My Heart Belongs in Oslo

This past weekend I went to Oslo with one of the other girls in the program here. We left work to head straight to the airport. There’s not much point in detailing every aspect of our transportation (it’s dull and there’s so much more to write about from the actual trip), but I must say that security was a breeze. The agent was actually JOVIAL. It’s rare enough that someone in Paris smiles or laughs (and speaks English, no less), but this man did that in addition to being the equivalent of a TSA agent. Mind blown.

We arrived in Oslo around 11 PM (23h for the Euros reading this) and got on the airport express train into the city. We accidentally got on the wrong train, but remedied the problem by taking a taxi the rest of the way to Cochs Pensjonat, our hostel. After checking in and getting situated in the room, I left to visit my friend who lives in Oslo. I only visited for a short while (I was exhausted and he had an early train the next morning), but he gave me some great suggestions of things to do and see over the weekend.

The next morning we thought we would start our day around 9:30. Unfortunately for us, Oslo likes to sleep in and nothing opens until 10. We strolled the block until the nearby coffee shop opened and we had a delicious breakfast and jolt of caffeine to fuel our walk to Frognerparken.

Inside the sprawling park are dozens and dozens (200+) of sculptures by artist Gustav Vigeland. Bronze statues flank either side of the bridge leading from the park’s main entrance and granite works surround the famous monolith. Usually modern art is a hit or miss for me, and some of the statues were—in my honest and humble opinion—ugly. However, all of them have a theme of family and love. And sometimes, neither may be pretty. (Admittedly, some of the statues of children had really disturbing/quasi-demonic faces which were unsettling.)  Walking around the park and looking at all the statues brought on a pang of homesickness, but thinking of silly poses with the statues helped keep it at bay.

Vigeland Sculpture Park

We walked to Majorstuen to take the metro up to Holmenkollen Ski Jump. My friend recommended going to the top to see all of Oslo and maybe we’d catch some cross country skiing too. The metro was JAM PACKED with people going to Holmenkollen for a cross country skiing championship. (It’s a month after the Olympics--is there really a need for a world championship this soon?!)  We were somewhat herded towards the skiing spectacle, not realizing there was a turn for the jump, so we wandered a bit trying to figure out what to do. We decided to head back down towards the restaurant we’d passed to figure things out (crossing our fingers for free wifi). It started raining, then pouring, then hailing. We warmed up by the restaurant’s fireplace and had a drink while we regrouped. Once the rain cleared we tried for a second time to get up to the jump. We looked up to the top of the jump and realized the flag couldn’t be seen...which meant there wouldn’t be any visibility. Back to the metro!

view from the bottom of Holmenkollen Ski Jump

Lauren found an odd museum in our guide that decided to find next. We explored a little bit of Karl Johan’s gate and headed to the Mini Bottle Gallery. This little gem deserves a post all its own, but it’s an experience I’m bursting to share with everyone!

Molecule Models - Noble Peace Center

We left the Mini Bottle Gallery and headed to Aker Brygge to visit the Nobel Peace Center. The center had a thought-provoking exhibit featuring European photographers on the ground floor. Upstairs, the center displayed an exhibit detailing the work of the latest Nobel Peace Laureate, the OPCW. I honestly didn’t know anything about the organization before it was awarded the prize, so it was interesting to learn about their work. My favorite part of the center, though, was the Nobel Field. It’s difficult to explain (so see the picture below), but it’s neat to walk amongst the displays and read more about the laureates.

Nobel Field - Nobel Peace Center

We continued on walking around Aker Brygge trying to find a restaurant that served a Norwegian specialty--reindeer. Unfortunately, we only found a TGIFriday’s and a handful of French restaurants. (I did NOT travel all the way to Oslo to eat more French food.) We finally found Sake, a resto catering to our second choice of fare, sushi. What a great second choice. It was the BEST sushi I have ever had (and may ever have) in my entire life. We got a tasting menu and literally everything on the plate was incredible. The fish was the freshest I’ve ever eaten, the rice was cooked perfectly, and the rolls were delicious.

Our AMAZING Sushi Presentation

After sushi, we headed back to the hostel for a nap. Which then turned into sleeping for the night...almost. We had a couple (trio?) next door having some fun of their own and once they stopped the bar downstairs pumped up the music. Oh well, c’est la vie, non?!

Wandering Karl Johan's Gate

The next morning we woke up very early, packed, and set out for breakfast. Like I mentioned earlier, Oslo likes to sleep in, especially on a Sunday. We wandered Karl Johan’s Gate for quite some time before settling on a sketchy McDonald’s. After eating and chatting for a while (aka wasting time), we continued wandering and waited in a small park for the National Gallery to open. We explored the twenty-something rooms of the National Gallery, not far behind a tour group. The museum is relatively small, but had some impressive pieces considering. Because France (and more specifically, Paris) was/is the center of the art world and because Norway didn’t have an Institute of Fine Arts for quite some time, many of the Norwegian artists studied technique in Paris and returned to Norway to paint their homeland. The collection included a few pieces from Degas (my favorite), Monet, Manet, Rodin, and Picasso.

