Picking up with our next adventures in Norway. After a short stint in Bergen and trip down the Fjords, we arrived in Oslo and were ready to hit the ground running.
Day 5 (5/20/15) ~ Oslo
^^ I’m serious. We started both mornings with solo jaunts along the water and around the castle.
Solo just so we didn’t drive one another completely insane. That and I didn’t want to drag Meghan down with my unpredictable paces. Also, there is only so much conversation one can have with the same person 🙂
After getting cleaned up and an excellent Scandinavian breakfast spread (hardboiled/soft boiled eggs, cheese & meats, too many rolls and breads to choose from, juices, yogurts, and more), we headed out and up to see the Olympic Ski Jump.
We had picked up 48 hr Oslo Passes, which covered transportation and free entrance into the museums. I highly recommend checking this out as many of the museum entrances (and transportation) can add up. **Note: If you are a student or just so happen to have your student ID on hand, you get a 20% discount!
~ Holmenkollen Ski Jump and Museum ~
^^ imagine dropping off and soaring into the air. a bit nerve wracking, right? or exhilarating. take your pick!
^^ we have a habit of making friends with the wildlife…alive or well-preserved
Once we had exhausted our views of Norway and learned far too much about ski jumping, we headed back into central Oslo. .
From there, we wandered into the Akershus Fortress to have lunch (thanks to the hostel buffet spread for supplying sandwich ingredients)
Next up – the Norwegian Resistance Museum, the Nobel Peace Center, and the National Gallery (where “The Scream” painting is).
^^ No “SCREAM” picture as cameras were not allowed, but this will do, don’t you agree? We think the seal looks like my dog Bodie (well we think most adorable animals look like him) and I was doing my best to mimic Bodie’s method of sitting – the one where he crosses his paws and looks very regal.
^^ Norwegian brands of candy
^^ Oslo Opera House
^^ City Hall (supposedly they have daily tours, mostly in the summer so make sure to check the schedule)
After a long day of walking, we stopped by the hostel to rest our feet and check back in on social media. I definitely could have passed right out had it not been for my brain telling me it was dinner time. Yes, sometimes the brain speaks louder than my stomach. Still working on getting the two to speak to one another 😉
We walked down around the harbor, searching for the perfect dinner spot. Of course it turned into a game of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” as some were too fancy and others (cough…TGI Fridays…cough) were too casual and mainstream. The harbor is a nicer and trendier area to visit and even if you don’t eat there, definitely take a stroll!
Dinner was obtained at a French-ish place called Albert’s, where I indulged in a burger and Meghan had a Croque Madame sandwich. Tasty and satisfying, but nothing out of the ordinary.
Ice cream following dinner was an absolute must. I’m sure she is thrilled with my insistence on candids. I also tend to make plenty of friends while abroad (see below…my feathery friend was quite intrigued with this ice cream concept)
Day 6 (5/21/15)
It was museum day! After another solo jaunt around Oslo (this time muuuuuch slower than expected but I’ll blame the hills), quick shower, and buffet breakfast, we took the ferry boat to Bygdøy, where most of the museums are located.
Viking ship
Kon (Con) Tiki boat (slightly updated viking ship)
Oh hey, look – it’s another viking ship! Let’s just say I’ve had more than my fair share of viking ships. For a lifetime 🙂
All in all, we went to the Norwegian Maritime Museum, the Fram Museum, the Kon-Tiki Museum, the Viking Ship Museum, and the Norwegian Folk Museum. Since we had purchased the Oslo Pass, we didn’t feel bad about breezing through some of the not so fascinating parts of the museum. As Meghan put it, we didn’t feel obligated to read every caption on every display just to get our money’s worth.
In the afternoon we took the public transport to Frogner Park, picked up a tiny snack and read for a while in the sun.
Of course I made some more duck friends in the park. Aren’t they gorgeous? They were practically posing for us tourists.
Dinner was somewhat of a debacle – Meghan had noshed on a Cliff Kid’s bar and was satisfied for some time, but I was edging towards hungry. We tried to avoid the Hard Rock Cafes and TGI Fridays but may have been better off there than the bar we settled on.
We finished up around 6:30 (yep, raging twins here) and decided to walk around town since it was too early to go to bed. Per Meghan’s suggestion, we headed down to the train station, confirmed the departure of our train the next morning, and grabbed a final treat from Norway. No, nothing special – just a waffle from Ben & Jerry’s for Meghan and a dark chocolate bar for me.
Stay tuned for the last part of the trip ~ Sweden!
California Endless Summer 