A Humane Turtle

Last Wednesday, a friend and I went on a bike trip after work. Oslo is awesome that way: leaving town after 6pm you can still have an amazing time out in the nature. I took a few pictures with my phone, which I think produces OK-quality images (I didn’t do any post-processing).

Our destination was a hut called Skjennungstua, about 5km air-line distance from town into Nordmarka. On the way up to our destination, we had a remarkable view down to a lake called Skjersjøen, but I didn’t take a picture from there. I took our first pictures when we reached Skjennungstua.

We were the only people there, it must have been too late for other people. We did see others on the roads though.

Then we took a little detour to a “secret” cloudberry place.  Cloudberries are rare in Norway (not so much in Finland, it seems, where it is featured on the 2€ coin), so it is usually hard to even find a few.

Here’s one cloudberry in all its glory.

We did find a handfull of them.

And I enjoyed walking barefoot though the swamp. Not sure that was a very good idea (you never know what kinds of animals you could step onto), but it was big fun, and everything went fine.

On the way back, we went past the Tryvann lakes, and the reflection of the clouds there was incredibly beautiful; so peaceful and quiet.

After we reached Frognerseteren (the last metro stop, where Oslo city meets Nordmarka), we took another little detour to have a nicer view of the sunset over Oslo. It was totally worth it. This shot, towards Oslo and Oslo Fjord, reminds me of Greece for some reason.

Looking toward lake ‘Bogstadsvannet’.

There was also a statue of a very proud-looking man. Turns out it is Hans H. Krag, Director of Road Construction.

Jens Stoltenberg,  Norwegian’s Prime Minitster, in an Interview with the CNN:

I think it’s too early to say how this will change the Norwegian society. But I hope that we will be able to maintain some of the most important things we see in the Norwegian society: that we are  an open society, that we are a democratic society, and that Norway is a society where we have a very close relationship between politicians and the people. And also that Norway is a country where young people can be active in political youth movements/organizations without being afraid; where they have the right to have controversial opinions without being afraid; and that we will maintain our ability to be an open and free and democratic society. So at least I will do what I can do for succeeding in that task.

Jens Stoltenberg giving a moving speech (transcript from a Telegraph article) at an Oslo memoral service:

Amid the tragedy I am proud to live in a country that has managed to stand firm. I am impressed over how much dignity, care and strength we have. We are a small country, but we are a proud people. We are still shaken, but we will never give up our values. Our answer is more democracy and openness, never naivety. Nobody has said it better than the girl from the AUF [the youth Labor party] that was interviewed by the CNN: “If one man can show so much hatred, imagine how much love we can all show together.”

Mayor of Oslo, Fabian Stang, when asked whether Oslo needs greater security:

 I don’t think security can solve problems. We need to teach greater respect.

I feel proud to live in Norway, where inconceivable cruelty is met by a pledge for freedom and democracy, and love for each other.