Saturday 1st December 2012

Woke up late today.

The kitchen window thermometer was indicating lower than -5°C. Looking at the weather website http://www.yr.no/place/Norway/Akershus/Asker/Asker/hour_by_hour.html it was only going to get cooler.

Left for Oslo about 1100 hrs. The streamer by the railway line has started to freeze over. The small amount of breeze is extremely chilling.

Not sure my hat and gloves will be enough.

Still, I'm in the right place to find solutions to cold.

As a change, I decided to try getting off at the National Theatre stop instead of going all the way into Sentrum.

Just outside the station they've setup a Christmas market selling lots of different foods, knick knacks etc.

There were a few stalls I would like another look at, including one where this guy had painted some rocks. Doesn't sound like much but they're actually quite good. Was thinking about getting some for the garden and maybe some as gifts as they also have a tea light bracket.

I didn't spend too much time looking around as I needed to find a charger for the ASUS tablet.

As I exited the market I was taken a bit by surprise by the sleighs pulled by the reindeer.

I eventually found the ASUS charger in a shop called Spaceworld close to the Sentrum railway station. Go figure. Still if I hadn't got off at NT I'd have missed the market. It cost me £40 but they's the breaks.

Had a lunch of pizza at Dolly's by the XXL outdoor store.

Made my way back towards the National Theatre for the market.

They have frozen an area just by the market for ice skating.

Looking at the crowds later on this is going to be quite popular. It does indeed seem like the Norwegians take the mid-winter festival quite seriously.

Apparently the market is going to open for the month of December from 10-20hrs each day. 

I will have to go into town in the evening during the week I think to see it with all the lights on.

There was a large tent which appeared to be from the Sami nation, which would explain the reindeer earlier. They were selling lots of reindeer products, knives, clothes etc. Skins for the floor are only £80. Might buy one as a rug for the bedroom.

I bought a few small items for Christmas presents. Managed to haggle a bit so promises good for buying larger items as well.

There were plenty of stalls offering foods and drinks. One of the biggest (no pun intended) was a stand selling Elk burgers. They have real road warning signs as advertising!

A few of the local cafes and hotels were handing out free hot drinks with pepper-cookies.

Despite a couple of very warming alcohol-free glu-wein, after about three hours it was time to head home, due to the cold starting to bite.

Got home and had after a buying spree at Ultra. A normal sized shopping bag cost me £50. Will have to make sure nothing is wasted and will go a long way by making large dishes which are divided for the freezer.

Had a fry up using some of the haul from Tuesday.

Checked my email as I am using the laptop tonight and found an email from one of the vessel superintendents saying he appreciated the work I was doing, as a reply to my first AMOS help email. Nice to be noticed in a good way. Unfortunately also found one from somebody else which put a damper on the whole thing.