Norway. Oslo and surroundings. Beginning.
For a long time, Scandinavia remained a desired, mysterious, and unexplored part of Europe for me. But desires have a way of coming true and a fortunate series of events led to my acquaintance with a remarkable couple who came to Budapest from Norway for the Sziget Festival. They are active, travel-loving guys, who embrace life, are eager to discover everything new, and most importantly — hookah lovers! With such a strong common interest, it was inevitable that we would find a connection. Before leaving Budapest, the guys invited me to visit them in Oslo. From that moment on, my new “Scandinavian” phase of travels was set in motion. All that was left was to coordinate dates, find suitable flights, and embark on a journey towards new adventures!
Hello, Norway!
Norway, formally the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form part of Norway.
Due to a combination of reasons, I chose the end of September — the beginning of October for my trip to this northern country. This is the period in Scandinavia when leaving the house requires packing half your wardrobe, from light T-shirts to warm jackets, as the weather changes multiple times a day. The bright, still-warm sun might easily hide behind clouds, from which heavy, cold rain might pour down. Arriving in Oslo from Budapest on a late evening flight, I stepped into the terminal, which, by the way, greets arriving citizens and guests of the Norwegian capital with a huge Duty-Free shop and equally high prices within. This is one of Norway’s peculiarities — the country possesses one of the most stable economies in the world, an extremely high standard of living, and prices that, for certain categories of goods, seem astronomically high. But more on that later.
After passing through Duty-Free, I entered the arrivals hall, from which there’s a direct connection to the train station with high-speed trains that run directly to Oslo’s central station. The travel time is approximately 20 minutes, and tickets (which cost 230 Norwegian kroner or about 20 euros) can conveniently be purchased from the machines right next to the turnstiles at the station. By the way, it’s possible to buy cheaper tickets for about 12 euros on a regular train, but late at night, this option isn’t available as these trains do not operate.
Having swiftly arrived in Oslo, I stepped out at the central station. Vlаd was there to greet me at the exit, and knowing my passion for exploring everything new, he immediately suggested taking a walk through the city center. Fortunately, the central station in Oslo fully corresponds to its name, as numerous interesting places are literally just a few steps away from it. Stepping beyond the station, I felt Scandinavia in all its unpredictable weather glory. Norway welcomed me with rain, cold, and windy weather, seemingly deciding not to dispel my stereotypical notions of harsh northern countries just yet.
The night and rain played their part, and at first, Oslo’s city center didn’t make a particularly striking impression. Several modern museums and galleries in a Scandinavian style, almost a complete absence of people, the waterfront, and a viewing platform atop one of the museums — that’s pretty much all that caught my eye during a cursory exploration of the city’s central part. To be honest, it seemed rather dull to me… Oh, little did I know then how the center of Oslo would transform and become bright, cozy, and appealing in daylight!
After strolling through the center, my friend and I headed towards the tram, walking along the city’s central streets. They somewhat resembled St. Petersburg or Vienna, but not ornate and luxurious — rather modest and ascetic, mirroring the stern Nordic mentality. After a few stops on the cozy city tram, we disembarked in the area of a large park and made our way to the house where my friend’s wife, Vika, awaited us, preparing dinner.
At this point, the weather decided to ‘welcome’ me to Scandinavia in full force. Rain poured down as if from a bucket, soaking us through, and we approached the house leisurely, as hurrying made no sense at all — everything that could get wet was already soaked.
Vika welcomed us with a hot dinner and tea. Along with her, there was a little Chihuahua, Richie, who at three months old seemed absolutely overjoyed to meet wet guests!
We hung our clothes to dry and had dinner. Vlad prepared a hookah with the tobacco I brought from Hungary, and the evening was filled with a pleasant relaxed atmosphere and conversations on various topics. The night steadily advanced, signaling it was time to prepare for sleep and the first full day in Norway, along with its first amazing discoveries!
