Oslo Museum Power Day

Was another great night in the hostel dorm again. There were a few new faces in the place when I got there and two more who showed up after midnight. I have to laugh since on Monday I am going to be that dick who is showing up late. Two gals and a guy were there when I showed up. One gal was dressed in a think traditional Sami clothing and went out, maybe for an event. The guy was British, didn’t say much left for a bit, and came back and went to bed. The other gal was a thin waif with dark-set eyes. She didn’t speak any English. Oh, and there was also another gal from Canada who is hanging out in Europe (living in the Netherlands) for a year.

Then around Midnight, like clockwork this seems to happen, two more people, a guy, and a gal, came in. Both were quiet enough. But, I get the guy in the top bunk. He was about 6’2 and 200 libs. That damn bunk bed creaked the entire night. I could just read the headline, “Traveler dies horrible crushing death in Hostel mishap.” Then he started snoring. Good God, that man had a terrible case of sleep apnea. I thought I might have snored loud. Then all I could do is think, this guy is going to die in the middle of the night, shit the bed, and I’m under him. Did make me laugh. I finally remembered that I do have earplugs. But it does seem that I really am not going to sleep until about 3 am and waking up at 8:30

This was a power day for museums. Four in one day, that really is a record. The Viking Ship, The Polar Ship Fram, The Maritime Museum, and the Norwegian Folk Museum. They were all on the same bus line and Bygdoy peninsula. It was a really nice place, with lots of smaller houses and apartments. Plus a huge part of the area is natural open space. That would be the place that I would live if I would live in Oslo. I have no idea how much you have to make to live there. So many people XC skiing. It is the perfect place to do that. Ski or run out of the house in the more and get laps in before you have to do something else. That would be perfect. Watching these folks was the real quintessential Norway and Oslo. That was worth seeing. It made my soul smile.

I got to the Viking Ship Museum at the same time that two tours buses dropped off some groups. Go figure. Well, it is a Sunday. This was amazing. A little thin on substance. But way cool. I think a little more into the construction and how the design changed the history of the world would have been something to add.

The Polar Ship Fram was fucking awesome. They have the whole damn ship there and you get to go inside and look around. I can’t imagine (I put myself in the crew’s place) being on the Fram when they froze it in the ice for 3-4 years as it traversed the Northwest passage riding on the ice. That is seriously hard as fucking nails. And then it was the lead ship for the Norwegian’s push to be the first to the south pole. (They won BTW). Seriously, it was sweet. Makes you want to find a challenge that is calling. Even if it has been done before, I need to do it. This might be one of the take-aways from the trip.

Next door is the Maritime Museum, and that only re-enforced this idea of a hard-as-nails seafaring Norsemen. Ever feel like you haven’t done shit? I’ve done some, but some of these cats lived to the end of the world and back. All this without the comforts that we have now. But when you think about it they did have the latest tech for the time. But talk about being able to really be able to survive and thrive with what you have. The sheer amount of resourcefulness that these guys had boggles the mind. And I’m someone that feels I’m good and planning and improvising. DamNNN.

After that, I went to the Norsk Folkemuseum. An open-air museum type of thing. No character actors this time of year. Well, there were two in a city house from the 1890s. The Stave Church is the big draw. Impressive is all I have to say and built without metal, nails or anything else except wood. Nice to see how the relatives lived back in the old country. Also to see how the conditions dictated what kind of buildings people needed and made. This goes back to the idea that I had the other day about design and how it fits into the zeitgeist of the times.

It was a busy day, four museums, found out where the train is leaving from tomorrow. Now I’m just chilling back at the dorm. The gal from Canada is still here. Joel from Utah has checked out, on his way back home. The Sami gal is also out along with the British guy and the two folks who came in late last night.

People come in and out of the hostel. It’s interesting. Some you talk to, even learn their names. Others it is a slight greeting and little or no talking. People are engrossed in their phones and devices. Most folks seem to keep to themselves. Americans are a bit of a more outgoing bunch.

I’m still trying to get used to the Euro walk. Also need to stop smiling and being too friendly. Seems to put a number of locals off, or at least confused.

I have to admit I’m in my own world at the moment. I’m sitting with headphones on listening to of all things, Jack Johnson and Citizen Cope. This is good. Different, but good.

I don’t need to check out until 11 am tomorrow. I’ll get and bag packed right in the morning. It’s also high time that I changed my wool top. Surprised that it doesn’t smell as bad as it should. I do need to set aside one set for clean airline clothes. Will just end up using the “dress clothes” that I brought along.

I know where the train leaves from, I don’t really have a plan (Hang out with Canada gal?) I’m going to lock up the bags at the train station. I could do it here at the hostel, but I’m done with this place. They don’t have the best security for keeping track of your bags. They buzz the door and let anyone in. Someone could take whatever or just rummage through your stuff. No thanks, I’ll pay to lock it up. Plus it is there at the station. I don’t have to come back up here.

I’ll have leftover NOK left over. I’ll swap it out to SEK (or maybe Dollars when I get to Stockholm. I might to SEK to spend it on a hotel and last night. I have about $80 for when I get back to the states. But I might just wait until I get back to go it all in the Seattle airport. Figure it out when I get there and settled. Do I pay a conversion fee twice? Depends if I still have any left.