Oslo is not the most known and visited capital city in Europe which is rather unfair considering the charm of this nordic "hotspot". For a long time named Christiania, Oslo takes advantage of a beautiful location : at the end of the deep Oslofjord with its sweet little islands linked by multidaily ferries and surrounded by moutains embracing small natural lakes. It gives the visitor that feeling that Oslo is both an harbour and an inland city where the nature takes place like no other capital city. Carbon dioxyde seeker, sorry but this place is not for you! You can actually make the plan of the day by mixing urban activities such as having a morning coffee at the Parkteatret in Grünerlølokka, litteraly walking on the Operahuset to see the boats going in and out ( still the program inside is amazing! ), shopping on Majorstuen quarter or strolling on Christian IV gate and then suddendly changing your mood by going to Sognsvann at the end of the line 3 for a refreshing walk around the lake. Without running like a crazy, you would get the feeling to have enjoyed a full day of different experiences and sensations. Of course, by staying in the city you would have the possibility to bend over one of the bridges crossing to see the wild Anker river tracing his curving path, or just enjoying the sun going through the golden and redish trees of Slottsparken ( the royal palace park ) during the fall. For a long time Norway was a traditional and rural society based on argiculture and fishing facing with embarrassment the new urban modernity emmerging in the early XXth century described in the novels written by Knut Hamsun (
Benoni for instance ). But from 1968, everything changed with the the oil. Soon the country has grown rich... very rich providing more than 30% of the european needs which is quite enormous. But being a poor nation for centuries gives reflexes : how to keep the riches right? The norvegian State has developped a generous social policy trying to moderate the economic gap between upper classes and the rest of the society. A strong and ethic policy of investment has been followed for years aswell and it seems that a new phase has started with the cultural field. Oslo reflects all this perspectives : good equipment, good transportaion, buildings renovations programs, no real difficulities to live in spacious appartments even for young couple, and an up to front cultural agenda. With the new Opera House, the new Astrup Fearnley museum and soon the new Munch museum, it seems that the city of Oslo has decided to take a bend to the world of culture attracting new kind of visitors, mid aged and educated people who like both nature and culture, tradition and modernity, people who wear
Redwings shoes and read
Monocle wasting no time by thinking about the contradictions of life. It's obvious that Oslo will soon gather all the advantges that the hysteric modern world needs : no traffic jam, fresh air, nature, culture, slow rythm, casual home parties, and beautiful women of course ! ( Huk in the summertime in Bygdøy).
Places to go : Revolver for rock parties, National Gallery of Norway (free), fleamarket on sunday mornings on Birkelunden, Fotogalleriet, Lindøya in summer, Blå for the jazz, inside the Cityhall, a glass of vine at the Continental Hotel near the National theater and 1000 other little things...
Photo credits and text: Thomas Humery for The Klover Post .
