Marjorie Echter with Family visiting Relatives in Norway

Friday 30 June 2006

My cousin Jan with wife Jeniffer passed Oslo this afternoon on their way home to Sweden and stopped to meet Marjorie and family. Here at Aker Brygge (former shipyard area "Aker Docks") is from left myself, Marjorie, Katherine, Nina, Jeniffer and Jan.

Tom was of course also present. In fact he took the first picture.

Saturday 1 July 2006

This morning Marjorie's oldest daughter Laura with husband Dirk and sons Jack and Drew arrived.

At Akershus Festning (Akershus Castle) opposite Aker Brygge TV pictures from the World Championship soccer games in Germany was shown on a big outdoor screen, so we all went there. In the picture from left is Dirk with Jack, behind there is Nina and Katie, Tom is talking to Laura with Drew partly hidden behind Marj.

The same gang, Laura and Drew not hidden this time. To the right at the table is my Gunvor.

Half of the crowd seen from where we stood. You can see Gunvor to the left and Laura, Nina and Tom to the right in the pleasant shade from the trees.

The other half in front of the screen (seen from the other side).

Gunvor, John, myself and Drew by the fountain at the City Hall Square.

Outside Albertine Café & Bar where we had dinner is Nina, Marj, Katie, myself and Gunvor. Tom took the picture. Laura and her boys had returned to the hotel for an early night to try to compensate for the time difference.

Sunday 2 July 2006

Sunday morning we were supposed to meet at the Folks Museum, but Nina, Gunvor and I did not find our guests before it was time to move on to the Viking Ships Museum. But we understand that they enjoyed the visit and even found the place where lefse was baked. I hope Marjorie will send us her pictures from the Folks Museum.

The first complete ship is the Oseberg ship, used as burial ship for a prominent woman who died in the year 834. The ship was excavated in 1904.

Tom had to clean his glasses to take a closer look at the details.

The second complete ship, the Gogstad ship, was a burial ship for an important chieftain who died in or around the year 900. The ship was discovered in 1880.

To get a better view of the inside of the ships balconies had been built on both sides. From one side I observed Laura, Dirk and the kids on the oposite side. The curve of the ship's bow in the lower left corner.

After the museums Jack went with his aunt and grandparents plus Nina, Gunvor and myself to see the Holmenkollen Ski Jump. Her at the bottom arena we had a coffe break with home made boller, a Norwegian speciality of bakery made by Gunvor earlier the same morning. We also had fresh strawberries bought on our way up there.

My fellow photographer.

Some young people preparing a plastic covered special jump for a TV show to be produced later this summer.

The ski jump seen from the other side of the road.

On the hill from where the previous picture was taken the Holmekollen Troll is overlooking the arena. Katie with the kid troll and Jack up front.

From the ski jump we drove further up the Holmekollen ridge to a viewpoint where we could see most of Oslo, the western suburbs and forest area and the inner Oslo Fjord. I hope Tom and Marj got some good pictures of the view. Here is a picture I took of them.

Then we drove a little down and up again on another road to see the house at Lillevann where Christian Oesleby's cousin Sverre, my grandfather, and wife Jul used to live. Here my father with three brothers and one sister grew up. I also lived here my first seven years of life and not far from here until I was twelve. The house is not in the family anymore.

Monday 3 July 2006

Laura and her family had left Oslo. Marjorie, Tom and Katherine plus Nina and myself was invited to my fathers cousin Knut for dinner and coffee. We were first met by Knut's daughter Ranveig who took us on a short sightseeing to the local viking grave Raknehaugen. Then to Knut's house at Jessheim not far from Oslo airport.

Cars parked and ready to walk the few steps over to the "grave hill" (burial mound). From left is Nina, Marjorie, Tom, Ranveig and Katherine.

At the foot of the hill.

Climbing up there.

On the top is from left Katie, Tom, Marj, Nina and myself. Ranveig took the picture.

On the way down again on the other side through a Norwegian "jungle".

At Knut's house.

Tom and Knut.

Tom, Nina and Marjorie studying family trees and other related matherial brought by Marjorie.

From left Ranveig, Knut's wife Ingfrid, Marjorie, Nina, Knut, Katherine and myself. Tom took the picture.