Oslo ~Cruise Stop #9 ~ The End of the Baltic Sea Cruise

 The cruise ship docked around 7 AM. By 8 AM we were off the ship and looking for transportation to take us to the hotel so we could spend the day exploring our final city on this trip. Half of the ship's cruisers had the very same idea, so finding a taxi or Uber was impossible, as neither could enter the shipyard to pick up passengers. We never did learn why taxis could not enter that area. So we began to walk as OFD said the hotel was about a mile away. We began the UPHILL trek tugging/pulling our rolling suitcases on narrow, cobbled sidewalks. No breakfast. No coffee. Did I mention we had to go uphill? After what felt like hours, we did arrive at the hotel to leave our luggage and find a recommended eating place. 

That was our start to two days in Oslo, Norway.

Oslo Tree

The Oslo Tree is an art installation gifted to the people of Oslo by Canica AS, a company owned by Stein Erik Hagen.

The tree is 14 meters tall, 12 meters wide and weighs 27 tons altogether. 125 000

LEDs create a colourful, computerized display, tailored to the seasons. ~ signage at the tree

The geocache was located just outside the port's fence and near The Oslo Tree. The tree was so cool as it looked very much like a real tree.

These four black and whites were part of a mural on a building near the port area. The Route 66 sign and the bison were reminiscent of scenes from home.

Our lunch location was near the palace, so that was our destination for the afternoon. OFD headed off to explore other areas of the city.

one of the walking paths in the Palace Park

The Palace Park was opened by King Oscar I in 1847, two years before the Royal Palace was completed. Ever since then the Royal Family's park has been open to the public all year round, making it unique in Europe.*

The Palace Park was designed by the Palace architect H. D. F. Linstow in 1838 and was laid out between 1838 and 1860 by the first gardener at the Royal Palace, Martin Mortensen. Most of the trees in the park, originally numbering more than 2 000, were planted in 1842.

Early descriptions refer to the park as lush and abundant with flowers. Over the years the Palace Park has been steadily simplified to include fewer ponds and plants than previously.*

Today the park is characterised by large lawns and voluminous trees, although the number of trees has almost been halved as a result of old age and damage over time.*

 The Garden Section at the Royal Palace is now working to restore elements of the park's original diversity, with shrubs and flowers planted beneath the trees. The park is a cultural heritage site and is managed by the Palace gardeners in accordance with eco-friendly principles. * ~ signage in the park

The Royal Palace

Building activities commenced in 1824, and the foundation stone was laid by King Carl Johan on 1 October 1825. The Palace was officially taken into use on 26 July 1849 by King Oscar I.**

The Royal Palace is built in Neo-Classical style with a facade of stuccoed brick. The building has two wings and is three storeys high.**

The Royal Palace is owned by the state and placed at the disposal of the head of state. It is where the daily work of the monarchy is conducted and where the King and Queen live. It is where the King presides over the Council of State, grants audiences and holds official dinners. Foreign heads of state who visit Oslo stay at the Palace. Most of the members of the Royal Court have their workplace here.**

The Royal Palace is situated on a rise, the Bellevue, at one end of Oslo’s main thoroughfare, Karl Johans gate. The Royal Palace is one of the country’s most important buildings, and a concrete symbol of the course of Norwegian history since 1814.** ~ The Royal House of Norway

We were treated to a parade and some music while we explored the palace grounds.

Crown Princess Martha & Queen Maud

The Princess Ingrid Alexandra Sculpture Park

The Princess Ingrid Alexandra Sculpture Park was opened 19 May 2016 as part of the celebration of the King and Queen's 25th anniversary. 1 000 children from local kindergartens were also invited to the opening, as this is a sculpture park by - and for - children. Today the sculpture park consists of 12 sculptures - a result of a nationwide competition among 5th and 6th graders. ~ The Royal House of Norway

We spent most of the afternoon in the Palace Park to complete the geocaching Adventure Lab.

We celebrated our 55th wedding anniversary (June 6th) in Oslo. We celebrated with dinner at McDonalds for two reasons: it was raining hard and McDonalds was close to the hotel. 

the hotel in Oslo

the cool elevator door in teh hotel

Next: the last day in Oslo

Copenhagen ~ Cruise Stop #8

 I was trying to recall what we saw when we stopped in Copenhagen, and I had trouble remembering. The photos I took helped, but I am going to admit, after seeing all the buildings and history of the previous 10 days, I think my mind was a bit muddled by the time we got to Copenhagen. 

Our time in port was 6:30 AM to 2 PM. We may have gotten off the ship about 9 and had to be back around 1PM.

We chose to use the HOHO to get to the two places of interest. The HOHO takes about 90 minutes to make its rounds. 

