Christmas in Norway. What to do on Christmas here

Christmas time is here so I decided to give a little info what can you do/see/taste here on Christmas. 
As Norway is big on wintersports even without the permanent snow  there are a lot of places with fake snow where you can go skying near Oslo or take a trip to Geilo or Beitostølen where there are mountains for the real deal. If you're into iceskating then there are several places to go.  In te city center here in Oslo there is a free skating place, that is if you have your own skates but you can rent them and the price is not that expensive. 

Besides sports you can enjoy many Christmas markets not only to shop but also taste some local food and bavarages.
Speaking about Norwegian Christmas food -there are many different ways and places you can try the local Christmas food. I've asked Norwegians to tell me about their number 1 Christmas food and the answer always was Pinnekjøtt-a traditional dish made out of  smoked and dried  lamb meat mostly typical to Western and Northern Norway but gaining it's popularity through out the country. You can get it at any local grocery store or some of the local restaurants. This is usually served with traditional mandelpoteter- a type of boiled potatoes and kålrabistappe- mashed swede puree.  

Besides that pork ribs are also a traditional Christmas food.  Besides that there is the tradititonal  Lutefisk -fermented fish. This is something more traditional to Sweden and I can't say I've heard a lot of Norwegians actually eat this but this is also available in any grocery store. Now on to the drinks. In Norway I was surprised to find out that  Glühwein is not that popular and not really available in stores here but Norway has a variety of Christmas beers which are actually  quite good. Of course that depends on your taste but as I am from Latvia and we favour darker ale type beers these are pretty nice.  There is also the tradititonal Glögg which is a warm alcoholic or non alcoholic beverage -it comes in different variations . This is usually made  out of mulled wine and coniac or brandy ,heated up with honey and some fruits. All the spices are available in the grocery store as well.
The tradition in Bergen is to make a Gingerbread city  so you can also check that out. Bergen is a gorgeous place to be at Christmas.

There are also many concert and charity events you can attend and just enjoy the atmosphere here.
If you ask me what to do on Christmas in Norway here is what I would say- rent a cabin in the more mountainess area , get some food and stuff , get a Christmas tree and spend the time there. Offline. Just you and your friends  and family and I guarantee you will have the best time ever

Hidden jams of Oslo -Ekebergpark

View from Ekeberg.

Located close to the Bar-code buildings thee 200 m high Ekeberg hill offers some pretty great views  as well as great examples of modern day art. Yet sometimes it feels like this park is overlooked by tourists, though locals seem to enjoy it as a nice recreational spot.
The park it self is about two km walk from Bjørvik. You can get to the park by bus number 70 or  with the 18th tram line.
This is a nice place to enjoy a walk any time but I'd recommend it at the sunset because that is when the view is most fantastic. Besides modern day art there is an ancient cemetery from bronze age , not yet excavated so you can see the historic stone fence going trough the park, looking  something otu of an enchanted forest.
I strongly suggest visiting this place just for the nice views and interesting art work it has to offer.
You can read more about the artwork here :http://ekebergparken.com/nb

                                                  

Oslo -the vibrant capital of Norway

Oslo is the capital of Norway and the biggest city as well as urban area with its suburbs in Norway as well.This is a truly vibrant city with its modern architecture with the feel of the old world, which makes it a pearl of the northern Europe.
Oslo has grown significantly during the last decade. For me that is the most special part of Oslo. It is a modern city and it proves that modern jams of architecture can be just as interesting as the old ones. This is not to say that the older parts of this city are not engaging, Oslo has many different flavors to offer. It would be a crime to describe all of it in only one post so I will dissect it part by part in a series of different articles-where to go ,the hidden jams of the city, best routes through out the city and near it.