Norway — Transformation
Waking up not so early in the morning (or rather, almost nearing noon), the first thing I did was to draw the curtains on the large panoramic windows. Immediately, I noticed a change in the weather — the heavy rain had ceased, the streets had dried a bit, and although the remaining gray sky persisted, it still gave hope that the weather would steadily change for the better.
Rising from the bed, I almost sat back down immediately as the air was pierced by the loud wail of the fire safety siren. In Norway, safety measures are taken extremely seriously. All apartments in buildings are equipped with smoke detectors connected to a unified system, linked to a central control panel in the building’s lobby. Any attempt to smoke or any other innocent mishap leads to slim, fit Norwegian firefighters arriving from the nearby fire station. They check the situation, silence the alarm, and, depending on the degree of fault of the alarm trigger, can issue a substantial fine.
After watching the ‘fire show,’ my friends suggested taking a walk around the city, and after brief preparations, we set off for a stroll. From that moment, Norway decided it was time to shatter the Scandinavian stereotypes and reveal a completely different side — vibrant, mysterious, and enticing.
As time steadily approached three o’clock, we decided to spend the remaining part of the day exploring several main streets in the city and enjoying a delicious dinner at a beautiful spot. Heading out, we walked towards the nearby tram stop to reach the ‘creative’ art district situated by the Aker River, adjacent to the Grünerløkka Park and Brenneriveien Street.
This charming neighborhood, adorned with plenty of graffiti, homemade installations, bars, and clubs, left a very pleasant impression, complemented by the vastly improved weather, the beautiful river alongside which we walked, and the sculptures… no, not just sculptures, but ART. Sculptures in Oslo represent a unique form of art that I will revisit numerous times when recounting tales about this wonderful country. I haven’t seen such an abundance of naked figures — men, women, children — in the most incredible combinations, poses, and compositions in any other country. Yet, it didn’t appear vulgar at all; on the contrary, it was aesthetically splendid, intriguing, and meaningful!
Sculptures in Oslo represent a unique form of art that I will revisit numerous times when recounting tales about this wonderful country.
As we crossed the Aker River, we encountered several worthy sculptural pieces that adorned the entrances to the bridge. I’ve seen numerous bridge sculptures in different cities — Klodt horses, sphinxes, lions. But naked women riding on elks and bears was something absolutely new for me! Norway, for the first time and certainly not the last, displayed its uniqueness.
Strolling along the river, we took a tram back to the city center. By the way, Oslo boasts a well-developed network of tram routes that cover all the central districts of the capital. They integrate nicely with the metro and bus lines, primarily extending beyond Oslo. The trams aren’t new but are warm and comfortable. The Oslo City Hall promises a complete renewal of the tram fleet by the end of the year, and considering the overall standard of living and the country’s development, I readily believe these promises.
Urban planning experts regard the presence of tram networks as one of the crucial signs of a city’s development, and in this aspect, Oslo certainly delivers. The cost of a trip is 40 Norwegian kroner for a single ticket or 121 kroner for a 24-hour pass, with other options available. The most convenient way to purchase tickets is through the Ruter public transport app.
The cost of a trip is 40 Norwegian kroner for a single ticket or 121 kroner for a 24-hour pass, with other options available. The most convenient way to purchase tickets is through the Ruter public transport app.
Upon reaching the city center, we decided not to linger long since the sun was inevitably inching towards sunset, and we had another interesting place to visit outside Oslo. Therefore, we confined our visit to a walk through one of the central squares, an attempt to buy cheese from a local shop that closed right before us, and the overviewing of a sculpture dedicated to raising awareness about breast cancer. Following that, we boarded the metro train at the nearest station and headed to our last destination for the day — the Grefsenkollen restaurant, serving traditional Norwegian cuisine, situated on the mountain of the same name, offering fantastic views across all of Oslo.
