| The train to Norway's capital was one of the older ones I've been
on and it sure was a change from the one to Stockholm with the high
speed internet connections. It definitely appears that there isn't as
much train travel out this way as there is elsewhere. Only a small number
of trains run each day between Stockholm and Oslo and they are older
than normal but when they are rolling they can get up to about 170 kph.
However, our train stopped at almost every station between Stockholm
and Oslo, making for a long ride. It kind of reminded me of my sister and
law's description of a Gery Hound bus ride from Saskatchewan to
Southern Ontario.
At least the scenery was something to look at. For quite a while
now the scenery has been changing so gradually that it's been hardly
noticeable. Today that changed and there was some big
changes right out of Stockholm. Lot's of hill, rocks, and lakes greeted
us instead of the relatively flat ground covered in farm land and trees
that I've seen since the Rhine valley.
Here's some photos taken from the train.
Oslo surprised me a bit. It's a small city about half the size
of Calgary, but other than the drug users around the train and the
main pedestrian street the place is quite clean, like Vienna was,
and it is relatively modern but with many historic buildings.
The first picture is of city hall.
There is plenty of art work in the buildings design, including
these pieces that line both sides of the entrance way (along the outside
of that fountain above).
This is a park area beside city hall.
This is the Nobel Peace Center. This is just across the
street from city hall where the Nobel Prizes are awarded each year.
The next few photos are from the huge 75 acre Vigeland park filled with
sculptures created by Norway's greatest sculptor, Gustav Vigeland (1869-1943).
During the walk to the Vigeland Park from downtown I passed through
a neighborhood that looked at lot like one of the older mores expensive
neighborhoods in Calgary or Vancouver.
The new modern buildings next to the harbor reminded me a lot of
Vancouver, although there aren't any hi rise apartments here.
Like Stockholm, there a plenty of boats here, including lots of
old sailing ships.
Tomorrow morning I do my tour out to Bergen and I will be returning
on a night train so it could be a couple days before you see
another update on my website.
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