Oslo

Thursday, September 1, 2016 

Of course, the first thing we did today was to check the status of our missing (we've decided not to say "lost") luggage.  There were no text or online updates, so we headed out for the day with fingers crossed that there would be some positive news by day's end.

Our apartment is well-located, a block from a tram line and a commercial street.  We had a bite to eat in a local shop, purchased day passes for the city's transit system, and headed downtown, just five stops on the tram. At one of the stops en route, the tram was boarded by a couple of transit police, who checked for paid fares.  Most of the passengers just held up their smart phones, with screens displaying the appropriate info; those who didn't have documentation were escorted off, where they were met by other security officers who meted out whatever penalty was due, as the rest of us drove off.  I guess if the honor system doesn't work, the back-up does!

After a stop at the visitors' center, we spent the rest of the morning with a walking tour through parts of Oslo's downtown, which includes historic, cultural, commercial, and religious sites.  We began at the waterfront Opera House, which we returned to visit on our own after the tour, then walked through an area bordering the Oslo Fjord, passing the site of the founding of the city and the Akersus Slott (medieval fortress), en route to the harbor-front City Hall.  The great hall there is the site of the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize and is beautifully decorated with scenes of Norwegian life painted by leading Norse artists.  A couple of blocks inland brought us to the National Theater and Karl Johans Gate, a largely pedestrianized street connecting the Royal Palace and its park at one end and Jernbanetorget, with the central station and transit hub, at the other.  Along the street are the Parliament building, cultural venues, parks, hotels, restaurants and shops.

We spent the afternoon wandering on our own, beginning back at the Opera House.  Completed in 2007, with a white marble and glass angled exterior, it was designed to resemble an iceberg rising from the fjord.  The ramp-like roof extends to the water and is made to be walked on and enjoyed, which we did.  Just off the shore in front of the building is a glass and steel sculpture that rotates with the currents -- another artistic iceberg.

The waterfront area neighboring the Opera House is undergoing a building boom.  Several civic and cultural institutions will soon be concentrated here and construction cranes line the road.  This district will be unrecognizable in a couple of years!

We stopped for lunch in the square marking the rebirth of the city after a 17th-century fire.  A  sculpture of a large hand pointing to the exact spot chosen by King Christian IV for the new city is the centerpiece of a traffic circle there.

After wandering around the grounds of the castle and enjoying with harbor views from the fortress walls, we stopped in Oslo's Domkirke, which is the Church of Norway's cathedral for the Diocese of Oslo and also serves as a parish church for the downtown area. 

The Domkirke faces the daily flower market, which was chock full of beautiful blooms.  It was apparent throughout the day that Oslo residents love their flowers.  The parks and institutional buildings are beautifully landscaped with lush greenery, enormous leafy trees, and glorious blossoming flowers.  I expect that memories of these living colors help the locals survive the long, dark months of winter.

We took a tram to our last stop of the afternoon, Vigeland Park, the world's largest sculpture park made by a single artist.  Gustav Vigeland is revered here and he was also responsible for the design and layout of the park, which contains over 200 of his granite, bronze, and wrought iron sculptures.  Most are large representations of the human form in a variety of groupings and activities; some line a bridge over a water feature, others surround a huge fountain comprised of men hoisting an overflowing bowl, still more encircle a monolith depicting 121 people of all ages striving for the heavens.  Terraces, flowers, flowing water, statues and visitors enjoying them all in a wonderful park on a perfect late summer day made for a very nice experience.

From the park, it was a short tram ride back to our apartment, where we soon received word that "the delivery process" for our bags had been initiated and, just as I was really wanting to get ready for bed, they arrived!!  So now, I'm going to don my newly retrieved pajamas and do just that!