Californication: Coming to Norway

Earlier today, my California crew touched down at Oslo Airport. Yes, at long last I have lured people to MY country. Their first impression of Norwegian culture was having a meal at a gas station, so maybe this didn't get off to a stellar start, but... anyways, we've been allowed the use of an apartment partially owned by my old friend Heidi and we'll stay in Oslo till Saturday, then we're off to explore the country.

In Oslo, we were met by Heidi's hubby Hassi, who took us on a brief sightseeing trip around town. We started off with a walk down by the harbor, which contains City Hall, a large square and a big apartment complex/restaurant area known as Aker Brygge.

Statue of the Norwegian/Danish naval commander Peter Wessel Tordenskiold. In 1716 he led a daring attack on a fleet of Swedish transport ships and sunk them and most of the Swedish artillery, which was on the ships, headed for Oslo. He's one of the greatest military heroes in Norwegian history and well worth a statue; this one is in the harbor in Oslo.


After a good walk by the harbor, we drove to the Opera House, where Hassi parked illegally so we could walk up the roof for ten minutes. Hugely expensive, a fucking waste of space and money... but not too shabby to look at. An average opera ticket is subsidized to the tune of something like 75-100 USD.


I shot this video from the roof. Most people just walk up there and take pictures, but of course some assholes have to break the rules and skate, or they bring huge fucking ghettoblasters to pump out African gangsta hip hop, cuz lordy knows that's what all Norwegians crave on the roof of the Opera House one fine evening in May.


Cranes fill the evening skies. There's a shitload of construction going on in that city.


This photo was taken shortly before 10PM in the evening from the Ekeberg restaurant. One of the very few advantages of living this far north are the long, light summer nights.


Video of the same view.