Oslo

In 2010 Oslo rose to the top of the list of the most expensive cities in Europe, and to second spot on the list of most expensive cities in the world after Tokyo !! This was immediately noticeable on our first evening there when it cost us almost EUR60,00 for two burgers and two beers! Despite the super expensive prices Oslo was perfect for a weekend city trip, and the last for us this year.

The city itself is not the most beautiful city in the world, but does have a couple of architectural gems and a few nice art nouveau buildings :-) What makes Oslo special is its location - it lies at the end of the Oslo fjord, with its residential areas stretching up the amphitheater-like hills in all directions. It has an impressive archipelago of islands (40 islands are within the city limits) and I can imagine that in the summer it really becomes a swimmer's paradise. And within a 25 minute trip on the metro you are out of the city and in the middle of the forested ski area. The train trip itself was worth it just for the spectacular views out over the fjord and the city below.

Once out in the hills, we visited the site of the scary looking Holmenkollen ski jump. The first ski jump competition held here was way back in 1892, and the associated ski museum, opened in 1923, is the oldest ski museum in the world. Unfortunately whilst we were there the ski jump was undergoing a major renovation for the 2011 nordic ski world championships, so both the ski jump and museum were closed. But the views from the hill down over the city were beautiful, and it was pretty funny seeing the metro full with people with skis and sleds on their way out for the afternoon to the ski areas :-)

One of the most interesting (and controversial) buildings we visited was the City Hall. Construction of the imposing red brick building commenced in 1931, but was put on hold during WWII before its official inauguration in 1950. Its characteristic, and not widely popular, architecture, artworks, and the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony make it one of Oslo's most famous buildings, and in 2005 was named Oslo's "Structure of the Century". On walking around inside the cavernous buidling it is easy to see why you either love it or hate it!

And perhaps the most modern piece of architecture in Oslo is the, in 2008 opened, Opera House. This angled construction of glass, white granite and marble is right on the waters edge and is designed to look like it is actually rising up out of the water. The roof of the building angles down to ground level, inviting pedestrians (and in snow-free conditions probably skateboarders too!) to walk up and enjoy the panoramic views of the city. In 2009 it won a major European award for architectural excellence. Lovely to see the reflections of the city in all that glass on the brilliantly sunny day we were there.

We also paid a visit to the Akershus Festning (castle) one afternoon, just as the sun was setting at about 3.30pm ! First built in the late 1290s, the castle (more like a fortress) was built to protect the most important city of Norway, and over the centuries has survived many sieges, primarily from Swedish forces. Today it is still a military area but is open to the public daily, and also found within the grounds are the Norwegian Armed Forces Museum and the Norwegian Resistance Museum. It was so cold, and getting dark, that we didn't really spend much time there, but we did see a couple of very cold looking soldier boys with big guns marching around!

Alli xxx