Today, I’m joining the 100 cities to homeswap before you die-initiative and I’ll let you in on how to spend a perfect day in Oslo. (For more information on the project, click on the link at the end of the article.) It’s not easy. That’s not because there’s a shortage of things to enjoy, quite [...]
Winter family fun in Oslo
Want to get the kids away from the screens and out in the fresh air? Here are a few tips for some family-fun in the snow in the Norwegian capital. Nature is all around you here: the Oslo fjord and its islands, forests, lakes and parks – and the locals enthusiastically enjoy it all. Perhaps [...]
River Music and Water Spirits
While the girls and I are exploring our friendly neighbour Scotland, Sophie’s World is staying at home. This week’s travel photo is from our homebase in the cool river city Drammen (Norway). The River Harp The large pedestrian bridge Ypsilon is a Drammen landmark. Next to Ypsilon is the River Harp, a sound sculpture comprising [...]
The streets of Oslo are filled with love
A month ago, the worst tragedy since World War II hit Norway. A mad man set off a bomb near the Prime Minister’s office, killing 8. He then travelled to Utøya and murdered 69 more. This afternoon, the victims were honoured in a national memorial ceremony. Each name was read out loud, their faces on [...]
17 May – Hip hip hooray!
For a secular country, Norway observes many religious holidays (and by “observe”, I mean get days off work). Spring is full of holidays – religious and otherwise, including 1 May (international labour day), Ascension Day and Whit Monday. But the most important of all is 17 May. Bigger than Christmas, New Year and your birthday, [...]
Oslo, the open-minded city
A quick detour to Oslo today, dear readers. I’m taking a break from the Middle East for a bit to do a post closer to home for the cool World Reviewer. No worries, I’ll return to the exciting Arabian world shortly, with posts on Egypt, Oman, Bahrain and Kuwait. And maybe Qatar. But for now, [...]
Oslo On the House – 10 great free Oslo attractions
With the Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony coming up this weekend, Oslo is the obvious choice for this chapter in Magic of Cities. The focus will be free travel. That’s right: low-budget, or rather no-budget, free Oslo attractions. Norway is not exactly famous for being a budget destination, so you might be surprised how much is [...]
Blog carnival: Your favourite place on earth
It’s my great pleasure to host the 10th Lonely Planet Blogsherpa Carnival. For this edition, I asked my fellow bloggers: Which is your favourite place on earth? Is it a country, a city, a village, a beach, a hut, a mountain, a hotel? Do you return all the time – or do you dream of [...]
Welcome! I'm Sophie - writer, dreamer, negotiator, wanderer, mum - in search of the world's curious places. Mostly with my daughters, sometimes solo. The girls share their take on it, too.
As seen in
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Pets, pools and pennies at the Hemingway House, Key West -
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe – the real Narnia -
Atlantic Canada: Lively Lunenburg -
Canada Road Trip: Vancouver to Calgary, the Scenic Route -
Cape Byron Lighthouse
