Day 18, Sunday, May 3, 2015 Oslo, Norway

 Located on the Aker River (and it was a narrow, island- inhabited, beautiful cruise into Oslo)  at the head of the Oslo Fjord, Norway's capital has modern architecture, hundreds of lakes, lots of parks, world-class museums and public statues nearly everywhere (including a lot of notoriously naked ones).  Yep.

Oslo covers 175 square miles within its city limits and ranks as one of the world's largest capitals. However, with a population of 600,000, it is the least densely populated capital city in Europe. Norway was once part of Denmark and later part of Sweden, and many of Oslo's buildings -- including the Royal Palace and House of Parliament -- stem from Swedish rule. The country became independent in 1905. Later, Norway was occupied by German forces for five years during World War II (the Nazi history is something Norwegians are now willing to talk about, which may be of particular interest to World War II buffs). Traveling there, you'll notice the high standard of living (and that things aren't exactly cheap). It's so expensive, in fact, that many Norwegians go to Sweden to shop. Still, Norway is one of the richest countries in the world, thanks in no small part to its North Sea offshore oil. 

Luckily, we got here just in time for the winter markdowns.  So, we found prices not too bad in the terminal.  Got a handmade in Norway pewter necklace and a really warm jacket…just in case…for me.

We weren’t actually expecting a great deal from Oslo, but it fooled us.  The history goes back to the Middle Ages.  Founded by the Vikings in about 1000 A.D.

We first took the HOHO bus…they were waiting for all of us…several buses packed full.  We thoroughly enjoyed the tour around the city.  It was a Sunday and all Norwegians love to walk, run and ride bikes and it was a beautiful sunny day in the 50’s.  So they were out in huge numbers.  There was evidently something going on near Frogner Park on the penisula where 3 museums were located.  Every 30 something and their 4 and 5 year old kids were there for some kind of contest on the grounds..  And walking, pushing trams and biking in droves to the location.  We saw the Parliament Building, The Royal Palace, City Hall (there was obviously a wedding that had just occurred) and the Nobel Peace Prize Building.

City Hall 

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Frogner Park

Nobel Peace Building

Parliament Building

Norwegians out for a beautiful day

Norwegian Troll

The Royal Palace

And we docked right across the street from Akerhus Fortress dating back to 1624.  It served as the protection for Oslo for years. It was also used in WWII to store German ammunition, to stable horses, to garage cars and to house

Akerhus Fortress

prisoners of war.   It now houses several museums.  Walking through the grounds over the cobblestone streets was an experience.  We chose to visit the Norwegian Resistance Museum….and I had no idea the part they played in WWII. 

After returning from the HOHO tour, we walked across to the Akerhus Fortress and spent several  hours there …especially the Museum. 

Norway was attacked by surprise on April 9, 1940 and occupied by the Nazi’s for 5 years.  The occupation was supported by a small section of the population known as the Norwegian Nazi party and its leader Vidkum Quisling who announced himself prime minister in a coup d’etat the same day.  His name has become a synonym for treason ever since. 

The museum has original documents from Hitler (orders to invade Norway); original documents from the underground resistance, originals of their communications devices.  Pictures from the Grini concentration camp located near Oslo with the striped pajamas they wore.  Over one-third of the Jewish population in Norway was killed.  There was a copy of a document, confirming the arrival of a transport of Jews from Norway by the headquarters of the camp in Auschwitz.  There was even a pair of dentures that were used among the POW’s  that were wired for receiving messages from the BBC which continued all during the war to broadcast messages from the King, code for the Resistance and played a major part in the war..  It was all fascinating and a great tribute to a bunch of brave souls who fought for their country, some of whom were discovered and executed inside the fortress grounds. 

From the museum:

Wired Dentures

Execution place

Hitler's orders to take Norway

Inside the fortress

Liberation Day

This street was the moat around the Fortress

POW clothing

Resistance coming down from the hills on Liberation Day

Prison inside fortress

Near the end of the exhibits, there were three small videos marking three major turning points in WWII:  One was the Battle of Stalingrad, another of something I can’t remember and the third was D-Day in Normandy….actual footage of the landing on Omaha Beach, the Germans in the bunkers (all of which we saw).   The most astounding thing was a brief glimpse of the landing/bombing on the beach and there, in the b/w video, was one of the three surviving houses that we saw while there in Normandy.  I couldn’t believe my eyes…really made it real.   There was also a copy of a letter from Dwight Eisenhower ordering total assistance to the Norweigan Resistance for their fight in the liberation of Norway.  On May, 8, 1945, the war ended after the surrender of the German Reich.  The King and Crown Prince returned after living in exile in England for all five years. He used the BBC to broadcast “encouraging” messages to the Norwegians during the Nazi reign. The Resistance came down out of the hills out in the open to participate in the celebration. The museum was amazing.  One of the best museums I have ever been in.  

People are super friendly here.  We enjoyed the day very much.  Tonight we had a gift certificate from Princess for dinner in the Crown Grille, one of the speciality restaurants on the ship.  It was excellent…so good…perfectly cooked.  We are stuffed!!!

Came back to room to watch the scenes from the balcony as we leave via the

Oslo Fijord.  We saw the ski jump from the winter olympics along with the olympic village from years past (whenever the winter olympics were last held here).  The  sea gulls were out in force…I actually fed two from the balcony….potato chips from  my hand.  Cool.  Beautiful area. Huge homes along the fjiord.  A wealthy country.  We supposedly saw “the slums”….ummmm…they don’t know slums. 

8 p.m and the sun is high in the sky right in our balcony doors…very bright.  If there is a sunset, it will be a  beautiful setting over the Norweigian mountains.