Oslo

We're here visiting Fredrik, who was an exchange student with us five years ago.  It's good to see his smiling face, and where he lives.

We started the day at the Norwegian National Gallery of Art, which is holding a big exhibit celebrating the 150th anniversary of Edvard Munch's birth.  Strictly no photographs allowed.  We learned there's a lot more to his work than the famous Scream:  he was a gifted, self-taught painter who mastered a variety of techniques,  and very much blazed his own trail.

We then went on a tour of the Royal Palace.  Again, no photos inside.  The palace is not large by the standards of other European Royal palaces, but it had lots of charm. In the grounds was a statue of the very shy, very thin-waisted Queen Maud.

It rained off and on all day, anywhere from a light mist to a healthy downpour.

The National Theater

We enjoyed a snack in a cafe (with generously sized mugs!).

We then visited the Viking ship museum.  These three ships, in various states of repair, were recovered early in the previous century.  All had been used for burials.  The ships are holding up well, and show remarkable detail.  Many of the grave goods look well, but their state of preservation is precarious due to techniques used in the past.

The next day we walked downtown, stopping in at the cathedral, which had beautiful contemporary frescoes on the ceiling.  There was also a "street chapel" outside, not yet open for the day.

The royal box

The Oslo Opera House, and the productions showcased out front, seemed very edgy... but also high quality.  People were enjoying climbing up to the roof, and enjoying the view.

 The fortress of Akershus Slott had charming grounds, but a rather dismal history.  Starting in medieval times, it saw many battles, then was converted to a prison, often with poor conditions.  There was a nice view of the harbor from the battlements.

 We walked back through downtown to Fredrik's apartment to retrieve our bags, then went on to the train station.  There was mechanical trouble up the line, and all the metro trains were suffering delays of nearly an hour.  We were concerned about missing our flight, but need not have worried:  the pilot was late in arriving due to the same issue! 

We flew Norwegian Air, which decorates the tails of their planes with famous Nordic people.  The clouds and countryside were a pretty sight as we left for Denmark.