Oslo—The Cherry on Top

I didn’t know much about Scandinavia (I did know the three countries were not in Europe, but that would have made my WordPress handle too long).  I knew least about Norway.  The train ride took 6 hours and the countryside looked a lot like Ohio.

My place was about a ten-minute walk from the train station.  The en-suite room I have is in a flat on the 5th floor of a building built in 1896.  No elevator– thank god for teenagers.  The daughter of my host carried my suitcase up the 76 steps (it would have taken me three days).  This is an orchid I have growing upside down in my bathroom: 

See that tub— I fit into it perfectly.  I only have one full day so I had to make the most of it and start off right with a cinnamon swirl and coffee:

I walked back to the train station which is at one end of a splendid pedestrian street that ends at the palace:

I passed the Cathedral and the City Hall along the way:

I ventured into the National Gallery.  This is a lovely art museum that is not too big and has some pictures by all of the artists I have ever heard of and love.  I probably should not have been so irrelevant with Edvard Munch’s famous painting “The Scream” but I couldn’t help myself:

He painted multiples of this picture and one was stolen from his namesake museum in Oslo several years ago– robbers went in with guns and took it right off the wall.

After a break and lunch (cauliflower wings and a glass of Guinness at the Hard Rock Cafe for $33) I was on to my next adventure.  This involved buying a transit pass and finding my way out of the center of Oslo to a very famous sculpture garden.  At the metro, I was directed by the “official info person” to “go out of the metro, turn right and take the tram”.  Of course, nothing could be that simple, but I’m on to them and I had the name of where I wanted to go written on a “cheat” sheet and I showed it to folks along the way and found the tram I was supposed to take. ( I think this puzzle of finding where I want to go is something I’m going to miss at home).

This “sculpture garden” is magnificent.  The city of Oslo supported Gustav Vineland for 19 years (1924-1943) while he made 192 bronze and granite statue groupings–600 figures in all, all nude and unique.  This is in the middle of a giant park and just “takes your breath away”.  There is a 300-foot bridge with images on both sides.  It’s hard to know which way to look:

At the end of the bridge is a giant fountain (no water till spring) held up by giants (nice butts):

I’m not done yet— look at this incredible tower of people (I was speechless):

One last look at the walkway up to the fountain and the bridge (there are parklands to the right and left as far as the eye can see):

Some things about Norway:  this country is very rich with oil.  A fellow I met on my break told me that the country has a fund that will support the next two generations but they are trying to “go green”.

Norway and Sweden were one country when Nobel wrote his will so the Norwegian legislators vote on the Prizes and the winners are announced in Norway at this building:

This city is not like Stockholm (the Paris of Scandinavia) or Copenhagen (a city that feels a little like Europe) but a combination of many places.  It feels like NYC (if you don’t look for skyscrapers). It is “kinda” gritty but doesn’t feel dangerous and there are a lot of baby strollers. There are many stores along the streets and in multi-floor malls and a lot of  international restaurants.

I’m sorry I didn’t plan to stay here longer.