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Oslo: Tips, Ideas, NY Times Profile


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From the New York Times Travel Section in November, they had this headline: “36 Hours in Oslo”  with this sub-head: "The Norwegian capital is filled with art and stunning architecture, but nature, too, is an integral part of urban life." Had missed this story in November as we were preparing for our Greece to Dubai adventure through the Middle East, etc. 

 

Here are more of their profile highlights: “Oslo is one of Europe’s fastest growing capitals and it shows. Nestled between pristine forests and a fjord, this compact Norwegian city has long been recognized for its cultural institutions and its dedication to environmental sustainability (it’s the European Green Capital for 2019). But in the decade since the completion of the landmark opera house, Norway’s forward-thinking capital has worked to make compelling architecture its new calling card. Herds of construction cranes swing above the harbor, and entire neighborhoods like the futuristic Barcode district — a row of distinctive side-by-side high-rises — have sprouted. Go now to witness the city’s reinvention in progress, from a newly vibrant downtown to its redrawn skyline. It won’t look like this for long.”.

 

Dining?? Here was a suggestion: "Oslo’s dining scene musters little excitement compared to its southerly Scandinavian neighbor, Copenhagen, but there are a few bright spots in this famously pricey city that won’t break the bank. One excellent option is Arakataka, an elegant bistro with Nordic-inflected dishes, superb service and an interesting selection of natural wines."

 

Full story at:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/01/travel/what-to-do-in-oslo.html

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

For our latest live/blog, see “the Holy Lands, Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Dubai, Greece, etc.”, with many visuals, details and ideas for the historic and scenic Middle East.  Check it at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2607054-livenautica-greece-holy-lands-egypt-dubai-terrypix’s/

 

Here is one of the many visuals featured in this NY Times profile.  It is of the Akerselva River on an early autumn day.:

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We were in Oslo for a day three times in the early 2010's near the beginning of WB TAs.  Very nice place to visit--there are lots of interesting places to visit (Vigeland Scuplture Park, the Holmenkollen Ski Jump, Viking Ship Museum are places we liked).  We used the HOHO bus and also walked around a lot.  One of my favorite mystery series features Oslo police detective Harry Hole.  He's a troubled person, but intriguing.  Having been there, it's fun to recognize places we visited.  Finally, cruising down a long fjord to reach the ocean is very scenic

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2 hours ago, BarbinMich said:

We were in Oslo for a day three times in the early 2010's near the beginning of WB TAs.  Very nice place to visit--there are lots of interesting places to visit (Vigeland Scuplture Park, the Holmenkollen Ski Jump, Viking Ship Museum are places we liked).  We used the HOHO bus and also walked around a lot.  One of my favorite mystery series features Oslo police detective Harry Hole.  He's a troubled person, but intriguing.  Having been there, it's fun to recognize places we visited.  Finally, cruising down a long fjord to reach the ocean is very scenic

 

Appreciate your nice posting, these details from your experience in Oslo and this helpful follow-up.  Below are some details and visuals from our visit there in 2008.  It's been a few years back, but I do not think much of greatness with Vigeland Scuplture Park, their City Hall, etc., has changed much. Lots to see and enjoy in Oslo.  

 

Over time, one key question that comes up:  how does Oslo compares to Stockholm and Copenhagen?  Much of the difference is about the contrast of Oslo's more contemporary great art/design . . . versus . . . the more significant depth of history/design and royal background associated with both Copenhagen and Stockholm.     Both of these capitals of Sweden and Denmark have had much longer recent histories of power and wealth, while Oslo is "newer" in many ways.

 

More Norway History??:  Two centuries of Viking raids/advances/power went to the southern and western areas of Europe.  But that tapered off following the adoption of Christianity in AD 994. At one point, Norway expanded its control to parts of Britain, Ireland, Iceland and Greenland. Per Wikipedia, Norwegian power peaked in 1265, but competition from the Hanseatic League and the spread of the "Black Death" weakened the country. In 1380, Norway was absorbed into a union with Denmark that lasted more than four centuries. In 1814, Norwegians resisted the cession of their country to Sweden and adopted a new constitution. Sweden went to war with Norway but agreed to let Norway keep its constitution in return for accepting the union under a Swedish king. Later Norway demanded independence, which it gained in a referendum in 1905.  That brought back a King for this country.  Norway remained neutral in World War I. Despite its declaration of neutrality in World War II, Norway was occupied for five years by forces of Germany. In 1949, it abandoned neutrality, becoming a founding member of NATO. Discovery of oil in adjacent waters in the late 1960's boosted Norway's economic fortunes.  This "weave of history" gives a better perspective for why and how things evolved from the Viking days down to be controlled by its neighbors back to the recently-gained big oil wealth in the past few decades.

