Tuesday, August 22, 2017

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"Clueless" In Oslo (Layover Edition)

What does one do when the flight back home is hours away? Do they stay stuck at the airport bored for hours waiting 'till flight time? Or would they turn that layover into a mini day trip? After googling some information... day trip it was. First things first, drop off luggage at one of the luggage holding area in the airport. Who wants to drag that along? Not I.

Flytoget  Airport Express Train

Next was transportation. I wanted to get there the best way possible so that I won't miss flight back to Florida. I found it with Flytoget. This high speed train takes you from the airport to central station in about 19 minutes. It was a fast, fun, and clean ride with Free WiFi available. I thoroughly enjoyed my ride and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a quick way to get into the city. 

Oslo is the capital of Norway and one of Europe's fastest growing cities. It is surrounded by green hills and mountains making it one of the greenest cities in the world. My day started out walking down Oslo's main street Karl Johans Gate. This popular street runs from the train station to the Royal Palace. You can't miss this street that's filled with shops and cafes along the way.

Norwegian National Opera & Ballet

I was supposed to go back and explore this building but ran out of time. There's always next time though. 

Peter Tordenskjold Statue

Norway's famous Vice Admiral who was killed in a duel at the age of 30.

Royal Palace

The Royal Palace is home to King Harald V and Queen Sonja. It is open to the public during the summer with guided tours. I went to visit the royal family to talk about my stay the next time I'm there. They weren't home so I left my info with the guard. He was being a little difficult but I'm very confident he passed my info along. Still waiting....

Also, there's a changing of the guard ceremony that takes place daily but I missed it because I was busy being greedy...


There are tons of wonderful restaurants to eat for all to enjoy. Quite a few will give you a nice view of the pier and some people watching. Celebrity chef Jaime Oliver has a restaurant in the area and didn't notice until my greediness was done. Again, there's always next time. 

Fisherman's selling their catch

Fun Facts:

*The greenest city in the world is also one of the most expensive cities in the world

*The Nobel Peace Prize ceremony takes place in Oslo. Word on the street is that Norway has a reputation for being a peaceful country.

*It is known as the City Of The Midnight Sun. During the summer it rarely gets completely dark

*Akersus Castle and Fortress- The history of this medieval castle goes back to 1290 built to protect Oslo. Now turned to a military base.

*There was a statue of Franklin D. Roosevelt sitting down overlooking the pier and I wondered what the reason was. I later found out it was Norway's thank you gift for Roosevelt's support during World War II. I had a feeling it had something to do with that.

"Clueless" Travel Tips:

*Love that there were options for storing luggage. You can store at the airport or take luggage with you on train to city center station and store there. The lockers there are spacious and can be stored for up to 3 months. Both options are pretty reasonable but the lockers at the train station is cheaper. The choice is yours to make.

*I noticed these orange info points that look like cargo containers but are really maps that shows area attractions and places to eat within walking distance.

This mini trip was one of the coolest ever. The people of Oslo were nice. Even the drivers. Like every single driver stopped their car to let me and others cross the street with no cussin'. I was shocked and thought it was bizarre.

When visiting other cities, I find myself saying a little prayer before crossing the street. Oslo is a very chill and relaxed city with world class attractions that is not to be missed. Even though I was there for a short time, I enjoyed my time there. I totally plan on being back to do more of what I missed.

The journey continues...


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