elusive moose

And the winner is…

Hanneke Luijting in Tromsø!

A big thank you to everyone who entered the competition, and congratulations to Hanneke, who will be staying two nights in the beautiful town of Halden, Østfold, courtesy of Thon Hotel.

For all of you who didn’t win, some good news! Thon Hotels have a great offer on this summer – book one night, and get one free!! This applies all weekends between mid-June and mid-Aug, and all week during the month of July. So why not book that long weekend in Østfold anyway? At that price, it would be silly not to!

You can book online at www.thonhotels.no/halden

And watch this space. This competition’s been such a success, it’s made me want to organize more in the future

THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED

An hour’s drive from Oslo, and stretching all the way to the Swedish border to the south, Østfold is home to beautiful nature and many great attractions, yet this county is still relatively unknown outside Norway. Heard of Gamlebyen, Scandinavia’s best-preserved fortress town? Or the stunning Hvaler archipelago? Fredriksten Festning? The Halden Canal? All are located in Østfold, where you’ll also find, among many other things, prehistoric rock carvings, top art galleries, Norway’s first holistic spa and Northern Europe’s last manned fire watchtower. All this, plus acres of forests, myriad lakes, and miles of coastline. Direct flights from several European cities to Rygge Moss Airport mean it’s easier than ever to get here. And now you even have the opportunity to win a two-night stay in one of the best hotels in the region.

WIN A TWO-NIGHT STAY AT THE THON HOTEL HALDEN

To celebrate six months of blogging this month, www.elusivemoose.eu, your (unofficial) guide to Østfold, has teamed up with the Thon Hotel Halden to run a competition, and offer one lucky winner a two-night stay for two here in Østfold. The Thon Hotel, which opened in June 2009, enjoys an excellent location right by the harbour in the pretty town of Halden, from which you can easily explore the rest of the county. So now there is really no excuse not to come and visit Østfold. Take the quiz below. There are 10 easy questions about Østfold, the answers to which can all be found on this blog (use the ‘search’ function or the tag cloud to the right if you need a little help).

Send your answers by 1 May 2010 to marie@elusivemoose.eu, and we’ll draw a lucky winner among all the correct entries. Good luck to all of you!

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HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW ØSTFOLD?

1. Norway’s most famous chef, Eyvind Hellstrøm, comes from Østfold. But where from exactly?

2. The Ytre Hvaler NP, Europe’s first marine National Park, opened in Hvaler in September last year. Which member of the Norwegian royal family attended the event, and officially declared the park open?

3. Which Østfold town is famous for its thriving community of vintage American car buffs?

4. What’s the airport code for Moss Rygge Airport, Østfold International Airport?

5. Who founded the city of Sarpsborg in 1016?

6. Norway’s first holistic spa can be found in Rømskog in Indre-Østfold. What is it called?

7. When was the oldest building in Gamlebyen, Fredrikstad’s Old Town, built?

8. What’s unique about Linnekleppen fire watchtower in Indre-Østfold?

9. Østfold’s highest waterfall can be found in the Halden municipality. What is it called?

10. The Fredrikstad Bridge is an impressive sight, high up over the River Glomma. But how long is it exactly?

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* Please note that the prize is subject to availability, and does not include breakfast. Travel to and from Halden is the responsibility of the prize-winner. For more information on the Thon Hotel Halden see http://www.thonhotels.no/halden