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise from Copenhagen, July 2010, to the top of Europe. Wonderful scenic visuals with key tips. Live/blog at 234,507 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

 

This picture shows the main, historic Akershus Fortress/Castle next to where many cruise ships dock in Oslo.  The fortress construction started around the late 1290’s.  It successfully survived all sieges, primarily by Swedish forces.  It surrendered without combat to Germans in 1940 when the Norwegian government evacuated the capital in the face of the German invasions of Denmark and Norway.  The very interesting and moving Norwegian Resistance museum can be visited there. Norwegian Royalty have been buried in the Royal Mausoleum in the castle. A portion of this fortress was replicated at the Norway pavilion at Disney’s Epcot Center.:

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At the National Museum in Oslo, there is Munch art, including one of his two famed Scream painting that are in this Norway capital.  At the separate Munch Museum, just a little distance away from central Oslo, there is the other Scream painting in Oslo.  There are many other of his painting at this museum by the famed artist as shown in the third picture when our guide gave us a tour.:

 

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Here is the view as we were sailing out from Oslo with the red brick City Hall in the more distant background and the surrounding areas and “hills” showing around this so-called “fjord”.  This Oslo fjord is not as dramatic as the "canyons" along the western coast of Norway.  Second is a closer look at that unique and cute Oslo harbor island with its special structure.  Doesn't look exactly like a lighthouse, but it is very interesting!!:

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Here is a view of the Norway Parliament Building in Oslo or the “Storting” (meaning "the great assembly").  It is a unicameral parliament with 169 members, elected every four years. Parliament was established by their Constitution of Norway in 1814 and has since 1866 met in this building with its unique curved front section.  Once the bill has reached the King in Council, the bill must be signed by the monarch and countersigned by the prime minister. It then becomes Norwegian law.  The King has the right to withhold Royal Assent from any bill passed, but this has never been done since the dissolution of the union with Sweden in 1905 that restored Norway to full independence..:

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Here is a view of Norway’s Royal Palace and a portion of the main Oslo shopping area. This 173-room palace was built in the first half of the 19th century as the Norwegian residence of the King of Sweden (when they ruled Norway) and is now the official residence of the present Norwegian monarch.:

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As a commercial on TV will often say, "But, wait, there's more!" applies in this sharing from my 2008 visuals from our visiting in Oslo.  Hope these pictures are of interest and help build excitement for those planning their exploring in the Norway capital.  Or, for those who have been in Oslo previously, hopefully these visuals bring back good and nice memories.  

 

Don't be shy with any questions and/or to share your tips, suggestions and ideas related to Oslo.

 

Here is some added background about Frogner Park.  It is the largest park in the city and covers over 110 acres and the sculpture installation is the world's largest sculpture park made by a single artist. Frogner Park is the most popular tourist attraction of Norway, with between one to two million visitors each year. Hours?  It is open to the public at all times.  24/7!!  Free!! Can't beat those hours and the price.  It is priceless!!

 

More on Vigeland/Oslo art:   Gustav Vigeland's astonishing figures show the whole range of human life presented in stone and metal.  There are nearly 200 sculptures, comprising 600 granite or bronze figures, in the park's large landscapes. All were designed by the Norwegian artist, whose museum, with over 1600 more statues (and his ashes) is just five minutes' walk away. Vigeland also designed the park's layout and setting.   He was described as versatile, obsessive and abrasive. It took years of debate before Oslo Municipal Council, in 1922, approved plans for a sculpture park which would express the struggles and aspirations of humanity from birth to death as the artist desired. The result is astonishing in concept, amazing in execution and setting.  Walk through the big iron gates and you're on a broad avenue leading to a bridge on whose parapets are mounted.  The children shown are more conventional and appealing.  Across the bridge rises a big fountain, in the middle of which a ring of giants supports a huge bronze bowl. Like everything else in the park, it's large in scale. From its center soars the monolith, a nearly 40'-high slab of Norwegian granite weighing 180 tons. The 121 writhing, creeping, struggling figures on its surface took three carvers 15 years to complete. 

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Sydney to NZ/Auckland Adventure, live/blog 2014 sampling for "down under” wonders. Exciting visuals with key highlights.  On page 23, post #571, see a complete index for all of the pictures, postings.  Now at 210,474 views.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

 

Vigeland Park has a wide variety of outdoor sculptures in a super, wonderful setting that is a highlight for Oslo.  There is a wide variety of art, water features, spectacular settings, etc. Below are a few of my top favorites from there.  Like?:

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Here is the final group, for right now, of top visuals from our visit in Oslo.  Have  many more "eye-candy" samples, but these should offer some options and potentials to consider as you plan for exploring the Norway capital. Reactions and questions?

