March 02, 2009

Aker Brygge


Aker Brygge is an area on the former ship yard of Akers Mekaniske Verksted. The halls were rebuilt as shopping areas in the 1980s. Today, there is a cinema, restaurants, bars, apartments and much more.

March 01, 2009

Antique


The control buttons of Stortinget's elevator.

February 27, 2009

Death from Above


Taking a walk along the streets of Oslo is not at all harmless these days...

February 26, 2009

The latest batch of snow III


Still tons of snow here. Oslo hasn’t seen so much of it since 1987 – according to some newspapers.

February 25, 2009

The latest batch of snow II


These cars are useless for the next few days.

February 22, 2009

February 21, 2009

McDonald's


Some days ago I met an American. He was pleasantly surprised for the simple reason that we have McDonald's and all the rest of american restaurant chains here in Norway as well – of course we have!

February 20, 2009

Mural


The mural in the big hall of Oslo City Hall.

February 19, 2009

The Saving Feature of Snow III


Let me get straight, the last 3 photos are not from Oslo, but from Hemsedal. It is situated 200 km northwest of Oslo – one of the best ski areas in Scandinavia.

February 18, 2009

February 16, 2009

Still


Yet another day of snow – Snowfall all sunday.

February 15, 2009

Crown of Scandinavia


The Crown of Scandinavia is a cruiseferry sailing on a route connecting Oslo and Copenhagen (Denmark). Sorry for the lens. It was dirty.

February 14, 2009

Subway Train


Siemens, Germany's industrial major, is currently supplying Oslo’s subway system with environmentally friendly trains that consume 30 percent less energy than the old units. In Oslo, it was important for Siemens to be able to ensure operational safety for the subway system even at extreme subzero temperatures. A couple of other things were necessary as well: effective heating system, windshield defrosters and a robust construction that would be able to handle heavy snow loads. Deliveries of the new subway trains are scheduled to be completed in the summer of 2009. Source

February 13, 2009

Kiwi


Kiwi is one of Norway's major discout store chains. After a profit of 400 million kroner in 2007, the Kiwi president decied to throw a party for all the employees called "Super Kiwiaden" which lasted for one overnight stay at Brunstad Conference Center (BCC). Some 4200 of the employees took part in it and the party was reputed to cost over 100 million kroner.

February 12, 2009

The Shnas


Shnas is a student place, often used for hosting concerts, conferences, company arrangements, weddings and theatres, but first and foremost parties. The dance club is open every thursday night and usaully filled with some 500-1000 students. If you are in Oslo, at the age of 20-30 and don't know what to do: Today is the grand reopening after renovation of the building.
For another thing, to make you more familiar with Norwegian: Shnas means "Studentenes Hus Nydalen As", whereas "Studentenes Hus" is Student House. As is the abbreviation for "Aksjeselskap", meaning stock-based company.

February 11, 2009

Mine Sweeper


The Mine Sweeper M314 Alta is a floating museum placed beneath the Akershus Fortress in Oslo.
The ship was launched in 1953 and served in the U.S. Navy as AMS-104 and in the Belgian Navy as BNS Arlon (M 915). In 1966, Alta was taken over by the Norwegian Navy. Decommissioning was in 1996 – after 30 years of service!

February 10, 2009

Fiskehallen


Fiskehallen in Oslo is Norway's largest fish market.

February 09, 2009

The Grand Thing


Stortinget is the Norwegian Parliament, and this is the big hall. There a 169 seats. To improve your mind: Stortinget betyr Stor (=grand) ting (=thing) – the grand thing!

February 08, 2009

Fight


Let's have a snowball fight?

February 07, 2009

Charles XIV John


The statue of Charles XIV John of Sweden in front of the Royal Palace.

February 06, 2009

Summer!?


I'm willing to admit it looks nice, however, to be honest: I am really sick of snow! It's enough. It's cold! I hate it. I want summer! Now!

February 05, 2009

February 04, 2009

Bird's Eye


...and this is how Norway looks from above when approaching Sandefjord Airport Torp.

February 03, 2009

Sandefjord Airport Torp


Sandefjord Airport (Oslo-Torp) is another airport, located some 100 km south-west of the city centre. However, busses and trains run several times a day from the airport to Oslo. In contrast to Gardermoen, Torp is a low-cost destination. It has direct flights to popular destinations all over Europe, such as Copenhagen, London, Dublin, Frankfurt, Barcelona and Milano.

February 02, 2009

Gardermoen Airport


Gardermoen was opened in 1998 as Oslo's main commercial airport. It is situated 48 km northeast of the city and functions as a national hub, with a total of 25 domestic destinations. Unsurprisingly – as a result of Norway's upper price/tax level and the fact that Norway is not an EU member – Gardermoen has the largest duty free shop in Europe.
The airport was designed by the same architect that drew Norway's internationally renowned business school, BI Norwegian School of Management.

