Stavern

Summer time

Two weeks ago I went to Stavern, near of Larvik. I didn't hope that it was a nice place but it is! That's like Verdens Ende but much more big... It was a sunny day and all town was decorated with easter ornaments. I attach some photos about that day:

In few days I will update the blog with photos about my family trip to Bergen! An adventure, for sure!

Laura

My condolences for the losses

Bad news

Unfortunately when someone is far from his place the bad news arrive anyway... Today has been a bad day, two losses in one day.

One young person and one old person. It doesn't matter... are losses in any cases.

I want to put this on my blog because I don't want to forget this, because some illness appears in the most healthy persons, and nobody knows why...

Today, my thoughts are for you.

Laura

Svarstad - Cabin Trip

Sun and sun

The summary of this weekend has been more or less as this photo: relax, sun, barbecue and of course beer.

The cabin is in the middle of the forest in Svarstad, a little town one hour ride from my place! This trip it was organized by SIV (our Studentsamskipnaden i Vestfold), it is basically our organization help for the students in our region. We paid only 200 kr-. and we had all food for the weekend and also the bus transportation to Svarstad and the cabin obviously. Not bad!

As you can imagine, a cabin trip is a kind of crazy trip. Nobody does nothing, just eat, drink and sleep. how much time spent!

The trip was with the international students and with some norwegian put in literally by the face. So, the worst part of this trip was the breakfast... Oh my God! All of them eat bacon, scrambled eggs, fried eggs, etc. to breakfast! me and my spanish girl mate had the brilliant idea when we said that we will cook the breakfast saturday in the morning... our surprise was in the morning when someone told us: 'OK, perfect! Thank you girls. Can you make some fried eggs, bacon, scrambled eggs, and whatever...'. The spanish faces in that moment were a "coffee or milk pray face". But anyway, we cooked that for all of us... what else can we do!?

Fortunately, one of the german people taught me how do scrambled eggs because I didn't know what was this! After I saw that is like 'huevos revueltos' but made of milk or water also.

We have had a sunny weekend, the views were very nice. There was snow yet! I attach you some photos about the cabin, the views and some else:

Few snow :)

This photo is really bad actually but I assume you the views at night were splendid! The sky was full jeweled ^^'

The disaster...

Before the barbecue!

bye-bye family!

Laura (Tati)

Gratulerer far!

Happy father's day daddy!

From 1 to 10

Put all in a list

1.- The cold is coming back again... why? :(

2.- Few days ago I received a box full of clothes and shoes from my mum! Thank you very much Ceci! Today, I have a large queue in front of my room to steal me shoes ^^'

3.- I went to Sandefjord today and it was cloudy so... I would have to come back there again to take some photos!

4.- My last collaboration with Mover el bigote is published today at his webpage. At least I win 'scandinavian correspondent' title. I am sorry Marianne and René because is in Spanish! Maybe do you want to learn spanish? ;)

5.- Nowadays we have a lot of sunny hours and I have started to use my mask! ;) In one of the january publications you can see my awesome mask.

6.- On thursday Marianne gives us a kanelboller (cinnamon bun)! It was fantastic, congrats! :) Now is our turn to cook something I promise you!

7.- This weekend we start to receive the first spanish visits and also it is St. Patrick's Day. Good combination!

8.- Today I have had my first norwegian conversation with someone! :D

9.- In two weeks more or less I will be able to hug my dears Sir A. and Madam S. I am glad you come!!!

10.- No, there's no 10!

I explain more things in few days so at the moment I don't have much time! I am sorry!

Laura

Last port of call...Göteborg

Surprising Göteborg

This last weekend I went to Göteborg (Sweden). It is near from my place and cheap too so it can be like the perfect trip for an erasmus student!

I have been there for 3 days (2 nights) and I think is enough to see the most important places and walk around the city. I arrive there after a crazy trip by bus and ferry and three buses! It is like and odyssey but it is much more cheap than take a flight!

First of all, I started with a walk around the Linnés district (Linnéstaden) and I could see the Oscar Fredriks Kyrka (church) and quite views about this district. Then, I went to Haga district (Haga) that it is known for be the oldest part of the city and the most beautiful residence part. It was nice because all the district is full of typical swedish shops and coffee - chocolate cafés. All of that cafés are completely full of cakes and it was like: "Oh shit!". Actually I didn't buy any! Unfortunately I visited this district in the afternoon and 'hello! This is the north! Today the Sun goes down at 18.00 so you have to visit almost all the time at night!" But, it was really nice anyway. All of us were surprising with Göteborg only with that district.