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Amazon River-Caribbean 2015 adventure live/blog starting in Barbados. Many visuals from this amazing river and Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, San Juan, etc.).  Now at 63,392 views:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

 

Here is Oslo’s City Hall exterior and one of its large interior spaces where the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded annually on December 10 each year.  This structure houses the city council and city administration, plus art studios and galleries. The construction started in 1931 with the main structure completed in 1936. The German invasion of Norway in 1940 caused construction to stop, and it was not resumed until 1947. This City Hall was official opened in 1950. Its characteristic architecture, artworks and the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony makes it one of Oslo's most famous buildings.  The roof of the eastern tower has a 49-bell carillon which plays every hour.  This City Hall is situated in central downtown Oslo dramatically overlooking the scenic harbor area.:

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This is only one example of the many different rooms and their art work within Oslo's City Hall.:

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This is the Nobel Peace Prize Museum in Oslo.  It is ideally located in front of their City Hall and setting on their scenic waterfront.:1846549035_DSC_006315.jpg.beefaa1ae43ede8a8da0bfe27c70a68f.jpg

 

This is just one sample/example for the many items of outdoor art in Oslo.  It is fun just walking around and enjoying these sights, sites, parks, etc.:

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Oslo’s new Opera House opened in 2008 right on the waterfront at the top or head of the Oslofjord.   Home of the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet, it cost over $700 million to build. The main auditorium seats 1,364 seats and has two other performance spaces seating 200 and 400. The main stage is 52 feet wide and 130 feet deep.   The angled exterior surfaces of the building are covered with Italian marble and white granite to make it appear to be rising from the water. It is the largest cultural building constructed in Norway since Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim was completed around 1300.:

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Oslo's National Theater in the heart of its downtown.  Norway has had many famed authors and their statues are in front of this theater.:

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If you are looking for more ideas and options for Oslo, here are additional potentials from the New York Times Travel Section.  Last July, they had this headline and sub-head: “Keep Oslo Weird. Glorious surprises seem to lurk everywhere in this grand Norwegian city.”  Oslo last year was ranked as number 26 on their "52 Places to Go in 2018" world-wide list. 

 

Here are some of their story highlights: “One sunset stroll took me past a dozen fishermen sitting on bait buckets to the Akershus Fortress, a medieval castle once used as a royal residence, where you can wander among cannons for free until 9 p.m. — or come by at 1:10 p.m. to follow the changing of the royal guard. The guards march through city streets to the Royal Place, the actual home of King Harald V and Queen Sonja, where you can also wander the grounds for free and pretty late.”.

 

Regarding Akershus Fortress, that was interesting, including Norway's Resistance Museum that is a part of this historic structure. The museum collection focuses on Norwegian resistance during the occupation of Norway by Germany from 1940 to 1945. The museum displays equipment, visuals and documents from the war years.  The Museum opened  in May 1970 in celebration of the 25th anniversary of Norwegian liberation.  At the suggestion of the former U.S. Ambassador to Norway, who is from Ohio, i visited here and experienced much as to what happened to Norway during this period.  Below are a few visuals from visiting with the Akershus Fortress.

 

Here was one of their other suggestions in this profile: "If you’re planning on cramming in a lot of attractions, consider an Oslo Pass. Prices start around $49 a day (395 kroner) and it pays itself back in unlimited entrance fees to 30 museums, public pools, and public transport. (Again, check what is closed Sundays and Mondays — a lot!)"

 

Full story at:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/10/travel/oslo-norway-art-restaurants-parks.html

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Barcelona/Med: June 2011, with stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Great visuals with key highlights, tips, etc. Live/blog now at 244,960 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

Here are a series of visuals from the Akershus Fortress.  This includes showing an initial part of this structure with the twin towers of Oslo's City Hall on the left side. Next are different samples from their walls, a tower, an old wooden gate, one of the military guards inside and finally one of sample of their collection with a Norway flag from that period in their history. :

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  • 3 weeks later...

From this London/UK iNews media source earlier this month, they had this headline: “Scream to serene: a weekend exploring Edvard Munch’s Oslo is far from melancholy”  with these highlights: “Sitting by the window in Ekeberg restaurant, I can see almost all of Oslo and its inner fjord. Below, the city twinkles serenely. The water in the harbour lies as still as if it, too, were frozen.  It is hard to believe this is the same view that inspired The Scream – not least because Edvard Munch intended to represent not the figure in the foreground screaming, but 'the whole of nature', blood staining the clouds as his protagonist covers his ears against the clamour.”

