Tollen på roser fjernes / No tax on import of roses

Oslo is covered in roses after the horrible events 22 July. I just read that the Nowegian Agricultural Authorities have issued a tax exemption (tollfritak?) which means that there is no tax on the import of roses from 26 July to 2 August. This is to cater for the extreme need for roses in our beautiful country. On Monday around 200.000 people were gathered in Oslo taking part in what was supposed to be a torch light parade, but ended up as a beautiful and emotional rose ceremony.  Click here if you want to see pictures of Oslo, aka the city of roses. And click here if you want to see my friend Kristin's beautiful pictures of Oslo.

22 July 2011

"We must never give up our values. 
We must show that our open society can pass this test too.
That the answer to violence is even more democracy.
Even more humanity.
But never naivity.
That is something we owe the victims and their families."

Jens Stoltenberg, Norway's Prime Minister, 22 July 2011

 Youngstorget, Oslo, 25 July 2011

Things I like in Norway

I have been in Norway a whole week now, and these are some of the things I appreciate a lot here in my beautiful country up north.

• Family and friends are very close (some closer than others), and I have even bumped into some lovely people while walking down the street. (You know who you are! :)   )
• Tap water (yeah!)
• Fresh air -- a different kind of freshness than in Marbella
• The constant "buy 3 for 2" offer at Ark
• A well functioning and reliable public transport system
• The light. The beautiful light.
• The food. It's different. (And expensive.)
• All the service-minded Swedish people working at 7-11 etc.

I was surprised to pay 109NOK (13,91Euro) for a glass of white wine downtown in Oslo tonight.  But it was worth it. And the company was fantastic!

June

*The blog is working again. How bizarre! I have already posted all of this on facebook, so this is for all of you friends who are not on facebook.*

June was a great month! Lots of stress, but also lots of fun! I don't take that many pictures anymore, because life in Spain has become quite "normal" now, and I have already got lots of pictures of things I was veeeeery excited about a year ago. So in June I decided to take a lot of pictures again, like a little documentary of my last month here before the summer holidays. Enjoy! :)

IB Workshop in Birmingham, England

  Hungry teachers on their way to lunch.

 My English B group. Our workshop was in a Spanish teacher's classroom. Felt like home.

Melilla. The first time I've been on the African continent.

 Melilla Old Town.

Córdoba with Year 8. 

Forty students, five teachers, and a bus driver. Four days. 

 

 Who is the strongest?

 Lovely ladies! A great team!

 Girls just wanna have fun! And so do teachers:)

 The Medina. A truly archeological site.

 Louise and the legend Luis the guide.

 Yes! We found some shade!

 I was moved to the honeymoon suite because the air condition in my room didn't work

 The whole crew, including Manólo the bus driver. 

Marbella. The Swingers.

Yes, this group is called the Swingers, and I'm now officially part of it. It's a vocal group that I'm looking forward to singing swinging songs with:)

 This is how a group of German and Danish people look while singing a song in Swedish...

After the concert. Ute and Sabine.

Monika and me in Parque Alaméda. I love these benches and I have hundreds of photos from these benches.

 Die Deutche Mädchen; Monika, Marianne and Christine

Heaven Beach Club. Estepona. 

Susan and Marcel's Beach Party.

 Susan and Marcel

 Gyda.

 Sardinas

 Heaven

 The paella

 The flamenco dancers

 The beach club

 Flamenco dancers.

 Susan and me.