While in Oslo - go slow. . .

Hand woven willow tree-cuttings made into what else other than Mario's favorite psychadelic - psilocybin cubensis! (This was for the Oslo Botanic park's 200th year anniversary!)

A wonderful feature at the Botanic park was the on-site displays of Edvard Munch's artwork from the exact stand-point where he created certain paintings. He visited the park from childhood and started by sketching the landscapes and structures here.

 ***My favorite painting was not created during Munch's visits to the park: Old man and Little Boy (1920)

Even Oslo's municipal courthouse was well decorated with art - chilling and creepy however.

The rest of the city was similar with lovely placement of hard metal sculpture erections of characters like the goat-god Pan in central squares or parks. . . eh, suggestively erect.

 

MUSEUMS!!!

Metal Buddha's with Swazis:

 

 

The cultural museum had a booth made for smokers on the 3rd floor:

 *Clearly seen in the top section of this old 7 foot tall rune carvings is an alien "grey" from X-Files. Or its a Martian with a helmet riding the stars under his feet.

 Thor Heyerdahl's own Kon Tiki museum was splendin, but something to see firsthand. So, no pictures.

MILITARY clothing available at the local Pentagon fashion store:

 *Observations in archetecture*

 That's it folks. Goodbye Oslo.

Farewell Norway.

Adios Scandinavia

And Ciao for now. 

I will return.

. . . HOME

Stockholm

The city of 14 islands and endless cultural antiquities

And, a local welcoming choir!

Everything is easily accessible here. My feet took me anywhere i needed like these parks

But the waterway's ferry systems will do what your feet and metro cannot.

And further exploration reveals great nooks of strangeness and elegant hidden structures with intricate designs:

 (the public art is always creepily meaningful in regards to local lore and legen)

 

And naked infants being eaten my serpents or with masonic symbols are under every balcony or eave:

 But the esoteric aside, Stockholm is one well designed capital. The island-effect makes wandering a joy.

 

 

And the Grand Hotel Buddpest is here! 

(Hah, not really)

Sketchy Portraits . . .

When the Museums are closed for national holidays,

and the sun's not shining,

what better thing to do than draw a church, or boat, or THING whilst shivering your way to warmth!

(AN OLD PHONE BOOTH)

Öland (the island of quiet peace)

This little slice-of-the-historic-past island has a fascinating history. From a huge natural limestone deposit across its southern region, to megalithic runestones, to Danish conquest, and most recently - nothing.

The "nothing" part of recent history is why i like it here. Its quiet, and not made for tourism. Just poppy fields, oat fields, and lots of blue coastlines of the Baltic Sea with greenery to match it.

There are a few villages built within fortified limestone walls on Öland. 

It's like the great defenders of the White Walkers from Game of Thrones . . . try to go about your life, yet completely surrounded by giant walls and knowing the "others" (Danish) might attack any moment)

This tower and ruins was next to the little hostel i stay at.

 Staring contest between the Horse & A Hard Place. . .

GETTLINGE:

 The two megaliths that seemed like a gateway into this 2kilometer stretch of Nordic burial grounds.

Based on the layout - it seems like the megaliths were here long long ago (12,000 years, since looking farther in history ANYWHERE in the world reveals more advanced stone working skills), then second came the Sun-Ship on the left to mark solstices, equinoxes, and maybe more, then lastly came the burial grounds.

Now to prove how quaint this island is - look at the houses and the entryways . . .

A 10:15pm sunset.