Olso (City of the Midnight Sun)

Wednesday 16th April 2008 (on our way to Oslo)

Woke up with fairly rough heads on us this morning not helped by the fact that we were at sea. For some reason we always seem to be hungover when at sea. This was our last day on the ship. We spent it playing Basketball and mini golf. We found an arcade filled with computer games and am so sorry I didn’t find it earlier on the trip. It was out last meal in the restaurant and again the food was top notch. Spent the night talking to strangers, playing in the Casino, drinking rum and packing our suitcases.

Thursday 17th April 2008

Woke up this morning to a gorgeous view.  The islands were in our direct line of sight.  The air was very clean and the water looked very blue.  Perfect morning.  Our luggage had been collected the night before so we only had a few bits to get ready.  After breakfast in the Windjammer we left the cruise ship.  Two very sad people left the ship but thank God we weren't going home and it wasnt the end.  When we got off the boat now knowing where we were or again not having any money we got into a taxi and headed to our hotel.   Thon Hotel Triaden, Gamleveien 88, N-1476 Rasta. www.thonhotels.no.   We were both so tired when we arrived at the hotel.  It was not even 09.00 yet.  We were keeping the fingers crossed all the way to the hotel that our room would be ready and that we would be able to check in as soon as we arrived.  Luckily for us it was.  The hotel is lovely.  Very cute and decorated unusual.  We got to our room and the bed was the comfiest bed in the world.  This bed was airwhipped from heaven.   We could do nothing except crawl in and we were both asleep within minutes.   When we woke up we were still drained.  We were here for a few days so decided to take it easy.  As I was having problems getting out of the cloud Ray went to check to see what was in the area.  He came back armed with tiny danish pastries and pain au chocolate which apparently were for the taking in the hotel lobby.  Loving this place!  Next to us was a shopping centre.   We hadn't gone shopping and had no cash for shopping but a walk around wouldnt do us any harm.  They had plenty of gellato ice cream here I was happy to see.  We needed to get an extra bag for our stuff so we wouldnt have to pay Ryanair again and could bring stuff on as hand luggage.   Got two bags.  There was a restaurant attached to the shopping centre and hotel and a cinema.  Decided we would go for food and then a movie, hit the bed early and get up early and attack Oslo.  The name of the restaurant was Egon's.  I got fish and salad, Ray got nacho's and then steak and chips and two drinks and the bill was €85.00.  Couldnt believe it! Oslo is damn expensive.  We hit the movies afterwards and it was surreal.  We went to see 3:10 to Yuma, great flick.  We had our tickets and went inside.  There was not a sinner in the place.  We sat down on what we thought were the best seats in the house.  After a while this guy came in, looked around, went out and shut the door.  We were the only two in the whole place.  This cinema was massive.  A bunch of really surreal weird adds came on and felt very like Clockwork Orange at one stage.  The experience got even stranger when Ray pointed out that we were sitting in exactly the same seats as were printed on the tickets that we were given.  **Que Twilight Zone music**.  The film was great and we were loving the fact that we had the place to ourselves.  Headed back to the cloud afterwards.

