Archive for May, 2010
Top 5: Vantage points in Østfold
Posted by admin in Nature and the great outdoors on May 31, 2010
What’s the best vantage point in Østfold? Tough one, as there are so many spots affording great views all over the county, but these are my personal favourites:
- Linnekleppen, Indre-Østfold: Acres and acres of forest spreading as far as the eye can see is the stunning vista rewarding anyone climbing to the top of Linnekleppen, the last watchtower in Europe to still be manned in the summer months.
- Fredriksten Festning, Halden: Take in the sweeping panorama over Halden town and beyond from the top of the fortress, with the Iddefjord to the left. Impressive stuff!
- Blåsopp, Fredrikstad: Fantastic views over Mærrapanna and Gjetøya (and the vast expense of the Oslofjord beyond) from the top of this rocky cliff, a short walk from Oksrødkilen or Slevik just outside Fredrikstad.
- Hjelmkollen, Halden: This easily accessible vantage point 117m above sea level offers great views of Ringdalsfjorden, and the two Svinesund bridges (the old one in the foreground, the new one, with its distinctive arch, a few kilometers behind it in the distance).
- Ravneberget, Skjeberg: Great views over the fertile agricultural lands stretching between Borge and Rolvsøy in the distance from the top of this cliff, only a short walk from the Hunn field along Oldtidsveien. One can also make out Ullerøy, Torsnes and Tosekilen in the distance.
Dolk puts Norwegian street art on the map
Posted by admin in Art, culture and literature on May 29, 2010
Dolk (‘Dagger’ in Norwegian), aka Dolk Lundgren, is Norway’s most famours stencil artist. Originally from Bergen, he started to paint (or should that be ’spray’? ‘tag’? ‘graffiti’? anyway, you know what I mean…’) in 2003. His Banksy-style stencils, which are often applied with a good dose of humour, tell a whole story in one image, and their simplicity is no doubt one of the key factors in their success, as they are immediately and universally understandable. His most popular works include, among many others, Che, Burger King, and Zooicide (see above). Dolk has for several years been involved in the Nuart Festival in Stavanger, a street art festival organised every year in Rogaland, southwest Norway. Other projects have included a series of large scale works in the Lofoten Islands, where Dolk has been painting on derelict houses in several remote locations, and a commission for Halden Prison, Europe’s most modern prison, in Østfold, which now boasts several full-length stencils by him, including ‘Prisoner’ and ‘Police Line’.
You can see some of Dolk’s works at www.dolk.co.uk
More about the Nuart Festival at http://c6.org/nuart/
Learning the lingo – not that easy right?!
Posted by admin in Uncategorized on May 28, 2010
This video is hilarious… really reminds me of when I was learning Norwegian myself (not that long ago!) at the local school (anyone moving to Norway is required by law to learn the language, by the way). And pronunciation is not the easiest bit believe you me! 
Useful Norwegian phrases (Holiday special)
Posted by admin in Uncategorized on May 28, 2010
Jeg skal (dra) på ferie snart (I’m off on holiday soon)
Vi elsker å reise (We love to travel)
Har du passet ditt? (Have you got your passport?)
Har du pakket kofferten? (Have you packed the suitcase?)
…
Vil skal ta fly/tog (We are flying/taking the train)
Hvor ligger/er flyplassen/togstasjonen? (Where is the airport/train station?)
…
Vi må finne et hotell/en campingplass (We must find a hotel/campsite)
Vi vil gjerne leie et rom/en rorbu (We would like to rent a room/a rorbu)
Når betaler vi? (When do we pay?)
to voksne og tre barn (to adults and three children)
Jeg vil kjøpe en billet til… (I’d like to buy a ticket to…)
…
en vei/tur-retur (a single/return)
avgang (departure)
ankomst (arrival)
parkering (parking)
bilutleie (car rental)
…
et postkort (a postcard)
et frimerke, fl. frimerker (a stamp, pl. stamps)
å grille (to have a BBQ)
pølser (sausages)
is (ice-cream)
å telte/et telt (to camp/a tent)
et kamera/et fotoapparat (a camera)
…
å gå tur (to go for a walk/hike) (*very popular past-time in Norway!)
