EUROPE BLOG May 12th, 2023 - OSLO

 

5/12/23- Our morning starts around 11:30am as we leave the hotel for the boat docks. We have a 1pm start time to cruise Oslo Fjord but we purposely arrive over an hour early to check out more of the surrounding area.

There’s a hill overlooking the waterfront that we climb to get a view of the area and see a couple having their wedding photos done, which is always a cool thing for me to see. We hit up a souvenir shop before getting in line for the cruise (which has already started to form).

 

The sun is beaming down as we wait to board, but overall the weather couldn’t be any more pleasant as it approaches 68 degrees. When they do let us on, we’re able to pick seats toward the front of the boat (which looks like an old Viking ship), and at 1pm we begin the cruise.

It’s very slow moving, passing by the fortress and Opera house, but soon sets out into the fjord to see the areas around Oslo. It’s not a super-exciting cruise but it’s informative and gives us a great look at older Norwegian houses.

Kelvin enjoys the quiet and calm ride as I take photos on almost every turn. The two hour trip is just enough time, and I didn’t even have to use my jacket once despite the wind breezing by.

Upon leaving the ship, we walk around the corner to Aker Brygge (which has several restaurants off the water). The first few we pass are packed and we aren’t feeling the atmosphere much, but down the way we find a more quiet section and a menu to our liking. Kelvin orders the muscles with white wine and chili sauce and I get the Shrimp sandwich. We figure this would be small portions again like yesterday but when we get our food we’re surprised to see how much of it there is. Kelvin literally gets a full pot and my plate is loaded with so much shrimp (with side bread). It’s all very good and filling to say the least.

We get the bill and taken aback by a gin and tonic drink added to the order when we only had tap water. They quickly take it off but I’m wondering if our original waiter (who disappeared shortly after taking our order) drank it himself and went home.

With not much more planned for today, we walk a few minutes more down the waterfront to Tjuvholmen Sculpture Park, which turns out to mostly be a sunbathing place. We feel like we entered a frat party as guys jump into the water and women lay out in bikinis, so we don’t stay very long.

On our way back to the hotel, Kelvin mentions Oslo Cathedral and we go inside to check it out. It’s free to enter and there’s a rose memorial outside for the victims of the 2011 terrorist attack. Very moving and glad we came by as that was one of the worst attacks since World War II in Norway.

What a great few days with Kelvin and we still have one more before our flight out. I really enjoy sampling food (as that’s his motivation for this trip to begin with) and seeing him grow up before my eyes.

Side note- The first prank has been established with Kelvin turning off the bathroom light on me while I was in the shower (as the light switch is outside of the door). I went along with it, but mistakenly used bodywash in my hair. The jokes on him because my hair is on point this morning.