1st
Oslo, Norway
Oslo is the most beautiful city I have ever seen. I think it even beats Luxembourg, which is pretty fantastic. I took the picture below from atop a mountain, accessible by the T-Bane (Metro). Yes, that’s right, the metro will take you up a mountain. To a bobsled track. 469 meters (1538 ft) above sea level. No April Fools’ joke here—this is Norway. I was literally in disbelief and nearly histerical as we rose to the peak. On the way up I chatted with a Norwegian girl around my age who is from the south of Norway but now studies in Oslo. She explained that she never really thought of Oslo (or even Norway) as anything exceptionally beautiful or special. She also said she’d never been to Tromsø, the city I’m visiting in the Arctic Circle. It’s funny, you often forget to discover or appreciate your own country’s beauty. That said, I’m not sure if America has any fjords quite like Norway’s.
I arrived in Oslo a little over a day ago, and I’ve had an excellent time thus far. When I first walked out of the train station, the city seemed huge, but now it feels quite managable. The original city burned down in 1664, so today’s Oslo is on a logical grid street pattern rather than an organic medieval one. I’ve taken a multitude of photos, mostly of two public places I’ve found to be outstandingly functional and beautiful. One is Aker Brygge, a harborfront development made from old warehouses and new buildings. The other one is Spikersuppa, a fountian/skating rink, and the surrounding streets. It’s basically a very large square between parliament and the National Theatre. I’ll post photos of both of these places.
Today I had breakfast at the hostel and then headed into the city to take care of worries. More specifically, I was concerned about not being able to get seats on my other trains I’ve planned to take. I went to the ticket counter at the central station and was able to make reservations from Oslo to Stockholm and Stockholm to Narvik. I was even able to get a place in the sleeper car on the night train to Narvik for just $22 extra! *Phew.* That was a relief.
During the day I visited the Norway Resistance Museum, which explained how Norwegians came together in solidarity to resist the Nazi occupation from 1940-1945. Young people, teachers, clergy, workers, statesmen, and basically everyone else you can think of came together in solidarity to work against the Nazis.
I also visited the Nobel Peace Center, located near Oslo City Hall, where the honor is awarded each year. I learned about the most recent laureate, Martti Ahtisaari, who negotiated peace in Namibia, Kosovo, and Aceh in Indonesia.
My favorite quote of his is, “Do you want to win, or do you want peace?” At the center they also featured a photography exhibit called “The Dream of Europe” about the hopes and aspirations of young people in different parts of the world. I found the exhibit’s introduction interesting. It explained that the place where people dream of finding a new life is no longer America but Europe. Hmm…
After the museums, I went on a “Winter Walk,” which was kind of silly because it was quite warm today. Anyway, I got a nice tour of the old castle and fortifications. The tour guide’s way of speaking and her mannerisms really reminded me of the Norwegian I know at the folk high school. It was pretty funny. The guide gave me the tip about the mountaintop metro station, which leads me back to the beginning of this very long post.
What a day!
