hos Thea

After a very long day of museums, we had dinner at hos Thea. This was the #1 rated restaurant by TripAdvisor and it did not disappoint. You can order ala carte or choose the 4-course dinner for NOK545 or the 6-course option for NOK745. I didn't want the cheese or the dessert so I opted for 4 courses. 

hos Thea is an 18-minute walk from the Nobel Peace Center. Make reservations online: http://www.hosthea.no/en/reservations

Warm bread!

Vichyssoise with Lobster and Truffle. This was delicious and the lobster was cooked perfectly.

Seared Scallops on Cauliflower Puree. The was a huge portion and another delicious course.

Steamed Fresh White Asparagus with Roasted Pumpkin Seeds and Air-dried Parma Ham. It also had a hollandaise sauce that was great.

Deer Tenderloin with Celery Root Puree and Dark Berry Syrup. The deer was tender and not very gamey.

My sister didn't want the deer so they let her substitute a fish course--Turbot Fillet.

The dessert was Strawberry & Champagne Soup with Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream.

For those who didn't order the dessert, we got this platter instead. Mango Sorbet, Panna Cotta and Chocolate Brownie with Grated Kaffir Lime. This was better than the dessert on the menu.

Tipping in Norway is unclear. Tip is supposed to be included in the menu price but most guidebooks recommend adding 5-10% for good service.

We took Tram #13 back to the city center. The stop is less than a block from the restaurant.



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Nobel Peace Center

A 2-minute walk from the Radhus pier is the Nobel Peace Center. Admission is NOK100 or free with the Oslo Pass.

The museum has temporary and permanent exhibits that promote issues related to war, peace and conflict resolution. The Peace Prize laureates are presented on digital screens in the Nobel Field. You can run through the museum in 20 minutes or you can spend hours reading about the laureates.

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Ferry to Radhusplassen

The Oslo Pass also covers ferries. Right next to the Polarship Fram Museum is the ferry stop.

One-way rides are NOK40 or free with the Oslo Pass. The ferry is every 20 minutes and takes 20 minutes to reach the Radhus port.

Near the ferry stop is a gift from Canada. This is the emblem from the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

Also nearby was a sunken boat. Not a good thing to see right before you board a ferry.

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Maritime Museum

Right next door to the Polarship Fram Museum is the Maritime Museum. Admission is NOK100 or free with the Oslo Pass. Since we had the Oslo Pass, we popped in for a visit.

The museum has exhibits on ship building, shipping, fishing and marine archaeology. There is a panorama film about the Norwegian coast, which is screened every half hour. There were few visitors in the museum and I could see why after a quick run through. The museum and the film were boring.



2016 05 16

Thursday Night Dinner

Here's this week's Thursday Night Dinner at Flavor Bistro. Still $24.95 for 4 courses with wine pairing.

Bruschetta Con Mélone--Topped with Formaggio Bianco, Prosciutto Di Parma, Arugula, Sweet Melon & Mint, paired with 2014 Bonny Doon Vineyard The Heart Has Its Rieslings, Central Coast. I'm allergic to melon so I was served pears instead of melon. This was delicious!

Quaglia Arrosto--Pan Roasted Quail, Grilled Endive, Fingerling Potatoes, Sugo D'Ciliegia E Timo, paired with 2014 Li Veli Pimonero Negroamaro Salento I.G.T., Italy. This was the first time we had cherry sauce with quail. The sauce was delicious and you could easily pay $24.95 for just this dish alone.

Brasato Di Maiale--Country Style Slow Cooked Pork Garnished with Creamy Fontina Polenta & Peperonata Flavored with Smoked Bacon Topped with Herb Pesto, paired with 2013 Easton Wines Zinfandel, Amador. The pork was fork-tender and so full of flavor. Just a tiny hint of citrus with this dish.

Crostata Di Pesca--"Peach Pie" Garnished with Toasted Almond Gremolata & Vanilla Mascarpone Cream, paired with 2015 Vietti Winery Moscato d'Asti, Cascinetta D.O.C.G., Italy

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Polarship Fram Museum

Next to the Kon Tiki Museum is the Polarship Fram Museum. This was voted best museum in Norway by TripAdvisor. There are extensive exhibits and you can easily spend 2-3 hours here.

Admission is NOK100 or free with the Oslo Pass. Start your visit with a 10-minute video on polar history. Put on the headphones and turn the knob to your desired language.

The Fram is the strongest wooden ship ever built and holds the record for sailing the furthest north and furthest south.  It was specifically built for polar research. Nansen used it from 1893-1896 and came close to reaching the North Pole. Sverdrup used it from 1898-1902 to explore the Canadian Arctic archipelago. Amundsen used it from 1910-1912 to reach the South Pole. 

You can board the ship and tour the interior. Don't miss the Northern Lights exhibit from the deck of the Fram every 20 minutes.

There is a polar simulator in the museum where you can walk through a recreation of life in the cold sailings. 

The museum also displays the Gjoa The Gjoa was the first ship to navigate the entire Northwest Passage. This was done by Amundsen and 6 companions in 1903-1906.

2016 05 16

Kon Tiki Museum

A 16-minute walk from the Viking Ship Museum is the Kon Tiki Museum. 

Admission is NOK95, free with the Oslo Pass. Plan on an hour to visit the museum.

In 1947, Thor Heyerdahl crossed the Pacific Ocean on the balsa wood raft Kon-Tiki. He wanted to prove that South Americans may have settled Polynesia in pre-Columbian times. Heyerdahl and 5 companions sailed from Peru to Raroia in the Tuamotu Islands in 101 days.

Ra II raft built of papyrus. This was sailed by Thor and 6 companions from Morocco to Barbados. 

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