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March 7, 2008
ANITA ALAN Carmel, CA
First Impressions
Holland America and A Prairie Home Companion made the perfect call when they
decided to steam into Oslofjord Saturday and complete our cruise at Norway’s capitol. Oslo has
a relatively modest-sized population in comparison with many European capitols, but compared with
the hamlets, villages, and port towns we visited during the last week, the city seemed huge, complex,
and much more like Continental Europe. Even though we had an overnight, inport stay, the extension
of a half day on Sunday could scarcely honor all there was to see of Oslo’s history and sights.
By now, we had become accustomed to leaving every location, and longing for more. We learned to
get an overview of larger towns by taking a “Hop On-Hop Off” coach and determining as we went where
best to spend our day. So many museums, so little time! Staying aboard ship today would not be
a wise choice (nothing against Mah-Jong or Ping Pong). Your best chance to see the Prairie Home
Companion Crew today would be on the streets of Oslo. This was their one glorious day off. How
well earned!
By way of preview, in our one full day, we were able to visit the grounds of the Royal Palace,
tour the Viking Ship Museum, the Ibsen Museum, the National Theater, the huge Norsk Folk Museum,
and catch glimpses of the Vigeland Sculpture Park and the Kon- Tiki Museum. Leaving some places
out meant we had a strong incentive to return. Short of living in Oslo a year or so, there was
not a chance, even with the overnight stay, that we could spend the time we hoped seeing all we
wished to see. More on what we did see, later, in coming issues. For all we missed though, we felt
blessed to have made such great use of every moment.
The Briefest Oslo History Ever
King Harold Hardrade founded Oslo in 1050, but the city contains almost no remains from that time. Geologic features, territorial and trade desires made Oslo vulnerable to attack and occupation time after time throughout its history. Sweden attacked in the 1300s, followed by Denmark in the 1500s, then Sweden again. Numerous fires destroyed the old wooden buildings, as they have in other Norwegian cities and villages. Finally, King Christian IV, during Danish rule, rebuilt the city nearer Akershus Slot og Festning (Castle and Fortress)— naming it Christiania and decreeing that future buildings here be constructed of stone or brick. In 1814, Norway proclaimed its independence. In 1905, it attained full independence with the crowning of King Haakon VII, the first Norwegian King since the Middle Ages.
Norway suffered a brief, but agonizing occupation by the Germans during WW II. On September 25,
1942, the exiled Norwegian government in London requested a raid against Gestapo Headquarters housed
in Victoria Terrasse. Royal Air Force Mosquito Bombers made a daring daylight raid, the longest
operation for that plane. Three of the ordinances exploded. Today, most bargain hunters at Victoria
Terrasse Shopping Center remain blissfully unaware of the beautiful building’s once horrific, short-lived
use as a center for Nazi interrogation. Designed by Henrik Thrap-Mayer, and built from 1884 to1890,
this elegant edifice appears as magnificent now as historical photos and sketches show.
Oslo Venue
Menu
We leave you with suggestions for some possible excursions you might consider. Some we saw, some not. See Oslo by air, including Hardanger Mountain Plateau and other geologic wonders. Take a hike in Nordmarka Forest, a 30-minute subway trip from town. Lots of hilly territory here, so even though it’s close, you need comfortable shoes, excellent endurance, and decent weather for this journey. Visit the 80-acre Vigeland Sculpture Park with its 212 masterful pieces (as though one day were enough!); and while you are in the area, see the Norwegian Folk Museum (with map in hand!), the Kon-Tiki Museum and the Polar Ship Fram, and the Maritime Museum. Take a guided or self-guided tour of the Viking Ship Museum. Not tired yet? See the Nobel Peace Center, the National Museum, the Rådhuset (City Hall), the National Antiquities Collection, and Akershus Castle. Visit the Holmenkollen Ski Jump, the Hadeland glassworks, the Edvard Munch Museum, the Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art, and the Resistance Museum. Venture out on foot to intimate cafes, art galleries, upscale and downto- earth shops, and the small, lesserknown museums. Toured thoroughly, any three of these will earn you a great night’s sleep back aboard the Veendam.
About Anita: A former teacher and flight attendant, she is the author of “Big Sur Inn: The Deetjen Legacy,” the award winning history of the famous, beloved landmark inn and its creators, Norwegian immigrant Helmuth Deetjen and his wife Helen.
Norwegian American Weekly
