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Mike Morris
John Hobday
Margit Karkela
Lynn Keillor
Alanna Simone Tyler
THE TRIP
April 22-23 - Days 1-2
April 24 - Day 3
April 25 - Day 4
April 26 - Day 5
April 27 - Day 6
April 28 - Day 7
April 29 - Day 8
April 30 - Day 9
May 1 - Day 10
May 2 - Day 11
May 3 - Day 12
May 4 - Day 13
May 5 - Day 14
May 6 - Day 15
May 7 - Day 16
May 8 - Day 17
May 9 - Day 18
May 10 - Day 19
May 11 - Day 20
May 12 - Day 21
May 13 - Day 22
May 14 - Day 23
May 15 - Day 24
May 16 - Day 25
May 17 - Day 26
May 18 - Day 27
May 19 - Day 28
May 20 - Day 29
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May 19, 2003
Oslo, Norway
By: John Hobday
Today was a really exciting day
for our group. I’ll keep the introductory commentary short and get right
down to business.
Holmenkollen Ski Museum
 Holmenkollen
is the site of the Holmenkollen Ski Jump, a very visible landmark in Oslo
prominently featured in the 1956 Winter Olympics. Next to the ski jump
itself is the Holmenkollen Ski Museum—a real treasure. I must admit that
I enjoyed our visit to the ski museum much more than I ever thought I
would. This had much to do with our guide (and the museum’s director),
Karin Berg. She gave us a very impassioned tour of the museum, the history
of skiing, and historical events involving skis. At one point, she had
us pick up and touch a ski used by Fridjof Nansen, the famous Norwegian
explorer, who crossed Greenland from one sea to the other in 46 days in
the year 1888. When she was done explaining the details and features of
the ski, she told us to imagine tonight when we went to bed what it must
have been like to make sure a journey at the turn of the last century.
Our tour included a hike to the top of the Hollenkollen Ski Jump as well
as a high-tech motion-ride experience for Margit! and John of actually
going off the jump as well as down a downhill ski course. Fog prevented
us from seeing the city, but the visit was much enjoyed by all. For additional
information, visit www.skiforeningen.no. (Photo above:
Karen Berg was our host at the Norwegian Ski Museum, shown here with the
skis that Ole Einar Bjørndalen used to win multiple gold medals in biathlon
at Salt Lake City in 2002.)
Vigelandsparken
 How
to describe Vigelandsparken? Well, it’s 212 sculptures in an 88-acre park
of naked men, women, children, teens, young adults, and elderly often
interacting with each other in some way. There is much more than just
naked statues, though. Vigelandsparken is an internationally known sculpture
garden in Oslo featuring the work of one of Norway’s greatest artists,
Adolf Gustav Vigeland (1869-1943). Because of continual financial difficulties
during his career, he promised all of his work to the city of Oslo in
1921 in return for a studio and financial support. Today his work can
be seen in Vigelandsparken sculpture garden. Encarta describes his sculptures
as ”highly emotional and dramatic [displaying] an extraordinary combination
of naturalism and tortured sensuality.” Some people describe his work
as intimate, others as violent, and still others as self-expressed. It
was interesting for me personally to not! e the wide of emotions in many
of the figure’s expressions—something I didn’t expect. If you are interested
in learning more, you can visit www.museumsnett.no/vigelandmuseet/eindex.htm.
(Photo above left: One of hundreds of sculptures at Frogner Park in
Oslo by famous sculptor Gustav Vigeland.)
Confederation of Norwegian Business
and Industry
Rasmus Falck was our host for an overview
meeting of the NHO, the Confederation of Norwegian Business and Industry
organization. This group represents 17,000 members of which 61% of the
businesses employ 10 people or fewer. The organization’s goal is to improve
the business climate in Norway. The NHO specializes in energy and natural
resources given Norway’s huge energy business sector. However, as energy
levels out, it’s the NHO’s goal to foster technology startups and spinoffs.
They lobby the government to institute innovative- and entrepreneurial-related
policies that will be good for Norwegian businesses. Mr. Falek stated
that, “What’s good for business is good for the country,” a statement
that nicely sums up his organization’s approach. For more information,
visit www.nho.no.
The Norwegian Nobel Institute
 Finally,
it was a pleasure and an honor to visit the Norwegian Nobel Institute
for an official tour. When you love your job, it shows. And certainly
today’s guides from all of the organizations have displayed this love
for what they do. Our guide at the Nobel Institute, Ms. Grete Haram, was
no different. She was informative and a pleasure to hear speak. In 1896
when Alfred Nobel died, he was one of the richest entrepreneurs in Europe
holding over 350 patents. It was learned shortly thereafter that he had
left the bulk of his estate for the establishment of “prizes to those
who, during the proceeding year, shall have conferred the greatest benefit
on mankind.” The prizes are given out in the areas of physics, chemistry,
medicine, literature, and peace. (Photo right: The Nobel Peace Prize
is awarded by the Nobel Institute located in Oslo.)
 Alfred
Nobel was Swedish and stipulated that all prizes be awarded by Swedish
committees except for the peace prize, which would be awarded by members
appoint! ed by the Norwegian parliament. There are theories why he stipulated
the peace prize this way, but no one is certain of the exact reasons.
And so, on the middle Friday of October, the Nobel Peace Prize Committee
makes the exciting and dramatic announcement of who (or whom) will receive
the peace prize. An organization or up to three individuals can be named
as the recipient(s). The winner(s) receive the equivalent of about $1
million dollars that can be spent without stipulation. (Photo above
left: The 2002 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to President Jimmy Carter.)
 All
the institute asks for in return is a letter from the recipient as well
as a small black and white photo. The prize is given at the Oslo City
Hall on December 10th of each year, the day Alfred Nobel died.
Additional information and a list of recipients can be found at www.nobel.no. I think it is fair to say that this
was the highlight for many of us today. It was personally one of the few
things I really wanted to see in Norway and will be one of my ! best memories
from the trip. (Photo above right: GSE team seated in the Nobel
Institute committee room, where the annual Peace Prize nominees are evaluated.)
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