Norway and return home

Saturday July 7 Woke early as usual and up to breakfast. Came off ship an hour later than expected but really quite smooth. Farewell to stateroom 2624! Taxi to Hotel Hampshire Savoy and room available despite being there at 9 a.m. so that was excellent. Joined the library and used internet but emails would not open – however able to see them in hotel lobby. Printed off  boarding passes. Tourist info gave us a good deal for seniors on all transport and discounts. Bus to Bleidjorp Zoo and got a discount there too. Fantastic collection – it was one of the older zoos and a big collection. Oceanium with sea lions, penguins, fish. 3 polar bears. Asian lion cubs. Took the Zoo train. Lovely savannah with 10 giraffes. Asian elephant herd with young one. Cuban hutria. Klipspringer, hyrax, lots of reptiles and shrew. Indian rhinos. Amur leopards. A lovely day too. Bus and tram back and walked to Humphrey’s where we had Trappist beer and discount on lovely 3 course meal. Walked to church to get time of Mass. Watched some tennis from Wimbledon – Murray in finals and Marray won doubles final.

Sunday July 8. Woke early and excellent breakfast. Left luggage and walked in rain to Mass in Dominican church – friendly lady showed us round church and chatted to Anton the excellent organist who played Vierne Toccata and everyone listened including the priest! The Mass eas very different with lots of addresses and only one reading. Metrical psalm type hymns. No Creed or Gloria. Lovely Lord’s prayer based on Exultet chant. To Kobus house in a cube – amazing and bit claustrophobic. Got luggage and walked to bus at Blaak and then another bus to airport. Arrived too early but no problems. 3.50 p.m. flight to London City airport - bit bumpy in the Fokker. Louise met us and car is all clean. Brought us home and unpacked one animal case for her to take. Started unpacking and watching Murray's defeat and King Henry IV part one on BBC4. Loads of emails and post. Cannot look up scores on library website.