Today, we flew out on Norwegian Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner from San Francisco, California, to Oslo, Norway, on our summer Scandinavian vacation.
This was our first time on the Boeing 787, and it is a much superior plane to all of the previous Boeings and Airbus jets I have flown. The seats were much better, the engines were much quieter, and the cabin was roomier. The service on Norwegian Airlines is quite weird - everything, including drinks, is purchased a la carte and must be pre-ordered using a credit card. We bought food beforehand, so we did not need to do this. However, we were surprised when the attendants came around but did not offer us water to drink). We also liked the Android tablet entertainment system; it worked like a regular Android tablet and was easy to navigate and watch movies.
I watched "12 Years a Slave", while Alex and Inna watched "The Book Thief". I previously read "The Book Thief" and liked the actual book much more (as it covered much more of the story than the movie). "12 Years a Slave" seemed to perpetuate the "white guy bad, black guy good" stereotype.
We wandered the streets briefly, exploring downtown and the fascinating statues and stores.
We stopped for a break in front of the National Theater.
There was an attractive water fountain in front of the National Theater.
As we had seen other palaces in France, like Versailles, we did not need to go inside the Royal Palace in Oslo but decided to explore the grounds.
Behind the Royal Palace is a beautiful green garden.
There were many boats docked here that were used for exploring Fjords. As it was getting very late (despite being quite bright), we decided to head back.
On the way to the waterfront, we stopped to enjoy some sculptures.
We boarded the ferry and sailed to the next stop.
There were some copies of Easter Island statues - called moai. There are 887 such statues on Easter Island, created by the Rapa Nui people.
This was our first time on the Boeing 787, and it is a much superior plane to all of the previous Boeings and Airbus jets I have flown. The seats were much better, the engines were much quieter, and the cabin was roomier. The service on Norwegian Airlines is quite weird - everything, including drinks, is purchased a la carte and must be pre-ordered using a credit card. We bought food beforehand, so we did not need to do this. However, we were surprised when the attendants came around but did not offer us water to drink). We also liked the Android tablet entertainment system; it worked like a regular Android tablet and was easy to navigate and watch movies.
I watched "12 Years a Slave", while Alex and Inna watched "The Book Thief". I previously read "The Book Thief" and liked the actual book much more (as it covered much more of the story than the movie). "12 Years a Slave" seemed to perpetuate the "white guy bad, black guy good" stereotype.
Saturday, June 21, 2014
We landed on time, around 1:30 p.m., in Oslo, and walked straight to passport control. This took a few minutes (much faster than the U.S. customs service), and we got pastries and coffee a few minutes later at the airport. Many ATMs in the airport dispense Norwegian Kroner (NOK) currency (as well as U.S. Dollars), so there is no need to change money ahead of time.
The food at the airport was of average quality but very expensive. In fact, everything in Norway is costly - i.e., a latte is NOK 48 or about USD 8 (6 NOK = 1 USD). After a quick bite, we found an express train to downtown Olso and purchased 2 adult tickets (kids ride free).
Each ticket was about USD 30 from a vending machine. It is expensive to take an express train from Oslo airport to downtown (though a taxi would cost much more). The train departed on time and was very fast and modern. We arrived in less than 30 minutes at the National Theater train station.
Once we got off at the National Theater station, we tried to find our hotel, but the Google Maps on my iPhone was not working well. A few people stopped to help us - Norwegians were very friendly - and we walked in the right direction. We found our Thon Hotel Cecil and checked in.
Before traveling to Europe, I purchased a 300MB international data plan add-on with AT&T for $50/month. I planned to use free Wi-Fi whenever possible and only use cell data when necessary (like Google Maps).
Google Maps finds local public transportation well, and I used it frequently in Oslo. One can buy SIM cards with 1 GB of data at cellphone shops if one has an unlocked phone. My iPhone 5S was not unlocked, so I could not do that. For calling the U.S., I relied on Skype and Wi-Fi. Skype usually works well over Wi-Fi and is much cheaper than AT&T's plans.