Norway — Awakening of Emotions
On the way to the restaurant, I spent about half an hour with Vika and Vlad (who adore Norway and eagerly shared numerous facts and details about Norway, probably way more than I ever heard about any other country), riding a slowly moving open metro train up the mountain, and admiring magnificent views of forests and a vast lake against the backdrop of a vivid sunset. The final stop on our route was the station right at the mountaintop, a stone’s throw away from the restaurant.
An interesting fact — at the top of Grefsenkollen mountain, there are skiing trails that are free for all Oslo residents, along with ski equipment available for rent. What other skiing country offers something like this accessible directly by metro?
After descending a bit, we reached the terrace of the restaurant, where the Norwegian flag beautifully fluttered, and an astonishing panoramic view unfolded of Oslo, serene and stylish, illuminated by the first evening lights. After taking a few photos, we entered Grefsenkollen, which, with its appearance, strongly resembled a Christmas Coca-Cola commercial with trucks — vibrant, red, and inviting with spirited lights. Inside, the completely wooden restaurant exuded style and sophistication (as most places in Norway do), resembling the chalets you might find in the ski resorts of France or Austria. The only eccentric touch was the paintings hanging on the walls, narrating the stories of these places, yet they blended harmoniously into the ambiance.
Grefsenkollen can boast a wide selection of dishes, particularly delicious reindeer meat, and beer that stands up in taste and quality to the finest German or Belgian brews. However, it does surpass them significantly in price. But hey, it’s Norway, darling, what can you do… Despite the high price tag, the atmosphere of this place is definitely worth a visit! And if you manage to get a table by the scenic windows, the experience is simply indescribable. Spending time having heartwarming conversations with good friends in such a place is priceless; for everything else, there’s MasterCard ;-) Having dinner while enjoying the magnificent views of Norwegian nature, I realized that feelings were beginning to blossom for this country within me, and the story of our ‘relationship’ would be a long one.
After dining, and discussing numerous topics with Vlad and Vika, we made our way back to Oslo. The day was coming to an end, and we still had plans to visit a store, about which I also want to share a few words.
Norway — culinary peculiarities
When talking about Norway, I just can’t overlook the topic of groceries, their cost, and quality. I believe everyone is aware that everything is insanely expensive in this northern country; many have even heard this song:
But few people know what you get for that money. And I’ll tell you, in many cases, it’s not a bad investment at all! The quality of products in Norway is extremely high and regulated by numerous standards and laws. It’s so high that many of the well-known products we are familiar with simply cannot be sold there because they contain elements harmful to health and prohibited in Norway. So, it’s not surprising that major manufacturers create new brands specifically for the Norwegian market, which offer products of higher quality but are analogous to the ones we know. Thus, in Norwegian stores, you won’t find a Mars chocolate bar, instead, there will be an analog-like Japp; instead of Milka, there’s Freia, and instead of M&M’s, there’s Non-Stop, among many other products. Yes, quality comes at a cost, but alongside the splendid ecology, clean air, widespread support for sports, and the conscious state policy directed towards the nation’s health consider what an investment you’re making in the health of yourself and your children, and whether it’s worth it. Also, they have very charming mechanical scales in their stores ;-)
After shopping for groceries, not forgetting, of course, lots of tasty local goodies :-), we headed back home with friends. An evening of cozy hookah and long conversations awaited us, as well as an early rise, as a new day was ahead — a journey across Oslo Fjord. But about that — in the next part. For now, here’s a view of nighttime Oslo from the roof of Vlad and Viki’s house:
Norway — what’s next
In the next part, I will tell you about the beautiful Oslo Fjord. We’ll walk through the National Museum of Oslo, admire Munch’s paintings, explore the creativity of contemporary artists and designers, visit a local nightclub, and talk about Norway’s ecology. It will be interesting! ;-)
If you enjoyed the article and would like to discuss it, ask questions, or connect in person, you can find me on social media:
Also while you wait for the continuation, you can read my other travel articles:
And support my work:
