Please Pass the Herring

One of the big reasons Peter and I decided to move to France this year was so we could really take advantage of the easy travel opportunities here in Europe. Keeping an eye on cheap airline tickets, we came upon a very inexpensive deal for a trip to Oslo, so we took it! It was our first trip to Scandinavia, and although we were only there for the weekend, we feel like we had a nice, quick introduction to Norway, and we definitely want to go back to explore more.We arrived Friday night and went for a long walk in search of dinner. Oslo is far and away the most expensive city we've visited, but with a little research (and some suggestions from the helpful hotel concierge), we found a great place with delicious food, and a price that didn't break the bank. As Oslo is so far north, it really felt like autumn there, where in Connecticut we know this time of year is often still summer-like. All of the restaurants down on the water had outdoor patios, but had heat lamps and blankets on the backs of the chairs for chilly patrons.
The next day, we bought an Oslo pass giving us access to all of the museums and transportation services in Oslo. A ferry brought us across the bay, to a neighborhood containing many cool museums. We learned a lot about the Viking history and Oslo's important shipbuilding culture. These are pictures from the marine museums we visited. On the left is an actual Viking ship that was excavated in Norway in the late 1800's, and on the right is Peter sailing a pirate ship through the bay in Oslo.
Another museum commemorates the remarkable journeys of Thor Heyerdahl and his crews who sailed on incredible voyages on hand-made reed boats. His objective was to show that the styles of boat-making of ancient cultures all around the world were advanced enough that they could allow people to journey far and wide, explaining the similarities between some cultures who geographically are very far from one another. One journey took Thor on a reed raft all the way to Easter Island.

One of our favorite activities in Oslo was our trip to the Vigeland Sculpture Garden. It's an enormous, beautiful garden in the city, filled with incredible sculptures by a Norwegian artist. The sculptures stand out because they represent actions and stages of life, rather than depicting still images of people, and they really feel as though the sculptures may come to life at any moment. From the top of the hill, there is also a great view of the city and the garden.


On Saturday, we ran into an enormous street fair. We were lucky enough to be hungry, so we could sample the amazing kanelbolls (cinnamon buns) that we had been eyeing throughout the city. They seem to be a popular snack, and we could see why.

The majority of our trip was spent walking around the city. Oslo is a modern city that is easy to get around. There is a very (VERY) small "old town" section of the city, but the majority of the buildings are new, and the city is filled with restaurants, cafes and bars, giving Oslo a young, energetic vibe.We really enjoyed our first visit to Scandinavia, and we know we'll be back. Below is a picture of Norway from way up high!