Norwegian Experience Trip Day 9

Thursday was a day for Marcia and her companions to explore more of Oslo on their own. The first oder of the day was to visit Akershus Castle, the location of numerous historical events. It's image has become so intrinsically bound to Norwegian identity that a portion of the fortress was even replicated in the Norway pavilion at Epcot Center.

After that, it was time to visit the Norsk Folkemuseum (Norwegian Museum of Cultural History). Established in 1894, this large open-air museum is the site of 155 buildings, which have been relocated from different areas of Norway. Probably the most significant of which being the Gol Stave Church. Built around 1212, the church was relocated to the Norsk Folkemuseum in 1880 at the behest of the Norwegian Society for the Preservation of Ancient Monuments.

Marcia had this to say about the museum, "The Gol church was so breath-taking! the carvings were so intricate and gorgeous! I think my favorite part, though, was the folk dancers. They put on a show every hour and we were able to see a couple of their performances."

After that, Marcia and her family spent the evening dining at the Hard Rock Cafe in Oslo. According to Marcia, "this was some of the first 'Americanized' food we'd had the entire trip. We really tried to eat mostly traditional Norwegian food, which has been so delicious! But, I will admit it was nice to have some fajitas and ice cream as a little treat."

Make sure to check back over the weekend to hear about Marcia's last full day in Norway and her trip to the Hadeland Glassworks.