Christiansborg Palace

Once home to kings and queens, Christiansborg Palace now houses the Danish Parliament, the Supreme Court, and the Ministry of State. ~ Visit Copenhagen

The palace is home to the three supreme powers: the executive power, the legislative power, and the judicial power. It is the only building in the world that houses all three of a country's branches of government.*

doors to the courtyard and front of the palace

guard-less guard house

The present building, the third with this name, is the last in a series of successive castles and palaces constructed on the same site since the erection of the first castle in 1167.*

Frederik X and Queen Mary of Denmark do not live in the palace, but use the palace for official purposes and state ceremonies.*

The third (and current) Christiansborg, was built from 1907 to 1928. During the digging work, they came across the ruins of Absalon's Castle and Copenhagen Castle. It was decided to make them publicly accessible, and the ruins under the current palace, and the historical exhibition opened to the public in 1924.*

A weather vane with two crowns was later added to the tower, and at 106 meters became the tallest tower in the city.*

* Wikipedia

unique steeple on Church of Our Savior

in a souvenir shop

sign that caught my attention

St. Albans Church

St. Alban's Church, locally often referred to simply as the English Church, is an Anglican church built from 1885 to 1887 for the benefit of the growing English congregation in the city. ~ Wikipedia

some of the monuments, fountains & statues we saw 

The Little Mermaid

Unveiled on 23 August 1913, 'The Little Mermaid' was a gift from Danish brewer Carl Jacobsen to the City of Copenhagen.

The sculpture is made of bronze and granite and was inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale about a mermaid who gives up everything to be united with a young, handsome prince on land. Every morning and evening she swims to the surface from the bottom of the sea and, perched on her rock in the water, she stares longingly towards the shore hoping to catch a glimpse of her beloved prince.

Carl Jacobsen fell in love with the character after watching a ballet performance based on the fairy tale at the Royal Danish Theatre. The brewer was so captivated by both the fairy tale and the ballet that he commissioned the sculptor Edvard Eriksen to create a sculpture of the mermaid. Eriksen's wife, Eline Eriksen, posed for the statue. ~ signage at The Little Mermaid

She was the second point of interest in Copenhagen. She was a very popular tourist stop!

geocaching virtual souvenirs

Ever since Stockholm, we had noticed the same name on many of the geocaches we found at each port city, leading us to believe there was a geocacher on the cruise. We messaged the cacher and made arrangements to meet for a drink on the ship. Meet Glenn from Colorado, who also knows Eric, a geocaching friend of ours, originally from Sioux Falls, but now living in CO.  The geocaching couple from CA (whom we met on the Panama Canal cruise in 2023) was also on the same ship, but we did not meet up with them on this cruise. Small world.

Next: Oslo

Berlin ~ Cruise Stop #6 ~ Berlin Cathedral

 The third and final "Must See in Berlin" on OFD's list was the Berlin Cathedral, which required another train ride and offered a glimpse of some magnificent nearby buildings.

sculptures along the bridge to Museum Island

Berlin Cathedral

Berlin Cathedral, also known as the Evangelical Supreme Parish and Collegiate Church, is a monumental German Protestant church and dynastic tomb at the Lustgarten on the Museum Island in central Berlin. ~ Wikipedia

The Berlin Cathedral was built during the reign of Kaiser Wilhelmina II during the years 1894 to 1905. A smaller baroque cathedral had previously stood on the same site.*

The Cathedral congregation has been in existence since 1608. The Cathedral includes three churches: the main church, the baptism and marriage chapel, and the memorial church (crypt).*

In May 1944 a firebomb hit the dome and damaged the building severely. The dome burned down and as it collapsed it destroyed a large part of the interior and the tombs.*

In the following years the damage was only provisionally repaired. In 1975 the rebuilding of the cathedral began in earnest. The memorial church was torn down. The baptism and marriage chapel was reopened in 1980.*

In 1993, after 18 years of construction work, the main church was rededicated. By 2002, the last of the reconstructed dome mosaics was revealed.*

The organ from the Wilhelm Sauer manufacturer is regarded as the largest and most important intact instrument with pneumatic action from the German Late Romantic Period.*

This organ, with its 7269 pipes, 113 stops, and four manuals, possesses an incredibly broad sound palette, so that it can create all kinds of musical shadings.*

The three windows in the altar area represent the birth, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. The oval windows contain angels representing faith, love and hope.

The altar, made of white marble and yellow onyx, is a creation of Friedrich August Stüler. Behind the white altar is The Apostles' Screen, by Karl Friedrich Schinkel, which is made of gilded bronze. The two ceremonial candle holders made of gilded iron were created by Karl Friedrich Schlinkel (as was the Apostles' Screen).*

The pulpit, on the far left, is made of carved oak following the sketch by Otto Raschdorff, the son of the Cathedral construction chief.*

* Information taken from the Berlin Dom pamphlet.

ceiling over the altar area

Ceremonial sarcophagus of Sophia Charlotte of Hanover

wife of  Friedrich I

(1668-1705)

by Andreas Schlüter

Golden ceremonial sarcophagus of Friedrich I of Prussia

(1657-1713)

by Andreas Schlüter

Altes Museum

OFD made a quick trip inside the museum while Hubby and I looked for a couple of geocaches in the Lustgarten, the park on Museum Island.

reconstructed Berlin Palace

Formerly known as the Royal Palace, it was the main residence of the Electors of Brandenburg, Kings of Prussia and German Emperors from 1443 to 1918. The original palace was destroyed in WWII. Completed in 2020, the palace now houses the Humboldt Forum museum. ~ Wikipedia

a copy of East Gate of the Great Stupa of Sanchi in India

at the Berlin Palace & Humbolt Forum

We boarded our private NCL train, along with other NCL tour groups who spent the day off the ship, for a two-hour ride (less train traffic on the tracks) back to the port city of Warnemunde. It was light enough at 9 PM to find and sign the geocache near the port for another German state souvenir. 

Next: Hamburg