We had a nice week that was capped off with an exciting trip to Scandinavia on Friday. We have been looking forward to going back North since April when we were in Denmark and the opportunity came a few weeks ago. So, on Friday we boarded a plane and set off to Oslo, Norway for a long weekend.

Norway is a country of about 5 million people and has a land mass nearly equal to California. The country dates back to the 9th century with the official State being founded in the 13th century. The country has been through a lot of changes in it’s 2 thousand years including ruling partnerships and war with Denmark and Sweden that have influenced it’s culture. Doreen commented that she can actually read a lot of the language and understand quite a bit because of how closely it’s related to German. Meanwhile Chad gets excited every time someone thinks him and Logan are Norwegian and start speaking the language to them - something that would repeat itself multiple times a day during the entire trip (the gate attendant tried speaking Norwegian to Logan as we were leaving). Of course this goes nowhere but it’s a wonderful inclusion into the culture - Chad and Logan fit in pretty well with the locals.

Day 1

We arrived early in the morning at the beautiful and modern Oslo Airport which is about 20min by train outside of town. Within minutes we had tickets to take the train into Oslo. The entire experience is what you’d expect from Scandinavia, clean, on schedule and architecturally stunning. We walked out of central station and through the town to drop off our bags at the hotel. But first, we needed to take a few shots of the Tiger Sculpture in the town square - because Logan is a member of the Tigers in school.

After dropping our gear, we headed out to explore the city. Rain was expected for most of the trip so we took advantage of the sunshine on Friday with a walk to the Opera House. Located in the Bjørvika neighbourhood of Oslo is the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet which is the largest structure completed in Norway since the Nidarosdomen (Norwegian National Cathedral) was completed in 1300. The structure was completed early and about $700 million under budget in 2007 - you can imagine it’s a privilege to play hear just by looking at the place. You can climb from the base of the building to the roof so we did just that while Logan napped in his stroller. The view was amazing and the idea that it’s even possible to walk up the side of a building, without super powers, was incredible.

When we were done with the Opera House we headed down to the sea to tour the Norwegian fortress and castle. Akershus Fortress, is a medieval castle built to protect the Royal Residence of Oslo. No-one knows when the castle was actually completed but it is assumed that it was started just after the invasion of Earl Alv Erlingsson of Sarpsborg in 1287. It’s assumed it was completed by 1308 when it was besieged by the Swedish duke Eric of Södermanland - the fortress has never been sieged since that first battle 710 years ago. There is a simplistic beauty in the style and architecture and it’s immediately noticeable how practical it has remained over the years. Compared to other 13th century castles that have stood the test of time, Akershus has remained well kept but void of the Baroque and Renaissance influences and decor. As you tour around you begin to notice how well built the structure is. There is no glitz and glamor to distract you from the precise placement of each stone and the care taken to ensure that it fit into with the land’s existing defences.

The Fortress:

The Castle:

After we were done with our castle tour we went back to the hotel and then for some authentic Oslo burgers at Illegal Burger. The burgers were great and we felt like we found a place frequented by locals - always a good sign.

Day 2

We got an early start to the day and planned for rain. Logan was excited to try out his new rain gear with every puddle he could find. Our first stop was museum island, but to get there we needed to take a ferry. The view was beautiful and it was cool to see the city from the coastline. Oslo sits in a decent bit from the ocean and it was interesting to see Akershus Fortress from the water as it gave a better sense of how they remained un-sieged for so long. It would be impossible for modern ships to sneak up the fjords undetected let alone viking or clipper ships with no technology.

As we approached the island we couldn’t help but notice the beautiful homes lining the street we walked up to get to the first museum. Each home was meticulously cared for and stood as a modern update to the classic Norwegian style. The boating culture is huge and many of them have private piers and docks on the water. We mused about coming back next summer for a week and renting a similar Air B&B. The other aspect of Norwegian life we continue to notice is the amount of Tesla vehicles on the road. This became curious when every third car we saw was a Tesla so Doreen looked it up. It turns out that the State gives massive tax breaks for electric cars and it’s promotions have elevated it to the most auto eco friendly country in the world. They intend to be gas free by 2025 and seem to be well on their way. There are over 2k electric car charging stations in Oslo and importing a Tesla is far less expensive than a BMW. In fact several sales records have been broken in Norway because of the Tesla.

