This weeks PhotoFriday theme is “Pattern” and here is my entry, taken in the new Oslo Opera House last year. Can’t say I’m a big fan of opera, but the building was amazing!

One of the great things about Norway is that you’re never very far from the country-side. Even in Oslo you’re only twenty minutes on the t-bane from Nordmarka. I couldn’t find a picture of that that I was happy with, though, so I went for the above image taken overlooking Bergen (the fjord capital of Norway).

Please also vote for my entry in last weeks challenge, “Human Form.” I’m entry number 165.

I’m slightly cheating for this weeks PhotoFriday challenge, “Human Form.” This image is technically not human but it’s confused a few people in the past so I figure it qualifies.

(My main hesitation in using this picture is that I’ve used it twice before. But I like it so I’m sticking with it!)

Please also vote on my entry in last weeks challenge, “Suburbia.” I’m entry number 146.

I thought that this image was suitable for the “Monochrome” theme for a number of reasons. It was taken on black and white film (Ilford XP2) and, even on colour film it would have been pretty monochromatic. It was taken in Vigland Park, Oslo.

Please also vote for my entry in last weeks challenge, “Metal.” I’m entry number 27.

My entry for this weeks PhotoFriday challenge, “Shiny,” was taken at the changing of the guard ceremony in Stockholm. I was very impressed with their smart and shiny uniforms and astonished when they started playing the Indiana Jones theme music shortly afterwards.

I was confused by these signs. Surely “Ej upp” is a greeting? And if so, why is it in red with a “no entry” icon?

At the risk of detracting from what it supposed to be humour, some northern English dialect is actually descended from Scandinavia. Though whenever I see most of these comparison charts I don’t recognise half the words!

Swedish Roof

This is another image taken on my recent trip to Stockholm. I have a fascination for doors and windows, especially when they contrast with the sky. In Sweden we were lucky to have bright, blue skies most of the time (don’t get too jealous, it was below ten degrees mostly). Combine this with a polarising filter and the right time of day and you get this really neat contrast between the roof and the sky.

Swedish Windows

I had a similar idea with this photograph. The contrast isn’t quite as great but the roof has more detail so it still sort of works.

Swedish Spring

There are a few pictures that I took when I was in Stockholm that I didn’t include in that blog because they’re not really of Sweden even though that’s exactly where they were taken. This is the first of, well, a few. I think it nicely conjures up thoughts of spring and the coming of summer.

This is the third instalment in my late noughties Nordic tour. Last year I went to Denmark; in late 2006 I went to Iceland; and in April 2009 it was the turn of self-proclaimed capital of Scandinavia, Stockholm.

Stockholm is known with some justification as the Venice of the north. The city is spread out over a number of islands. Logically in the middle is Gamla Stan, the old town. To the south is Södermalm which is described in the guide book as the capitals hippest island. To the east of Gamla Stan is Skeppsholmen — home to a bunch of museums and gardens — and Djurgården — a large park. To the north is the modern part of town, Norrmalm. To the west is Kungsholmen and to the north east is Östermalm, a wealthy residential area with the shops and restaurants you might expect with such locals.

All the various districts have their own character and feel. The number, perhaps, makes it sound much bigger than it actually is. I spend most of the weekend on foot with only a couple of journeys on the seemingly extensive and efficient public transport system.

The last time I was here, back in 2002, I didn’t have time to do much more than Gamla Stan. This time I managed to branch out a little further.

I want to let the pictures tell most of the story but there are a couple of things that I want to mention that you can’t tell from those alone.

Firstly there was the changing of the guard. As you can see in the picture above, it was all pomp and ceremony. Lots of guards in silly uniforms and shiny hats marching around with the intention of swapping places¹. The usual. Where it veered from the normal was when the guards had swapped over and the band continued playing for the benefit of the tourists. I wasn’t, for example, expecting the Indiana Jones theme music. Seemed out of place in the cold, April air of the Swedish capital city.

Something else that all the Nordic countries seem to get right is that warm, cosy feeling in the cafes, bars and restaurants. Stockholm has managed to fend off the worst of the international coffee franchises and instead has a good number of local, independent alternatives.

Overall it was a great weekend in a lovely city. In fact the only complaint that I can really come up with about Sweden is, predictably, the cost. And coming from someone living in London that’s quite an achievement! Still, once my credit card has recovered it’s all positive.

1. One thing that I’ve never been able to figure out is whether guarding a royal palace is the job they give to successful soldiers as an easy reward for all their good work, or a job they give to soldiers that wouldn’t be any good at anything else. [↩]

Norwegian In Costume On Phone

I didn’t have an exact picture in mind for this weeks PhotoFriday, “Costume,” but I did have an event: on the Norwegian Constitution Day there’s a huge parade in most major cities, including the biggest which is in Oslo.

So I fired up iPhoto to see which was the best image to use and… they weren’t there. So I spent much of this afternoon finding my negatives and scanning the whole, missing roll of film in. I’d forgotten why I’d moved to digital!

Anyway, I liked this picture as it combines the traditional — the costume — and the modern — the mobile phone. I think the Nordic countries seem to manage this compromise between the two better than most countries.

Oh, and please vote for my entry in last weeks challenge, “Iconic.” I’m entry number 120.