Norway - Pt II - Oslo

Hello again!  Here is part two of my February trip to Norway!  Here are some pictures from my time in Oslo, where I spent most of my time.  Again, I'm just going to add photos as it's been awhile and I don't have much to say...hope you enjoy!

My first views of Norway - on the bus from the airport into the centre of Oslo!

First dinner there - vegetables, and pasta with reindeer meat!  Never thought I'd eat a reindeer...but when in Norway!  (And it was very tasty, though I had great cooks as well!)

Star Wars Graffiti Wall!

Long walk up to the prison - apparently used in a t.v. show.  The character always escaped and was shown walking down this path at the end of each episode.

Part of Oslo near the bomb attacks that occurred late last summer.  It's hard to see, but there should be a clock at the top centre of this building, but instead, there is a round piece of wood since the clock broke from the bombs.

Book shop!  With Tintin and Snowy on the sign!

The Royal Palace.

Posing next to a guard at the palace.

Random ice/snow sculpture.

The Grand Hotel (where Obama stayed when he got his silly award.  You know, the one for all the things he will do.  Eventually.)

The Parliament Building.

More Norwegian Chocolate!

um...yeah...

Posing next to a large troll!  Some of these are for sale, though I can't imagine trying to get this on a plane, (let alone trying to get it on Ryanair!).

Map in Norwegian...just in case you forgot where we are :P  (Okay, so I'm feeling too lazy to move it up to the top in the line of pictures, but it is pretty cool looking and I didn't want to cut it out.)

Part of a political movement...though, again, my knowledge of politics fails me.

Adds for the Mammoth Book Sale!  Apparently the best way to buy a lot of cheap books in Norway - especially since books are expensive there...probably a good thing I wasn't there for that during my trip!

Famous painting about a Norwegian fairy tale.  Don't know the whole story, but it's roughly about a boy looking for or he see's a golden or cloud castle....sorry for that horrible re-telling, haha.

"Hipster-town" according to my friend.  Apparently this is where all the hipsters (yes, Norway has them too!) live because it looks more European than the other parts of Oslo...it also has hipster shops around this part of the city as well.

The American Diner!  I'm assuming it's based on Hopper's painting: The Nighthawks.  In love with this place - it's sad, I know, to go to an American Diner while in another country, but this one was done right - better (prettier) than most US Diner's.  They also employ some American's as well, so you hear a mix of Norwegian and English, all in various accents.  Also the food is excellent!  And tastes very American!

The inside :)

More of the inside and a waitress outfit.

Little Mermaid statue.  I think it's a replica of the one in Denmark.  This one is in a walkway of a mall/food court in Norway.

And, like most posts, I must end with food.  This is a hot dog from a store kind of like 7-11 or any cheap, quick corner store.  They have regular buns (as you can sort of see in my friend's hot dog in the background) and they have hot dogs wrapped up in a potato-tortilla!  It was good, but I think I prefer buns.

Overall I had a great time in Norway.  It's a place I would love to return to and visit.  In a similar way to Paris, I liked that I could just do my own thing when needed.  I also loved learning about the culture from my friend.  My time in Norway also felt like a holiday - not a stressful day of traveling, and trying to figure out where you're going, etc - which is just what I needed at the time.  I just had a really great time there, and I think Norway would rate in the top 3 of my favorite places I've visited so far in my year abroad.