Norsk Folkemuseum

As I said, the folk museum is amazing. They have brought original houses from all over the country here and set them up almost like little villages. They represent different areas of Norway. Some date back as far as the 1600s and some are as recent as the mid 1800s (older than our house here which I found fascinating). Some are exquisitely carved, although most are very modest inside. Many of them you can't actually go into (though that didn't stop Ella from trying each and every one) but the ones that you can offer such an amazing insight into what life was like back then for these Norwegian farmers.

Here is a typical inside. I wish I had taken more photos. In the corner was a fireplace (although some had them in the centre of the room with a hole in the ceiling) and there was always a long table with seating built into the wall around the edges. It was so spartan, so dark. I can only begin to imagine what winter was like in those houses.

But it was also decorative. With hearts carved into the wood work of the beds and chairs for example. When I was a child I had The Book of Gnomes, and going into these rooms was like being in that book. I think Ella probably learnt more about history (the history of people) by going into these houses than she will at school. They also have people in traditional costume that you can talk to to learn more about the periods and lifestyle, but Ella was very much into seeing what else there was.

she particularly liked picking the enormous dandelions.

They also have this Stav Church which they relocated here. It is stunning. I can't remember the date on it, but it is very early.

Inside it is standing room only. And it must have been so dark in there. But all around the walls and ceiling and on the posts are these wonderfully elaborate carvings very much in the traditional style like we'd just seen at the viking museum.

Truely beautiful.

I would recommend this place to anyone going to Norway. I would have loved to have stayed longer, but we were getting pretty exhausted by then and it was getting cold. In fact we were freezing on the ferry trip back.

I really wish I have had taken more photos, but I was constantly worried about my battery running out and I knew I had to save it for the Vigeland Parken.