Zipping Around Oslo

For the last two days, I've enjoyed exploring Oslo. The public transportation was excellent, but things were quite a bit more expensive than in California. One of the more curious things about Oslo were the tiny little two-seat electric cars. And I thought my a Mini Cooper was small - Check out Norway's "Buddy Car!" I could probably fit one of them in my car's trunk!



Interstingly, the place felt quite familar to me because the people looked and sounded much like friends and family back in North Dakota. I commonly heard the word "yaw" (yes) and accents similar to what you'd hear in the Fargo or Bismarck. I stayed at the dorm facility "Kringsja," which is located on the edge of the city near Songsvann, a lake nestled in the forest and mountains to the north. One afternoon I hiked around the lake on a VERY icy path that led through areas of white barked trees (possibly birch?) that reminded me of forests in Minnesoooooota.



During my stay, I met up with Kirsten Fristad, a fellow crew member from MDRS Crew 52, who showed me parts of the city. I also had the chance to meet some of her other US Fulbright friends during their weekly "Fulbright Sunday Dinner" where we ate, drank, debated, and laughed a lot. One interesting place I visited over the weekend was the King and Queen's home, a beautiful mansion on a hill overlooking downtown Oslo. The red flag indicates they are home, and the driveways up to the palace were wide open. Anyone could drive up to the front door.