In Oslo, there’s a concerted effort to make the harborfront a people’s domain. This ambitious urban renewal project, called Fjord City (Fjordbyen) — which kicked off years ago with the Aker Brygge development (now Oslo’s well-established harborside promenade and restaurant row), and proceeded with the construction of the dramatic new Opera House (its white-marble roof famously sloping into the fjord, creating a public plaza that lets you walk on top of the theater) — is making remarkable progress in turning the formerly industrial waterfront into a thriving people zone. This clip gives you a glimpse at a city truly reinventing itself.
Futuristic Oslo
Oslo is a classic old Norwegian city. But in recent visits, I’m amazed at some of the dramatic changes going on here. The new Oslo is both architecturally fascinating and extremely livable. These photos illustrate some of the ways that Oslo just keeps chugging into the future.
Oslo’s Aker Brygge development has made its harbor a people-friendly promenade. Each night it’s a Nordic paseo. Just a few years ago, this stretch of harbor was an industrial wasteland. Today it’s part of a huge project pushing out the industry to make room for the people of Oslo. And since my last visit, the development has doubled in size with the construction of a brand-new housing development called Tjuvholmen — a futuristic mix of condos, shops, offices, galleries, and a little beach facing the open fjord.
I enjoyed a delightful, quiet moment watching seagulls and ferries come and go as the setting sun shone on the old fortress in Oslo’s harbor. Oslo’s fancy yacht club-style stretch of harborfront is a trendy restaurant row. But I didn’t feel like a fancy dinner — just a simple picnic picked up from a grocery store a block inland. Fortunately, the harborfront also comes with lots of picnic tables, comfy wooden lounges for two, and places where its citizens who can’t afford pricey waterfront restaurants can enjoy these same delightful views.
All over Europe, little Manhattans are springing up. You can read in the newspapers about slow economies, but when you actually travel around, it seems that northern Europe is on a building binge. This new strip of towering office complexes — nicknamed “the Bar Code District” — finally gives Oslo the modern skyline it never had.
Oslo’s Holmenkollen Ski Jump: Old, New, Great Views, and Big Thrills
I’ve left Stockholm, and have landed in Norway’s capital — Oslo. My first stop is a famous old ski jump that has a fresh new look.
A top sight in Oslo is the legendary Holmenkollen Ski Jump. One of the world’s oldest ski jumps (from 1892), Holmenkollen has hosted many championships, including the 1952 Winter Olympics. To win the privilege of hosting the 2011 World Ski Jump Championship, Oslo built a bigger jump to match modern ones that had been built elsewhere. You can ride an elevator to the top and stand right at the starting gate, just like an athlete, and get a feel for this daredevil sport. The jump empties into a 30,000-seat amphitheater, and you’ll enjoy one of the best possible views of Oslo.
As you ponder the jump, consider how modern athletes continually push the boundaries of their sport. The first champion here (in 1892) jumped 21 meters. In 1930, it took a 50-meter jump to win. In 1962, it was 80 meters, and in 1980, the champ cracked 100 meters. Most recently, a jump of 140 meters took first place.
While the view is exciting from the top, even more exciting is watching thrill-seekers rocket down the course on a zipline from the same lofty perch (600 Norwegian kronor per trip — that’s $100…yes, Norway’s expensive).
Stockholm Fun
I’m having a great time in Stockholm — biking around the city, placing a call from my own private telephone, and bumping into one of those Rick Steves tour groups.
Stockholm is one of Europe’s most beautiful cities — and it’s like none other for joyriding on a bike. Bike paths are a city-planning priority, and they run along the entire harbor. And parklike islands are biking utopias. Djurgården (“Animal Garden”) was the king’s private hunting preserve. Today it’s a vast park dotted with fun sights. I’d make a point to bike in the early evening, when lots of people are out, the light is warm, and colors pop. Getting a bike is cheap and easy in Stockholm (there’s a good rental place and a welcoming info center with good biking maps right next to the bridge that connects Djurgården to the rest of the city).
While almost no one ever uses my phone these days, every time I’m in Stockholm, I drop by the cathedral in the Old Town (Gamla Stan) just to hear the friendly dial tone on Riks telefon.
While in Sweden, I bumped into one of our happy tour groups. Scandinavia is Europe’s most expensive region, so it’s our challenge to be sure this particular itinerary is as good a value as possible. And, of our 35 different Rick Steves tour routes, Scandinavia is selling really well this year. As a Norwegian myself, I’m particularly happy that we have a new guide — Pål Johansen, our first from Norway — who’s getting rave reviews. The entire group thought we looked like cousins, which — in a Viking sort of way — we are. Can you spot Pål in this photo?
Tonight It’s Leftovers — Swedish Snapshots from My Trip
I’m really enjoying my time in Sweden. Here are a few random photos that capture what I’m experiencing — as well as some practical advice.
Sweden may not have staggering fjords like Norway, but all along its coast, you’ll find some impressive abs. The city of Kalmar has opened a wonderful new beach, called Sundsbadet, just beyond its castle. On a hot summer day, this is a festive and happy slice of Swedish life — well worth a stroll even if you’re not actually “going to the beach.” This new facility put Kalmar (quite popular with RVers and the yachting crowd) on the fun-in-the-sun map. With showers, snack stands, sandcastles, beach access for wheelchair users (a ramp goes right into the water), and views of the castle, it’s a delight. And if you enjoy people-watching, it’s a combination Swedish beauty pageant/tattoo show.
This dinner I enjoyed on a train ride through Sweden was a $5 feast. Sure, I can afford a good restaurant meal even in expensive Sweden. But a cheap, healthy, and fast picnic helps the train ride go by quicker. Even in the most expensive corner of Europe, you can eat well and affordably. Convenience stores are big throughout Scandinavia (with a 7-Eleven on seemingly every corner). While convenient and cheaper than any restaurant, these places charge about double what you’ll pay for basic food in a grocery store. With a trip to the grocery store, I can get a big, cheap bag of almonds to munch on for days. A kilogram bag of carrots reminds me of the days when I didn’t know how to communicate a smaller amount and ended up with a kilo of whatever I was buying. A big bag of carrots may be cheap…but it lasted for days’ worth of snacks. Yogurt is drinkable, cheap, and tasty anywhere in Europe. A box of juice cost about two dollars (always look for “100%” — easy to spot in any language — or else you’ll get a sugary “juice drink”). And the main course: the ham-and-cheese sandwich I pocketed from my breakfast buffet. (I wouldn’t advocate this petty theft publicly. But somehow I don’t feel bad stealing a sandwich from my hotel breakfast buffet in Scandinavia, considering how much of the room cost is taxes — about $50 a night — that support a lavish social system I’ll never benefit from).
I used to dread having to get a haircut in Europe. It was one time that the language barrier had real and enduring consequences — and besides, finding a barber took precious time out of my sightseeing day. But for the last few years, I’ve relished the opportunity to get a haircut wherever I am in Europe because it gets me in a chair talking with a real person who’s not in the tourist trade. Here in Växjö, in the middle of Sweden, I enjoyed getting to know Maria — an immigrant to Sweden from Bosnia — who gave me unique insight into Swedish culture today.
When I’m researching my guidebooks in Europe, I have to be disciplined about staying on top of my “inputting.” Each day I have, on average, six hours with a local guide. That’s a lot of notes. And each hotel room becomes my office: I arrange my desk for the best light, and sort through my marked-up maps, business cards, and scribbles in my chapters. If notes are not dealt with in a shipshape way, all that hard work in the streets can be ultimately wasted.