I have arrived!

I've officially landed on European soil! It is amazing to be here in the thick of it all. I was able to get a bed in a hostel in central Oslo for my first two nights and have spent the days wandering and taking photos and trying to soak it all in! Here is a recap of my first couple days in the city:

I set out on foot from the hostel, ready to "see the sights!" I stashed my guidebook away and resolved to walk whichever way sparked my interest. It seemed to work.

The Grand Hotel

The Royal Palace

After a nice amount of aimless wandering, I decided to make the trek to Frognerparken and Vigeland Park, which is a fair distance from the hostel. I thoroughly enjoyed the truly “European” feel- small streets, small cars, lots of bikes and walkers, plazas, green space, street side cafes, street musicians, churches, foreign languages, etc. It felt like a fairytale land. 

Frognerparken

The park was pretty incredible. Lots of people were lounging in the grass, picnicking with families, and teaching little kiddos how to ride bikes on the dirt paths. The sculptures themselves were beautiful. Gustav Vigeland asked the city to build him a home and studio. In return he promised the city every sculpture he made. It was a great trade for both sides! His home/studio is in Vigeland park and is now a museum. 

The bodies that he sculpted aren’t “chiseled” figures: all have soft lines without much muscle definition. I wasn’t expecting that- I thought he would capitalize on the muscle to speak for itself in some sculptures, defining the piece as demanding and a physically powerful presence. Instead, he used body language and facial expressions so well that you could understand beautifully the emotion that he was trying to portray, even with a round-ish figure.

I spent my evening in Akershus Fortress, overlooking Oslofjord. Since islands dot the fjord (which isn’t actually a true fjord, as it turns out…) it pretty much looks like a (really beautiful) lake. 

The view of Aker Brygge from Akershus Fortress

The central part of Oslo is stunning, and there is still much to be explored. For now, on to the next adventure!