"Oslo: Scratch below for the real soul " a Oslo Travel Page by diocletianvs

Since I spent eight months in Trondheim in 2003 I visited Oslo on several occasions, mailny thanks to the fact that it is transport hub of Norway. My first visit was a quick one when I was just changing airports, travelling from Gardermoen to Torp and stopping for a short coffee break at Oslo Sentralstassjon where I met a friend.

It was only later that I returned to Oslo on two more occasions, only once to stay overnight for four days. I had contacts at the Faculty of Architecture so my guides were a Croatian architect that has been working in Oslo for the past twenty years and a young local architect who was working on his Ph.D. thesis like me. I also had a friend who had a short-term Norwegian scholarship like me and who was staying in coolest student accommodation in Oslo's Grünerløkka.

They all directed my interests in this city and influenced my experience in this strange capital city that is at the same time world's largest village and world's most expensive city. Oslo lacks attractive highlights other European capitals have but it is below the surface and shiny modern centres that its soul is hidden - along the banks of Akerselva and in the heart of Grünerløkka, away from the Royal palace that lacks all the pompousness a Royal palace should have, away from Vigeland's pseudo-arty park and away from the shiny but shallow show-area of Aker Brygge's cafes and restaurants.

I was lucky to taste bits of real Oslo - a simple and open city that attracts us only after we scratch the surface.
Simple and open. Exactly like Norwegians themselves.