My sister and her family relocated to Oslo over two years ago. Given the opportunity to experience a different lifestyle and show her children the world, they have made a new life in the capital of Norway. After we decided to relocate to Zürich, one of my first thoughts was: “Oh! I’ll get to see her because it’s so close!” So, actually, how far is Norway from Switzerland? A brief search shows 1400 km between the cities (870 miles for those using the Imperial System of Measurements). In U.S. terms, that’s more than the distance from SF to SD (740 mi) but less than that from SF to SEA (1100 mi). So, yeah, it’s not that close as it is too far to drive or train (bummer). But a quick two-hour flight does the trick. And so we were off on a Thursday to spend a long weekend Up North (apologies, Yuppers).
After our arrival, we found the “Flytoget,” a mighty warrior speeding us from the airport (almost 50 km from the city center) in about 20 minutes, 210 km/hr, or 130 mph for those playing back home. I love traveling by train, and this one was so fast, smooth, and easy to use. Zoom, zoom!
When we arrived, it was a beautiful afternoon. We needed to wait for my sister to meet, so we found an outdoor café and enjoyed the Norwegian vibes.
I am genuinely content to sit in an outdoor café all day and watch the people walk by while absorbing the scenery. If I look happy in that photo, I savor all these moments. We stayed with my sister and her family in their lovely house outside the city. The house is a five-minute walk from the nearby rail line, which is very convenient.
Later, we had a tasty dinner at a local sushi restaurant, where we had a chance to reconnect with her family and enjoy some yummy Asian food. We hadn’t seen the children in a while, and it was wonderful to see how much they had grown. My career teaching high-school students has fostered a deep appreciation for that age. I find teenage sarcasm more delightful when I am not the parent.
Friday’s agenda included exploring the city and the nearby trails. Of course, we secured the proper amount of coffee as a start, and we were off to a nearby running, hiking, and walking trail around a popular lake, Sognsvann. My sister told us about the adjacent Svartkulp Lake. This small lake is one of only a few nudist beaches in Oslo. It was too cold for me to live my nudist dream and swim outdoors in the buff.
As it was mid-March, the ice had melted enough to prevent walking on the lake, so we stayed on the (somewhat) muddy perimeter trail. However, the ovals on the residual ice were still visible for skating and XC skiing. It’s easy to smile on days such as this.
We gathered at the house and then drove back to the city for dinner. Yes, we drove! One of the remarkable aspects of Oslo is how few cars are found inside the city, and those seen are electric. The resulting quiet and safety are powerful, as we never worried about entering traffic or having a car run a red light. There are many reasons for this, and Americans may respond with many reasons why this works here and not in the U.S., and yet, it is simply outstanding not to have to worry about driving, parking, or finding a gas station.
Our Friday evening meal breathtakingly overlooked the Oslo fjord.
We paid for the meal in NOK (Norwegian Krone). One U.S. dollar equals 10-11 NOK, making everything appear very expensive to an American. “400 NOK: for lunch! Yikes!” Norway is not part of the EU; it doesn’t use the Euro but is a member of the Schengen area. Traveling is super easy, with no long lines at passport control or customs. I am still “at the ready” with my ID (I now have an official Swiss resident card, thank you very much), but they are never required. I just researched the rationale for Norway not joining the EU and found this nugget: “A major issue for Norway is its fishing resources, which are a significant part of the national economy and which would come under the Common Fisheries Policy if Norway were to accede to the EU. Norway has high GNP per capita and would have to pay a high membership fee.” In other words, MONEY.
Saturday morning, we took a cruise through the Oslo fjord. Before our trip, I had never examined a map of the area, and you should do this now. Oslo is tucked back into the end of a long and narrow fjord with countless islands, over 40 of which are within city limits. The cruise was a brief taste of the area from the decks of a quiet electric ship. We passed tiny houses and public places for swimming and sauna, and the wooded terrain must look amazing once Spring arrives.
After the cruise, we ate lunch at a café inside the main public library and were primed for walking and exploring the city center. <insert another comment about the perfect weather> We walked on the Opera House roof, a wonderfully designed building that evokes an iceberg. The outside can be seen in the image above from our cruise ship. I was impressed by how architecture interacts with the location and the people.
We walked through the plaza surrounding the Royal Palace and on through the adjacent park, which has many sculptures. The palace is home to Harald V, the current king. We are fans of Harald as a person due to his public support and advocacy for inclusivity, something so many in the U.S. struggle to understand. See? Even the old Norwegian king gets it!
Something I have appreciated in Zürich and saw so much of in Oslo is the prevalence of public art. As a retired person, I have the time to look up from my phone and take in the sights when I walk, and Oslo did not disappoint. From the old statues to the newer installations, I was drawn to the stories of these pieces.
We headed to dinner with the family and had some yummy Indian food. I didn’t need to look at the menu, as I was ready for the Chana Masala. We talked about how to pronounce location names correctly in their resident languages. I don’t think I convinced anybody to join me in pronouncing Zürich as a local might, but that didn’t deter me from doing so. Day three was in the books, and we returned to the house to rest.
Sunday morning provided one more signature experience: sauna on the fjord! Having spent significant time Up North back in the U.S., I have seen how many people use saunas daily. Many even have them on their properties as they are easy to build and use. The idea is to get so hot as to sweat profusely to the point of being unable to take it anymore, only to plunge into a cold body of water. That might be a snow bank or an icy lake. In Oslo, that body of water is the fjord. The sauna is a small, floating houseboat tied to a dock along the public shopping area in the city center.
We rented the whole floating wooden box for two hours, although it is common for people to rent single or multiple slots to join with others they may or may not know. The culture of Norway is to take a sauna wearing a bathing suit, although not all Nordic countries have that same standard. We all enjoyed our time inside, talking, laughing, and sweating until it was time to jump in the water. I am proud of how I completed this cycle four times (!!), even though the water was so cold that my legs were almost too numb to climb up the ladder and nearly seized each time. The cycle was perfectly invigorating and refreshing.
We completed our two-hour stay and boarded the train back to the house. We were both so refreshed and invigorated that we discussed building a sauna on our lake house property in Michigan. We said our final goodbyes and boarded the train back to the airport.
Reflecting on the weekend, I find it very interesting that my sister and I, with very different life paths, now live in Europe. Although we don’t live “train close,” it is the same separation as when we lived in California and Seattle only a few years ago. But closeness isn’t a physical distance. I’m proud that we have tried to stay connected and support each other. The view of the U.S. from “over here” is different, and having someone else with whom I can talk and have catharsis is so comforting and makes the distance between Zürich and Menlo Park less formidable.
I can't take how cute you guys are and all the awesome experiences that you are having. Also, I'll take a train anywhere, anyday, and I'll sit in a cafe for days with you two. So when you are ready to do nothing, I'm your girl. I'm super talented at the art of doing nothing.