Today we officially began our visit to Oslo, the capital of Norway and its busiest seaport. The city of Oslo has a population of approximately 710,000, with the greater urban area at just over 1 million people.
Bob had purchased a very informative Rick Steve’s travel book on Norway, and we used that today to follow his suggested walking route (covered here) as well as his harbor walk (covered in the next blog). It gave us a great introduction to at least part of Oslo and got our legs moving again with an 8-mile walk after all of our sitting during the last couple of days.
The tour began back at the central train station that we arrived at yesterday and worked its way to the harbor via Karl Johans Gate, which runs from the old train station to the Royal Palace (currently closed). It is named for the Swedish king who ruled during the period when Sweden took Norway away from Denmark.
and attached mall in the background.
It alludes to Oslo’s one-time nickname of Tiger Town
given by those living in rural areas of the country.
immediately adjacent to the current one.
although sadly now owned by the US company Mondelez
of the US, France, and Norwegian flags,
as Norway was inspired by the US constitution
and the French Revolution while winning their freedom in 1905
of Henrik Ibsen (“A Doll’s House”) and Bjornstjerne Bjornson, Norway’s first Nobel Laureate (won for poetry)
along the outside walls of the courtyard in front of City Hall depicting various scenes of Norwegian mythology.
Bob found one with 2 big heads.
which celebrates the work of Nobel Peace Prize winners
Peckish Travels 