensington, I duly trundled off to New London Theatre on Drury Lane to see the play.

I tried to read to the book by Michael Marpurgo and got emotionally swamped. It is told in the horse Joey’s point of view. And like Black Beauty it is gut wrenching. I may have seen about 5 minutes of the Steven Spielberg movie and could not stand the idea, again, of horses suffering even if make believe. Afterall, they did suffer cruelly in World War I, as did people. So I was a little nervous about seeing a stage production. I was also curious about how they would handle the staging and the horse characters.

Wow. I mean WOW!!!! Just the puppetry was worth the admission price to witness. It is amazing. I have since found an awesome Ted Talk that describes how they created Joey. Please watch.

The play beautifully illustrated the complete stupidity of World War I. While it is not unique among wars (all wars are stupid), it is the first where technology completely bamboozled strategists. I can understand sending the cavalry in once against machine guns. But again and again? Stupendously stupid. It was all the more poignant for me because of my Grandma Hazel Olson’s beloved horse sold to the US Cavalry. I can only hope that he never made it to Europe–that maybe his high spirits made him too difficult to work with or too attractive to some officer who was on active duty at the Mexican border.

It is a very moving production, even more thrilling seen in a smallish theater with actors running by right in front of our seats. I realize War Horse has been on stage and travelled the world already so I am not on the cutting edge of theatre. If you have not seen it, make the effort. You will be richly rewarded.

Researching and honoring my great uncle Frank Denham on Le Tour Adventure was worthwhile and added some emotional depth to my experience. I am not going to stop learning about the war either. My favorite conversation on the topic was with my cabbie who gave me a lift from the train station to the Ampersand. With his East End accent he held forth on a number of topics. I told him about my interest in World War I and he said the machine gun was invented by an American living in London, but the British officers did not want to use it (at first) because it “wasn’t cricket.” (meaning that as gentlemen it was not the proper way to conduct warfare). I responded, “But the Germans have never played cricket.” We both shared a rueful laugh.

All of this remembering while the conflict in Ukraine results in a civilian jet liner shot down, and Gaza rages on; it is a wonder to me that mankind has not wiped itself off the earth yet. Perhaps the reason we yet remain is found in the sparks of creativity that still ignite in puppeteers and writers and many others who choose to spend their energy creating beauty and celebrating truth rather than the dark arts of war. This is the path I choose.

This post originally appeared on Redesigning49.com.

August 15, 2014

Chunnel Coolness Factor

The Eurostar train between London and Paris or Lille is a super cool way to get across the English Channel. The train passes through the channel tunnel or “chunnel” much more quickly than going through the airport or taking the ferry. Compared to SNCF (the French railway), it is amazing.

I was scheduled to catch the 8 a.m. train from St Pancras Train Station in London the morning after Stage 3. I was out late the night before so I did not rise in time to check my email. I missed the email from Eurostar telling me that due to mechanical difficulties and repairs in the tunnel, I needed to reschedule to a later train. A ticket concierge helped me reschedule and I had a couple of hours to get a bite to eat and get through security.

The St Pancras station’s (across the road from Kings Cross Train Station) Eurostar loading area is fairly small and probably due to the maintenance issues was very crowded. Once we loaded onto the train it was a very comfortable 2.5 hour ride to Lille. I did not even feel the pressure in my ears when we entered the tunnel. The only way I could tell I was under the English Channel was the dark windows.

Later I received an email offering me a partial discount for the inconvenience. On SNCF I encountered crabby ticket sales people, nonexistent train conductors, closed cafe cars (for the duration of a 4+ hour train trip), and overcrowded passenger cars. I tried first class and second class. The only difference was the color of the seats and plugs for recharging phones.

My chunnel experience from Paris to London was excellent. I already blogged about my misadventure getting to Gare du Nord. Once I got to the station and found the Eurostar entrance I received excellent service. The ticket concierge helped me change my ticket to the next train without a penalty. This time security and waiting was easier. It seemed like we were in London in very little time.

I will definitely use the chunnel again if the opportunity presents itself and recommend it to fellow travelers.

August 7, 2014

Our Wonderful Stay at Chateaux Dans Les Arbres

Guest Blog by Faith Winnett

The Chateaux Dans Les Arbres near Bergerac in France–This was a place I had seen in our Brisbane weekend newspaper travel section. The picture caught my attention first, followed by the description of treehouses designed on local chateaux – castles in the trees. OOH!!! We just had to go.

Amongst our mostly city hotel/B&B accommodation plans for our month in France, this seemed like the perfect retreat. With each treehouse surrounded by the forest, and green meadows just a boardwalk away, our toughest choice was which one to reserve. Fortunately for us, the same one was not available for the two nights of our planned stay, so we got to experience both the two-level Cabane Milandes and Cabane Monbazillac.

Our arrival after a light shower of rain and a long drive from Le Mans, made the warm welcome of our hostess promising. We were given a quick overview of the property and asked what time we would like our breakfast hamper delivered (via a rope and pulley to maintain privacy), then promptly escorted to our lodgings for the night…

WOW! Even better than the pictures–so warm and inviting. The tasteful décor and gentle lighting perfectly demonstrated the versatility and variance of timber. We were like children exploring everything that opened and shut, climbing the small spiral staircases – one to the parent’s turret and the second to the bunk beds for the children (if we had brought ours from Australia J). The two-person outdoor spa on the deck was simply the icing on the cake. Entirely private and incredibly quiet and peaceful, we were so happy we had found this gem. The enormous European pillows were like sleeping on marshmallows and the view of the forest was just a perfect.

Breakfast was a very generous serving of warm croissants and baguettes, fresh juice, hot coffee and tea, yogurt, condiments, ham and cheese, delivered precisely at the requested time. A wonderful way to start our day.

We chose to drive to Bergerac (about half an hour away) to visit the original Chateau de Monbazillac and were not disappointed by it’s grandeur nor its wine selection. A couple of souvenirs (wine bottles) and delicious lunch at a local café later, and it was back to discover the delights of Cabane Monbazillac.

Our hosts had transported our luggage to our new lodgings (a mighty challenge up the steep steps no doubt), ensuring our only responsibility was to relax. The heavy wooden double doors unveiled an enormous bed with an incredible view, lush timber-lined shower and oriental-themed furnishings to add intrigue and interest. Fresh fruit ready and waiting to accompany our newly purchased wine and cheese and we were set for another lovely evening under the stars in our private spa.

The infinity pool near reception was an added bonus, which I think we mainly used just to say that we had as we really had no need to leave the splendor of our castles in the trees.

It is a truly wonderful place and I recommend to all who ask, and even those who don’t.