To the North! [Part 2: Trondheim]

Monday, December 10, was spent training from Oslo to Trondheim. For most of the eight-hour journey, I was gazing out the window at the spectacular scenery. I saw the sun rise and set over snow-covered mountains, valleys, villages, and trees, frozen rivers, waterfalls, and fjords, and expansive other bodies of water. It was a wonderful way to view a great variety of Norwegian landscape.

Sunrise begins

Peeking through the clouds

Village by the water

Frozen river

Snowy mountains

Sod roof houses

Once we arrived in Trondheim, we ate at an Italian restaurant (skipping the overpriced TGI Fridays) and stopped briefly at the small Christmas market in the city centre. They, too, had an enormous Sami-style tent and plenty of Norwegian food to sample.

Streets of Trondheim

Poofy calzone

Trondheim Christmas Market

Light and Joy

Delicious breads

Inside the tent

Outside the West Front of the Nidarosdomen

On Tuesday, December 11, we visited Nidaros Cathedral, the Nidarosdomen, which is built over the grave of the patron saint of Norway, Saint Olav. Nidarosdomen is the northernmost medieval cathedral in the world, built in the Romanesque and Gothic Styles. The cathedral was affected by two fires, and its oldest remaining part is the octagon surrounding the altar.

Preschool children - how cute!

Ave Maria

We also saw the Norwegian Crown Jewels and explored the Archbishop's Palace, which contains a treasure trove of detached pieces of stone artwork and various items found in and around the cathedral during restoration.

Entrance to the Archbishop's Palace

Runic inscription - prayer for intercession of King Olav

"Christ or Saint Olav on an elephant throne"

Late-13th century tracery

14th century drinking horn - which belonged to an archbishop

Crozier!

Fragment of an illuminated manuscript

Before dinner, we made sure to stop by Stiftsgarden, the royal residence in Norway and the largest surviving wooden palace in Europe. It's in the Baroque style with Rococo influences, which reminded me of some of the buildings I saw in Austria.

For dinner, our lovely host, Megan, a classmate of Carson, took us to Egon Restaurant, a revolving restaurant at the top of the Trondheim radio tower. During our meal, we enjoyed the panoramic view of the city.

At the main square in Trondheim

Shopping center all lit up

Carson and Megan, close up of the cathedral

Revolving restaurant!

At the top with Carson's mom, Megan, and Carson

My Norwegian adventure concluded the morning of December 12. After packing and taking a nap, our group headed to the Trondheim Kino for the midnight premiere of The Hobbit Part 1 - a memorable date and time of 12:12 AM on 12/12/12. Prior to the movie, we hung around in the lobby people-watching, and I was pleased to see some typically shy Norwegians decked out in Hobbit and LOTR character costumes. I met these two brothers, whose costumes were wonderfully well made.

The brothers

With Megan and Carson

 During the movie, we snacked on popcorn (which is curiously sold in a manner akin to the ice cream section of a grocery store - behind a door, pre-packaged, and NOT heated) and chocolate covered marzipan. Marzipan is very popular in Norway (big stamp of approval), especially during the Christmas/Jule season, at which time you're able to find chocolate-covered marzipan pigs.

After the movie, Carson and Megan walked me to the bus stop to catch the 4 AM to the airport. While I waited at the stop, I met a university student originally from Iran studying sustainable architecture, who was heading home for the break. I had a long journey home - early flight from Trondheim to Oslo, then waiting in the airport for about six hours, a RyanAir flight from Oslo to London Stansted, a bus ride from Stansted to London Victoria coach station, a bus ride from London to Oxford, and finally the walk from the bus stop to my holiday home at 35 Newton Road. I met Brian, a student my age from Minnesota, while waiting to board my flight to London. We talked throughout the plane ride, and I gave him some tips and advice for his excursion in London. Once I passed into Oxford city centre, over the bridge by Magdalen College, I was greeted with the comfortable feeling of HOME.