Oslo is a pretty damn cool city and we had no idea; not when we booked our visit and not even when we arrived last night.
This morning we saw the sunrise ('rise' is generous for the January sun in Oslo) over the train station while food shopping. After that rather mundane start we headed across the city to Vigeland Park. Vigeland is a huge city park with with outdoor speed skating, tennis and diving arenas, acres of open space and views of the ski jump used during Lilehammer. But what the park is best known for are the hundreds of sculptures created by Vigeland late in his life (we do not agree on their meaning, but his installation is the centerpiece of this park). It was while walking through and around Vigeland that we realized just how diverse and energetic this city is. High speed trains, commuter rail, trams and buses are continually shuttling people (all not not just blonde white people) all over the city.
So we added our dark hair to the mix and took a tram to the Apent Bakerei (thank you Lonely Planet) for lattes and pastries outside the royal grounds. Recharged, we chased the setting sun down to the waterfront to find an incredible amount of new construction shoving up against the coast - a clear maifestation of Norway's recent oil wealth, and a sharp contrast from tbe more classic European city we spent our morning enjoying.
After walking the length of the "new" waterfront we briefly stopped at the Nobel Peace building before heading to the 700 plus year old Akershus Fortress situated across the harbor from the new construction.
After all those free activities we kept the cheap theme going by eating at an Indian restaurant in the immigrant neighborhood ($25 USD in this expensive city) before indulging in some local beer at Schouskjelleren Mikrobryggeri (thank you NY Times).
And that was it. Just a great day in a great city.
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