Tag Archives: Travel

Day 7: Concert at the Cathedral




We were invited to lunch today at the home of Kari, the niece to Janet Rudd. It was a wonderful day and in the sparkling eyes of Kari, I recognized a woman who I could form a deep friendship with enough time. Our time was short, however, since both Kari and her husband had a work deadline hanging over their heads. So we had a wonderful lunch and shared stories and then it as time to leave. As we left, Sam and their 12 year old son, Knut were wanting to spend more time together, so Knut we invited Knut to join us for the day. We headed to the National Museum so that Sam could see Edvard Munch’s original painting of “The Scream”. Then, Knut gave us a tour of the opera house, where he had been in a production. We ended our time at a Christmas Concert at the Cathedral in which Kari had so generously gotten us tickets.

We were surprised when we arrived 30 minutes early for the concert and the main section of the cathedral was already full. The seating is in the shape of a cross and we ended up in the right hand side of the t. I positioned us as far to the left of our pew as possible in hopes that we would be able to see part of the choir. As the music started the choir came down the main aisle. A group broke off and came and sat behind us, another group was directly across from us, a group was on the alter and then a group we could not see at all were in the back of the Church. The sound was amazing. I felt the music enter and fill every cell of my being. My eyes closed, not because of exhaustion, but rather to more fully take in the beauty of it all. I have never felt so overcome by music as I was at this Christmas concert. I felt bathed, filled, blessed and renewed, ready to welcome the light of Christmas.

Day 6: Nobel Concert

Our plan today had been to go to out with Turid and arrive home in time for a good nap before the concert. We just could not resist a last meal with this woman who is so dear to us, so we arrived back to our room with barely enough time to change clothes and rush back to the T to go to the concert. As we were running, and slipping down the road to catch the T, Marta was being dropped off by their friend, Melissa, who graciously offered us a ride. We arrived at the Oslo Spectrum with plenty of time to spare.

The concert started at 8pm. All day, I had been reminding, Niko and Sam about how important it was that we rest before the concert. Each night we have been in bed by 8, unable to keep our eyes open. I was most worried about Sam sleeping through the concert. When we got there, however, it was me who could not, as much as I tried, keep my eyes open. I would force myself to listen and then the music would take me away and my eyes would close.

After a number of cat naps during the first half of the concert, I was able to stay awake for the 2nd half. The performances were amazing. But, none more so than the final performer of the evening, Berry Mainilow. He took command of the stage in a way no other performer was able. He owned the whole space, making it his own and drawing us in to his world.

And then the final song of the evening….All the performers joined together on stage to sing Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror”. Tears streamed down my face at the beauty and wonder of it all. This was the final moment of my Nobel Peace Prize experience. I was surrounded by several thousand people singing, “I’m looking at the man in the mirror. I’m asking him to make a change. If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make a change.” God, I am ready to change. Show me.

Day 6: Museums and Fairs

Turid, in her graciousness, met up with us again this morning and took us to the Folk Museum where they were having a holiday fair. There were hundreds of booths of Norwegian Artisans and their crafts. I could have spent the whole day there…Beautiful clothing made out of felted wool, the scent of Norwegian cakes filling the air , Horse drawn carriages clomping down the lane, white lights illuminating our path, children performing Norwegian Dance, Sam frolicking in the snow.

Sam was amazing. It is bitterly cold and yet he seemed insulated from it, lying in the snow, making snow angels, digging in the snow to make a tunnel, chipping away at the ice, making Frisbees out of the frozen, icy, top layer of snow. Not once did he complain, or ask to go inside. He was a child in his element.

Niko, patiently lived through the folk museum holiday fair, going inside to the museums as often as possible to warm his body and feed his mind. Looking at crafts is not one of his top 10things to do. So after many hours of indulging my interests, we moved on down the lane to indulge his at the Maritime and the Kon-Tiki Museums. Here he was in his element, reading every panel, digesting every bit of information, drinking it all in.

When the museums closed, we hopped on the bus and headed back into the city. Turid took us out to dinner to her favorite Japanese Restaurant. It was beautiful and warm. We drank Saki and enjoyed a delightful meal together. And then we parted, hugging this wonderful woman, who adopted us as her own and introduced us to Oslo.