Some photos about Oscar Fredriks kyrka below:

On Saturday I started the day walking around the Slottsskogsparken, the biggest park of Göteborg that it is full of parks. Luckily, I had a great sunny day and I could walk almost all the park. I was been all day resting there and walking through the ways. I show you why:

These are the park owners!

Caution with them ;)

After this park I went to the botanic garden (Botaniska trädgard). It is really big and is another form to see how are the parks in Göteborg so there are a lot of types of gardens like asian park or american park. The best part for me was greenhouses with beautiful flowers and plants as carnivorous plants, an exhibition of orchids and much more types. I attach the most beautiful for me!

Nyam - nyam! :D

I know the next photo will produce some type of compulsive plant buying from someone of you... Coffe!

I went to visit the big wheel and the Universeum, the cultural world museum and also the large Avenyn of Göteborg (all of this in Liseberg district) but I don't have photos about it! I took some from another camera but my camera's battery died earlier and obviously I was far far far away from my hostel...! But, anyway the beautiful photos are these I think!

Hm! I was dinning in a spanish restaurant! Tapas :) When I get the photos I show you the restaurant and the dinner!

Finally we return to Norway at Sunday in the evening and it was really tired... All of us were very tired and we had to take a tram via, run to the central station, catch (almost literally) the train to Skee (almost 3 hours long, the best 'siesta' I ever done) and then toke another bus to Strömstad to the ferry terminal and sail 3 hours to Sandefjord (just in Norway) with his pertinent seasickness clearly :D Now you have to add one hour by bus to Tonsberg and just walk at home! The last part with 2 kilograms of frozen chicken (tax free on board...)! jiji

And today we have class at 8.15 and we have gone at 9.00 because our bodies can't wake up and surprise! The class have finished at 10.00 (when normally is a class that finish at 15.45) so... Can I kill anyone? Because my next class today it was norwegian at 17.00! I think I will get a VIP pass to the library!

Nothing more family!

Laura

Fredrikstad, Østfold county

Sunny day

Yesterday I went to Fredriskstad in Østfold county. I haven't had the opportunity to cross the fjord yet until my visit there because it's situated in the other side of the Oslo fjord. To arrive there I took one bus first to Horten and then one ferry to Moss and finally one train to Fredrikstad.

Why Fredrikstad? Because two friends are doing their final project about on ferry that sails in the river of Fredrikstad. This river is known because forks two ways as you can see in the map:

In the map above there is a half 'star'. That zone is a group of channels forming a star in the middle of a big park. It is so nice... It's full of benches to enjoy the dusk or something like this :)

It's really difficult take a photo englobing the 'star' from the ground level... Actually it's impossible so I show you only one little part on the left photo.

During the day we was walking following the riverfront and we could see some boats and enjoy the views. Haha I say it as If I never would have seen one...

Fredrikstad is so beautiful but it's the typical tourist place... I think the people who lives there have a lot of money because the most of buildings and houses was very big and eye-catching...

If you never go to Fredrikstad I recommend you do a walk around the center area and then takes the spectacular bridge that you can find easy because it's enormous... This bridge has a big wheel linked with the bridge. We passed the bridge and it's really hard but if you have a sunny day you can do it and take some beautiful photos from the top. Also there is a boat crossing the river but we decided to pass walking first and then take the boat and come back to the centre. In the next photo you will see the reason why we decided it.

Passed the bridge I take one photo of him because you can see the lenght...

Of course, as all towns in the world there is a church (typical scandinavian church) and parks. I show you some photos about this:

And that's all about my visit to Fredrikstad! I didn't think that I liked so much this place actually. Also I have to show you our Tunsberg in Tonsberg... It's a replica of the old Tunsberg tower and it's the most characteristic feature we have.

And the dusk from Tunsberg the other day...

Until next publication!

Laura

Step by step

No guts. No glory

My first month in Tønsberg.

When I woke up this morning I have thinking about this month ago and how it has been. For sure, I didn't think that my first month in my dear noway would be like this. I imagined that all would be much more easy but not.

