I arrived in Amsterdam and headed out to find my flight in a very confusing airport. I had to go through customs to get to my next gate. When I found the correct gate it was a cramped little room with the passengers packed in like sardines and it was very hot! My flight from Amsterdam to Oslo was short and I attempted to sleep. The snack on the flight was a packet of little sandwiches. One set was on white bread that had a really weird taste and had a fig sauce and a slice of goat cheese. The other was some sort of wheat bread with big bits of some sort of nut and lamb meat with some other sort of sauce that I couldn't put a flavor to. Needless to say it was a test of the taste buds.
As I flew over Oslo all I saw was snow covered fields and hills. When we landed I had to proceed to baggage claim where I waited for about 15 min for our bags to come. Once I had gathered my bag I headed through customs yet again...As I exited the terminal the Customs police (an unassuming young woman in jeans and a sweatshirt) flashed her badge and me and escorted me into the search area...she proceeded to ask me why I was in Oslo, did I have anything in my bags that she should know about such as alcohol, food, or cocaine! When I told her I was there on business she asked me what my business was, what company I worked for and what company I was here to do business with...I couldn't remember any of it I was so tired! She finally let me pass without searching my bags.
My next task was to find the train to Oslo...the Express Train or flytoget. I found the train and purchased a ticket. The 20 min ride cost me 130 NOK which is about $19.40.
When I arrived in Oslo and stepped off the train, I had to haul my bag up an escalator that was shut down. It was very dirty(covered in cigarette butts and trash).
I walked about 8 blocks to the FirstHotel Millenium where I am staying for the week.
Fortunately I had purchased a guide book to help me get around! I still walked one too many streets West so I had to turn around and go back.
After I checked in, Paul Fulop my coworker, dropped round to take me on a walking tour of this part of the city.
We walked west toward the port. The first thing we saw was the first Market Square in Oslo. There is a statue in the middle that memorializes Christian IV saying that was the spot where the center of Christiania would be. Christian IV moved the city because the original city kept burning down.
We walked to the Fortress that sits on the edge of the port to view the sunset.
There is also a statue of Franklin D. Roosevelt....wasn't sure what that was all about...Paul says he had something to do with helping Oslo during the war.
We finished the afternoon by walking back toward the hotel to a little Irish Pub called The Dubliner....we had chicken curry and a beverage....the cost....210 NOR.
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