After a short rest in Thon Hotel Cecil, we decided to see the Oslo Opera House - the most famous building in Oslo. When I checked Triposo, I learned the Opera House closed at 6:00 p.m. on Saturdays. Since it was closed on Sundays and it was Saturday already, this would be our last chance to see it. We walked next to the waterfront from our Thon Hotel Cecil to the Opera House in about 20 minutes.
Inna and I liked the unique look of the Oslo Opera House and decided to have an early dinner there, inside the Sanguine Brasserie Restaurant.
Alex ordered the Caesar salad with chicken, which was pretty good. Inna ordered the "Smak Av Norge" (Norwegian sampler) with all the unusual meats like Reindeer or Elk. I had the "Vegetarian Pasta Salad". My salad had a unique taste but was still delicious. Even though these were "lunch" courses, the prices were very high (usually double what I would pay in the U.S. A lot of restaurants tack on a 25% dine-in tax, so watch out. It's hard to eat lunch or dinner in Norway for under USD 100 (even without ordering drinks). I don't know how Norwegians can afford to eat out!
Alex ordered the Caesar salad with chicken, which was pretty good. Inna ordered the "Smak Av Norge" (Norwegian sampler) with all the unusual meats like Reindeer or Elk. I had the "Vegetarian Pasta Salad". My salad had a unique taste but was still delicious. Even though these were "lunch" courses, the prices were very high (usually double what I would pay in the U.S. A lot of restaurants tack on a 25% dine-in tax, so watch out. It's hard to eat lunch or dinner in Norway for under USD 100 (even without ordering drinks). I don't know how Norwegians can afford to eat out!
After dinner, we strolled down the main avenue toward the Royal Palace.
A live Jazz band played outside, and it sounded very professional. We listened to it for some time. The singer's voice was perfect, but I don't recall her name.
We got some ice cream for Alex on the way and strolled around the grounds of the Royal Palace.
Many street performers were blowing giant soap balloons.
Alex tried to catch the balloon with local Norwegian kids.
There are many statues throughout Oslo. Some are rather interesting.
A live Jazz band played outside, and it sounded very professional. We listened to it for some time. The singer's voice was perfect, but I don't recall her name.
We got some ice cream for Alex on the way and strolled around the grounds of the Royal Palace.
Many street performers were blowing giant soap balloons.
Alex tried to catch the balloon with local Norwegian kids.
We wandered the streets briefly, exploring downtown and the fascinating statues and stores.
We stopped for a break in front of the National Theater.
There was an attractive water fountain in front of the National Theater.
As we had seen other palaces in France, like Versailles, we did not need to go inside the Royal Palace in Oslo but decided to explore the grounds.
Behind the Royal Palace is a beautiful green garden.
For coffee, we stopped by the "Espresso House" cafe. The cafe looked hip and trendy, and we enjoyed a white mocha and a chocolate mocha, along with some pastries.
The mochas were delicious, but the pastries were average - except for the weinerbrod.
These are also called Danishes and were incredibly delicious. As it was last, around 11:00 p.m., but still light outside, we walked toward the pier and looked at all the boats.
The mochas were delicious, but the pastries were average - except for the weinerbrod.
These are also called Danishes and were incredibly delicious. As it was last, around 11:00 p.m., but still light outside, we walked toward the pier and looked at all the boats.
There were many boats docked here that were used for exploring Fjords. As it was getting very late (despite being quite bright), we decided to head back.
We came back to our Thon Hotel Cecil and went to bed. Even around midnight, it was still light out, and the music was blasting from a nearby party. The party lasted until 5:00 a.m., and Inna did not sleep well because of all the noise. Parties go non-stop in Oslo, so it's a good idea to get an inside room to avoid all the street noise.
In our Thon Hotel Cecil, the room is warmed by the heater on the bathroom floor - it's a very unusual setup. To adjust the thermostat, one has to adjust the temperature of the heated floor and leave the bathroom door open to let the rest of the room warm up. The room was tiny, but it still took a while to warm up.
Sunday, June 22, 2014
After a delicious breakfast in our Thon Hotel Cecil in the morning, we walked toward Pier 3 and took the ferry to Bigdoys.
