DAY SEVEN: First Day in Oslo

Oslo is located at the head of a 60 mile long fjord and has a population of just over a half million--thus about 20% of Norway's populace live in the Oslo metropolitan area. For 300 years, Oslo was called Christiania after the Danish King Christian IV. After Norway's independence in 1905, it reverted to the old Norse name of Oslo. With wooded hills, lakes, parks and the harbor, Oslo has the ambiance of a smaller city.

Breakfast at Oslo Thon Opera is the best so far on our trip, with custom omlettes, hard/soft/fried/scrambled eggs, pancakes/waffles, fruit, cereals, salmon, Euro meats/cheeses, multiple varieties of fresh bread and several other options. Also great selection of smoothies--mango/papaya, kiwi/strawberry, carrot, etc.

Front gate of Frogner Park

Took the #12 tram from the front of Oslo S to the Vigelandsparken stop in front of the impressive ironwork entrance gate to the 75-acre Frogner Park. In 1921, Norway's greatest sculptor, Gustav Vigeland, made an agreement with the city of Oslo. In exchange for a studio and state support, he would spend the rest of his creative life beautifying Oslo with bronze and granite sculptures. From 1924 to 1943, Vigeland created 192 unique nude bronze sculptures. Frogner Park is held in high regard by Norwegians as it is free of trash, graffiti...and tour busses if you go early in the morning during the July/August high tourist season.

Vigeland was a complicated man with a complicated life. His marriages failed (perhaps because he sequentially lived with his many models), his children complicated his artistic agenda, he didn't name his sculptures nor did he explain their meaning. Presently, the statue of Gustav Vigeland stands with hammer and chisel in hand, drenched in pigeon poop.

The 58 statues on the 300 ft long bridge are bounded by four granite columns. Three columns show men fighting with a lizard while the fourth depicts a woman submitting to a lizard's (umm) embrace. The bronze sculptures deal with the various human relationships: attraction, love, entrapment and escape.

The fountain shows 60 bronze reliefs and is supported by six giants toiling under the burden of life. As you circle clockwise, you experience the Cycle of Life from Vigeland's perspective.

The centerpiece of Frogner Park is a "monolith of life" with 121 figures carved out of a single block of stone. Three stone carvers worked daily for 14 years to create the 180-ton, 50-foot tall erection. Some bodies rise and fall, while some help others in their struggle.

Beyond the monolith is the "Wheel of Life", where 3 adults and 4 children are intertwined in the spiral of life.

After Vigeland, we parted company with Linda and Manfred who were off to Sunday church, while Kenny and I made the short walk to the Majorstuen "T" stop. Along the way, we passed a bronze of 1930's figure skater, Sonje Henie, adjacent to the ice rink where she learned to skate.

We took the T-bane #1 line out to the Holmenkollen ski jump, site of many major jumping competitions, including the Olympics. This futuristic, cantilevered structure has a tilted elevator that you can ride to the top of the jumping platform. The day we were there, they also offered zip line rides ($100.) that ran from the jump seat to the rise at the far end of the jump. It looked tempting, but we had agreed to meet Linda and Manfred at the National Gallery at 1:30pm.

Imagine pointing 'em straight downhill with 30,000 watching!

Great zip line!

The National Gallery is currently displaying a special exhibition for the 150th anniversary of the birth of Edvard Munch, best known for his 1893 work named "The Scream".

After a brief return to the Thon Opera for cocktail hour, we took the tram (#11/12/13) from Oslo S to the northern end of the Grunerlokka neighborhood. Grunerlokka is an old working class neighborhood that is in transition to becoming a trendy restaurant district. There are restaurants of every flavor on every corner. We finally chose an Asian fusion restaurant (Sudost) towards the south end of Grunerlokka with shady outdoor seating alongside the Akers River. The food was quite good, but expensive. Although the Norwegian government apparently has strict food safety standards, Manfred detected a worrisome taste in his shrimp dish. Although the staff repeatedly vouched for the freshness of the shrimp, they allowed him to return the dish in exchange for another.

After dinner, the ladies took the tram while Manfred and I walked back to the hotel. It should be noted that Oslo typically has some of the best weather in Norway, but today's weather was spectacular...sunny and low 70's. And more good weather is expected over the next few days!

Difficult to appear distinguished with a seagull pooping on your head....

 

Posted by TBW Travel Today!