A word of caution...

While you're in Norway, be careful with purchasing pirated goods. All over Europe, customs authorities have severely cracked down on fake Gucci sunglasses and Louis Vuitton handbags the last few years. But whereas in the EU, you might be heavily fined, the harshest penalty you risk in Norway is having your fake Rolex confiscated.

Yummy shopping in Oslo ...

On main street Karl Johan, the exclusive shopping centre Paleet is filled with great finds, including Danish designer Ilse Jacobsen, best known for her delightful rubber boots and rain coats in every colour. Also in Paleet, the wonderful lingerie shop Det lille under, has everything from beautiful swim wear to fun, colourful bras for breast-feeding mums. There's also a men's section and a naughty little spicy corner.

In the city centre, near the Royal Palace, Voga has an exciting selection of cool designers, including Vivienne Westwood, Jean Paul Gaultier, Dries van Noten, Anna Sui, Dead Meat and many more.

In the West End, Benedikte Ferner (granddaughter of King Olav V) has a fabulous collection of clothes, shoes, bags, jewellery and accessories. In the same area, Simona Art of Fashion offers a good selection as well. Both are a bit pricey, but often have discounts and good deals.

The cool Grünerløkka neighbourhood abounds in fun, quirky and often vintage shops: Probat offers t-shirts with unusual designs. Look for their Oslo bags as well. Skaperverket is run by a group of designers and artists selling their own creations. You'll find fun clothes for children and adults, toys, jewellery, and all kinds of wonderful gifts. Check out the cool (and reasonably priced) hats, hand bags, dresses and turn-of-the century children's clothes at Dukkehjem.

(Source: Anne Sophie Redisch, Twitter @SophieR)

Some famous females born in Norway...

Sonja Henie (1913–69) was a Norwegian figure skater and American actress. She was a three-time Olympic Champion, a ten-time World Champion and a six-time European Champion. Henie won more Olympic and World titles than any other ladies figure skater. At the height of her acting career she was one of the highest paid stars in Hollywood.

Grete Waitz (b.1953) is a former Norwegian marathon runner who won nine New York City Marathons between 1978 and 1988, more than any other runner in history. She also won a silver medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and a gold medal at the 1983 World Championships in Athletics in Helsinki, Finland.

Liv Ullmann (b.1939) is a Norwegian actress and film director, as well as one of the muses of the Swedish director Ingmar Bergman. A winner of the Golden Globe, Ullmann has also been nominated for the Palme d'Or, two times for the Academy Award, and a BAFTA Award.

Did you know? Norway granted the vote to women in 1913. The United States followed suit in 1920. Women in the province of Quebec in Canada, waited until 1940 just seven years before China in 1947.

Kiddies book written by a Norwegian Princess...

Travelling to Norway with younger children? This might be a fun book to read to them.

Why Kings and Queens Don't Wear Crowns is a fairytale written by modern day, Princess Marthe Of Norway. The story is about her grandfather, King Olav V, when he first came from Denmark to Norway. It tells about how difficult it was to wear crowns while cross country skiing amongst other typical Norwegian winter activities. ISBN 978-1575340388 P.S. To see a photo of the author, Princess Marthe at a book signing in the USA, click here.