Lindøya

Welcome to Lindøya East & West!

Lindøya from Oslofjord.

Lindøya is easily accessible by a 20 minutes ferry ride from Oslo harbor. There are two stops on the island, one on the east side and another on the west side. 

Photo-op by some of the island's many boats. 

The island is home to about 300 summer cottages, and has various recreational areas including a soccer field, swimming pool, and a miniature golf course.

Along the shoreline of Lindøya.

By autumn, fewer visitors arrive and most of the activities on the island are no longer operational for the season. 

Flora.

By the time I visited there were just a few boats still left in the water. Most had been taken up onto land, or were in the process of being transported ashore. 

Along the shore.

The island has lots of little coves and inlets along the shoreline. It was so quiet at the beaches, but I can only imagine how busy it must be in the summer when everyone is staying at their cottage or visiting the island for vacation.

On one of two small islands attached to Lindøya.

There are also two smaller (more like tiny) islands just off the coast, and connected to the main island via bridge.

Getting nectar.

I arrived mid-morning so it was a bit chilly, but a beautiful day. I was there for two hours exploring the island, but was happy to leave because the wind had picked up and a storm was moving in.

Rocky shoreline of the island.

Visiting the islands has really made me become more aware of the landscape. I am absolutely amazed by the geology and find it fascinating how plants, soil, etc., are able to survive and flourish in rocky landscapes. We certainly live on a unique planet; where life exists above a world of rock.

The different layers of the rocks making up the island. 

I always enjoy visiting the different islands and seeing how the rocks look, because each island has various types. Also, even on the same island each beach tends to have different shells and rocks dominating a particular area.

Near Lindøya west.

Lindøya was the last nearby island in Oslofjord that I needed to visit before winter arrives. There are some ferries going to other towns just outside of Oslo, but most of the boats going to islands further away are now closed for the season.

Plants emerging from the rocky landscape. 

It's really nice to visit the islands during autumn, because the weather is still very nice and the crowds aren't too bad. Additionally, you get to see all of the beautiful plants changing colors.

Looking back towards the bridge to the main island.

 Lindøya is a beautiful spot for an excursion and has several picnic areas around the island to enjoy a meal at. There is also a small amphitheater area in use during the summer months.

Multi-colored leaves in the nature preserve.

On the north side of the island there is also a nature preserve with a few trails to walk through. The nature preserve is a small forested area, but in some places you can also walk down to the shore.

View of Oslofjord from the island.

Lindøya translates to Linden Island, named for the Tilia cordata species of plant.

Paths of the nature preserve.

I enjoyed walking through the nature preserve, but it was a bit weird because some areas were blocked off because of a few summer cottages. I wonder if the cottages had been built there before the space was designated a nature preserve.

Many trees growing from a single stump.

On my walk I saw this crazy looking tree, that really was many trees twisting out from the base of one huge split tree. It reminded me a bit of the tree in the film, Sleepy Hollow, where the headless horseman emerges from to find his victims.  Rather a fitting image since it's almost Halloween. 

Beautiful autumn leaves.

Overall, I had a lovely time exploring the island and taking in the nature. For those looking to see both nature and summer cottages, Lindøya is a nice balance and very easy to navigate. Tusen takk!

The Eyeballer's Guide to Delicious Vegan Cakes

Homemade Vegan Chocolate + Cinnamon-Orange Cake Edition

Today, I brought homemade vegan chocolate cake to my classmates as a Halloween treat for cake Friday at uni. It was my first time using my oven (because I didn't have pans that fit inside it until recently), and I improvised all ingredient measurements. Needless to say I was worried how the cake would taste, but it turned out very good. Several classmates asked for the recipe, so here is a brief overview of the chocolate cake recipe, and also a vegan cinnamon-orange cake recipe I completely made up from scratch tonight. 

My measurement tools; cup, small spoon, large spoon.

