Trip Day 3 Part 1

Back in the Hotel after a long day enjoying Oslo. So much eye candy today. So much to see and so much to photograph. There are a lot of photos in this blog and it is only part 1. I had a very difficult time to decide which ones NOT to include. 

After a very good sleep we woke up at 6 and had time for a cup of coffee. Instant but very good. No English breakfast tea provided.

It already gets cold here in the nights and these duvets (like in Germany) were very nice.

The breakfast buffet was unbelievable and we only went to one side. I saw later that it went on around the corner. Good thing I didn't take any photos (see above comments about having too many).

At nine we were supposed to be ready down in the lobby for an introduction. The bus came 9:30 for a city tour. There was lots to see from the bus window but no real photo opportunities. Here just one of the royal castle (because there was a red traffic light). But they were just setting up a stage for a concert in front of it.

Roads and public transportation seems to be great. Tram tracks in a lot of the streets for the blue trams. Red busses are seen often too and there also is a subway. 

We finally stopped at the Oslo Opera House. It is a modern building. You can walk up and around and have a lovely view of the harbor. The walking was something else though because you really had to watch where you were going. The building was on a hill. The big spaces were all platforms in strange shapes puzzled together which made steps in only inches to a couple of feet, a danger of stumbling and falling in my eyes. But then, when you were careful, it was very pretty. 

Oslo has old, historic houses and the most modern buildings too. Every house seems to have a story like this Munch Museum. 

In the water close to the shore are saunas. It seems to be the thing to go there and afterwards jump into the harbor. My question, if you really do that at all, why do it in a harbor?

Nice view. Now having to go down again.

Thanks to T-Mobile we now have data excess outside of the USA and here is where we actually are.

Back in the bus. One of the many statues and pieces of art everywhere. 

The next stop: the Vigeland Sculpture Park.

Gustav Vigeland's (1869-1943) life story was very interesting and everything in this park was designed by him including this fence.

At the entrance (next to the gift shop and the toilettes (you pay a 2 kroner fee with credit card) is a statue he made of himself. It is the only one with clothes. Explanation: he wanted his figures without clothes so they could not be judged by class or status.

After grass places lined with trees where people can have picnics or families can play comes a bridge which is lined with many statues. All the figures show motion and emotion. And here only a few.

Then we came to a very large fountain, also symbols about life. Very interesting. Again, only a few photos.

Past the fountain ... you thought a blog from Christa without flowers?

The Obelisk or Monolith is very impressive. 

It consists of 121 intertwining figures which seem to float. There is a lot of meaning in the design, like in all his work.

It was surrounded with other almost life-size figures. Here again only a few.

We continue the walk to the other side of the park where the bus is waiting.There is another artwork but I didn't include because it did not impress me.

Back in the bus we drove to the "Museum Island". Here we had several options: get out where 3 Museums were all together, continue in the bus and get out at a Ma-and-Pa type place for lunch were our guide was going too or continue on the bus back to the hotel. 

We opted for lunch (on our own, meaning not included in the trip).

It was a very nice place. There were half-portions on the menu and James and I opted for that. Seafood salad on my sandwich.

Chicken and avocado for James.

Mona (the owner?) was very nice. You have to remember what you had and pay on the way out.

After this we separated and James and I went to the Open-air Museum. About that in the next blog. All I can say here: it was also awsome.