Day 5: Nobel Peace Award

We were unable to get tickets to the Nobel ceremony. At first, this was disappointing and we held out hope that something would change. We then learned from the Anne, head librarian of the Norwegian Nobel Institute, that the reason that we were unable to get tickets was because Liu Xiaobo’s wife had sent out all call to their friends from around the world, asking them to gather as a force in Oslo for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony. So many responded that they were unable to give them all tickets. Many of his friends would have to watch the ceremony from monitors.

And so, we watched the Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony from the Nobel Peace Center, just across the street from where the ceremony was happening. We watched it on a giant screen in the gallery where the special exhibit on Liu Xiaobo was opening the next day. It was very inspiring to read his writings, to listen to past interviews of he and his wife, and to be in a room filled with Chinese people who were there to celebrate their countryman winning this prestigious award, in spite of their government’s anger.

Our seats were in the very first row. We watched the power of the empty chair, and listened to the speeches. As we sat in the warmth of the Peace Center, Niko, Sam and I tried to take it all in. However, the comfort and warmth of the building combined with our jet lag overtook us and each of us at different times, nodded off. I couldn’t believe it. Here we are at the climax of our trip, unable to stay awake! Isn’t that just like life? All I could think was, Thank God we did not get tickets. How embarrassing it would have been to fall asleep at such an important event!

Day 5: Nobel Peace Children’s Concert

First thing we did today was head into town to the outdoor Nobel Peace Prize Concert for Children, put on by Save the Children. This concert is put on the docks just outside the Nobel Institute. The weather continues to be very cold, so we along with hundreds of Norwegian school children were bundled up in layers of clothing, long underwear, boots, hats, scarves, mittens. It is so cold.

Children were the MC’s and there were a number of speeches, by children and adults. We could not understand any of the speeches as they were all in Norwegian. We could however, understand the music. A number of very popular teen idols were in attendance performing for these young people. What were these performers thinking? As we stood jumping and clapping on demand to the music. (a great way to keep warm) I was astonished by the repeated theme of the music, on the perils of falling in love. One song repeated the line, “I’m in love and I hate it, hate it, hate it. I’m in love and I hate it, hate it,” over and over again. Everytime they said the word love, they said the word hate 3 times…at a peace concert?

I was incredibly frustrated by the inconsistancy of messaging and the lost opportuntity to build on the theme of peace. Here these pop icons were with hndreds of school children on Nobel Peace Day. What an opportunity for them to inspire these young children, to build on their hopes for peace. Instead they were singing one song after another about sex and confusion and pain in relationships. UGH! Our young people desearve so much more. They deserve to be encouraged to believe in themselves, to be challenged to see beyond their small world, and to be inspired to move forward in their deepest dream for themselves, there communities and their world. These young pop artists missed an opporotunity to encourage peace in the hearts of these young people and to inspire peace in the world.

Day 4: Steinar Bryn, The Ski Jump

After picking us up at the train station, Steinar took us to the area where the 2004 Olympic ski jump competition took place. There is a building right next to the competition area that was built for the Olympics and it is now a high school. Students spend part of their day doing classwork and the rest of their day working on their ski jump skills. As we stood at the bottom of the hill, we watched these students fly through the air on their skis, perfecting their jumps and landings.

We got back in the car and Stienar took us up the mountain so that we were looking down at the ski jumps and out over the city of Lillehammer. As we stood looking out over the vast expanse, Steinar asked us if we were hikers. He then looked at our boots with excitement and told us, I will meet you at the bottom of the mountain. Take those steps and keep to the right. This is an exercise I do with my groups. I bring the 2 groups up here and then I have them walk down these steps together. See if you can feel the power of this experience as you, too, walk these steps!”

And so we began our descent. Amidst, snow and ice we gingerly walked down the very steep, steep metal steps. At times, all I could do was stare at my feet and the steps, being oh so careful not to slip. Then I would take a deep breath and look up and out at the beauty around me, then back to what was right in front of me, then out to what was all around me, then back to the narrow focus of my feet, then out taking in the wonder and beauty of it all. At times, fear would overtake me and my steps would become very small and my breath would quicken and nausea would flow through me. Then I would remind myself to breath, and I would look out over the beauty all around me and I would feel a great peace and the fear and nausea would dissipate. I couldn’t help but imagine what it would be like to take this trip with people I considered my enemies and to feel their fear and their awe right along side mine. My narrow focus on my feet and the steps, quickly became a metaphor for my own narrow focus during times of conflict. My focus can become so small and then fear and anger overtake me. When I take a breath and move my focus from my narrow perspective to take in the greater picture, only then can I find peace and clarity of mind.