Not only do I not own any measuring cups, but I've always been a kind of eyeball measurement person. As long as you try to be consistent with your 'measurement' mechanisms, it's totally fine to put a little bit of this or than and add ingredients things to taste.

Chocolate Cake ingredients. 

Vegan means that food is completely free of all animal products. So that means dairy-free margarine, coconut cream, no eggs, etc. It was my first time making a vegan cake, but it was actually very delicious and easy to do.

Chocolate cake batter. 

Vegan Chocolate Cake:

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar (sukker)
1 1/3 cup flour (siktet hvetemel)
1/3 cup cocoa (kakao)
1 small spoon baking soda (natron)
1/2 small spoon salt
1 small spoon vanilla extract
1 small spoon apple cider vinegar (epelcider eddik)
1 cup water (vann)
1/3 cup sunflower oil (solsikkeolje)

Instructions:
1. Combine all dry ingredients. (I just poured everything directly into my cake pan rather than getting another bowl dirty.  The pan doesn't need to be greased since oil will be added to it).
2. Mix dry ingredients with a fork to make sure the cocoa, flour, etc., is distributed evenly throughout.
3. Pour in the water, apple cider vinegar, and finally sunflower oil.
4. Mix ingredients until batter is nice and smooth.
5. Set oven to 175 Celsius and cook for 20 minutes (knife should come out clean from the center).
6. Let cake cool a minimum of 1 hour (I put my cake near the window so it would cool off quicker).

 Glaze ingredients. 

Chocolate Glaze:
1/2 cup sugar (sukker)
5 big spoons of margarine (melkfri smoeremyk)
3 big spoons cocoa (kakao)
1/2 small spoon cinnamon (kanel)
2 small spoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup coconut cream (normal from can, not light cream)

Instructions:
1. Pour only the whipped part of the coconut milk into a bowl (leave the clear liquid part in the can).
2. Add 1 small spoon of cocoa to the coconut milk and mix until the cocoa has been blended with the coconut milk.
3. Drizzle some of the coconut-chocolate mixture over the top of the cake (it's okay to put this on while the cake is still warm). Let the mixture coat and soak into the cake to keep it moist.
4. Next, in a pan combine sugar, margarine, cocoa, cinnamon, vanilla, and the rest of the coconut milk-cocoa mixture.
5. Continuously stir mixture and bring to a boil.
6. Boil for 2 mins, continuously stirring the entire time so nothing burns.
7. Reduce heat so it is simmering, and continue stirring for 5 minutes.
8. Immediately pour and spread over cake. Add any decorations now, because glaze dries quickly.

A scary looking chocolate cake for Halloween.

Since it was Halloween I wanted to give this cake a little bit of Halloween flare. Personally, I don't like fruit with my chocolate, but I wanted to try and make something natural without artificial colors, so I decided to candy some orange slices to give the look of pumpkins. The frosting dried so quickly that I didn't have time to really work on a layout, so "pumpkins" ended up all over the entire cake. I also used candied orange rinds to spell out "Boo."

Candied orange slices:

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar (sukker)
1.5 cup water (vann)
1 orange (appelsin) sliced thin

Instructions:
1. Combine sugar and water in a sauce pan.
2. Bring pan to a boil and stir sugar until it dissolves.
3. Add orange slices in a single layer and cook on high for about 20 mins.
4. Turn over slices and lower heat to simmer orange slices for another 20 mins.
5. Slices should be done when they start turning clear.
6. Remove slices from pan, place on drying rack, or on a plate to refrigerate.
7. Save excess orange syrup in a jar.

* Note: The candied oranges were pretty sweet to my taste, so not something I would personally like to eat plain. Save the syrup to use for the cinnamon-orange vegan cake, or for other delicious recipes.

Cinnamon-orange cake batter ready to go into the oven.