Friday 18th April 2008

We missed breakfast due to the fact that we are two lazy fucks.  Downstairs today instead of little pastries they had waffles complete with clotted cream, raspberry/strawberry jam and what looked like chocolate that you grate over it.  Put together some waffles but after tasting what I thought was the chocolate turned out to be something rank.  Cant even describe it.  Ray's waffle was up and running and I told him not to eat the ..."stuff".  Ignoring me, as he usually does when it comes to food, I laughed when he ended feel unwell and throwing up in his mouth a few minutes later as the taste of the "stuff" hit the back of his throat.  I am not an "I told you so" person.  I am a "giving you a bit fat smile" person.  So we left the hotel with me still smiling and made our way to the bus stop.  After finding a route, half an hour later we were in the centre of Oslo.   We got off at the Bus Station.  We wanted to do a Fjord trip today and werent sure where the City Hall was.  City Hall was right beside the harbour.  There was an information hall in the Bus Station where we bought a metro ticket as one was needed to get to our destination.  After the metro ride which was not too far from the bus station and a little walk we came upon City Hall.   The name of City Hall is Radhus.  A red bricked building with scenes of Norse mythology outside. We didnt go inside the building but outside were dozen's of Oslo's youth on skateboards trying to perfect their techniques.  Across the square there is the Nobel Peace Centre built with the vision of increasing people's knowledge with peace and conflict.   We found our spot for the Fjord Sightseeing and bought our ticket.  It was a little early so decided to get some lunch as it was a 2 hour boat ride.  There is a massive shopping district beside the harbour and this is apparently the night life spot of Oslo also.  Everything was very clean and looked like something from a magazine.  Lighting in shops just perfect.  Cakes and pastry shops looked tempting, clothes shops big and airy.  Shoppers paradise except for the prices.  Oslo is damn expensive.  There wa a supermarket nearby and we got our lunch in there.  The sun was out and it was lovely to sit beside the harbour munching on sushi and chinese food and wait for our boat to come in in the sunshine.  The boat arrived and we spend 2 hours going around the Fjords that mother nature had created so long ago.  It was all very picture squeaky and gorgeous.  Am glad the water was calm.  Every so often some fucker in a speedboat would go by, rock the water and the boat would sway from side to side.  Thankfully though, no sea sickness today.  After the boat we headed to the Bygdoy peninsula as we wanted to check out the Viking ships.   We got the island and and saw the Kon Tiki museum but went by as we wanted to make sure we saw the ships.  We were walking for ages and suddenly saw a red tour bus go by.  Aha!  These pick you up on the island and bring you around.  Once you pay on the ferry crossing, your ticket is valid for unlimited travel for one hour.  Took us a few goes to understand that though.  By the time we reached the Viking Museum it was closed.  Gutter.  We headed to the open air folk museum just in time to see the doors close.  Again gutted.  We headed back to the Kon Tiki museum and I am ashamed to say that I had never heard of it.  One of the places I want to visit most is Easter Island and I knew nothing about this exploraton of the amazing man Thor Heyerdah's voyage.  It is a very interesting museum and could happily have stayed longer but it was closing.  Just about saw everything.  Got the bus and then ferry back to Oslo harbour.  There are late buses than run well into the night in Oslo so getting back wouldnt be a problem.  We walked around the city for ages.  Its a fabulous place to walk around.  They love sitting outside and catching the ray's of sun.  We eventually came to a cafe called Cafe Cathedral where we joined the locals and sat outside and had a meal.  The buzz on the streets was great.  Again though, did I mention that Oslo is damn expensive.  Well it is.  Later we got our metro back and was a split decision to go on the razzle and pay for it tomorrow or head back (it was late enough) and get up early to head back to see the viking boats which are a must coming over.  I would hate to have missed them.  Hopped on the bus just as it was putting away and made our way back to the hotel.  Really looking forward to a good nights sleep in the cloud.

Saturday 19th April 2008

Last day in Oslo.  We got up and went down for breakfast.  No waffles - disappointed.  That "stuff" was out there on the counter though to say hi to Ray.  Left the hotel with our suitcases cause as handiness would have it there was lockers at the bus station where we were to catch our bus to Torp Airport.  Putting our stuff in the locker we got the metro back to the harbour, back on the boat and back over to Bygdoy.  We hit the Viking Ship Museum www.khm.uio.no.  Very interesting and amazing to see the boats for real.  Pictures do them no justice.  After that we went to the open air folk park (plenty of folk parks this month, see Donegal) where we had some food and ice cream.  This was based on the Sami village but all I kept thinking was the film "The Village" M. Night Shyamalan.   On the way back on the ferry you can see the Holmenkollen Ski Jump.  Mad bastards!   We wanted to see one last thing and that had to be Frognerparken.  We got on a tram near the harbour.  Takes about 10 minutes on the tram and you come to the park.  It is a massive park and truly beautiful.  There is a waterfall and some amazing sculptures.  The Norweigans were out in their drones in the sunshine, some were even playing croquet which I havent seen played in years.  I remember my grandparents used to play that.  Not wanting to leave it was time to head back to the bus station and get the bus to the airport.  Stopped off at a bar by the bus station as we had some time to spare.  The barmaid there showed me how to make a Fidel Castro which is now my new favourite drink.  As luck would have it again the minute the bus set off I fell asleep and the two hours zoomed by.   Every time we go away we are just pumped up to visit more of the world.  Plane landed nice and save in Ireland an hour and a half later.  Siochain! (peace in Irish)