 

Here is what is detailed about Oslo's new museum for their famed artist: "The new Munch Museum is a 12-storey glass-fronted marvel that will bring the outdoors in for visitors, as well as house and showcase the 28,000 paintings, sketches, photographs and sculptures that Munch willed to the municipality of Oslo. Two storeys will be dedicated to the works of Tracey Emin, who credits him as one of her greatest inspirations."

 

Other travel options and details are outlined in this profile, including: "Oslo is an easy city to get around, with plenty of tram and underground options if the cold is setting in. I’m happy strolling the streets, through the pretty pedestrianised shopping area and past the outdoor ice rink on Karl Johans Gate to the Grand Café, another of Munch’s haunts. It is an understated city, with none of the pomp of Stockholm but a relaxed atmosphere and wide-open outdoor spaces. It is hard to imagine ever feeling too melancholy in such a chilled city."

 

Full story at:

https://inews.co.uk/inews-lifestyle/travel/scream-serene-edvard-munch-oslo-travel/

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

SE Asia/Mekong River, Etc.!  Live/blog from early 2018, first adventure through SE Asia, stops in Hong Kong and Bangkok, before exploring all over Vietnam and Cambodia, seven days sailing on the Mekong River. Now at 46,005 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2591474

 

Here are some more views and details from outside and inside Oslo's City Hall.  Many interesting art and architectural aspects to this centrally-located civic structure:

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Here are a couple of other Oslo visual samples.  First is from one of the downtown parks with great water and art features.  Second shows the distant ski jump that towers over the central city.:

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From this weekend's Travel Section of the London/UK Sunday Times, they had this headline: “Oslo, the new capital of cool”  with this sub-head: "Hip cocktail bars, chic new hotels and a booming foodie scene are transforming the Norwegian capital".

 

These details might not be of interest to everyone as they focus on the more narrow aspects of upscale hotels, drinks and dining. There are also details as Oslo seeks to be more "green", etc.    Here are some additional story highlights: There are stories behind the drinks at Oslo’s newest luxury hotel. I’m sipping champagne from a hand-blown glass while cocktails are being shaken around me. They have intriguing names such as Social Media or Discovery of Oil, but that doesn’t surprise me, for Amerikalinjen is the newborn sister to the Thief, that flauntingly seductive hotel that first put Oslo on the radar of the cool, contemporary traveller when it opened in 2014. And what a difference a few years make. Luxury, a relative newcomer to Oslo back then, is now springing up all over the city, but the opening of the Amerikalinjen has brought a whole new level of luxe with it.

 

Full story at:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/travel/oslo-the-new-capital-of-cool-f2wpm2fcj

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

AFRICA?!!?: Fun, interesting visuals, plus travel details from this early 2016 live/blog. At 45,131 views. Featuring Cape Town, South Africa’s coast, Mozambique, Victoria Falls/Zambia and Botswana's famed Okavango Delta.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2310337

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  • 1 month later...

From the Travel Section of the London/UK Sunday Times, they will have this headline tomorrow: “30 best cultural holidays in Europe”  with this sub-head: "From art and architecture to film festivals and classical concerts, here is the pick of Europe’s hot tickets". 

 

One of top Europe locations featured is Oslo.  Here is the highlight featured for this Norway star: “As far as mainstream music festivals go, high-quality Oya is especially relaxed, especially sustainable and — this being Norway — especially expensive, with day tickets starting at £99. The lone remaining day with availability is Thursday, when Tame Impala, Sigrid, Erykah Badu and Earl Sweatshirt top the line-up (August 6-10, oyafestivalen.no). Bolstered by a strong organic-food presence, it all takes place in a park in eastern Oslo, allowing for a wide-ranging city break. Around Oya you could inspect Vigeland Sculpture Park’s bronzes, island-hop by ferry up the Oslo Fjord, or dine alfresco on Aker Brygge wharf’s repurposed, trendy harbourside.
Where to stay Despite its 810 rooms, the new Clarion Hotel has a boutique feel thanks to rooftop dining from the celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson and much modern art. B&B doubles during Oya cost from NOK2,151 (£190) a night (00 47 2310 8000, nordicchoicehotels.com)”
.

 

Full story at:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/travel/30-best-cultural-holidays-in-europe-7tqm8vtjn

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Lisbon, NWSpain, Bordeaux/Brittany: Live/blog, June 2017 from Portugal to France along scenic Atlantic Coast.  Now at 28,822 views.  Many interesting pictures, details for history, food, culture, etc.:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2511358

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