Oslo

You know, there are so many places I have been and want to write about.
Oslo, I went back in December before Christmas, and really did not have any time to talk about it. In fact, my blog entry regarding my trip to Madrid is still halfway through construction, but as I am always 三分鈡热度, I have yet to finish it.

This trip was the brainchild of none other but 2 very ambitious medical students in Edinburgh. After a day of researching options (obviously not done by me), we set the dates, 兵分两路 : booked the tickets/hostels etc and found all the potential playmakers to make this trip a worthwhile one.

Arrived at Oslo Torp airport, 110km away from the city centre. Bus fare was NOK180 one way, NOK300 return. Although the EasyJet flight was mega cheap, the fare to the city was abominable. We stayed at Sentrum Pensjonat, this hostel that had like 7 beds crammed into one room, arranged in a circle. It was pretty comfy when the 9 of us squeezed together to watch the Bourne Ultimatum movie chosen from a library of DVDs available, most obviously boasting 'Petaling Street'. And to everyone's expectations, it decided to jam midway through the movie. In fact, I would say Petaling Street's DVDs are probably of much better quality.

However, to my utmost chagrin, I emerged 3 days later from Sentrum Pensjonat with 4 damned bites that after much evaluation and internet research - I concluded to be BED BUGS.


ICKY DASTARDLY CREEPY CRAWLIES PLANTING THEIR FORSAKEN FANGS INTO MY BEAUTIFUL SKIN?!?!??

and have I told you of the ITCH it gave? I felt that I was scratching off all my epidermis layers!
I was so paranoid when I got home that I immediately changed all my bed sheets and soaked all my clothes in hot boiling water.

So, if you ever want to go to Oslo, Sentrum Pensjonat is NOT the place to be. I am only so grateful that those insects that has got NO USE AT ALL IN LIFE (even MORE USELESS that cockroaches - cockroaches can be seen and stamped on hence wiping out their pathetic, inadequate and utterly miserable existence) did not decide that they needed to tour the world by hopping onto my clothes or baggage and travel all the way back with me to Edinburgh.

Yes, I am bed bugs free okay. Imagine my disgust when I finally came to the painful conclusion that it was puke-able bed bugs that was the cause of my excess histamine release (I was amd still am trying to self deny that I had slept with the damned creatures).

Well, bed bugs are just a passing thought.

Let's get back to Oslo Oslo Oslo.

Oslo is a city that is just.....





A







City.


With the high streets and a small Christmas Market and a skating rink, I would have to say Oslo itself fell way below my standards of stereotypical European cities. Besides Berlin that I have stamped to remain at the bottom of 'The Rachel Hung Guide to Beautiful European Cities', Oslo might actually come to a close 2nd last.

We trekked up to the famous Vigeland Park to see the the sculptures and the centre piece monolith that is constructed of 121 human figures all towering towards heaven.
Beautiful park? Yes.
And so alike the other 10000 parks across the continent.




The park was also filled with human sculptures of differing actions and facial expressions that served as an unending source of entertainment for the more adventurous of the group.

Not quite what the sculpture is trying to depict

We also took a several tube rides to the Viking Museum but after much debate, the powers to be decided not to go in.
#$%^&*!!! Go so far d still don't wanna go in?!

So just take picture from outside the ticket counter lorh...

But fine, since it costs a fair bit and also I am not a very museum-y person, I adhere to what the general population decides.

Instead, we entered the Munch Museum for NOK 40. Looking for the famous "Scream" painting, we were very much annoyed when they told us after paying and entering (want to ask for refund also cannot), that the world famous painting was under restoration or it was travelling or something to the same effect, the same conclusion prevails... IT IS NOT THERE.


So, we decided that we will paint our own picture.

Hm, if only Edvard Munch drew a picture of us...

The last place worth mentioning in Oslo is the Nobel Peace Museum. Educational and also fun, we spent more hours that we expected in this building.


Besides running highly interesting and informative documentaries regarding how the Peace Prize came about, we also had the chance to write Peace messages and string our own Peace Bracelets.


I was able to hold Peace about as long as the evening stretched. When night time ensued, my bracelet had disappeared, Peace being lost in the depths of modern human civilization that is shrouded with distrust and disharmony.

Besides visiting the required places like the palace and places that are not even worth mentioning, our 3 day stint at Oslo ended.

SAD RIGHT.

I heard that Bergen is much nicer. So if you plan a trip to Oslo in the future, please include Bergen and the Flam Railway that gives magnificent views of the fjords. The Flam Railway-Bergen thing requires at minimum 3 days to go to and yes, I know because I tried buying tickets to the Flam Railway for one a day trip and was told that it costs about NOK 1300 per person and also we will reach Flam at 3.30pm and have to leave at 5.30pm to catch the last train back to Oslo.

Seems like buying the Flam Railway tickets way ahead and doing much better planning is what is required of visiting the famous fjords of Norway.

Which is what I should have done instead of spending all these time in Oslo.

Well, next time my dear, there is always a next time.