Claude Monet - Spring by the Seine - National Gallery

Of course, the highlight of the museum is Edvard Munch’s The Scream. He made four versions, the supposed first of which hangs in the National Gallery. Two subsequent are located in the Munch Museum in the east of the city and the final was sold at auction last year.  We’d caught up to the tour at this point and we listened as the guide explained the story of the painting. Munch had been walking and noticed that the nature around him seemed to be screaming. Overwhelmed by such intensity, Munch began screaming himself. The painting is the representation of his experience.

Edvard Munch - The Scream - National Gallery

Unsure of how to spend our remaining few hours in Oslo, we walked along Bogstadveien--one of the most expensive streets in Europe--and admired the shops (which were all closed). Realizing we were close to Majorstuen and the weather seemed to be cooperating, we decided to sprint to the finish of our time in Oslo and head back to Holmenkollen Ski Jump. It was quite a hike up to the museum and jump, but we made it! We skipped the museum (thankfully...because I have no interest in the evolution of the ski and its associated paraphernalia) and got on the lift to the top. We climbed the last flight of stairs to reach the VERY top of the ski jump and WOW. I was so overwhelmed. That view alone made the entire trip worth it. The fjords, the water, the mountains, the city below. Just incredible. 360 degrees of pure Norway and I soaked in every second of it. I am eternally grateful that my friend told me that it was a “can’t miss experience” because I hadn’t come across it in any of my pre-trip research. The pictures just can’t do it justice, though I took plenty in an attempt to try.

View from the top of Holmenkollen

View from the top of Holmenkollen

Panoramic of Oslo from the top of Holmenkollen Ski Jump

From the Ski Jump level of Holmenkollen

We spent a pretty good amount of time admiring the views before we started our sprint (yes, sprint) to the airport. A route through the gift shop before the downhill trot/jog/run to the metro which we nearly missed. A hurried walk from Majorstuen to the hostel to get our bags and a power walk through Slottsparken to the Nationaltheateret station. A quick chance to catch our breath before hurrying through the metro/train station complex to buy Flytoget tickets and finally we were on the last leg to the airport. We made it through security rather easily, grabbed some quick food, and boarded our plane home to Paris. It was a tight time schedule, but definitely worth it. I must say, Oslo has my heart for sure.

Flashback Friday: Niagara Falls

During the summer I interned in Iowa, I met another plant intern, Blaine, during our corporate sessions in Omaha.  Blaine and I have kept in touch, and once we found out the other was a hockey fan, we decided to take a weekend trip to see the Blackhawks play in Toronto.

We flew into Buffalo, NY to save money on flights and to see the Falls on the way to Canada.  Unluckily for us, Buffalo got hit with a winter storm before our arrival.  Temperatures hovered around 10 degrees Fahrenheit, with wind chill going well below 0.  I don't think I have ever been that cold in my entire life.  (Note:  3 days after our visit, the Falls froze over.)  We had planned to see Niagara Falls from both the US and Canada but we felt on the verge of frostbite and wanted to eat and get to Toronto before another wave of snow came through.  Plus, because the Falls hadn't frozen, it was difficult to see since the mist froze solid in midair.

 

Niagara Falls from the Observation Deck

Goat Island

Blaine & Me (the poor guy we asked to take the photo was NOT happy)

Destination:  Niagara Falls (USA)

Date of Trip:  December 13, 2013

Purpose of Trip:  Hockey weekend in Toronto

Things To Do:  Niagara Falls State Park (more attractions open in summer)

Tips:  If you visit in winter, BUNDLE UP!

Awe-Inspired at Sainte Chapelle

So yet again I've fallen into the trap of not posting as often as I should. Or even posting in any sort of regular manner. Oopsie daisy!

A few weekends ago, a friend was in from the States for several days and mentioned that she'd never gotten to visit Sainte Chapelle when she lived in Paris. I told her that I'd been hoping go that weekend, so we (and another friend!) decided to go first thing on (a cold and wet) Saturday morning.

Sainte Chapelle is carefully tucked into Île de la Cité, nestled near the Conciergerie and the Palais de Justice. I never really knew of its existence until I knew I was moving to Paris and someone said that I absolutely needed to go. Notre Dame steals the limelight for French Gothic Cathedrals, but in my opinion, Sainte Chapelle is the real star.

Unfortunately, it isn't the easiest building to photograph due to its proximity to the Palais. It is also currently under construction for the restoration of seven of its stained glass windows, which doesn't make anything easier. So, no pictures of the outside.

Inside there are two chapels, one built on top of the other.

Sainte Chapelle - Lower Chapel

Then, after climbing a narrow and winding staircase, you reach the upper chapel. And it is utterly breathtaking. I could spend hours in here, just soaking in the blues and purples of the illuminated Bible stories.

