Captain Poprocks' Trip to Oslo

Hi there!

2017 being the year of the anniversary of the Reformation meant that Germans got an extra public holiday on the 31st of October. As I live in a state which also has a public holiday at the 1st of November, I was in the lucky position to get a 5 day weekend with just one vacation day used. As I have very little vacation days left over for this year (... after all we spent four weeks in Australia earlier this year), this was a very lucky coincidence. In late summer, my mum and my sister suggested that we spent the time together on a holiday and found a mini-cruise from Kiel (Germany) to Oslo (Norway) with two nights spent on board and one night in a hotel in Oslo. 

As you might guess, Captain Poprocks insisted on coming. He was very cross with me anyway because I didn't take him on an adventure since August (gasp!) and thus I was very relieved to finally be able to offer him another trip...

We began our short trip in Kiel which is a sea town in North Germany. There was a huge storm coming and we surely felt the wind when we left the harbor! The wind was so strong that I could lean against it. The Captain had to stay in my handbag most of the time (he was not happy!) but he got to try the life belt... It stayed really windy but fortunately that didn't result into much unsteadiness (I get seasick sometime). 

We had a lovely cabin with a porthole and an really great dinner buffet with all kinds of scandinavian food. Best was the dessert part though - really yummy creme brûlée and creme catalana (two of my favorite dishes ever! I can make creme brûlée but I haven't yet mastered creme catalana. Does any of you have a good recipe by any chance?).

Due to the summer time ending we got an extra hour of sleep and when we got up, the ship just started to pull into the Oslofjorden. What an amazing view! After breakfast we spent all the time outside just watching the sunset and the stunning landscape! I had been to Norway before but never on this route. 

After checking into our hotel in Oslo, we went all tourist-y. We walked everywhere and man, by the end of the day my feet hurt. 

The Captain was lucky enough not to have to walk himself... We were incredible lucky with the weather. It was cold (as expected in Norway) but sunny all the time! The Captain missed his poncho though. 

So at some point he tried to hide in a gun barrel (it wasn't much warmer though. Sighs. The little trouble maker!).

The hotel was really, really good - in fact, my husband and I agree that we never had such a good breakfast in a hotel (and we have seen quite a few). The Captain made new friends right away...

I am really fond of Oslo! It has just the right size for a city, is located at the sea and a stunning landscape, has wonderful food shops and there are very few cars in the city (and if there are lots of them are electronic cars, so it is really quite!). 

In the end we wished we had booked and extra night but oh well, I guess that just means we have to come back! I am sure the Captain agrees... 

Take care

Anne (and Captain Poprocks)