Vegan Cinnamon-Orange Cake:

Ingredients:
1 cup flour (siktet hvetemel)
3-4 slices of chopped candied oranges
1/2 small spoon baking soda (natron)
1/2 small spoon salt
3/4 cup water (vann)
1/4 cup orange syrup (from making candied oranges)
1 small spoon vanilla extract
1 small spoon apple cider vinegar (epelcider eddik)
1/4 cup sunflower oil (solsikkeolje)

Orange cake fresh out of the oven. 

Instructions:
1. Mix all dry ingredients inside an ungreased cake pan (using a separate bowl isn't necessary).
2. Chop up candied oranges, feel free to add as many slices as you would like (I put in about 3).
3. Add in all wet ingredients and stir batter so that everything is mixed evenly.
4. Set oven to 275 Celsius and cook for 20 minutes (knife should come out clean from the center).
5. Let cake cool minimum of 1 hour (I don't have any drying racks, so I put my cake near the window to let it cool off quicker).

Portion amounts for making the cinnamon frosting.

Cinnamon Glaze:
4 big spoons margarine (melkfri smoeremyk)
1/4 cup orange syrup (from candying orange slices)
1.5 big spoons cinnamon (kanel)
1 small spoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup coconut cream (normal from a can; not light)

Instructions:
1. In a pan combine all ingredients.
5. Continuously stir mixture and bring to a boil.
6. Boil for 2 mins, continuously stirring the entire time so nothing burns.
7. Reduce heat so mixture is simmering, and continue stirring for 5 minutes.
8. Immediately pour and spread over cake. Add any decorations now, because glaze will dry very quickly (the glaze will be fairly transparent and shinny as seen in the photo below).

Finished cake with the cinnamon glaze. 

I made this post as kind of an after thought so there aren't photos for every step. All recipes can be made according to personal taste preferences. I don't have any fancy equipment whatsoever, so these recipes are really simple to make.

Slice of the Cinnamon-Orange cake.

Remember, food doesn't have to be difficult to make, or look pretty to taste good! Happy cooking!

Gamle Oslo: exploring the old & the new

Ruins & Modern Sculptures

Ruins of St.Hallvard's Cathedral.

This afternoon I headed out to the district of Gamle Oslo, otherwise know as Old Oslo to take in the sights and stretch my legs. Gamle Oslo is located on the eastern side of Oslo, but also includes several islands in Oslofjord.

Ruins of St.Hallvard's Cathedral.  

St.Hallvard's was Oslo's first cathedral built in the early 1100s. The cathedral is named for Oslo's patron saint, St.Hallvard, who passed away in 1043.

Ruins of St.Hallvard's Cathedral.

Historically, the cathedral was used for royal weddings, burials, and as an important site of pilgrimage. For over 500 years St.Hallvard's was an important religious center for eastern Norway.

  

Ruins of St.Hallvard's Cathedral.  

The cathedral received larger additions over the years, but in 1639 was replaced by the Church of the Holy Trinity in Christiania Square. Following the arrival of the new church, the cathedral had a fire but was later rebuilt. However, over time St.Hallvard's fell out of use and deteriorated.  Stones from the cathedral were later used to make Akershus Fortress. 

 Aerial view of eastern Oslo.

Nearby the ruins of St.Hallvard's is Ekbergparken, home to a sculpture park, ancient ruins, and breathtaking views of Oslo and Oslofjord.

Branches.

Getting to Ekebergparken is easy. You can walk from the city center, or take tram #18 or #19. From one end of the park, you can take the "Mesolithic Climb," which is a hike to the top, with historical placards along the way, to learn how the landscape has changed since the last ice age. 

Ace of Diamonds by Lynn Chadwick. 

Ekeberg means oak mountain, but today there are hardly any oak trees. During the 1600s, oaks were sent to England and Holland to be used in shipbuilding. Atop Ekebergparken is a sculpture park with 40 different pieces scattered throughout the park.

Fideicommissum by Ann-Sofi Sidén. 

I approached the Fideicommissum sculpture from behind, and as I was walking alone I wondered; is that a person or a sculpture when I first saw it from a distance. I thought by the color it was a sculpture, but then as I got closer it made a noise and started "peeing." I jumped and nearly peed myself because I thought it was real!

