Welcome to Norway!

So we have a visitor from the U.S.... Kat's daughter sent Flat Stanley for a little visit to Norway.... (Flat Stanley is such a GREAT idea...)

WELCOME TO NORWAY STANLEY!

Dane & I decided to spend the day showing Stanley around.... (I spend so much time MOANING about not being in the U.S. - I forget about all of the really cool things that are practically in our back yard....

First stop on today's tour... Begby Helleristninger

Begby's Major rock carving site. About 3,000 years old, (Bronze Age)with clear, well-defined carvings showing varied motives, among them ships with prows in animal shapes and a large human figure. Many of the carvings have symbolic religious significance.

COOL..NO? I have driven past this site for over 4 years & never stopped to see what it was... OK, WOW.. (I didn't realize how much I have missed exploring our surroundings)

on to HUNN....

HunnSeveral stone circles from the first centuries after the birth of Christ, most consisting of 13 stones.

Remains of funeral pyres and burial sites containing bones, among these two warrior graves from the Viking and Roman eras, the last named with a full set of weaponry including a magnificent shield, sword and spear, two silver decorated drinking horns, silver spurs, a gold ring and more.

Norways answer to Stone Henge? I dunno, but cool nonetheless..

Storedal Cultural Centre

The sound sculpture "Ode to Light" by Arnold Haukeland, accompanied by music by Arne Nordheim. Amphitheatre and study garden.The centre is specially adapted for those with poor eyesight, constructed on the site of Erling Stordahl's (1923 – 94) family farm in accordance with his own idea, on the very spot where Magnus the Blind was born.

What? You don't know who Magnus the Blind was? (ahem...neither did I...)

but thanks to google... was king of Norway from 1130 to 1135 ....

and finally on to GAMLEBYEN....

"Gamlebyen, the Old Town, is one of Norway´s most popular tourist attractions and without doubt the one attraction you MUST visit while in Fredrikstad.

Not only is the Old Town Scandinavia´s best preserved fortress town, but it is also a dynamic quarter of the city. Within the frame of its ramparts the Old Town´s cobbled streets will take you past buildings from four centuries, intriguing small shops with designer goods, arts and crafts, furniture, food and curiosities"

in the stockades....

Well, here is hoping Stanley enjoyed his first day in Norway...

Today we did the Iron & Bronze age... maybe before we send him back we can take a trip through the ICE AGE & lets hope Bjørn & the kidletts find some fun stuff for them to do tomorrow....