En helt vanlig dag i helvete!

In one staircase at national theatre trainstation you can find these displays. They show quotes from plays at the National Theatre together with it's title, when it's on and who acts in them. When I was commuting to university, I used to come up these escalators every day. I remember very well one play and its quotes. Ole Anders Tandberg's dramatization of the writer Tor Ulven's texts, the play "En helt vanlig dag i helvete" translating into "An ordinary day in hell" has stuck with me. Every time when I came up the escalators, feeling crappy after an hour of commuting and tired from not being able to sleep on the train because it was either packed with travellers and I had to stand the whole way, or I had to prepare something for university, I just read the quotes and especially the title, which made (and still does) for some reason so much sense to me. It was just another ordinary day in hell! I just regret I never got around to see the play, I think I would've liked it!

Tartar of trout

Now I realise I haven't had enough to eat tonight, because I get really hungry looking at today's photo. I dined out at a restaurant at Aker Brygge some days ago, having tartar of trout for starters. This resturant serves only seafood and are open only during the summer season. The food was superb! It's name is well chosen, "Solsiden" (the sunny side), since there are perfect views over the Oslo Fjord and the sunset. On their webpage there is a link to a video travel report made for the CNN, where the restaurant is mentioned. Watch it here

Golden Gay Time

Of course I forget to bring my camera along on the day you can spot queer people (some of them taking a huge step out of the closet) almost on every street corner in Oslo. I could have called today's photo "Snapshot on Queer Day", but choose to call it Golden Gay Time, remembering my student days down under, cooling down in their premier gay city, Sydeny, with an ice cream bearing the same name. That's when I learnt gay also means happy! Managed to take this quick snapshot with my camera phone, you might be able to see the ladyboy in the background, if not, at least the gay flags in the wind. Such a shame I was in a hurry and to shy to ask the ladyboy for a close up..

Botsen

After a few days abroad, I'm back blogging! Today's photo show the wall surrounding, and part of, Oslo Fengsel (Oslo Prison), populary called "Botsen" The prison was constructed between 1844 and 1851, designed by the architect Heinrich Schirmer (Schirmer has also designed, in cooperation with the architect Wilhelm von Hanno, several other prisons and churches in Oslo and around the country). Botsen was the first prison in Norway to be built after the "Philadephia System," where the inmates were strictely isolated in order for them to regret their crimes. Botsen was expanded in the 1900's and had, on its most, 223 inmates. In 1975 it became a part of Oslo Fengsel. Oh, and by the way, earlier I have posted a photo from the entrance/exit of the prison, see it here

Rhododendron

Summer is here and the flowers are in full bloom. I find these rhododendrons, especially in this purple colour, very beautiful. Today's photo is taken in Slottsparken, in front of the Royal Castle.

To skate or not to skate?

Today's photo gives a view of Oslo's City Hall, although I'm not going to consentrate this post on the building and its history. The City Hall is a very popular spot for skaters to meet and practice. Every day, at all times, there are skaters outside the City Hall. I have been curious to whether the skaters are "accepted" there, whether the City Hall stairs, of all places, is a desired place for skaters. For as long as I can remember, there has been discussions in the media or in local communities whether or not skaters are welcome. After a quick search online I found an article on the subject. A few years ago, it actually existed an agreement between the skaters (Norwegian organisations for skatboarders) and the Oslo council, saying the skaters were only allowed to skate in front of the City Hall after office hours. This agreement was kept for a few years, before the skaters started to skate there at all times, as they do today. Prior to this agreement, the skating at the City Hall stairs had been illegal for over ten years. Today, a balance between the passers by's safety and the skater's use of public sphere plays a role in accepting the skaters as a part of the City Hall stairs and place.

Bella Italia

At Holmenkollen last weekend I spotted this kiosk/souvernir shop. You might be able to see the word "Troll" carved into the wood above the entrance, being the shop's name. As a souvernir shop at a major Norwegian tourist attraction, I find it a bit ironic that the kiosk has taken on a very Norwegian (and Scandinavian) name, "Troll", as well as selling Italian ice cream (you can see the ice cream sign, "Bella Italia" on the left).

Cats

As a cat person, I had to take a photo of these two cats I spotted in a window at Tøyen. Although I really like cats, especially in the pose these cats are in (as a teenager I even wanted a tattoo on my hand(!) of a cat in this posture), I am somewhat questionable to having cats in a big city. Only because many owners keep them inside, and if they take them outside, its in a leash. Even though these cats looks happy and healthy, I can't help ask whether or not they are allowed outside to hunt the big city giant mice (read: rats)

Slottsparken

Two months ago I posted a photo of the north-western end of Slottsparken, the park surrounding the Royal Castle. See that photo here, and compare it to today's photo, which is taken almost on the same spot. Then I stood facing the suburbs of Majorstua and the shopping street Bogstadveien, today I was facing the centre of the park. Look how green it is! My hayfever must have been kind to me this season, so far I haven't had too many problems with it. Knock on wood.

