Fredrikstad, Norway, First Home Exchange 2012
Why Fredrikstad? Certainly AlteCocker would have preferred a larger city or Oslo itself but Fredrikstad is what she got. With neighboring Sarpsborg, Fredrikstad is the fifth largest city in Norway with what is billed as the largest preserved fortress in Norway--called in Norwegian the "Gamlebyen". Since she had never been to Norway, anywhere was fine. It would be a new place to explore. She had a fine time in this town 1 hour and 7 minutes south of Oslo by train. Oslo was close enough that AlteCocker returned to do day trips after her one day there focused on the Opera House, but the area around Fredrikstad was interesting as well. AlteCocker took a boat to Stromstad, Sweden, visited a lot of Viking sites, visted the Roald Amundsen house, and cruised around some islands where Norwegians like to rough it in cabins for vacations (no cars allowed) during the long summer days when the sun hardly sets in the area called the Hvaler Coast. This piece will feature photos from Fredrikstad itself a day trip AlteCocker took to Skjaerhalden--a jump off point for the islands mentioned. It also features photos from Stromstad, Sweden. While she took the day trip to Stromstad for the cruise and just to look around, Norwegians often do serious shopping there because Sweden is cheaper than Norway.
She would return another day to take boats around the islands (and, typically for AlteCocker, fall asleep in one of the boats on the way back). That will be the subject of another piece.
If you go to the old fortress part of Fredrikstad, remember that the signs will say "Gamlebyen"--which is the word for "old town" in Norwegian. Further information about Fredrikstad can be found here. There is free parking by the fortress in a lot just before you enter but it can be absolutely packed on days when there is a market there. The market, AlteCocker found, was less than compelling.
She would return another day to take boats around the islands (and, typically for AlteCocker, fall asleep in one of the boats on the way back). That will be the subject of another piece.
If you go to the old fortress part of Fredrikstad, remember that the signs will say "Gamlebyen"--which is the word for "old town" in Norwegian. Further information about Fredrikstad can be found here. There is free parking by the fortress in a lot just before you enter but it can be absolutely packed on days when there is a market there. The market, AlteCocker found, was less than compelling.