Oslo, Day 2

*originally written 7/4*

Not surprisingly, the Norwegians don't make a big deal out of the Fourth of July, but to all my friends back at home, Happy Independence Day!

We started our day with a big breakfast at the hotel (where Mom proudly translated the names of breakfast foods for a German couple) and a trip to Tourist Information, where we buy the Oslo Pass (which provides us with free transportation on the bus, tram, or harbor ferry, as well as free entrance to a whole bunch of museums). In an effort to see everything, we walked to the Oslo Domkirke (the Oslo Cathedral), which is quite beautiful (pictures below).

Approaching the Domkirke!

The ceiling of the Domkirke.

We then took the bus out to Bygdøy, the "island" on which most of the city's history museums are housed. We started with Vikingskipshuset (the Viking Ship Museum) and marveled at old ships, artifacts from burial mounds, and the Viking Cookbook, featured prominently in the gift shop. We also shared some laughs over the Spanish version of the museum guide, named Los Vikingos. We thought it was pretty funny. We lunched in the courtyard of the museum; I tried a salmon burger with hvitløk (garlic sauce aka tartar sauce) and potato salad (placed between the burger and the bun). When in Norway, do as the Norwegians, I suppose.

One of the viking ships.

Goofing around in the Viking Ship Museum.

Back on the bus, we rode to the museum circle (three museums at one cul de sac). We visited the Kon-Tiki museum (a tribute to the papyrus raft that sailed for Polynesia from Peru), the Norsk Maritimt Museet (the Norwegian Maritime Museum), and the HL Museet (the Holocaust Center). By the end of the day, we were museum-ed out but had managed to complete a whirl-wind tour of Oslo (and all without seeing Vigeland Park!).

The Kon-Tiki raft.

The Holocaust Center

Dinner was at Scandinavia's largest pizza chain, Peppe's, where our waiter, Tor, switched from his native Norwegian to flawless American English in about a half second. He was kind of amazing.

After dinner, we walked to the new Oslo Opera House, which is a gorgeous modern building right on the water. Holy Olav. What I would give to see an opera there.

The Opera House

Back at the hotel, it was time for an early bedtime for me - we've got to be out the door by 3:40am to catch the bus to the airport and our flights home.

The view from our hotel room.

Farewell, Norway, it's been grand!