The trip to Norway was a long day. Two flights, a layover, and time change took up most of the day. Tuesday was the first day out. Exploring Oslo was easy and fun. The hotel was a quick walk down Karl Johnas street to the waterside. Karl Johnas street has many shops, cafes, and street performers to keep tourists entertained.
At the end of Karl Johans street the the Nobel Peace center. This building houses museum dedicated to the Nobel Peace Prize. The main floor highlights a new attractions, people spreading peace, and education on their causes. This time it was about three girls in Afghanistan recording their daily lives. It was sad, yet uplifting at times. They showed life can still go on even in the darkest of situations. The upstairs is dedicated to current and past winners of the prize. It has many interactive displays with information about the winners, causes, and accomplishments. Another highly recommended stop.
I also took a Fjord tour on Tuesday. The two hour tour was interesting, but a little long. 15 minutes could have summed it up. Major sights (the fortress, Oprah house, Art Museum) are located near the dock, so many of the "sights" were covered within 5 minutes of departure. This left 115 minutes to explore the islands, houses, and peninsulas. The houses were neat. You had a better understanding about life in Norway. Owning a boat and living on an island is not special for Norwegians. 1 in 4 people own a boat in Norway. Just about every family has a vessel of some sort. Water is a way of life for these people. Many take boats instead of cars to work. No wonder the Vikings were so adept sailors.
A Surprise on the way back from the Fjord tour was a street skiing competition downtown. They were determining the National team. This entailed paving a new track, setting up a stage, and PA system. Races went all day, and were only broken up by concerts on the stage. The races, announcers, and interviews were not in English, so I had no idea what was happening - but I enjoyed it none the less. I know have a favorite Norwegian ski team to root for - United Bakeries.
Oslo is a great city to visit. It is compact, walkable, and the weather in June is unique, if not enjoyable. The sun sets a little before midnight, and rises at about 3:30am this time of year. Days seem longer, because they are. We often didn't seek out dinner until around 10 or 11, and didn't feel the need for bed until 1 or 2 am. This made morning meets a little difficult, but worth it.
Karl Johans Street. Picture taken at 12:39 am.
The only drawback of Norway is prices. Because of the strong economy, thriving oil business, and high standard of living prices for just about anything are some of the highest I have experienced. Right on par with Venice, Toyko, and London. I stopped at a shop and purchased a magnet for my mom, tee shirt for Annie, and a mug for the house. The price was equivalent to $125 US. At one point I ordered a $22 beer. Prices here would make an extended trip financially difficult, and not really worth it from a "pay for what you get" perspective. Still, Oslo was a memorable experience. And the furthest North I have ever been.
No comments:
Post a Comment