All of you have to know that the beginnings are not easy, are not funny and some times becomes hard. I have to adapt to them because I am in a foreign country, foreign culture and of course with a foreign language... this is not new I know, but If you don't live it you can't feel it.

The old trite about scandinavian people is true in my own opinion, they are so cold, too shy and never try to establish any link with exchange students. Obviously, always there are some students trying to know you and go out to do something, but unfortunately are few of them.

This is the main reason that do I would be a little bit sad. I hope in a few weeks it changes... the temperature is rising and the sun shines every day. Perhaps they need to do the photosynthesis and after begin to speak, I don't know... I think that I'm a little bit crazy. Take it as a joke please.

The spanish people try to do a survival group, I mean, if we don't help ourselves who it will do? The problem is that we are eight spanish here, but actually we don't know us to do all! The opinions are always different and each of us think different. In fact, I cannot understand the others and the others cannot understand me. I have to adapt to general opinion and general way but I can't be really really me. I can't do my typical jokes... oh shit! I can't be sarcasm! haha Don't worry, they are good actually.

Furthermore, my friends forgot my skype meeting with them the other day and I really needed but they didn't imagine of course... So, sweethearts don't do it again please -_-' You are a disaster!

But all is not bad news...

Today, in the evening I've had the opportunity to speak with some guys from my residence. They insist in their shyness and also they told us that the spanish people are so much open mind that we inhibit them unintentionally... How I have to understand it? Please! We are greeting to them all the time and we don't receive any answer... It's quite difficult to understand it... I can assure you -_-' Anyway, today we got see a movie with three norwegian people finally. I hope tomorrow morning they will be able to tell me 'God morn Laura, hvordan har du det?'

If not, 'ikke problem', tomorrow night there is a 'carnival' in Jernet, the students bar and then they will be the most nice persons in the world for sure! It's ridiculous.

In conclusion... my last thought have been 'Ok Laura, you have to try again and again. Speak with anybody. Don't fall. You wanted to go to Norway and you are in Norway. You can't spend your time thinking about how are norwegians. Come on!'

So, don't forget it my friends, I won't do it: "No Guts. No Glory"

Laura

Tromsø - Northern lights - No words

The sky gives me the best I have ever seen

When I knew about my Erasmus here I had imagined how Norway will be. Snow, ice, cold people, amazing landscapes ,etc.

In some sense, all of that I have found it in Tonsberg but Tromso is better. Spectacular.

An hectic trip:

We took the flight in Oslo Gardenmoen Airport at 11.45 a.m. In theory we only had to take a bus from Tonsberg to Holmestrand and then a train to Oslo Airport... haha what a joke! We take the bus to Holmestrand and while we were on the way, Alex sent us a sms saying that there was an accident in the rails and we cannot take the train in Holmestrand (Alex was in other bus). Ok. We arrive in Holmestrand and change the bus to go to Drammen (I have to visit Drammen yet). In Drammen we can take the train to airport... haha an old old old train!

The important it's that we arrived on time to take the flight!

Tromsø:

The first impressions there was really good. Actually, I didn't think that it would be so nice! Streets was very nordic style. All full of snow! I have never seen too much snow in the same place! Oh my God...!

Tromsø is situated in the Tromsøya island and our camping (Tromsø camping) was in the mainland. We have stayed there in a cabins without bathroom haha You can imagine the panorama wearing pajamas and tracking shoes! So fun...!

In Tromsø we visited the Bibliotek, Arctic Cathedral (of course), Polaria and obviously the center (Sentrum). I put some photos about tromsø place! Go on:

Ishavskatedralen - Arctic Cathedral.

Constructed by architect Jan Inge Hovig and completed at 1965.

One typical house in Tromsø

Tromsø church. This kind of church is frequently in Norway. They are nice because some of them are made of wood.

In the photo above, a part of Hurtigruten cruise you can see a building with some circles. That is the Bibliotek. I don't have photos of this building... I don't know why neither haha

This bridge is Tromsøbrua completed in 1960. We had to pass it everyday... Around 20 minutes walking... And the most of the times snowing. This photo is from the last day in Tromsø, the only sunny day in all trip.

It links the Tromsøya with mainland!

