A changing Bygdøy

Opposite our house there used to be 2 attractive wooden detached houses in their own grounds with big gardens full of trees.

They have now gone to be replaced with no less than 6 houses on one plot and 5 houses on the other plot. From two families to 11 families!!

This is the current scene around the second house (the yellow house partially demolished) with the nearest construction producing 2 of the five properties.

Note the six birch trees on the property and the adjacent property, the one on the right has been topped as they cannot chop it down, thank goodness. Note how ugly it with this “top pruning”.

 The consequence of this type of “eplehagen” development are substantial:

·         There seems to be no standard design relating to the houses demolished. For example, of the eleven new houses only three retain a traditional gable roof, the remaining eight have flat roofs with terraces.

·         Trees have been felled. There were at least four large birch and horse chestnut trees on the first plot. Fewer orchards and less bird life.

·         Eleven houses probably mean eleven families. As the price of the new houses in this area is very high, only those with financial means will be able to buy them.

·         Eleven houses mean eleven plus vehicles, a likely substantial increase in traffic from before.

Changes are often necessary and increased urban density is the result.

C’est la vie.

Feeding the masses at sea

 

In contrast to my earlier article on food at sea in the 1950's here is a summary of information gleaned from a recent article in  the Economist (December 20, p32).

The largest current cruise ship is the Star of the Seas at 250000 tons she is the largest playground at sea for 7600 guests and 2350 crew.

With a dining room of 500 tables and 25 other restaurants 6000 people will eat in a 2.5 hour period The chef with his 344 other chefs and 1700 catering staff will have served and cleared up 100000 meals in one day.

This is not take away food but fresh food prepared on board ship daily, a lot of it.

A sample of the magnitude of the food on board is 25000 items of which include 15000 lobster  tails and 400 tons of bottled water. 

In one day they will serve 6800kg of protein. 

This requires large storage facilities. 210 square metres alone for frozen fish. The dry store holds 4 tons rice and 2 tons sugar and there are chilled rooms for milk, cream, butter etc.

A three week planning cycle is necessary to keep pace with the feeding habits of the passsengers.

In a buffet style environment there is also a lot of waste food that has to be dealt with. 

Some of it is burnt  to produce enough energy to powere the gigantic water slide on board.

What a world.