The breakfast at the hotel was excellent - all of the unique Norwegian fish delicacies and salads were there. I even made a waffle, but it did not turn out well (user error).
The breakfast at the hotel was excellent - all of the unique Norwegian fish delicacies and salads were there. I even made a waffle, but it did not turn out well (user error).
On the way to the waterfront, we stopped to enjoy some sculptures.
We boarded the ferry and sailed to the next stop.
We planned to see the Fram Museum, the Kon-Tiki Museum, and the Viking Museum. We did not have enough time to visit the Viking Museum, so we skipped it. We hope to see the one in Stockholm instead.
The Fram Museum told the story of the polar explorer Roald Amundsen and his race with the English explorer Robert Falcon Scott to be the first explorer to reach the Antarctic South Pole.
The museum has the entire ship "Fram" under a tent, and we could walk through its galleys and decks to see the living arrangements where Amundsen and his crew lived.
There were also lovely exhibits for kids, like how to pull a 300 kg sled or shoot at enemies. Alex especially liked these kid-friendly exhibits.
The story resonated with us, as we recently saw Scott's exhibit in Victoria, Canada - where the other part of the story was well told. The competition between Amundsen and Scott to be the first to reach the South Pole was fierce. Amundsen relied more on dogs and on the knowledge of Inuit natives for survival in the extreme cold, and this played a big part in his success. On the other hand, Scott relied more on technology, including machines and horses - which all failed miserably in the extreme cold of Antarctica.
The museum has the entire ship "Fram" under a tent, and we could walk through its galleys and decks to see the living arrangements where Amundsen and his crew lived.
There were also lovely exhibits for kids, like how to pull a 300 kg sled or shoot at enemies. Alex especially liked these kid-friendly exhibits.
The story resonated with us, as we recently saw Scott's exhibit in Victoria, Canada - where the other part of the story was well told. The competition between Amundsen and Scott to be the first to reach the South Pole was fierce. Amundsen relied more on dogs and on the knowledge of Inuit natives for survival in the extreme cold, and this played a big part in his success. On the other hand, Scott relied more on technology, including machines and horses - which all failed miserably in the extreme cold of Antarctica.
The Kon-Tiki Museum had two major rafts on display - the RA2 (which was built out of papyrus and tied to prove that ancient mariners could have sailed to the New World) and the Despite concerns about viability, RA2 sailed across the Atlantic, proving that ancient Egyptians could have discovered the New World.
The second raft - the Kon-Tiki - sailed by Norwegian Thor Heyerdahl and his crew - tried to show that ancient South American people could have sailed to Easter Island.
DNA testing indicated that some people in the South Pacific islands have traces of South American DNA. Besides, some words for potatoes are very closely related. This suggested that some contact between ancient South Americans and inhabitants of Easter Island (and nearby islands) was very likely. I especially enjoyed learning that Thor was hydrophobic and not a good swimmer, had minimal sailing experience, and was not qualified to lead the 100+ day sailing adventure.
Despite all the facts aligned against him, he succeeded in guiding the raft to the South Pacific, despite encounters with a 9-meter Whale Shark and Pacific storms. When Kon-Tiki neared Raroia (near Easter Island), it hit the reef and broke apart.
DNA testing indicated that some people in the South Pacific islands have traces of South American DNA. Besides, some words for potatoes are very closely related. This suggested that some contact between ancient South Americans and inhabitants of Easter Island (and nearby islands) was very likely. I especially enjoyed learning that Thor was hydrophobic and not a good swimmer, had minimal sailing experience, and was not qualified to lead the 100+ day sailing adventure.
Despite all the facts aligned against him, he succeeded in guiding the raft to the South Pacific, despite encounters with a 9-meter Whale Shark and Pacific storms. When Kon-Tiki neared Raroia (near Easter Island), it hit the reef and broke apart.
There were some copies of Easter Island statues - called moai. There are 887 such statues on Easter Island, created by the Rapa Nui people.
After the Kon-Tiki Museum, we were tired and took the ferry back to downtown Oslo. As Rick Steves highly recommended, we decided to have lunch downtown - in Grand Cafe. Inna ordered a "Liver Patte Sandwich," which she enjoyed.