Round trip/Runtur:

The second day we went to the tourist information to asked them about the possibility to see the northern lights, where and how. They suggests us that we can do the round trip. It consists in a trip 8 hours run taking buses and ferrys, and finally going tromsø with Hurtigruten company. It costs 370kr for the studens, around 45 euros.

The probability to see the Aurora Borealis on wednesday was low but the sky was clear and we had to try it! I show you the round trip around Tromsø - Skjervøy and come back to Tromsø:

We took a bus at 1600 p.m in Tromsø and went to Breivikeidet to take a ferry. In this part of the tour we could see the Lyngen Alps... Wow! Precious snowed mountain chain. All of us became crazy with the views. A chain in the middle of the Lyngen fjord! All full of lakes, isolates houses... world apart! We couldn't take photos because we only passed with bus and the photos are not good.

In the second part, we took a ferry to Svensby. In 20 minutes we crossed and took another bus to Lyngseidet. In this part we could see the Lyngen church built in 1755. This church as used by the Germans as a stable during World War II. It's one of the most nice wooden church in Norway. In Lyngseidet we took the last ferry to Olderdalen. There we took the las bus to Skjervøy In the middle os this way we passed near of the Uløya island. In there we can see Havnnes and old trading centre owned by the Giæver family since 1795.

Finally we arrived at Skjervøy at 1945 p.m approximately. There the only that we could see was the Skjervøy church. She was built in 1728 and is the oldest in the diocese. Skjervøy town is the largest village in Nord-Troms county.

Unfortunately in the photo it's not possible to observe the real appearance. It seems poor and dark but it's because of there was a lot of purple lights illuminate her.

Finally we took the Polarlys Hurtigruten to Tromsø. I show you one photo of her docking maneuver.

The ship is the one you have could see in one of the photos above.

During all of four hours of the come back trip we was in the aft deck trying to see an aurora and we got it. We saw few little white auroras, like withe and cloudy arch in the sky. In fact, the auroras begins like a cloud in the sky and suddenly they change and become green in the north pole. Unlucky, we only could see this auroras in that trip and a little green aurora in the middle of the sky, but she leaves fast! However, the emotion of all of us in that moment was really really hard, we began to run over the deck to see the aurora and we shouted for joy! I don't know how to transmit the sensation, it was unique!

We arrived at camping at 0100 a.m. very very tired but happy!

Polaria:

In Thursday we went to Polaria, the aquarium. We could see seals and more kinds of marine animals that live in northern waters. In true, we paid 70kr.- to enter inside and if we would known before we wouldn't paid for that... Polaria is a little place. I think that in one hour or less you can see all. I show you one image of the Polaria building and one photo of one seal.

Northern lights chase:

In the afternoon we was talking about northern lights and three of us decided go to the tourist information and review the excursions about northern lights chase. The majority of these are too much expensive and we were a little bit sad for it but... finally we paid for the only opportunity that we had to see one bright aurora! The probability was moderate and the sky in Tromsø was not good but... The bus that we had to take bring us to the best place to see one. and the best place too see an aurora that day was in Skybotn, 30 minutes ride of the Finland frontier...LOL!

But the most important! WE GOT IT! We got see an spectacular aurora in front of us!!! WOW! I could take some photos with my compact camera. All of us thought that I couldn't take a photo but I did it!!! Fortunately we carried one reflex camera to take photos and we have nice pictures of our northern lights! Moreover, Oliver, one of our guides, took photos of us with the aurora behind of us! IT WAS INDESCRIBABLE! I remembered that in the first moment I was seeing the aurora becomes green I became aware that my eyes were full of tears!

All the poeple should see one northern light in their life, for sure! Enjoy it:

YES, IT'S MINE! :D

:)

I saw this... Incredible!

Cable car:

After the emotional night with the northern light some of us decided take one cable car and see the aerial views of Tromsø and the fjord! The views were hallucinants! The zone is really beautiful... This is the Norway what I hoped!

Troms fjord

"Like one onion"

My experience in Tromsø finsish in this moment. I glad to us to go to this too beautiful place. I hope come back again some day and repeat these days... I recommend you go there or some similar place... You will enjoy a lot for sure.

Nowadays in Tønsberg there's no snow and ice neither. It is light cold and I am better here... I don't have to change my wearing continuously...! The river is not frozen now I hope see ships sailing in front of me early!

Ses senere!

Ha det bra,

Laura