Settling into Oslo Day 1

I got into the Oslo Central station on the Express train from the airport. It’s one of those Stations that has a huge shopping center attached to it. I remember that there were a few in the Netherlands like that.

I wandered out like a tourist, or at least that was what it felt like. Not sure if I can across like that to the locals. I wandered out into the center of Oslo.

There is snow and a lot of it. The sidewalks are slick and the transit rails are especially dangerous. It is amazing how well the Norwegians keep upright in just regular shoes. You can tell they are used to it.

That’s when I felt it. I was in Europe in a country that I really don’t know the language. It was a good feeling.

So with my phone not getting a signal, I set off and started walking to find the hostel. Well, I must have remembered enough of the map when I looked at it because I found the street and followed it.

There is lots of shopping in the central district. As I got closer to the hostel those shops thinned out and started to see a lot more barber shops, phone shops, and locally owned things. There was a healthy number of immigrants in the neighborhood that the hostel was in. Which, wasn’t too far from the train station. Really, I think that it was a 15-minute walk from the station to the hostel.

And of all things, I found the place straight off. Was a bit surprised by that one. Kind of funny because I didn’t have a map or a clue. (really)

Check-in at the Anker hostel wasn’t until 3 pm and I got in around 1 pm. But the staff was super nice and let me lock up my luggage in the locked room.

Freed from the shackles of luggage, I got to wander about. Right down the road was the Aker river and a great trail that just seems to keep going. It was great, covered in snow. The river was frozen with a few spots of open water where lots of birds gathered. Some were Mallards, but also these crows with grey backs and chests. The river was frozen in pillowed waterfalls. It was awesome.

There is a real contradiction in Oslo. There are these very sleek modern buildings, all Scandinavian design, next to these old brick buildings. Most of the old buildings have become these converted slick lofts. There is a juxtaposition of rich and anti-capitalist.

While I was walking along the river, I came across an interesting artist community. Certainly anti-capitalist and I’m sure against the gentrification that’s happening in Olso. Same as everywhere.

After a fairly long walk along the river, I got back to the hostel and checked in. In a dorm of six, there were two other people. Both gals, I think. I only saw one of them. I got settled in and made the bed with the sheets that I rented for 50 NOK.

Nice room. Had a small kitchen in the dorm that everyone could use. There was food in the fridge, making me wonder how long it was there. There was some really sketch food in the back.

I needed food and still wanted to stay up a bit longer so I took a walk again. I stopped by a falafel shop called Falafel Me. It was some of the best I have had, in a super small shop. Maybe fit about 10 people in there.

Got back to the hostel, showered, and milled about. Then just went to sleep. I had some big days ahead and hadn’t slept much in the past 36 hours.