First Day in Oslo, Norway

So it is Saturday afternoon, of the 14th of March. I’ve been shown the where’s and the hows of this apartment in the Grunerlokka section of Oslo, and soon enough, the host leaves. So let’s have a look around –

The living room is set under a triple skylight.

The dining room is next to a wall of windows and has a nice hanging lamp over it. This will prove to be invaluable, if and when I need to do something on my laptop.

I know what you’re thinking. Is that a bathtub sitting outside on the balcony?

It sure is. Not quite the right season for a soak under the stars – but knowing one could, at the right time of year – is a major plus.

The balcony walls are kind of high, but the views aren’t all that special anyway. But who rents an apartment for a short stay, based on the views from a balcony.

There’s the range and oven. and to the right of the book-case – those two drawers (to your left ) are the refrigerator.

So, what about a kitchen?

Here’s another view – the sink and more cabinets are at the far end.

Okay for some reason I didn’t take pictures of the bedroom or bathroom – but we can get by without them. The bathroom was small and compact – so small that when standing in the bathroom you could touch both the door to the corridor as well as to the door to the bedroom at the same time.

Okay so much for the tour of the apartment. Plans were to head back via the tram to check out how to get to the Railroad station again – with my luggage in the shortest number of steps. I took the tram = it could be the 11, 12 or 13 – heading downtown …

to Brugata – not much more than six or seven minutes. The trams in Oslo have no turnstiles. Each car of the three car tram has multiple doors. There are no conductors. You are expected to have a valid ticket. But no one is on board the tram to demand to see it. Except when the Oslo transit police decide to. I noticed them waiting for a tram at Olaf Ryess Plass the next day. They’re easy to spot, black uniforms, radios, and guns. The city of Oslo allows you to ride on these trams via the honor system – but if you don’t have a valid ticket, and you get nabbed by these cops, there will be a healthy fine. Really a healthy fine – so much so that the charge of theft of service, is something you won’t want to have to deal with.

Around the area of Hausmann Gate – I think two stops before Brugata, there was an elegant side-walk cafe. as well as some rather  nice views of the Aker River.

Oslo is rather unique because it has a river running through the heart of town – a river small enough to be very attractive to see, including some small rapids, a few small bridges for pedestrians . and still not big enough for any kind of boating beyond a canoe. Makes for a great looking park. I took the picture above, and the one below, of a small pedestrian bridge, I found on the internet.

The pictures below, of this same bridge, I took myself, The best things about it was that this river park was just a two-minute walk from the apartment.

The park was idyllic, even on this plain March day. But wait there’s more – did I mention the waterfall beneath the bridge?

Or that there’s another bridge where lovers have left a lock as a forever remembrance of their relationship?

For an urban park it was quite nice. People were feeding the ducks, with an occasional sea-gull dropping in for a visit.A few pigeons lingered on the fringes, but they were clearly too undersized to scrap for bread chunks with the ducks.

Or folks just sat and took their rest in the company of some one they cared for.

Or strolled as if they hadn’t a care in the world.

Personally, I hadn’t much on my mind either. I knew I would return to the apartment. Negotiate the outer street door, the courtyard door, and then make the climb – to the fifth floor penthouse apartment. Dinner would come later –

at the Monsun Noodle Bar –

Check out the map – the restaurant is just around the corner from Steenstrup Gate – about two and a half minutes away. How ideal. Perfect for takeout as well. The Monsun Noodle Bar had nice modern lighting, and banquettes besides tables and chairs. Another plus was the excellent music system which piped in lots of softer rock music.The waitress was from the Philippines and spoke perfect English. They even have an English Menu. I ordered the yakisoba and left filled and pleased.