After a nice walk we reached our destination, Norsk Folkemuseum - a Nordic museum of history and culture. Established in 1894 the museum acquired much of the surrounding land within 4 years and opened to the public as the first open air museum in 1903. The property displays many of the collections of King Oscar II but is most famous for relocating the Gol Stave Church. The church dates back to 1157. The structure was saved in 1880 buy a group preserving the ancient Norwegian culture and relocated to Norsk Folkemuseum as the centre piece of the original exhibit. The church is lined with beautiful carvings and the feeling inside is both eerie and tranquil. In the 12th-19th centuries much of the social culture was built around the church and there was an immediate humbleness that sets on you as you enter knowing how important this building was to the people it served. Today the museum is a safe haven for many ancient structures of ancient and indigenous Nordic cultures. They have homes and barns from the 15th century and beyond as they try to show what life for the native Sani people was like.

When we finished the tour we headed to the next museum - the Viking Ship Museum. Just down the road in the Oslo suburb neighbourhood is a museum dedicated to the preservation and protection of original Viking artifacts. At the end of the 19th century various archaeologists were brought in by Scandivian locals who believed they had found items belonging to Vikings. During this period many notable items were discovered but there was no place to display them. So, in 1913 a Swedish professor suggested a museum be built and finally in 1957 this structure was completed and ready to accept the artifacts. The museum plays host to the Gokstad and Oseberg ships as well as many other treasures. Ancient Vikings would burry the ships in dirt after their leader was killed in battle all the way to the top of the mast and leave them covered as a tomb. This yearly practice also held true for other prized possessions like war chests. Perhaps the boats and other artifacts outstanding condition can be credited on this practice. Just about everything was in as good a condition as you could hope for. The massive ships even looked like they could still float - it was an amazing sight.

As the morning wore on, we headed back to the ferry and caught a ride into town so we could enjoy the annual Matstreif food Festival.

The Matstreif food Festival is a an yearly display of all the best culinary delights Norway has to offer. Local artisans from all over come to show off their best dishes as well as larger food manufactures looking for renowned chefs to display their products with the best menu combinations. This was a very fortunate turn of events for us. While we didn’t know this festival would be in town we we booked the trip, we certainly were not about to miss it. The food was incredible and we got to try some of everything: moose, reindeer, fresh salmon, salted pork, local cheeses and so much more. It was one of the best food festivals we’ve ever been too.

In the afternoon we took a long walk around town. The sun was out and so was much of the Oslo population. We saw open air concerts, cultural celebrations, the national theatre, the Nobel Peace Prize headquarters, and some great shops along the way.

The last stop on our walk was the Oslo Domkirke. This beautiful building is not only used as the Church of Norway of Oslo but is also where the royal family host events including marriages. Just a few weeks ago King Harold V and Queen Sonja Haraldsen celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary by driving from the palace, in the same car from their wedding day, and heading down the street to Oslo Domkirke where they got married August 29th, 1968 to remember the day. While we were there the boys choir was practicing and we got to sit in for a few songs.

After a brief rest back at the hotel we headed back into town for a nice dinner. Chad got a recommendation from a co-worker for some Chicken and Waffles which didn’t disappoint.

Day 3

With two days of great weather luck behind us it was time for some of that promised rain. After breakfast we decided to head out but this time with the umbrellas. First stop on the agenda was Oslo City Hall. In most cities you wouldn’t think that the city hall would be a stop on the tour but Oslo City Hall has some unique art exhibits. 

The outside of the building, like most mid 20th century buildings in Oslo, doesn’t look like much. The gardens are beautiful and set nicely back from the water but the building doesn’t scream welcomeness. On the way to the main entrance there are some wonderful hand carved wooden sculptures that depict many scenes in ancient Nordic culture. However, when you enter the building you immediately see why people flock to this site. The walls are adorned with beautiful paintings telling Norway’s story with specific emphasis on the history of Oslo. Each room is more beautiful then the next. 

