Oslo, Norway

After yet another 4 hour train Journey we arrived at out next destination, Oslo.  We booked into the Anker hostel and had an exciting evening of laundry!

Day One - 07/06/2011
For our first day in Oslo we decided to...leave Oslo!  We had an extra day of train travel on our Interrail card and so decided to use it to visit some small towns outside of Oslo.  We visited Drammen first, then Larvik.

Drammen

Larvik

Day Two - 08/06/2011
On day two we actually saw Oslo.  Before going out we researched the various museums and galleries to decide whether or not it would be worth buying a Oslo card for about £25.  However, if we visited only the National Museums, it would only cost us about £5!  So, this is what we did!

Day Three - 09/06/2011
On our last day in the city it rained..A LOT!  Which is a shame.  We walked to the other side of the town to the sculpture park and decided to dry off at the City Museum.  However, when we left we figured it would be really silly to walk around the sculpture park for hours in the rain and headed back to the Hostel to pack and rest.  On the way back to the Hostel we stumbled across one of Marc Quinn's famous Kate Moss yoga statues inside a small randon shopping centre!  It was a lot bigger than we had anticipated!

We spent a total of 4 nights in Oslo, so it was one of our longer visits to one city.  However, I found it really hard to like it.  I don't think the weather helped, but Oslo didn't have the same vibes that Copenhagen and Gothenburg had.  It was more rushed, uptight and I didn't feel as comfortable here as I did elsewhere in Scandanavia. I also found the hostel wasn't amazing.  It was clean enough, and I liked that the kitchen and bathroom where ensuite, but the staff were incredicle dosile!  We did meet the nicest people though, including an 60-something year old from Oregon who talked forever, but was lovely!

Gothenburg, Sweden

 

Day One - 04/06/2011
Next stop, Gothenburg!  Only a few hours on the train from Copenhagen and we arrived!  We bought a bus card and got on the right bus going to wrong direction to the Hostel, so the journey took twice as long as it needed to, but we got to see some nice housing areas!  After checking in we got to our room - very fancy!  Each bunk had 2 plugs!! TWO!! And free wifi IN the room, how luxurious!  The beds were also SERIOUSLY comfortable!  We had a lot of the evening to kill so walked to a nearby park and basked in the sunshine!

Day Two - 05/06/2011 
The next morning we got up early to go out and exlpore the city!  We walked into the city centre and made our first stop at The Röhsska Museum of Fashion, Design and Decorative Arts.  Unfortunately you weren't allowed to take photos, but they had some amazing Japanese ceramics and Buddahs!  After attempting and failing a paper crane, we made our way to the City Museum and acted liked big kids!

Then, Helen finally got her wish and got to go on a big wheel.  I was scared to start with and clung to the table during the first rotation, but was semi-relaxed by the 6th turn!

To end the day we took a long (very hot and sweaty) walk to The Maritime Museum and Aquarium.  We didn't have long but managed to see all the fish!

Day Three - 06/06/2011
On day three we decided to do our 'something different' and visit the Southern Archipelago Islands.  We got the tram for free (naughty) and the hopped on the ferry to our first island, Asperö.  This was a smaller island, mostly covered with small quaint houses.  The locals get around on bicycle or electric motorised cycles!  We also encounted the FATTEST cat I've ever seen in my life!

Next we visited Vargö, a  nature reserve.  We took a short walk from one end of the Island to the other to the swimming cove!  The water was soo clear and little fish nibbled our feet!  On the way back to the ferry we saw a wild weasel!

The third and final island of the day was Styrsö, the most tourist based Island.  We expected it to be a lot busier than it was!  Again, we headed to a swimming cover which we had entirely to ourselves!  After another few ours of swimming and basking we took the ferry back to the mainland.

I think that this day was one of the best on the trip so far.  The islands were so beautiful and I am very envious of those who live such a peaceful lifestyle!