Trancher

Slow food served fast, is the restaurant Trancher's slogan. This place have got only one main dish; entrecôte. You then choose a side dish from a mix of vegetables, then a sauce. Simple, and really good! Having travelled through Argentina and eaten their famous steaks for dinner almost everyday, this restaurant is a perfect place to dream and pretend I'm back travelling. Check out trancher.no for more!

Holmenkollen Ski Jump

Finally, I have been to "Kollen" to take a look at the new ski jump. As I wrote on its official opening day (read the post here) Holmenkollen has been torn down and rebuildt. The brand new steel construction looks very stylish and a lot more modern than the old Kollen. There is still quite a bit of construction work going on up there, although the Ski Museum are open as normal. For more detailed information about the new hill, check out Oslo Municipality's webpage on the subject www.holmenkollen.oslo.kommune.no

Recharge

I skimmed through the newspaper the other day, and I remember some headline about the worlds largest parking/recharge space for electric cars opening in Oslo somewhere. I didn't dwell upon this news for too long, until I suddenly saw this car park on my way to work today. I got a feeling this was the new recharge area I briefly read about in the news, since this car park has never been here before. And, I was right. On June 7th, the world largest municipal charging station for electrical cars was opened at Aker Brygge. It was celebrated by a parade of 69 electrical cars driving from the City Hall to the charging station. The station can hold up to 50 cars, where they can recharge their battery for free. On the same day, a national database for all the charging stations in Norway was opened by our Transport Minister. So, if you find yourself travelling through Oslo in an eco-friendly way, you can easily find a perfect little spot to stop, and recharge here!

Island hopping

As I wrote a few days ago, it took only 20 minutes by ferry to get to one of the little islands in the inner part of the Oslo Fjord. The ferry stops on several of the islands, so in fact, Oslo offers a possible island hopping in summer time if you're up for it! Today's photo is from the island Gressholmen, which offers a nice view of the city. The tiny little white dot you might spot on the hill in the back, is the new Holmenkollen Ski Jump! To see timetables for the Oslo ferries and public transport in general, check out www.trafikanten.no

Egon's Exit

One of my best childhood memories are watching the Olsenbanden movies on television with my family on Saturday evenings. Olsenbanden, that can be translated into The Olsen's Gang, were a series of comedy movies from the 70's about Egon Olsen and his two buddies, his gang. They were three amateur criminals, in every movie trying to put to life one of Egon's remarkable plans. In every movie Egon describes the plans as solid and waterproof, and the plans might have been just as waterproof and solid as Egon predicted, had these three mates not been born with such huge amount of unluck each. Every movie starts with Egon finally being released from prison, with his two mates happy, waiting for him outside. Every movie ends with Egon being caught by the same persistent and vindictive police officer, and put to prison. Today's photo is taken approximately at the same place Egon's mates waits for him on his prison release. The red brick building you can see in the end of the road is in fact a real prison. It is Oslo Kretsfengsel (Oslo Prision), division A, known as Botsfengselet or Botsen

Summer Sunset

My schoolmates and I celebrated the start of summer holiday the other day, with a trip to one of the islands in the inner part of the Oslo Fjord, only 20 min away by ferry (the ferry, by the way, is a part of Oslo's public transport system Ruter, making it easy and affordable). After a long and relaxing afternoon and evening, filled with barbecue, ball games and countless mosquito bites, we took the last ferry back into the city, with today's photo as our view!

Photography in the public sphere

Every now and again, there are photo exhibitions on display outside the City Hall. The exhibitions are for everyone who walks past, either it is Oslo citizens on their way home from work or tourists taking a stroll along Aker Brygge. Some years ago, one exhibition was Yann Arthus-Bertrand's "The earth from above" photos, and a few months back, the exhibition was hosted by Norway's Blind Association in cooperation with 18 of Norway's best photographers. The exhibition was called "More than nothing" and the photos portrayed was the photgraphers interpretations of how visually impaired see the world. The exhibition at the moment might be a tourism commercial for Spain, showing beautiful photos from Spanish cities. Regardless what exhibition is on, I like taking the time in a busy weekday, walk along Aker Brygge with all the tourists and enjoy good photography.
For more great photography, check out Yann Arthus-Bertrand's work

City park life

Summer is offically here! Weather reports says it will be sunny and over 20 degrees all week! Good thing I'm on holiday! A mix of being busy studying for my exams and having trouble with uploading photos on the blog, is the reason I haven't posted photos every day this week. Hopefully my mac will stop playing up soon, so I can go back to my daily blogging. I took today's photo yesterday in the south end of the parc Frognerparken at Majorstua. Where else to go in a big city on a summer's day than the park?