It would be difficult to jot down the experiences and trips in Norway as they were always scattered. We would attend college for a week, set out to travel in Europe, then again come back after a fortnight or so and visit some place in Norway. I will try to club places we saw in one post itself. However, my Post for Stavanger visit will be separate. It deserves special attention and place -just like it has in my heart.
Lot of our visits across Norway were with friends who were on exchange program in Aarhus, Denmark. We did most leg of Norway with them. I’d call them Doctor because that’s what he is called (he is a doctor by profession) and maybe I’d call the other one Romy (deriving from the fact that he loved all cities and was romanticizing them for us)
So while our time at Norway, we saw lot of ‘attractions’ of Oslo and then travelled to Bergen, Flam Railway from Myrdal, Fjords tour from Voss to Gudvangen , Lillehammer etc.
The sightseeing in Oslo is what I started the first day itself, when I reconciled with my friends. There are few obvious places that one visits. Before I shoot off with the experience of Oslo, I will mention the great tourist friendly system in Europe. One just needs to look for ‘i’ symbol which is always around main stations, attractions etc and ask for free maps, directions and most of other useful information. In Oslo, it was again next to Sentralstasjon called Trafikanten.
First we went to The Vigeland Park. This must be the first thing most tourists visit. Nothing exciting but I guess it does call for a visit once. It is the world’s largest sculpture park- nearly 200 of them. It was made completely by one artist called Gustav Vigeland. Two things this place does to you- in the light of fact that its what you visit first in Europe. One, it accustomes you to nude statues that one would encounter all across Europe and two, you will know where do those most beautiful ’panaromic’ places in movies actually exist.
This place was my introduction to European beauty...barely 10% of what is actually in store in further up Norway and other places. The lush corridor of grass with straight growing trees planted in perfection. Why would you not want to stroll here. We went around aimlessly posing with statues, posing as statues. We tasted the city bus, tram and beauty-all that day.Most people are of course attracted to ’The Monolith’ or a tall pillar in the centre of park which is made of many men intertwined to each other.
Later that evening I visited the Oslo Opera House. It comes as a small appetizer of country’s affluence. Always abuzz with some event, some performance. It has an elaborate coat’s stand whihc surely flaunts the best collection one can think of. Must be a juvenile observation but i remember noticing that explicitly – all colours cuts and designs-belonging to peopole under this roof. It is the latest addition to Opera house...
I don’t remember if it was the same day or next, but i found myself sitting on bus to the Karl John’s road-which starts right in front of Central station and stretches for over a kilometer towards th Royal Palace. We strolled down the road, passing cafe’s alfrescos, Hard rock cafe and own indian, rajasthani food outlets, stopping to pose in front of important landmarks for a while. The day ended with th most beautiful ferry ride to nearby islands. We barely hopped on hopped off but the view was breathtaking. What was best was indeed the Student pass for NOK 360 (Rs 3000) a month. It was a bliss in this expensive country where everything was expensive. Getting food was always an issue. I was (still am) a vegetarian so most stuff was out of consideration. Everythinf else was expensive and i was to take time to settle in to new multipliers. Mc Donals had no vegetarian option too. Tom shifted allegiance to non vegetarianism on Day one. Many do. I didn’t. I won’t. By choice.
It took some time to discover 7-11 cheap menu or REMA breads and how can i forget, i still did not have an accomodation-and we were pondering on a new scheme, getting a shared acco as we were not planning staying in oslo much.
With brains running how to save on money in accomodation, fill stomach in an inexpensive way and go to the college, I started my journey in Oslo.
Lot of our visits across Norway were with friends who were on exchange program in Aarhus, Denmark. We did most leg of Norway with them. I’d call them Doctor because that’s what he is called (he is a doctor by profession) and maybe I’d call the other one Romy (deriving from the fact that he loved all cities and was romanticizing them for us)
So while our time at Norway, we saw lot of ‘attractions’ of Oslo and then travelled to Bergen, Flam Railway from Myrdal, Fjords tour from Voss to Gudvangen , Lillehammer etc.
The sightseeing in Oslo is what I started the first day itself, when I reconciled with my friends. There are few obvious places that one visits. Before I shoot off with the experience of Oslo, I will mention the great tourist friendly system in Europe. One just needs to look for ‘i’ symbol which is always around main stations, attractions etc and ask for free maps, directions and most of other useful information. In Oslo, it was again next to Sentralstasjon called Trafikanten.
First we went to The Vigeland Park. This must be the first thing most tourists visit. Nothing exciting but I guess it does call for a visit once. It is the world’s largest sculpture park- nearly 200 of them. It was made completely by one artist called Gustav Vigeland. Two things this place does to you- in the light of fact that its what you visit first in Europe. One, it accustomes you to nude statues that one would encounter all across Europe and two, you will know where do those most beautiful ’panaromic’ places in movies actually exist.
This place was my introduction to European beauty...barely 10% of what is actually in store in further up Norway and other places. The lush corridor of grass with straight growing trees planted in perfection. Why would you not want to stroll here. We went around aimlessly posing with statues, posing as statues. We tasted the city bus, tram and beauty-all that day.Most people are of course attracted to ’The Monolith’ or a tall pillar in the centre of park which is made of many men intertwined to each other.
Later that evening I visited the Oslo Opera House. It comes as a small appetizer of country’s affluence. Always abuzz with some event, some performance. It has an elaborate coat’s stand whihc surely flaunts the best collection one can think of. Must be a juvenile observation but i remember noticing that explicitly – all colours cuts and designs-belonging to peopole under this roof. It is the latest addition to Opera house...
I don’t remember if it was the same day or next, but i found myself sitting on bus to the Karl John’s road-which starts right in front of Central station and stretches for over a kilometer towards th Royal Palace. We strolled down the road, passing cafe’s alfrescos, Hard rock cafe and own indian, rajasthani food outlets, stopping to pose in front of important landmarks for a while. The day ended with th most beautiful ferry ride to nearby islands. We barely hopped on hopped off but the view was breathtaking. What was best was indeed the Student pass for NOK 360 (Rs 3000) a month. It was a bliss in this expensive country where everything was expensive. Getting food was always an issue. I was (still am) a vegetarian so most stuff was out of consideration. Everythinf else was expensive and i was to take time to settle in to new multipliers. Mc Donals had no vegetarian option too. Tom shifted allegiance to non vegetarianism on Day one. Many do. I didn’t. I won’t. By choice.
It took some time to discover 7-11 cheap menu or REMA breads and how can i forget, i still did not have an accomodation-and we were pondering on a new scheme, getting a shared acco as we were not planning staying in oslo much.
With brains running how to save on money in accomodation, fill stomach in an inexpensive way and go to the college, I started my journey in Oslo.
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