Day Four - 07/06/2011
Before leaving for Oslo, we paid a quick visited to Gothenburg's Natural History Museum, which was just up the road from our hostel.  It is the only Museum in the world to have a Blue Whale skin!  There was also the most impressive African Elephant, wearing a tutu!

Copenhagen, Denmark

For the last 4 nights we have been staying at the City Public Hostel in Copenhagen.  After arriving to Copenhagen after a long day of travel, it was dark and rainy.  The first we saw of the city was a stretch of neon lit sex shops on the street leading to our hostel.  Interesting!  However, it was a false glimpse at what the city is truely like...AMAZING!  I can honestly say Copenhagen is a city I could picture myself living in happily.  Although the capital, it is not over populated and busy.  The danish are very laid back!

Day One - 01/06/2011
To begin our first full day in the city, we decided a Danish pastry was a MUST for breakfast.  I don't think we could have found bigger ones if we had tried!

As we strolled around towards the centre of town, we began to see how beautiful it is.  Canals are everywhere and are lined quaint, mismatched buildings.

    

Our first stop was the Design Museum Danmark, a not so big but pleasant look at world and obviously Danish design.  One current exhibit was related to the body, a theme I have worked with in the past.  However, the close up photographs on a large scale of chest hair, freaked me out a little!  I much preferred the large weave peices, and in particular the drawing of some small pointy boobs from the perspective of the owner.

 

  

We then headed towards the harbour in search of Copenhagens famous Little Mermaid.  On the way we stumbled across a star shaped island that housed the Danish resistance museum.  The grounds were really nice!

The Little Mermaid was a lot closer than anticipated, and also a bit bigger, although still only lifesize.  The weather got out to about 18 degrees so we sat around the bay for a while soaking up some rays, Which I have later came to regret due to some ridiculous tan lines!

On the way back to the hostel we stopped by the Marble Church, the first church I have been to that is completely round.

In the evening we sat on the green outside the hostel, then slept like babies!

Day Two - 02/06/2011
Day two began with yet more Danish pastries and a trip to the Rosenborg Palace.  Again, the grounds for this was place were really pretty.  Inside, the most interesting rooms had to be the mirrored cabinet and the throne room!  The King's throne is made of narwhal tusk and is protected by 3 silver lions - talk about over the top!

After visiting the Castle and it's treasury, we stumbled upon the most amazing botanical garden, where I saw a wild snake!!  This was probably one of my favourite visits during the trip in Denmark!

In the evening we decided to have a walk to the nearby Frederiksberg Gardens.  On the way we found a maze, which we obviously had to go in!

The park itself was bigger than imagined and had a Palace!

 

 

Day Three - 03/06/2011

On our last day in Copenhagen we began with The City Museum, which was right next door our hostel.  The museum wasn't very big and gave a little bit of history about the city and had an exhibiton about Mexico, which was a bit odd! 

Next, we went to The Amalienborg Palace.  This is the first Palace I've visisted that I could actually imagine people living it.  It was a lot more modern (by modern I meant it had interiors dating around the 1900s-1920s).  I learned a lot about Queen Ingrid of Sweden, who sounded like an amazing woman!

Then, we decided to do something different and so headed to the Harbour Baths, an area designed to allow people to swim in the seas channel of Brygge.  This floating wooden island was a great idea and worked really well.  The water was freezing, but sitting in the sun (this time with sun lotion on!) for a few hours was a nice rest!

 

After a relaxing time at the 'pool', we walked to Christiania.  This is a freetown within the borough of Christianshavn.  This means they have their own laws and way of life.  Photos were not allowed inside, but I have included an image from the internet to give an idea of the town.  The relaxed atmosphere, shanty housing and stoned locals were much more pleasant that you would expect! There were no cars or bikes, just lots of market stalls, cafes and art!

Although the trip has only just begun, I can't help but feel that Copenhagen is going to be a very hard city to beat!! It outweighed all my expectations and it has been an amazing 3 days!