The floor to celling paintings could take days to take in but we had other sites to see, so after we had seen them all we moved on. Next stop on our list was the oldest street in Oslo. So, we set out in the on-again off-again rain to walk and seek out the hidden site.

Damstredet is the oldest preserved residential street in Oslo dating back to the 18th century. While it doesn’t have the oldest structures in the city it is known for it’s continued occupancy of citizen residents. Each house is still occupied today on this quaint little street and it’s absolutely lovely to see how well residence is preserved.

Damstredet was a stop on the way to our main destination, Vulkan Food Market Hall. We love experiencing market halls all over Europe and at this point we are actively seeking them out. Scandinavia has some of the best and Vulkan was no exception. We were treated to some wonderful cheeses, meats and various spices before settleing down for some fresh fish and sweet treats.

After lunch we walked back to the water in hopes the rain would part for just a bit so we could walk the Palace grounds. As luck would have it, the rain stopped just as we approached the Palace. Since Norway was often ruled by other countries this Palace is fairly new considering the age of the country. Built in the early 1800s the Palace was first host to Oscar I in 1944. Today it it the primary residence to the King Harold V and Queen Sonja Haraldsen. We got there just in time to see the changing of the guard and then toured the meticulously kept gardens. Logan was asleep for much of the tour but woke up at the end and shouted while pointing “look Mommy the Queen,” just in time to see a staged wedding photo shoot happening on the grounds.

For much of the remaining afternoon we walked the city. We found ourselves by the water and down the pier. This area of town is by far the most modern and a great example of what life is like today in Oslo. The buildings are structural marvels on a pier that is entirely man made. The neighbourhood has canals for residents to navigate from their personal pier to the open water. Each part of the doc has diving boards and ladders to encourage water play and sport activity. While we were visiting the largest boat show in Scandinavia was on display and the restaurants and bars were popping because of it.

At the end of the pier is the Oslo Modern Art Museum. The architecture is stunning and a wonderful example of modern art in itself. There are sculptures and grass areas to come and enjoy the long summer days along with diving boards that encourage a dip in the water. The views were spectacular.

We walked back, took a rest and then headed out for one last dinner on the town. Our original idea for fish & chips wasn’t serving past 3pm on Sundays so after being turned away we found the next best option - a classic food truck on the water. We had walked by this food truck before and joked that if it was open for dinner we would have to try it one night - and tonight was that night. We got 2 fish & chips for the three of us to share with tarter sauce and home made remoulade. We headed over to the pier and just sat and watched the sun set into the fords while Logan named the birds (Yoshi and Pluto). It was a great end to a great weekend.

Day 4

Monday was an early start so we could enjoy breakfast and make the early train to the airport. Oslo was a blast and we will be back. We experienced a lot of modern and ancient culture in one place. The old structures on the walk to the modern express train station and then the airport couldn’t sum it up better.

Scandinavia is brilliant at embracing their history (good or bad) and creating a place for it while allowing the culture to move forward into the future in a fairly homogeneous way. All weekend we were treated to positive aspects that we don’t see that often in Europe. Just about everywhere we we went people were friendly and welcoming. They seemed generally happy and proud of their way of life and wanted to share it with the world - and this seems to be working because we saw countless tour busses from all around the world. In the hotel lobby and at breakfast we overheard groups from Canada, Europe, The US, Africa, India, and Asia talking about the groundbreaking achievements they were experiencing during their medical exchange program. One of the biggest differences of note was how Norway seems to treat it’s immigrant population. Just about every immigrant we saw spoke fluent Norwegian and English plus whatever their native tong was. Norway seems to have figured out how to have an upwardly mobile, integrated society where advancements in STEM are praised equally alongside a prideful military service. They want to preserve their history and culture but also have a useful place in the future. They seem to embrace a changing face of the country in favour of what the opportunity will bring. There are plenty of lessons to be learned from this small Northern country. We look forward to learning all of them.

Until Next Time,

The McNeills

Oslo On Film