Woot! Hej så! 😉 Here’s the continuation of my first visit in Oslo, the capital and largest city of Norway, during summer of 2013. Let’s go further down to the Oslo Havn or Oslo port where one can take a ferry boat to see more of the city from the waters. Oslo is located by the Oslo fjord, and checking out the pier, Aker brygge, is highly recommended. My aunt showed me the islands on the fjord thru a minicruise. Then, we walked along the port, marveling over the landmarks and attractions.

On the way to the port, you’ll see remarkable buildings and monuments. For one, there’s the Nobel Peace Center (Nobels Fredssenter), which features the Nobel Peace Prize awardees, their works, and the story of Alfred Nobel using interactive technology and multimedia. The building was inaugurated in 2005 by King Harald V of Norway.

Not far from the Nobel Peace Center is one of Oslo’s most famous building: the Rådhus or City Hall. Officially inaugurated in 1950, the hall houses the city council and administration, art studios and galleries. It is also the venue of the annual Nobel Peace Prize ceremony held on the 10th of December.

The building was designed by Arsntein Arneberg and Magnus Poulsson. It has two towers, one of which has a 49-bell carillon that plays every hour. There are also a handful of statues and monuments around the city hall.

If you’re new in Oslo, I highly recommend that you take the boat ride from Oslo port. It will show you the city from the waters and the colorful houses in the surrounding coasts and islands.  You  can choose  between  the  local  transportation  ferries,  or  the  more  fancy  boats.

On the image above are the prices and options for the boat tour. You can choose from 50 minutes to 2.5 hours, and it can be a quick sight seeing trip to island hopping to visit museums in the Bygdøy peninsula.

One of the things I enjoyed in Oslo is the waterfront. After your boat ride, relax and enjoy the lively ambiance in the waterfront, with all the outdoor restaurants, cafes, trendy shops, and street performers.

Also located along the waterfront is the Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art. I managed to visit this wonderful musuem in March 2015, and I’d probably write another entry for that. The Astrup Fernly Museum was designed by the Italian architect Renzo Piano, and it houses masterpieces by Andy Warhol, Richard Prince, Robert Gober, Matthew Barney, Cindy Sherman and Bruce Nauman.

At the eastern end of the waterfront stands the majestic Opera House, home to The Norwegian National Opera and Ballet. The national opera theater was designed by Snøhetta and is being operated by the Statsbygg. King Harald, along with Scandinavian royalties and leaders, attended the gala opening in 2008.

Interestingly, this modern structure was made to look like “two ice bergs rising from the fjord”. It was made with white Carrara marble, and has won the culture award at the World Architecture Festival in 2008 and the Mies van der Rohe (EU Prize for Contemporary Architecture) award in 2009.

There lived this idea in my head – of Norway as a country covered in thick, fluffy snow all year round. Nope, Norway also has summer! And the weather was actually hot. I’ve heard that most Norwegians, however, don’t stay in the city center in summer. They have the concept of fellesferien, or common holidays, when everybody goes on vacation. So, you’d most likely join throngs of tourists instead if you visit the city in summer.

Well, I’ve shared many pictures and hope they speak a thousand words about how wonderful the Tiger City is. I definitely enjoyed my first time in Oslo, and I can’t wait to see more in the future. Cheers to that! Thanks a bunch for reading!