11/16/2005
Oslo, Munich, and Brussels
Since my last post we've had a few experiences. Monday was busy with trainings all day long. We left the office around 5:30pm and ran to a few stores to buy some last minute souvenirs only to find most of them closed. The wind was very cold in Oslo. I was freezing most of the time. I think the highs were in the low 40s and everyone in the office kept commenting on how nice and warm it is. Crazy. I'm glad I wasn't there for the normal weather. That night some of the staff took us out to dinner. I ate a typical dish that is eaten traditionally at Christmas time. It is called Pinnekjøtt (peenachoot). It is "Dry Salted Lamb Rib". So it tastes a lot like a ham, but with lamb rib instead of pork. It was not bad. I had hoped to try another common Nordic food, Reigndeer, but they didn't offer it at that restaurant.
Tuesday was an adventure. Our flight was scheduled to leave at 7:45 am. So we had to get up around 4:45 am to get ready and catch the train by 5:50. We got to the airport around 6:40 and when we got there to check in we found out the flight was canceled! So we stood at the counter for about 30 minutes while they tries to figure out how to get us to Brussels, Belgium. At one point she hangs up the phone and says, "OK, I think we've got it, and you're going to get to do some sight seeing. We're going to fly you to Amsterdam and then you'll take a bus to Brussels." (WHAT??!!) I explained that we had meetings starting at 1pm. So back to the phone. Finally she found us a flight that would take us to Munich, Germany and from there to Brussels. We'd arrive at 12:35 and with luck we could make it to the office around 1. Well we got to Munich and to our surprise the flight to Brussels was delayed and would not be departing until 12:45. So we finally ended up in Brussels around 3pm (we should have arrived about 9:40am). We went straight to the office with enough time for only one training.
Today we went to the office around 8 am. We had a ton of trainings all day long. At 5 pm we wrapped it up and took a taxi to downtown Brussels to a place called "Grand Place". Laura and I had visited this place on our last trip so I knew it would meet our tourist needs. We were able to buy several gifts and souvenirs and finally ended up on the "Rue Des Bouchers"(Butcher's Street) Here's a picture when Laura and I were there earlier this year. The place is lined with restaurants serving the same thing. So outside each one they have waiters and Hoststryingg to get you to come in. They offer you free beer and alcohol, tables by the fire, tables with a view, etc. It is worse that walking through the county fair with everyone yelling at you to play their games. Well we finally ended up at a restaurant recommended by one of the tourist guide books. We enjoyed an appetizer of mussels, and then I had some rabbit stew, and finished it off with a creme brulée. A very good meal.
Well we're off to Frankfurt Germany tomorrow afternoon and then back home Saturday morning. -Au revoir
Tuesday was an adventure. Our flight was scheduled to leave at 7:45 am. So we had to get up around 4:45 am to get ready and catch the train by 5:50. We got to the airport around 6:40 and when we got there to check in we found out the flight was canceled! So we stood at the counter for about 30 minutes while they tries to figure out how to get us to Brussels, Belgium. At one point she hangs up the phone and says, "OK, I think we've got it, and you're going to get to do some sight seeing. We're going to fly you to Amsterdam and then you'll take a bus to Brussels." (WHAT??!!) I explained that we had meetings starting at 1pm. So back to the phone. Finally she found us a flight that would take us to Munich, Germany and from there to Brussels. We'd arrive at 12:35 and with luck we could make it to the office around 1. Well we got to Munich and to our surprise the flight to Brussels was delayed and would not be departing until 12:45. So we finally ended up in Brussels around 3pm (we should have arrived about 9:40am). We went straight to the office with enough time for only one training.
Today we went to the office around 8 am. We had a ton of trainings all day long. At 5 pm we wrapped it up and took a taxi to downtown Brussels to a place called "Grand Place". Laura and I had visited this place on our last trip so I knew it would meet our tourist needs. We were able to buy several gifts and souvenirs and finally ended up on the "Rue Des Bouchers"(Butcher's Street) Here's a picture when Laura and I were there earlier this year. The place is lined with restaurants serving the same thing. So outside each one they have waiters and Hoststryingg to get you to come in. They offer you free beer and alcohol, tables by the fire, tables with a view, etc. It is worse that walking through the county fair with everyone yelling at you to play their games. Well we finally ended up at a restaurant recommended by one of the tourist guide books. We enjoyed an appetizer of mussels, and then I had some rabbit stew, and finished it off with a creme brulée. A very good meal.
Well we're off to Frankfurt Germany tomorrow afternoon and then back home Saturday morning. -Au revoir
# posted by Jared @ 10:45 PM 
