Throwback Travels: Scandinavia Trip Part II (Oslo)

Waking up in the middle of a new city is something that only train travel can afford. After our relatively peaceful night train from Bergen (aside from the aforementioned window opening) we dropped our bags off in the station, got some breakfast and set off to explore the Norwegian capital city.

Our first stop was pretty close by and a definite must-see attraction. The Oslo Opera House sits on the edge of the harbor and was designed such that the public can walk around on top of the building in what turns out to be a pretty cool public plaza.

We toured a couple of nearby attractions, most notably the Oslo City Hall (Råthuset), Akershus Fortress, and the National Architecture Museum. The rain was pretty relentless so it forced our plans a bit but we did discover an amazing Mexican restaurant right next to where we were staying.

The next day we were provided with the ideal travel day: sunny and bright. We took off exploring more of the city via e-scooters (which definitely became a trend for the rest of the trip).

Our first stop was Frogner Park. Most known for its impressive sculpture installations, the park was much more interesting than it appeared in travel guides. I think part of this is because there are so many statues and sculptures to see, all with different emotions and characteristics.

After the park, we scooted down to the Royal Palace. We mainly wanted to position ourselves in a good spot to eat lunch (I think we ended up eating at McDonalds...yay Americans!) but as we were taking photos of the palace, we noticed a rush of people and guards flocking towards an incoming line of vehicles. It was the Norwegian king! He waved at the crowd and that it pretty much the extent of my encounter with royals.

We also scooted over to the Government Quarter to pay our respects to the victims of the 2011 terrorist attack. The buildings at first glance appear entirely ordinary. Simple Brutalist buildings. But upon closer inspection we noticed many of the windows were still boarded up and the facade of the H-Block was actually more of a fabric covering. The fact is this: the buildings are of incredible value to not only Norwegian architecture--but the city of Oslo itself. Their innovative design, complete with frescos by Picasso showcase a merging of Norwegian sensibility with the aesthetic of Brutalism.

Of course we had to visit the Munch Museum to check out the famous Norwegian artist's most famous painting "The Scream". 😱

After that, we took the subway/metro/whatever they call it up the mountain to the ski jump. It provides a great view of the city and allows you to get some fresh air. We liked checking out the stave church and the troll statues in addition to taking the elevator...er...escalator? up to the top of the ski jump.

Honestly, Oslo was probably one of our favorite cities we visited. The people are so hospitable and warm. The food was amazing (Oslo Food Hall was *chef's kiss*) and we never got bored! The Oslo airport (which we actually ended up coming back to on our way home) is so clean and easy to navigate it makes our American airports look like dimly lit, outdated shopping malls. Okay, so we loved Oslo!