Yoga is a science of physical, mental and spiritual fitness. No other fitness regime even the most modern ones guarantee such effectiveness and all round impact. The science and art of yoga has been developed over a period of thousands of years in our country and there is evidence that it was even practiced in the prehistoric times.

Although it was not well documented until much later but this method has become extremely popular once again in the 20th century. The stressful lives of people have caused them physical and mental illness and their overall wellness has been adversely affected. Yoga has the ability to vitalize the body and rejuvenate both the mind and the soul.

The physical benefits related to yoga are infinite. One cannot count the number of yogic positions that help in relieving a particular ailment such is the diversity and extensiveness of yoga. It is essential for a person to realise that although yoga offers you a lot, you need to be dedicated and patient to reap benefits out of this technique.

It requires a lot of training and concentration. To name a few systems that are vitalised we can start with the skeleton-muscular system and go on till the digestive tract and the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Yoga gives your body flexibility and stamina. It helps to control weight either through loss or gain. This is the beauty of yoga, it is all about maintaining balance doesn’t matter which side of the line you are currently.

Yoga has a rejuvenating effect on the mind. It helps us to leave behind the stress of the day behind. Whenever you practice yoga do remember that it is not any ordinary fitness regime that you can complete in 10 to 15 minutes a day. A complete yoga workout takes close to 40 minutes and hence it gives your mind time to completely cool off and stay focussed throughout the day.

Yoga also has a number of spiritual effects equal in impact to meditation. The best time for yoga is just before sunrise. It improves your blood flow and allows the body to detoxify. If you practice yoga regularly you will see a change in your entire persona and perspective towards life.

Parmesan Truffle Oil French Fries : This is a very delicious dish and its made from potatoes, truffle oil and a final sprinkling of parmesan cheese…a favorite dish of the young and the old alike and the best thing is it can be cooked within a very short time with minimum ingredients…you try it once and you become a slave to its taste!

I was nearing the end of my stay at Norway, as I put them all together I realized that this was one of my best vacations that I have ever had. Next and the last on my bucket list was the Munkholmen Monastery. Right from the time I reached Norway my Norwegian friend has been going on about this Monk island .

I took a boat trip to Munkholmen on a lovely summer's day and found it to be full of sun-worshipping visitors all over the lush areas and small sandy beaches. There are regular, guided tours of the historic houses on the tiny island. Boats from downtown run all day long and the tickets are quiet reasonably priced. There is a cafe at this island that serves amazing traditional food. The beach is beautiful and was a big surprise!

The island has quite a deserted feel to it, which I really liked.

The island has served as a place of execution, a monastery, a fortress, prison, and a World War II anti-aircraft gun station. Today, Munkholmen is a popular tourist attraction and recreation site now. In the early 12th century, and possibly even earlier, Benedictine monks lived on the island

Bryggen Norway : This is probably one of my best pictures during this trip to Norway.  So lovely to walk through the picturesque streets where one can find restaurants, artist’s studios, cafes, small boutiques, etc.  The architecture of the wooden buildings here is very unique, with charming colourful facades.  Their reflection on the water made the view that much more stunning.  It was a magical evening!

Modern art is always a pleasure to look at. The strokes and the extensive colours are an enigma to the mind.

Modern art challenges the notion that art must realistically depict the world, some artists experimented with the expressive use of color, non-traditional materials, and new techniques and  mediums.

Astrup Fearnley Museum is beautifully situated by the Oslo fjord, the museum comprises of two separate buildings, connected together with bridges linking the roofs, with a beautiful canal in between. There is a tiny beach as well, and a tiny sculpture park. The larger building hosts the permanent exhibition, while the smaller hosts the temporary exhibitions. The map given to me at the time of entry was very useful in getting around.

The museum building itself fascinated me, modernism was prominent even on the building. Upon entering, the collections will steal all your attention away. If contemporary art and architecture intrigues you, this gallery is not to be missed.

I am a bit ashamed to say that I do not have much knowledge on the various art forms and so at the first glance I felt a bit intimidated by the art pieces. But slowly making the rounds along with the other art lovers and hearing their oohs and aahs! I realized that I am in a place where the art lovers of the world would give their right hand to be at ! Some of the pieces I found had a bit of humoristic touch or comic touch to it and some others art pieces were very interesting.

Most of all I loved the way that this museum was designed since there one did not feel any tinge of claustrophobia as the space was utilized very well . In fact I loved the way the art pieces were exhibited and beneath every piece one could read the full history of the art work and about the person who had done it.

This is a gallery of global significance and one of the main tourist attractions of Norway. From my experience at this gallery, this should definitely be in your bucket list for Norway.

Before we left from Ludhiana we had browsed the net, searching for luxurious hotels in Oslo. We indeed found one of the best hotels ever! The Grand Hotel Oslo is one fabulous hotel that we fortunately opted to stay in. We had the most comfortable stay at this hotel mainly because of the high class luxury provided. Being one Norway’s leading hotel suite it has a wonderful ambience that will ensure a rejuvenating and relaxing stay.

Paradise on earth!

The hotel is located in one of the most posh localities of Norway. The hotel in general looks magnificent and that’s exactly how we decided to book rooms at the Grand Hotel. Its interior is as stunning as its exterior. The hotel manifests classy interiors that attracts anyone who walks into the hotel.

We had booked a room at the grand suites. These rooms are king sized providing the best of facilities and services. The rooms are well-furnished and have luxurious facilities such as television sets, writing tables, table lamps, and unlimited access to Wi-Fi and many more. Some of the other services include transportation, wake-up services, banquet hall, 24 hour desk and a well-equipped business center. Other amenities like parking space and laundry are also available.

What we enjoyed the most was the swimming pools and other recreational activities such as Gyms and spas. The restaurant at the hotel was one of a kind. We together feasted on the multi-cuisine food spread presented at their restaurant every day. Breakfast in particular was a treat.

The staff at the hotel are warm and pleasing. The staff assisted us throughout and fulfilled all our requirements during the course of our stay. My wife loved how they always wore smile! We spent hours at their bar that served a variety of alcoholic beverages. The red wine in specific was exquisite! The décor at the bar was well-maintained

On the whole our stay at Grand Hotel was just awesome! We would recommend this hotel to anybody who would visit Oslo, Norway. With the kind of services they provide, guests would keep coming back! Both my wife and I would love to relive those days spend at Grand Hotel!

Fram Museum Norway : I had the opportunity to visit this great museum, of the most famous polar ship, the Fram.  It was quite informative and the perfect chance to get acquainted with a bit of Norwegian history.  The texts in the museum are available in 10 different languages with their appropriate description, so anyone visiting Oslo should definitely come to this attraction.