Day 4: Stienar Bryn Part 1

Our Polar Express took us to the winter wonderland of Lillehammer. There we were greeted by a big bear of a man, named Steinar Bryn. When Niko asked Steinar how old he was, he replied that he was as old as Santa Claus. In fact, he looked like he could be Santa’s son…similar shape, same twinkling eyes and gentle spirit but with a jet black mane and beard. Steinar is the senior advisor of the Nansen Center for Peace and Dialogue. He has brought together hundreds of groups in conflict, mostly from the Baltic countries. He invites them to the retreat like setting of Lillehammer and then over a 3 week period creates a safe space for them to begin to dialogue with one another. Steinar is quick to distinguish between debate and dialogue.

Most often, the first few days are spent in anger, each side trying to convince the other that they are wrong. They are not looking for a win-win outcome to their discussions, but a win-lose.If they cannot win and have their enemy lose, then they would rather have an outcome that is lose-lose than allow their enemy to win in any way. They are looking for someone to tell them that what they did was right and what the other did was wrong. When challenged by his participants as to whether he would have done the same thing, Steinar compassionately responds, “If I were you, I would have done the same thing…if I were you.” This allows the other to relax, to feel heard, to be validated in their experience. The first days of the sessions are very heated, yet it is important that each person is able to get out their anguish, and anger and pain.

With little direction, they soon discover for themselves that debate will not change anything. Only then, does Steinar present options for true dialogue. Once they begin to listen, then they begin to discover that the other is not so different from themselves and they begin to own and change their misconceptions. Steinar related the story of 2 groups gathered. One group asked the other, “Why did you not help us last winter when they turned off our electricity and we had no heat and it was below 0 outside? Why didn’t you do something? How could you let us suffer like that? They were convinced that the electricity had been turned off to force them to relocate and to push their people out of the area. The other group looked at them in confusion and replied, “Didn’t you know that we did not have electricity either?” From their dialogue and with the help of the Nansen Center, they were able to discover that the reason the electricity was turned off was because an Irish company had purchased the utilities and had turned off the electricity of anyone who was not up to date on their bill. As it often happens, in the midst of war, there was a breakdown of the utility systems. During the system of restructuring, there was no process for paying their bill and therefor, everyone was behind on their bill when the new company took over. It was not an ethnic issue or an attempt to drive them out of the area. Suddenly their enemy was not to blame, but was a victim with them in the injustice and difficulty of the situation.

Day 4: Train to Lillehammer





Today we left Oslo and haded north for 2 hours on a train to Lillehammer. The ride was so beautiful: White for as far as the eye could see, trees flocked with snow, little villages dotting the landscape. It was breathtaking. At one point, we were looking out the window, taking it all in, when the train rounded a turn. Niko and Sam both exclaimed, “It’s just like the Polar Express!” Niko jumped up and ran to the next car. After a few minutes the door to our car opened and in danced NIko with steaming hot chocolate reinacting the hot chocolate dance from the Polar Express. I love that guy!

Day 2: A Gift For Sam


Sam has done an amazing job these last 2 days. Although I know this is an amazing opportunity for him, I am also aware ofhow much energy it tkes for an active 12 year old boy to hold it together while taking in all this information and spending the day with adults. So tonight, while he begged to go back to our room at the B & B and just sleep, we convinced him to make just one more stop with us. Please, Mom, can’t we just stop tomorrow?” “We are almost there, Sam. It won’t take long. We can leave soon after we get there if you’d like.” Reluctantly, he carried on. And then we came to a door marked the Oslo Reptile Park. Suddenly, all his exhaustion vanished and energy filled his being as he ran from exhibit to exhibit. Within 20 minutes they started their weekly feeding of the reptiles. OK so when they brought out the plastic container of dead mice, that is when I wanted to beg to go home. Instead, I found a cozy place in the corner to sit down and rest my eyes and be fed by the sound of Sam’s enthusiasm.