Exploring Oslo

After leaving Stockholm to spend a few days with my distant Swedish relatives in Karlstad, I boarded a train for my final European stop to Oslo. Thick forests of trees surrounded the train as it passed from the Swedish countryside into the Norwegian. Our train stopped in some small town a few miles outside of the city because they were working on the tracks; so we boarded buses and were dropped off somewhere near the city center.

I was totally lost. Here I was, dragging around a normal sized suitcase, a rolling duffel, and an over-stuffed backpack through downtown Oslo. Luckily my phone was able to use data because I had zero idea where I was going. Finally, I made it down to the bus stop that would take me to my hostel. Unfortunately, I had just missed the bus and had to wait another half hour, hanging around like a creeper with all my luggage.

The hostel I stayed at had good reviews, but I was not pleased. It was nowhere near the center of the city and it wasn’t very easy to get there by bus. Plus, I had some problems trying to buy a bus ticket. The poor bus driver felt bad for me and let me pay with my big bills. Anyway … upon entering my room, there was some middle-aged Korean guy BLASTING some wailing Korean music. Now nothing against Korean music, but this sounded like something out of Harry Potter. Umm … hello? Headphones! I made sure to get out as fast as I could in the morning and explore the city.

I had one day in Oslo, so I decided the best thing to do would to be to take a tour. Now, this was nine months ago, so I don’t remember everything that happened on the tour, but we did pass the Opera House (shaped like an iceberg), the port and city hall, and saw the fort where Quisling betrayed Norway for the Nazi cause … and was eventually executed. It’s not a very large city, so it was really easy to walk around.

After the tour, I had to visit The National Gallery to see “The Scream”. Admission was really cheap, only about $10 and I must admit, I was impressed. I was all art-ed out after Italy, but this was a refreshing change. There were beautiful landscapes, portraits, and of course, the work of Edvard Munch. I would definitely recommend this as a must-see stop in Oslo!

When in Norway, I also decided that I needed to take a fjord tour. The Oslo fjord is definitely not one of the most breath-taking fjords of Norway, but at least I can say I have been in a fjord! Plus, the tour guide on the boat was super cute. 😉 On the downside, the weather had picked up a little while we were out there, causing our boat to rock, and me to drift off to sleep a few times. There are some really cool things out on the fjord – people who live on the tiny islands, museums (like Kon-Tiki, where they rode on a raft from South America to the Tahitian Islands), and really cool rock formations. It was a little expensive, probably around $30, but it was something unique to do.

The City Hall in Norway is also something that is must-see. You can take a tour, but as I only had one day, I wasn’t able to do so. When you see City Hall from the outside, it doesn’t look anything spectacular. It’s brown and ugly. But when you walk into the inside, it’s like walking on a rainbow. There is artwork all up and down the wall from famous Norwegian painters, including Edvard Munch. It’s gorgeous. It’s also where the reception for the Nobel Peace Prize takes place (Oslo awards the Peace prize, Stockholm all the others).

For me, I finished my day by walking through the streets one last time, taking some time to walk up and down the Operatic Iceberg. I had a somewhat early night back in the hostel, just to make sure I had everything ready to wake up early and take my final flight home to the US.

I read in a book, The Almost Nearly Perfect People by Michael Booth (about the Nordic peoples) something along the lines of “A man who has grown tired of Oslo, has probably spent more than three days there.” To be honest, it is kind of true. It’s not as enchanting as Stockholm, and there isn’t much to do. The prices are also extremely expensive. (If you’re not a Norwegian citizen, you can get a tax rebate on some items that you can redeem at the airport.) My Swedish relatives said there are malls in the middle of nowhere in Sweden across the border where Norwegians come to shop since it’s so much cheaper. They also complained that the Norwegians are terribly lazy ever since oil was discovered. (“Danish people will do just enough, Norwegians won’t do anything, and Swedes will go above and beyond.”) I wanted to love Oslo more than I did since I have Norwegian ancestry in me. I’m glad that I went, but it is not a must-see for me.

Now, I know, I know, I know it took me NINE MONTHS to write this out. I contemplated just throwing up some pictures from Oslo, or just leaving it out completely. But, alas, once I started writing, I couldn’t stop. What can I say, I’ve been inspired by some of the travel magazines I’ve been reading since I’ve been stuck in America. I’ve got some exciting news coming up and some decisions to make … so stayed tuned! There will be more from me!

– Erika