Gateway to Scandinavia (Norway and Sweden)
After my day trip to Lille, France, I turned right around and went on a 4 day trip to Norway and Sweden. Short but sweet since I had classes starting up the following Tuesday.
I left Amsterdam on a Thursday afternoon and arrived into Oslo Gardermoen (Airport) around 6pm due to delays at the airport. Inside the airport terminal after you leave baggage claim, turn right, that's the location for the trains. I took Flytoget for a ticket cost of 190 NOK and got into Central Station 20 minutes later and it let me transfer to the local bus for free. Anker Apartments is on the 30 bus line, 5 stops from central, so it was easy once I realized the bus was outside the central doors and not where all the signs pointing to the bus station lead. Those are only for specific buses like Flixbus.
I left Amsterdam on a Thursday afternoon and arrived into Oslo Gardermoen (Airport) around 6pm due to delays at the airport. Inside the airport terminal after you leave baggage claim, turn right, that's the location for the trains. I took Flytoget for a ticket cost of 190 NOK and got into Central Station 20 minutes later and it let me transfer to the local bus for free. Anker Apartments is on the 30 bus line, 5 stops from central, so it was easy once I realized the bus was outside the central doors and not where all the signs pointing to the bus station lead. Those are only for specific buses like Flixbus.
I stayed in an 8-bed dorm room at the Anker Apartments (1000 NOK for the 4 nights + 70 NOK for linens). Some good and bad...room was huge, included kitchen and bathroom and there is a Joker grocery store downstairs. Bad, you have to rent kitchen wear, there is no lock on the bathroom (wtf?!), and the guy next to me snored so loud not even blasting K-Pop on my mp3 player drowned him out. Luckily he was only there for one night.
Since I got in around 7pm, I figured I had plenty of time to get food and walk around. I spent 400 NOK to get enough food for my breakfast, lunch, and a dinner for the week. Then attempted to find the 7-11 to purchase my metrocard. I elected to get the 24 hours pass for 105 NOK instead of purchasing each ticket separately since I wanted to walk around the city center after checking in to my hostel and also so I wouldn't need to worry about my bus to the terminal the following morning. It takes 2 minutes for tickets to activate if you buy it online (same with the Oslo Pass), so don't rush and get stuck waiting for the card to turn on. Otherwise, the paper ticket just has to be activated once when you get on the bus the first time. You don't need to keep showing it. Just stick it in your wallet in case there is an inspection.
I walked all the way down to the Opera House, the harbor, castle, and up to the government building before getting horribly lost. Google Maps decided 1am when I was lost was the best time to shut down on my phone, reminding me to always download the maps from map.me which I did around 3am when I finally walked the entire way back because the 30 does not run after 12am. Luckily, my parents were up and stayed on the phone with me the entire way back giving me directions.
Oslo is pretty safe, but with all the construction right now, there were a few areas I was not happy to be in and one guy moved to cut me off in a dark area so I walked an extra 2 blocks to avoid being anywhere near him and out on a better lit, busier street. There is kind of a magic hour where the crowds dissapear off the streets around 1am. The clubs and bars are full, but not as many people are walking around, so if you are soloing it, I'd keep an eye on the time and make sure I was home or in a club at 1am.
Friday, I took Flixbus to Årjäng, Sweden and back, spending the day in the small lake community. There really isn't much to see, but I spent it walking down to the lake then up into the hills. Here's the thing, if you have a car, this is a stop through type of town; 2 hrs and you've seen it all. Walking, I was done in 4 hrs, which would have been great had I not booked a 7 hr stop. The town is a series of hills so good shoes and blister pads are a must have! There is also not much of a shopping area, the tourist center has a few postcards and deco. stuff, but there isn't much else.
I walked all the way down to the Opera House, the harbor, castle, and up to the government building before getting horribly lost. Google Maps decided 1am when I was lost was the best time to shut down on my phone, reminding me to always download the maps from map.me which I did around 3am when I finally walked the entire way back because the 30 does not run after 12am. Luckily, my parents were up and stayed on the phone with me the entire way back giving me directions.
Oslo is pretty safe, but with all the construction right now, there were a few areas I was not happy to be in and one guy moved to cut me off in a dark area so I walked an extra 2 blocks to avoid being anywhere near him and out on a better lit, busier street. There is kind of a magic hour where the crowds dissapear off the streets around 1am. The clubs and bars are full, but not as many people are walking around, so if you are soloing it, I'd keep an eye on the time and make sure I was home or in a club at 1am.
