Olso in an hour

We'll friends I made it to Oslo. No plans, very little money and alone. I tried to secure a room in a sweet little theatre boat, but they were all booked up. My usual organized self has gone right out the window on this trip, but for some reason I'm not worried. I decided not to worry on this trip. So what I have no place to stay. So what I don't know a soul in this new country. So what? I've got great instincts and I can read a map.

Plus I'm exhausted. I just want to find a room and sleep until my flight tomorrow morning.

I must say the the Danes have the best airport bag checking system. No lines, the baskets come to you and no angry security guards waiting to feel you up. But, the art in the Oslo is a little different from the work in Pittsburgh's airport or any other airport that I've been in for that matter. HELLO!!

But I digress. Oslo. A beautiful city. From the airport I took a train into the center of town, found a cheap hotel about 2 minutes from the station, collapsed in my room (my tiny little room, see below) and wanted to sleep. But, I couldn't bring myself to just stay in my room all night. I was in a new European city for goodness sake, I couldn't not participate.

Check it out. These are the bathrooms I've been telling you about. No tub and no partition between the shower and the rest of the space. Just a drain in the floor and a squeegee and you're in business.

After getting settled I went out walking. I saw the National Theatre, the National Gallery, the Palace where the royal family resides, a couple of giant malls, the beautiful harbor with the Opera House in the distance, some old forts, lots of restaurants and boutiques, bike stations where anyone can rent a bike for the day, and lots of sculptures. A sophisticated, grown up, quaint little place.

If I wasn't exhausted before I sure was now. I grabbed something simple to eat, headed back to my room and went to bed.

The next morning I got up early and headed down to the complimentary breakfast the hotel offered. Yummy!! Everything you could ever want for breakfast except the pancakes and french toast was replaced with a few different fish concoctions. I'll stick to the granola, thank you very much. I'm not a morning fish kind of gal.

Tummy full and bags packed I bid farewell to Olso and headed out for the first leg of my journey home. I will be glad to get back to my honey, but I sure will miss the life of a traveler.