February 01, 2009

Norwegian Air Shuttle


"Norwegian" is Norway's second-largest airline and the fifth-largest low-cost airline in Europe. It carried 9.1 million passengers in 2008. The photo was taken at Oslo's central airport "Gardermoen", Norwegian's main hub.

January 31, 2009

Ullevål Subway Station


This photo was taken at the subway station of Ullevål, the place where you'll find the national football statium of Norway (mind, it is actually not "subway", however, Norwegians call it subway).

January 30, 2009

Bjølsen studentby II


Still a lot of snow in Oslo.

January 29, 2009

Bjølsen studentby


Bjølsen, built in 2003, is one of Oslo's newest student villages. You need to pay up to 2840* Norwegian Kroner for an unfurnished single room (11-15 m2). Is that expensive?

*320 Euro; 422 US-Dollar

January 28, 2009

Cards


Playing cards is really a source of great fun during Norway's long winter nights.
Solution of yesterday's quiz (apparently a little difficult, I'm gonna make it easier next time): Voldsløkka, a park close to the center of Oslo.

January 27, 2009

Where in Oslo II


Second round: Guess where in Oslo this photo was taken!
*Solution tomorrow

January 26, 2009

Grønland Subway Station


You have already seen the subway station of Nydalen. Today you see the Grønland subway station, eastern downtown Oslo.

January 25, 2009

Snus


A used up portion of Snus on the floor – That's a common sight in Oslo (and all over the country actually). Snus is smokeless tobacco, and it is quite popular in Norway. It is consumed by placing it under the upper lip for extended periods of time, and unfortunately some addicts just spit it out afterwards (like here in Oslo's subway) instead of disposing it properly.

January 24, 2009

Peppes Pizza


I think Peppes Pizza is the favorite pizza of Norwegians. Everyone here knows this logo! However, it is expensive. A simple medium-size (30 cm) "Peppes Marguerita" is 136 Norwegian Kroner (which is 19,60 USD or 15,10 EUR today).

January 23, 2009

Snowbound


Sometimes cars are not directly accessible.

January 22, 2009

BI Norwegian School of Management


The BI Norwegian School of Management is the second largest business school in all of Europe. It consists of 18,500 students and has in total six campuses: in Bergen, Stavanger, Trondheim, Kristiansand, Drammen and the main one located in Oslo (see picture above). The school is one of the 100 most recognised business schools of a total of over 4,000 such colleges in the world in the “Top Business School Worldwide 2008” survey. The building is very impressive I think.

January 21, 2009

Obama Superstar


"A moment in history" – The entire first page of Aftenposten, one of the largest newspapers in Scandinavia, is just about the hero today. Everybody is Obama-mad. But aren't the hopes on 44 too high?

January 20, 2009

Snø


You see really a lot of snow fell. Even for Oslo's climatic conditions. Snø* is the Norwegian term for "snow", by the way.
*with "slashed O" – it is a vowel and sounds most like is the vowel in "bird" or "hurt".

January 19, 2009

Tons of Snow


All right! It started to snow yesterday – at least 10 inches (*wild guesstimate) so far, and according to the latest weather forecast it will snow for a few days more!

January 18, 2009

Saturday Night


It's Stravinsky night club, Rosenkrantz gate, a popular place to go out.

January 17, 2009

Downtown Oslo


This is the area around the station, central downtown Oslo. You see the Postgirobygget (110 meter high), the station forecourt with the Trafikanten Tower and the Byporten and Oslo City shopping centres. The photo was taken looking out 34 SkyBar.

January 16, 2009

The Nobel Peace Center


There is not too much daylight amongst my photos, as some of you might have noticed. Why is that? The capital of Norway is characterised by large variations in daylight hours during the year. This is because of Oslo's high latidude. These days, daylight hours are very short. Yesterday's sunrise was at 09:06, solar noon at 12:26 (altitude 9°) and sunset at 15:47. That is a 6h 41m 41s day – not too long. If you want to check sunrise and sunset for your location and compare it with Oslo (and also local time for dusk, dawn and twilight, Sun distance and altitude and day length), come this way! Oh, by the way: What you see is Oslo's Nobel Peace Center, a museum that tells the story of Alfred Nobel and presents all Nobel Peace Prize laureates.

January 15, 2009

City Bus


No blemish, no graffiti. City Buses here in Oslo are anything but decrepit. They are not just very new, but always well-kept.

January 14, 2009

Akerselva River


Akerselva is a some eight kilometre long river with plenty of waterfalls. It flows from Maridalsvannet (a lake) into the fjord in Bjørvika. The river separates Oslo's East and West end.

January 13, 2009

God Jul


You see, it is still Christmas in Oslo.

January 12, 2009

The 34 SkyBar


The 34 SkyBar is my favourite bar. It is located on the 34th floor of that one. Do not fail to go there, if you are in Oslo one day. The picture was taken on Saturday.