Norway (1 Viewer)

[VoR]

I'm travelling to the poor (well, exceedingly rich actually as it's so insanely expensive) man's Sweden in August.

I'll be near Oslo, but could potentially travel further afield as I'll be out there for a week. Any sightseeing/cultural/fun recommendations? I really don't know much about the country really.

 

[TurnerPrize]

Unless you're doing the northern lights it's REALLY FUCKING BORING (imo). I went five years back and was REALLY FUCKING BORED, because it's REALLY FUCKING BORING. It was a big family cruise. In the end i just stayed on the boat and played bingo with all the mean old ladies and my glamourslut cousin.

Maybe you like wooden houses and big ponds and overpriced alcohol though. Or are doing the Northern Lights, or staying in an ice hotel. I didn't, alas, but would definitely go back for that. We had the midnight sun, but that just got on my nips.

Bloody norway. EVEN WORSE THAN WALES. I hope you have a nice time though.

 

[lolly]

What an ungrateful little shit TP is. We had a week in a caravan on the Bristol Channel or Butlin's Minehead.

 

[TurnerPrize]

In fairness lolly, the bingo was GREAT. I made the best of a bad situation there. I hope i can live old enough to go on cruises and get gently twatted whilst playing bingo and being a cunt to any young person.

 

[lolly]

In answer to the question though, no I've never been, and it's not exactly top of my list, although I gladly would go. And preferably to see The Northern Lights. Or Bergen perhaps. From what I've read about it, Oslo doesn't appeal massively. Although I've never really disliked a single city I've visited, and am quite sure I could potter around there quite happily for a few days.

 

[andreus santi]

You must go to Bergen. It's the most beautiful city in Norway.

I guess I have to recommend my hometown Trondheim too. LOL. There you can visit the Norwegian Pop Music Museum, Rockheim...

Bring your own alcohol!

 

[Shirley]

I hope i can live old enough to go on cruises and get gently twatted whilst playing bingo and being a cunt to any young person.

Now THAT's the kind of AMBITION I can RELATE to

 

[Mats]

I doubt he'd want to travel all the way from Oslo to Bergen or Trondheim

just go see Holmenkollen and Bygdøy, maybe catch a boat to one of the islands in the fjord

 

[Mats]

aww I really want to visit my great-grandmother now

 

[VoR]

My friend's grandfather has a chalet in the countryside outside Oslo so I'll probably just spend a few days getting twatted and rambling around the mountains (not at the same time hopefully).

But I would like to explore Oslo. Doubt I'll have time to get to Bergen though.

 

[VoR]

OT: Mats are you Danish or Norwegian? I've long assumed you were a Norwegian living in Denmark, correct?

 

[RobotBoy]

Oslo is small, so you don't need long to explore. The Opera House is the best landmark by far, and go down to Aker Brygge for dinner one night.

I did a fjord cruise and it was lovely, so I'd recommend spending a bit more time doing that and maybe stop off on one of the islands? Apparently the fjords are shit by Norwegian standards, but it's all still very pretty.

 

[Mats]

born in Oslo, moved to Denmark with my mom when I was two. so I still got my dad and the maternal side of my mum's family there

Majorstua (where Frognerparken is, a must see) and Grünerløkka are nice areas with lovely shops, cafes and parks. a stroll along Akerselva, a river that runs through the city, is always nice when the weather's good. Aker Brygge is the harbour area with the city hall, shopping centres, the old Akershus castle and the gorgeous opera

 

[Mats]

and go down to Aker Brygge for dinner one night

£££

 

[Mats]

you should definitely go for a small hike as well around Maridalen or near Sognsvann! a big plus about Oslo is that forest and mountain is only a tram ride away

 

[RobotBoy]

£££

We paid about £30 each for horrible pizzas one night. Eating out in Aker Brygge was only marginally more expensive and much, much nicer!

 

[RobotBoy]

Majorstua (where Frognerparken is, a must see)

Yes, that was lovely actually.

Also, VoR, everyone in Oslo bangs on about the ski jump. I thought it was a bit of a boring attraction in itself but it's in a lovely wealthy residential area with lots of pretty houses to look at, and you get the most fantastic view of the city from up there.

 

[Mats]

We paid about £30 each for horrible pizzas one night. Eating out in Aker Brygge was only marginally more expensive and much, much nicer!

if you like seafood it definitely is the place to eat! I don't know what I'm complaining about anyway, my grandmother always pays

 

[RobotBoy]

I don't think I had a single cheap meal in Oslo. Even popping to 7/11 for a salad, sandwich or pasta and a drink cost about £15.

