Yesterday was fieldtrip day. And the weather couldn't have been worse. But this being Norway and our hosts being Norwegian, the tour went on. We made our way to Tønsberg, Norway's oldest Viking town, with the promise of a city tour and and a Christmas dinner awaiting us. Despite this being one of the most efficient countries I've ever been visited, we learned that even Oslo isn't immune from track work and signal problems (an epidemic in the DC metro). After getting to the train station, we were told that trains weren't going to Tønsberg from Oslo, so we had to fight our way onto crowded buses that would take us halfway, and from there we would switch to a train.
All went just fine and before long we were being met in the rain and slush by our teacher and her sister in law. They drove us into the city center where our walking tour started. The tour was fun and interesting to me, but I fear my colleagues with poorer shoes didn't fair so well after an hour walking around in icy, slushy, shin-deep water. We warmed up with hot chocolate and beer before going to our teacher's in-laws for an amazing dinner. We were treating to traditional food, drink, and some very kind and well thought-out speeches prepared on our behalf. Their daughters even prepared some games for us to test our knowledge of Norway (I felt like I was a contestant on
Alt for Norge). The hospitality we received was over the top amazing, and I am starting to feel very very welcome in this very very chilly little country.
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| Wet view from train |
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| "Wishlist to Santa: will be sent Dec 23) |
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| Old town of Tønsberg |
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| Some very lost Penguins |
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| Looking down the Sea Front |
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| A replica viking ship |
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| A couple of adorable Norwegian girls ready to entertain us Americans |