I ordered a "Salmon Open-faced Sandwich." It looked and tasted delicious!
We liked the menu at the Grand Hotel and ordered a few open sandwiches. My sandwich was delicious, but I remember the wonderful Marzipan cake. Inna thought it was even better than Vienna's (though I disagree).
Our Grand Cafe lunch cost us NOK 504 - prohibitively expensive - but typical for Oslo.
I ordered a "Salmon Open-faced Sandwich." It looked and tasted delicious!
We liked the menu at the Grand Hotel and ordered a few open sandwiches. My sandwich was delicious, but I remember the wonderful Marzipan cake. Inna thought it was even better than Vienna's (though I disagree).
Our Grand Cafe lunch cost us NOK 504 - prohibitively expensive - but typical for Oslo.
During our lunch, a significant rain downpour occurred. Thankfully, we were not affected inside the Grand Cafe, but a few people got seriously soaked. I did not expect such heavy rains in the Northern latitudes - it looked like tropical rain.
When we completed the Kon-Tiki and Fram museums, we decided to see the enormous Olympic ski jump next in Holmekobakken. We took the metro from downtown Oslo's National Theater station to Holmekobakken. We had to walk about 15 minutes from there to the massive ski jump.
The ski jump is a massive structure with a side-ways elevator to the top.
We enjoyed the view of Oslo from the top and observed a couple of people trying the zip line downhill. The zip line looked like a lot of fun but was very expensive, i.e., NOK 590 (USD 100), and I decided to skip it.
We did try the ski racing simulator, and it was a bit of fun, though not as good as I had hoped. The ski museum was interesting, with many skis on display, from the ancient skis used by natives to the modern variations.
The ski jump is a massive structure with a side-ways elevator to the top.
We enjoyed the view of Oslo from the top and observed a couple of people trying the zip line downhill. The zip line looked like a lot of fun but was very expensive, i.e., NOK 590 (USD 100), and I decided to skip it.
We did try the ski racing simulator, and it was a bit of fun, though not as good as I had hoped. The ski museum was interesting, with many skis on display, from the ancient skis used by natives to the modern variations.
After the Ski Jump and the Ski Museum, we decided to head home for some rest. The view from the top was spectacular.
Alex and Inna practiced receiving 1st and 2nd place Olympic medals.
We wanted to get pizza for Alex, but our closest place only sold entire pizzas - not by the slice. We decided to get a sandwich instead at the "Espresso House" cafe, and Alex enjoyed it a lot. After some rest, we headed to Frogner Park, only one metro stop from the National Theater. Frogner Park houses many statues from the famous sculptor Gustav Vigeland, and I enjoyed looking at all the variations. The park is vast, and I enjoyed strolling its beautifully manicured grounds.
Alex and Inna practiced receiving 1st and 2nd place Olympic medals.
We wanted to get pizza for Alex, but our closest place only sold entire pizzas - not by the slice. We decided to get a sandwich instead at the "Espresso House" cafe, and Alex enjoyed it a lot. After some rest, we headed to Frogner Park, only one metro stop from the National Theater. Frogner Park houses many statues from the famous sculptor Gustav Vigeland, and I enjoyed looking at all the variations. The park is vast, and I enjoyed strolling its beautifully manicured grounds.
After exploring the park, we headed back home to our hotel. Alex was tired and went to bed, while we went to "Espresso House" cafe for some green tea.
We had a great time in Oslo and wished we had a few more days to explore the Viking Ship Museum, Vigeland Museum, and other places we did not have time for.
The cost of our Thon Hotel Cecil was very high. The price we paid for a tiny room in downtown Oslo (including a 25% hotel tax and an 8% room tax) was NOK 3415. You could stay cheaper at a 5-star resort in Hawaii.
Norway is beautiful but extremely expensive. One way to save money is to avoid the 25% tax by not eating out in restaurants. (getting food to go is much cheaper).
Norway is beautiful but extremely expensive. One way to save money is to avoid the 25% tax by not eating out in restaurants. (getting food to go is much cheaper).
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