 

[Indie]

Top tip: take a packed lunch

 

[TurnerPrize]

And a GOOD BOOK

I'm not sure we actually went to Oslo though (i remember BERGEN and STAVANGER, and some other place which may or may not have been there), so it could be shit the bed fantastic.

 

[RobotBoy]

Nah, Bergen is supposed to be much better than Oslo.

 

[VoR]

This thread is yet more evidence that Turnerprize is a small-minded little Englander who HATES THE FORENZ*.

Have we ever checked his IP to ensure he's not actually Nigel Farage?


*I may recant this accusation in the unlikely event of Norway actually being dreadful.

 

[Mats]

Oslo isn't the most exciting place on earth but you're only staying for a week and the weather will most likely be good so I'm sure you'll be fine. you could also visit Tusindfryd

 

[Beverley]

Its not dreadful, but it is DREADFULLY EXPENSIVE. I hated paying 20-odd quid for some cold pasta with an OVER-SALTED salmon SUBSTITUTE.

Go to the Munch museum, VoR-la. I think you'll like it.

 

[Mats]

Go to the Munch museum, VoR-la. I think you'll like it.

it's right by the botanical gardens as well! my dad used to live there. WHY DID YOU MOVE?

 

[TurnerPrize]

This thread is yet more evidence that Turnerprize is a small-minded little Englander who HATES THE FORENZ*.

Nonsense. The Norwegian people themselves were FINE. Lovely and WHITE.

 

[Diddy]

Bring lots of money, and a CARDY, even when the sun was out, it was pretty chilly quite early in the evening.

I was only in Oslo for a few days, most of them ESC-related, so I didn't do a lot of sightseeing BUT... we took a ferry from the marina to a bunch of museums. The Viking Ship museum was literally a cross-shaped building with three ships, so it won't take very long. The culture museum was quite nice now I think about it, the indoor part was full of old-style clothing and bits and bobs, which was nice but there was a LOT, but there are huge grounds with old-style farmhouses and things, if it's a nice day and you've got nothing else planned, do it!

The Munch museum was surprisingly good too, I'm not really one for galleries generally but I really liked it. I did like the bits of Munch I knew already from my GCSE art though, so maybe you'll feel differently.

 

[Diddy]

While I remember, i was a bit disconcerted getting the train from the airport to Oslo. The woman at the ticket booth said it was cheaper to pay by credit card at the turnstile, so we smiling ignorant tourists did that. We swiped our cards, and it let us through ... no pin numbers, not sure if we even got a ticket, no idea of how much it cost either!! I had to check my statement when I got home in the end (it was about £20 i think)

 

[andreus santi]

While I remember, i was a bit disconcerted getting the train from the airport to Oslo. The woman at the ticket booth said it was cheaper to pay by credit card at the turnstile, so we smiling ignorant tourists did that. We swiped our cards, and it let us through ... no pin numbers, not sure if we even got a ticket, no idea of how much it cost either!! I had to check my statement when I got home in the end (it was about £20 i think)

Yeah it's £ 19 with the current exchange rate (170 NOK).

Well, good places in Oslo according to moi:
- St. Hanshaugen, bring a bottle of wine, and enjoy the weather with wine and friends next to the pond on the top.
- Grünerløkka, has all the intimate/weird hangouts that make Oslo special. Might be a bit pricey, but not at the same level as Aker Brygge.

 

[VoR]

Well I LIKED IT, thankfully.

It helped that we got BEAUTIFUL weather, it was seriously hotter than it's been in England for weeks.

I can understand why people might find Oslo dull, it is a wee bit on the grey side compared to Stockholm, and feels a bit more 'generic big city'. The traffic is also a nightmare, which surprised me given the relatively small population.

There are some really beautiful parts though. As it turned out I only really got one full day there so we just sort of wandered around, had packed lunch in a beautiful park, popped into the Nobel museum etc.

But the cabin in the mountains was AMAZING. I've never been anywhere so isolated in my life. One tiny farm about half a mile down the road with 2 cows and a bunch of sheep was literally IT as far as the eye could see. And the views were incredible. Climbing the mountain, there were landscapes that genuinely looked like something from Lord of the Rings. Breathtaking.

I'm not sure these photos quite do it justice but nevertheless...

 

[Fastcat]

ooh I was in Trondheim a few months ago. It really was rather lovely.

 

[Kate]

Hi Moopeh Nordics and Nordic fans. In February I am going to BERGEN and TROMSO (with a Hurtigruten CRUISE in between). Any tips and suggestions thankyouplease? I will almost certainly be travelling SOLO.