Photo-op by a little pond.

There weren't many people in the park since it was early in the evening on a Friday and people were still at work. Also, it was a bit cold today, keeping people inside. I enjoyed moving freely about and taking photos without it being so crowded like it would be on the weekends.

Walking Woman by Sean Henry. 

The park had some interesting sculptures scattered throughout the forests.

 View of the islands in Oslofjord.

Since Ekeberg is situated up high, the views from the western side of the park are breathtaking. There are plenty of benches overlooking the city and fjord, making it the perfect spot to take in the sunset.

Anatomy of an Angel by Damien Hirst. 

Throughout the park there are also historical markers for petroglyphs dating back to 4500 BC, burial mounds, cemetery walls, and the remains of agriculture which began in the area around 4000 BC.

Photo in front of the Dance by George Cutts.

Some of the sculptures in the park moved, like the Dance's swiveling poles. Other sculptures are interactive and move and make sounds when you get close enough.

Traveler by Tori Wrånes. 

Sculptures were of all sorts of shapes, sizes, with different imagery, and themes.

The Couple by Louise Bourgeois. 

Not all of the sculptures sat on the ground either. Some were hung in the air or even built into the side of rock.

Sunset over Oslofjord. 

My favorite part about the sculpture park was getting to see the views and be out in nature. I love the forest trails, admittedly more than I loved the sculptures.

Eva by Auguste Rodin.

However, there were some pieces by classical sculptures like Rodin.

 Reflections by Guy Buseyne.

Nearby the sculpture park there is a petting zoo and climbing park for children, museum, and several different restaurants. 

Venus de milo aux Tiroirs by Salvador Dali. 

The park also hosts different concerts and events throughout the year, in addition to guided tours to learn more about the sculptures.

Distant view of Auguste Rodin's Cariatide Tombee á Lúrne.

Gamle Oslo and Ekebergparken blend the old with the new, to give a taste of how the landscape in Oslo has changed over thousands of years. Tusen takk for a great afternoon!

Lessons from Leaves

Reflections from an Autumn Evening

 Bjølsenparken.

After several days of working intensely on a ten page essay, I welcomed an evening stroll to free me from my notes and textbooks. 

My favorite spot in Bjølsenparken

So, tonight following my exam I went out for some fresh air, exercise, and to catch the last of the autumn leaves.

Bjølsenparken

As the leaves pile on the ground, the days begin shortening. Soon Oslo will become brown, cold, and dark. Honestly, the thought of this frightens me. I'll miss the green, the yellow, the red, the orange leaves; all dancing like rainbows in the trees. 

Along the Akerselva near Sagene.

The air was cool and crisp, and the pathways were caked in fallen leaves. My eyes desperately fluttered from tree to ground and all around, trying absorb the feeling of autumn and view every leaf.

Myrløkka in Sagene.

While walking along, more and more leaves on the ground started catching my attention.  Red leaves, yellow leaves, small leaves, tall leaves, grooved leaves, smooth leaves, pointed leaves...so many different leaves!

Fallen leaves.

Noticing all of the different types of leaves mixed atop each other on the ground reminded me of people. These fallen leaves are just as diverse as people, yet they are all together in the same spot, and facing the same fate despite differences. 

Sageneparken.

Part of the essay I wrote dealt with inequality, be it indigenous rights, woman's rights, etc; discussing types of socio-cultural knowledge and transformations needed to tackle climate change. Staring at these leaves made me think of culture. How people of diverse backgrounds, religions, cultures, live and work among one another. No matter how diverse, people, like leaves, can get along and co-exist. 

Sunlight through the autumn leaves.

Whether a single leaf, or an individual person, each has just as important a role in the circle of life. Watching the sun set behind the falling leaves, I realize how quickly time passes, and how the seasons change. Nature is beautiful and needs protecting.