On Saturday, I started off at the Munch Museum hoping to see the Scream. It is not actually on display right now, but I was able to see some other paintings and sat down and made a drawing myself which I left as part of their interactive exhibit.
From there I went to Parliament, the National Theater, and the Royal Palace before heading down to the Nobel Peace Center (museum) and the ferry to Bygdøy, a peninsula that houses several museums including the Viking Ship Museum, the Kon-Tiki, Fram, and Maritime Museum, Holocaust Museum and Folk Museum.
I went to the Viking Ship Museum first and put on the soundtrack to the show as I walked through it. Made it even better. It's small, three ships and a wing for artifacts. One side has a video that plays every 15 minutes. It's a really good graphic showing the history of the relics. From there I grabbed a cup of soft-serve at the Saga cafe before walking around the peninsula to the other museums. If I had realized I could have hopped on the 30 bus right outside the Viking museum and taken it instead I would have. The 30 drops you at the circle with the Kon-Tiki, Fram, and Maritime Museum.
I only had time for the Kon-Tiki and Fram, but these two made my trip. Kon-Tiki had the original ship and the Ra as well as a great interactive design and the Fram has two different ships you can actually go on and walk through as well as a movie and an igloo!! There are shooting games, sled pull and ropes courses as well. Both are completely worth seeing and spending time in. To end my day I watched the Kon-Tiki movie and had dinner at the cafe by the Maritime Museum, which was closed, but had an amazing view of the fjord.
Kon-Tiki Museum:
Fram Museum:
Sunday was my last day in Oslo. The Norwegian Folk Museum had a Back to the 1700's Day on Sunday, which is why I elected to wait until the last day to go. From 10am until 4pm I went through the stave church, rural cottages, farms, apartments, saw live performances and tried traditional food. Great experience!
From there I went through the Maritime Museum, which only took about an hour and is mainly models of various ships through Norwegian history. Two very cool exhibits were an 1800's cruise ship you could go through and the kid's zone which was set up like a steamer ship, jungle, mechanic's shop, and cafe mimicking The Legend of Sally Jones books.
For dinner I went to Mathallen Oslo and had minke whale at Vulkanfisk. The meal costs 319NOK, so be prepared this is a more expensive meal...although my Pho and Spring Rolls on Thursday evening cost me 200NOK and the whale was better.
Behind the facility is a river that I followed up a very steep hill taking way more photos of the waterfalls than is healthy, I'm sure.
From there I went to Parliament, the National Theater, and the Royal Palace before heading down to the Nobel Peace Center (museum) and the ferry to Bygdøy, a peninsula that houses several museums including the Viking Ship Museum, the Kon-Tiki, Fram, and Maritime Museum, Holocaust Museum and Folk Museum.
I went to the Viking Ship Museum first and put on the soundtrack to the show as I walked through it. Made it even better. It's small, three ships and a wing for artifacts. One side has a video that plays every 15 minutes. It's a really good graphic showing the history of the relics. From there I grabbed a cup of soft-serve at the Saga cafe before walking around the peninsula to the other museums. If I had realized I could have hopped on the 30 bus right outside the Viking museum and taken it instead I would have. The 30 drops you at the circle with the Kon-Tiki, Fram, and Maritime Museum.
I only had time for the Kon-Tiki and Fram, but these two made my trip. Kon-Tiki had the original ship and the Ra as well as a great interactive design and the Fram has two different ships you can actually go on and walk through as well as a movie and an igloo!! There are shooting games, sled pull and ropes courses as well. Both are completely worth seeing and spending time in. To end my day I watched the Kon-Tiki movie and had dinner at the cafe by the Maritime Museum, which was closed, but had an amazing view of the fjord.
Kon-Tiki Museum:
Fram Museum:
Over Looking the Oslo Harbor:
From there I went through the Maritime Museum, which only took about an hour and is mainly models of various ships through Norwegian history. Two very cool exhibits were an 1800's cruise ship you could go through and the kid's zone which was set up like a steamer ship, jungle, mechanic's shop, and cafe mimicking The Legend of Sally Jones books.
For dinner I went to Mathallen Oslo and had minke whale at Vulkanfisk. The meal costs 319NOK, so be prepared this is a more expensive meal...although my Pho and Spring Rolls on Thursday evening cost me 200NOK and the whale was better.
Behind the facility is a river that I followed up a very steep hill taking way more photos of the waterfalls than is healthy, I'm sure.
Monday, I had breakfast and then headed back to the airport for my afternoon flight back to Amsterdam. So, there you have it! 3 days in Oslo and one in Arjang. I hope you enjoyed this trip, I know I did!!
Comments
Post a Comment