So I have confusing feeling of having enjoyed my day today immensely, and wanting to leave Norway…yeah. Or, rather, not wanting to leave Norway, but wanting to leave Oslo would be more accurate. I want to see the countryside, the Fjords, the mountains, the climbing places I keep hearing about but, alas, for that you need a vehicle of some sort…which is extremely disappointing. I actually would imagine trying to hitchhike if I weren’t terrified of my mother’s potential reaction, as well as that I might miss my flight on Tuesday if anything bad happened. Priorities!
Today I decided to do my usual thing, and use ferries as a sight seeing vessel. Yet again, it was a good thing. The scenery was quite pretty, and the islands that we stopped by looked small and quaint. I think that tomorrow I will take a ferry again, and actually walk around some of the islands that it stops by, after I do some more research on the possibilities.
The whole loop on the ferry didn’t take too long, so when I got back to the land I decided to take a walk through the city. The streets are absolutely covered with designer clothing stores, electronics stores, and the such, and the people seemed to be out in force to take advantage of it. I didn’t see many girls walking by without a designer handbag or a shopping bag from a store that sells such designer handbags. It isn’t really my scene; I never was a major fan of shopping, nor do I have the funds to do it in the most expensive city in the world. In only half jest, I can see how people here stay so skinny: they either choose to eat, or dress in expensive clothing.
I wandered down the harbor a bit, keeping the water constantly on my left hand side, until I reached the square with with Nobel Peace Center and the City Hall. It was quite pleasant, and it looked like there might have been something going on in the Center, but I wasn’t down to pay another 15 dollars to gain entry into the exhibition. I am perfectly fine with the museums that I saw yesterday which, no worries, I will mention.
I had been walking down a street running perpendicular to the water for quite a bit, when I reached a sight that actually made Oslo stand out a little more kindly in my memory. I emerged from the labyrinth of shopping experiences, and stumbled upon a bustling square, ringed by trees with changing, colorful foliage, and centered around a low fountain gurgling with water. The square was filled with people, young and old, walking, chatting, drinking coffee…on a day that was especially temperate like this one, they had no reason to hurry. I was tempted to sit and people watch for a while, but all the benches and other potential seating places were wet. Everything here is perpetually wet.
So, I chose dryness, and continued on my way. I had only walked for a little bit longer when I stumbled upon the last highlight of my day, the Oslo Cathedral. I had never seen a Scandinavian style place of worship before, and I had no idea what I expected, but I definitely don’t think that it was what I saw. The first noticeable thing upon entry is a sensation or, rather, the lack of one; namely, noise. All the hustle and bustle of the city quieted as soon as the doors closed behind me. The second noticeable things was the warmth the church exuded. Of course, that would be accurate in terms of temperature as well, but I actually was talking about the colors. The floor was mounted with a pink marble, the pews a pale shade of evergreen accented with gold. It was a very pretty combination, but the show stopper was the ceiling. The very center was a geometric pattern, done in spots, in various hues of orange, pink, purple, blue, and yellow. Along the edges were the scenes of the 12 stages of the cross, painted in bright, vibrant colors that contrast with the regal ones that I have come to normally associate with churches. I have no idea what style the murals were painted in, or if they could be called murals. Either way, it was a very welcome change from the very metropolitan surroundings I have been in for the last month.
I promised descriptions of the three museums that I visited yesterday. I believe that Monday will be a slower day, dedicated to packing and preparing for the plane ride on Tuesday. If that is the case, then I will definitely write about it then. After this long of a post though…
Ah! I just remembered one more thing about today that I had not mentioned. Before I even set foot on the ferry, I saw the Oslo Opera House! It is a huge white marble building whose front sides slant down at a fairly sloping angle. The effect is such that one could walk all the way up along the side and up to the roof, viewing the harbor all along way. It is pretty cool…it would be even prettier if that whole area weren’t dug up because of rode work. But, if one is in Oslo, it is a pretty cool thing to see. And it’s free!
Alright, I am going to bed now. Have a gorgeous one, gummy bears!
Wandering Owl 