Tønsberg

Trip Start Jun 26, 2007
1
6
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Trip End Ongoing


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Thursday, June 28, 2007

Left Stavern later than anticipated after having a fight with the tent and packing my bag. Why do things always come out easily but you can never get everything back in. Solution tie my smeller wet trainers on to the side of the rucksack. 1 day of trekking and they really do smell. 

Anyway arrived in Tønsberg just after mid-day in glorious sunshine. Tønsberg is reported to be the oldest town in Norway built in the 9th century with its medieval fortress built on top of a 63 metre high hill. But personally i felt it is the most modern town i have visited so far in Norway, with the appearance of the first internet cafe and traffic lights. Then again there is alot more traffic in Tønsberg!

Firstly visited the Vestfold County Musuem although it appear interesting everything is in Norwegian apart from section on Tønsberg whaling history and the viking boat shed A skeleton of a sperm whale
A skeleton of a sperm whale
 . Would highly recommend the whaling musuem with skeletons of whales (including a 23 m long Blue Whale skeleton which is reported to be the largest whale skeleton on display in the world) and some less appealing but still interesting Whale foetuses but there is some explaination in english.
I then made the walk up to the ruins of Tønsberg castle caused by the Nordic War against Sweden, but the 17m high Slottsfjellstårnet tower built after the war within the castle ground provides a good view of Tønsberg and the Oslofjord. Then the torrential rain came and the day trip to Tønsberg was abandoned for the next train to Oslo.

Interesting fact for all you pub quizzers. The sanitory towel was invented here as well as alot of equipment associated with whaling and on that note i will end this blog here.
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