After a very rainy summer, we've had some really wonderful autumn weather. The past few days it's been raining again, but hey! - it's the autumn, it's supposed to rain.
Norway faced major alcohol problems in the 19th century. Legislation was liberal, and advances in production techniques helped to encourage growing use of spirits. This peaked around 1830-40, when spirits accounted for 80-90 per cent of Norwegian alcohol consumption. Estimates suggest that each adult Norwegian drank about 13 litres of neat alcohol in the form of spirits during these years. Norway's alcohol consumption has never been higher, before or since.
A centralised monopoly would prevent the arbitrary local variations, which prevailed in Norway, it was claimed. This argument made a big contribution to the creation of Vinmonopolet as a private limited company under government control on 30 November 1922.
Covering both import and sales, the company's monopoly was intended to make wine available nationwide while taking account of the social concerns associated with alcohol use. When prohibition was repealed on fortified wine in 1923 and spirits in 1926, Vinmonopolet took over the sale of these commodities.
This is another photo from the museum "Norsk Folkemuseum" where you can take a walk along old buildings from different parts of Norway, learn about the culture and history.
This is another view from the new Opera House in Oslo. You see part of the harbour and some of the inner parts of Oslo fiord. In the background you see the "seamen's school", which is now used by another school: Norwegian school of management. It's a really nice building, built like a small fortress.
Holmenkollen in a nice, red evening light.
A new skijump arena will replace the one in the picture. The new arena will be called "Holmenkollen Fyr" (Holmenkollen lighthouse). Believe it or not, but a Danish company is responsible for the design.
Photo: by Stormel
The Viking Ship Museum displays the large Viking ships Oseberg, Gokstad and Tune, as well as founds from the chief grave at Borre in the Vestfold district. The three ships are the best preserved Viking ships known, found in royal burial mounds in the Oslo fjord. As burial ships, carrying the dead over to “the Other World”, the ships were equipped with unique treasures such as wagons, horses and especially textiles which are seldom preserved from the Viking age, now on exhibit at the museum.
Our knowledge of daily life in the Viking Age comes mainly from archaeological finds. The graves contained not only jewellery, weapons and vehicle tools, but also other tools and household goods. These finds are exhibited in the museum.
Today's the election day for the county/municipal councils around the country. In Oslo you vote twice today; one vote for the city council and one for the district you live in. Oslo is devided in 15 districts, and each has it's own city ward council.
This is from the roof of the new Opera house. It's quite steep. I was told that the sunlight made it difficult to see well, so there were several people who tripped and hurt themselves while walking on the roof. Culture can be dangerous! ;-)
This is from the boattrip Imazadi went on a while back. The boat was going through a tunnel on the way to the new Opera house. Nice and spooky, right!? :-)