å svømme (to swim)
å slappe av (to chill)
til fjells (to the mountains), til sjøs (to the seaside)
Du er heldig, sola skinner! (You are lucky, the sun is out/shining!)
God sommer alle sammen! (Have a good summer everybody!)
Summer events in Indre-Østfold
Posted by admin in Travel and practical stuff on May 27, 2010
Will you be in Indre-Østfold this summer? Here are some of the annual events taking place in the region (the dates given below are the dates for this year, 2010):
- Fjellaløpet, Mysen, 6 June: A 21km race through the forests of Trømborgfjella www.fjellalopet.no (Norwegian only)
- Slusefestivalen, Ørje, 25-27 June: Boat tours, jazz, children theatre, auction, crafts, and more www.slusefestivalen.no (Norwegian only)
- Unionsmarathon, Rømskog, 3 July: Arranged for the first time in 2005, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the end of the union of Norway with Sweden. A full-marathon, half marathon and kids race www.unionsmarathon.com (Norwegian only)
- Gatebil sommerfestival, Rudskogen Motorsenter (Rakkestad), 9-11 July, www.rudskogen.no (Norwegian only)
- Italienske Dager (Italian Days), Rudskogen Motorsenter (Rakkestad), 31 July-1 Aug, www.rudskogen.no (Norwegian only)
- Kraftfestivalen, Askim, 11-15 Aug: Music festival attracting some big Norwegian names (Arve Tellefsen, Norway’s best known violinist, is one of the featured artists this year) www.kraftfestivalen.no
- Markens Grøde, Rakkestad, 13-15 Aug: Fair (held every other year) focusing on local food, culture and agriculture www.mgrode.no (Norwegian only)
- Høytorp Treffet, Høytorp Fort (Mysen) 13-15 Aug: Annual gathering of veteran military vehicles
- Momarkedet, Mysen, 25-29 Aug: Celebrating 60 years this year, the region’s biggest fair, with live entertainment, fun fair, fireworks and more www.momarkedet.no (Norwegian only)
Hotel Valhalla in Fredrikstad
Posted by admin in Photos and videos, Travel and practical stuff on May 26, 2010
Budget hotels in Østfold
Posted by admin in Travel and practical stuff on May 26, 2010
Norway may be expensive, but you don’t have to break the bank to stay in Østfold. Here are some budget options up and down the county.
- St Olav’s Hotel in Sarpsborg. Central location in downtown Sarpsborg. Glengsgate 21. Tel: 69 15 20 55, www.hotelstolav.no. Double rooms from 695Kr, breakfast extra.
- Tuneheimen: Sarpsborg’s youth hostel, located near Tunevannet (lake). Open year round. Tuneveien 44. Tel: 69 14 50 01, www.tuneheimen.no. Double rooms from 670Kr.
- American College in Moss. In Mollerbyen in central Moss. Verket 22. Tel: 69 24 20 40, www.americancollege.no. Rooms from 350Kr, houses from 750Kr, summer only (1 June til early August).
- Moss Youth Hostel: Located in Nesparken, by the shores of lake Vansjø, within easy reach of the town centre. 44 beds in 11 rooms. Tel: 69 25 53 34, www.hihostels.com. Double rooms from 700Kr, family rooms 900Kr. Open year round (booking necessary outside of the summer season).
- Hotel Valhalla in Fredrikstad. On a hill overlooking the town. Valhallsgate 3. Tel: 69 36 89 50, www.hotelvalhalla.no. Double rooms from 895Kr.
- Grand Hotel in Halden. Central location by the station. Jernbanetorget 1. Tel: 69 18 72 00, www.grandhotell.net. Double rooms from 750Kr.
- Kaserna in Halden. On the grounds of the fortress, a short walk from downtown. Generalveien 25-27. Tel: 92 86 47 97, www.kaserna.no. Double rooms from 800Kr.
- Solstrand Terrasse in Ørje (Indre-Østfold). 32 rooms including family rooms, right by Øymarksjøen (lake). Haldenveien. Tel: 69 81 21 37, www.solstrand-terrasse.no. Double rooms from 600Kr.