Sainte Chapelle - Upper Chapel - Main Altar

My only regret about visiting was that I didn't have binoculars. I know it sounds silly and touristy, but 90% of the stained glass is beyond the normal neck-craning range. (Thank goodness for a camera with 18x zoom.)  Of course, my favorite window was the story of Esther, but that's not much of a surprise.

Sainte Chapelle - Window Depicting the Story of Esther

Officially, Sainte Chapelle is my favorite "landmark" in Paris. It is stunningly beautiful and I can't even imagine how much time and effort went into the planning, design, and installation of the windows. Modern buildings can be beautiful (but not Tour Montparnasse...seriously, it's a huge pimple on the face of Paris), but Gothic architecture will never cease to amaze me with its intricacy and detail. If you're ever in Paris, make sure Sainte Chapelle makes your "must visit" list!

Misadventures in Paris

Sometimes, Paris is a bust.

Misadventure #1:  The one where no one told the author her event was invite only

My grandparents had shared with me that Elizabeth Gilbert (author of Eat Pray Love) would be doing a talk in Paris my second day in the city.  I'd gotten the run around with opening a bank account and also locked out of my apartment, so I thought that getting out of my apartment to be bookish sounded good.  I followed her on Facebook and she posted all day about the event, so things were looking up.  Until I arrived at the Columbia Global Centers | Europe.  I told the guard I didn't speak French and then asked in English where I could go.  He rudely scoffed and pointed at a woman with a clipboard.  I told the woman I didn't speak French and she asked me where my ticket was.  I said I didn't have one.  She asked if I was a student there.  I said I wasn't.  She explained it was a ticket-only event that was already at capacity.  Apparently, no one bothered to tell Elizabeth Gilbert that before she posted up a storm on Facebook about seeing her in Paris.  Defeated, I left.  Just in time for the rain to start.

Misadventure #2:  The one with the terrible day that got worse

Then, the following week, I had a terrible day.  I booked tickets (my first week in Europe) to Oslo to see a friend who plays hockey there.  Of course, the odds were not in my favor and the hockey gods scheduled an out of town exhibition game in Sweden for the same weekend I was supposed to be in Oslo.  MAJOR bummer.  Both my friend and I were out the money for the tickets AND we wouldn't get to see each other.  (I have since rebooked the tickets, incurring "only" change fees.  Of course, the hockey gods laughed at me and said to the team "Thou shalt have a team trip and it shall be when Emma is scheduled to visit."  C'est la vie.)  I spent the rest of the day really frustrated and thought I would go to the resto (where my landlord dropped off my new apartment key for me to pick up) near my apartment for dinner.  I waited until 7:30 to go down for dinner, went inside and asked for a table for one.  The guy looked at me and asked if I had a reservation.  I looked around the half-empty restaurant and said I didn't.  He said they were all booked up for the night and I would need to visit another night.  Seriously?!  I am but one small person.  Who eats rather quickly.  Who doesn't take up much of the space you supposedly have reserved.  I tried not to punch something, said a meek "merci," and went home to my apartment to eat a bowl of knock-off Special K red berries.

Misadventure #3:  The one with the long lines

On Valentine's Day (which I did NOT spend in Oslo as anticipated), the RATP sponsored an event where 4 metro/train stations were set up with Studio Harcourt photo booths.  For those of you who don't know, Studio Harcourt has done [mostly] black and white headshots for celebs since 1934.  The photos are iconic and all of the official shots have the studio's mark in the bottom right corner.  The photo booths were FREE (a total rarity in Paris, especially for something like this) and you got to keep the photo that came out.  I was SO EXCITED about getting my very own Harcourt photo without paying 1200 Euros for it.  I left work at 5:00 PM to venture to the closest sponsoring station and when I got there at 5:15, the line was long.  So long, in fact, that most of the people in front of me wouldn't have the chance to get their photo taken before the even stopped promptly at 6.  (Each photo took at least 2 minutes for set-up, taking, approval, printing.)  What a waste of metro tickets.  Thanks, RATP!

Flashback Friday: Capri, Italy

All of the exploring I'm doing in Paris is making me reminisce about my past travels.  I hope to post some photos from most of the places shown on my map.  This week, I'm starting with...

Capri, Italy

Capri is still one my favorite places that I've been.  It's beautiful and romantic and I wish I'd had the opportunity to explore more.  If (when) I go back, I'm going to snorkel the blue and green grottos.

Marina Grande

Picture taken from the Augustus Gardens

Grotta Verde 

Lighthouse of Punta Carena

Destination:  Capri, Italy

Date of Trip:  March 2007

Purpose of Trip:  High School Latin Class Trip

Things To Do:  Take a boat tour around the island!  Stop by the Carthusia Perfume Factory for a small bottle to remember the scents of Capri.
Tips:  Save money by staying in Sorrento (mainland) and taking a boat to Capri instead of staying on the island.