I’ve had another quality time with my wife Diane. Since King Winter still endures in our neighbourhood, we decided to chase for spring in the city. We started on top Karl Johan, Oslo’s parade street, where you find The Royal Palace (click all pics to bigify and enjoy):
Any sing of spring? Well, it was at least above freezing and small creaks were running down the street, so at least the ice and snow was melting. However, if you look at peoples clothing, it’s still far from bikini weather!
Then we turned around, heading down Karl Johan Street:
No buds or beginning of leaves on the trees, so the nature still struggle to get out of hibernation.
We then crossed the street to the right, heading for Oslo’s ‘meeting point’, behind The National Theatre:
Down left, you see a fontanelle, but still no spring water – so actually not the real spring feeling yet.
Then back on Karl Johan again, we heard some great trumpet music. I don’t know about you, but to me, seeing a street musician, is a typical urban sign of spring. As you can see, there where lots of others photo hunting signs of spring too:
There are lots troubadours and other entertainers from all over the world in the summer time. First of all as it’s hard to perform when you freeze your butt of and secondly as Oslo is the capital and they can make a fortune, compares to their standard of living.
My wife and I wasn’t satisfied however and sat down on a bench at the fountain behind Karl Johan, in front of the parliament; a place they make into a skating rank in the winter time:
Well, the snow has almost gone, but they are still skating!
My wife asked me what was the ultimate urban spring sign to me? After giving it a thought, I said; People eating ice cream and sitting on sidewalk cafés. My wife then made me aware of the bench next to ours and there it was; A creamy taste of spring:
I wanted to give you the closest look of these ice creams eating people, so before shooting, I said I was chasing for the proof of spring and asked politely if I could take a picture of them. They said sure and asked if they would become famous and get on the TV news? I said; you would be famous worldwide, as you will be the proof of spring on my blog :lol:
Then, as if this wasn’t the ultimate proof, when we turned around and looked across Karl Johan street again: A Mövenpick café, brave enough to furnish the sidewalk. At first I took a picture from the distance:
Then I was thinking you might not see the creamy proof, so I asked the children and their Mom’s if I could take another (explained the same reason of course) and they where more than willing to pose for me:
So this was our first taste of spring in Oslo this year and I hope you enjoy as much as I do sharing. In a few months, this Parade Street and city will turn into a green and summerly town. I promise to get back to that of course, and for those who can’t wait, click to check how the ice rank looks like in the summer time.
Wonderful! I felt like I was there with you both! Ice Cream! YUM! Yes, a sure sign of spring. But then, I try to enjoy a little low fat ice cream a couple of times a week as it makes me feel spoiled! In a good way, of course!
The sunshine looked warmer at least, even if the air temperature was still cold.
My love to you and Diane!
RennyBA
Glad you enjoyed the trip – good to have you with us!
I do agree, however the temp was good: 10C / 50F
Love and hugs back to you!
Thanks for a lovely afternoon trip in the city. Great photos, you really captured the atmosphere well…and I still think that dog…he was just TOO CUTE!! Soon spring will really be in the air and we will have lots to report about!
RennyBA
It wouldn’t be quality time without you, you know!
Yea, I know it’ll be a busy spring :-)
I’m glad you two had a great time. I do like the ice rink much better in the summer time though, but I don’t like snow.
Have a terrific day. Big hug to you and Diane. :)
RennyBA
I like both; ice rink in winter and fountain in the summer – the significant change you know.
Hugs back Sandee :)
You Norwegians are a hardy lot. I am thinking that the lady in the red suit and black boots must have very cold knees. Thank you for all your wonderful pictures. I wish you a beautiful spring.
RennyBA
The significant four seasons toughen us you know – and the lady in red was to me the proof of the pudding ;-)
Thanks for the compliments – wish you a good one too!
Thanks for the pictures!
I have just read a Norwegian thriller (in English :lol: The Devil’s Star, by Jo Nesbo (sorry, can’t do the norwegian “o”). Anyway, it was a good book, and it takes place in Oslo, so I feel like I know the city now!
It’s cold in Canada too, although there is not much snow on the ground.
RennyBA
Your welcome too Zhu!
Wooow, reading Norwegian contemporary literature – I’m impressed. Nesbø is famous and his ‘Snowman’ is highly recommend.
Wow , you still have the white snow ! Our snow is all gone but we are still not out of the woods yet !
The Weather Network here was forecasting snow this afternoon but thankfully that did not happen.
I have seen snow fall in April so I am not ruling anything out. We’ll see !
RennyBA
Well, a bit dirty in the city I’m afraid, but still.
Snow fall in April happens here too of course, but soon rain away again.
Thanks for the ‘tour’ Renny, I would like to take this walk with you someday :D
And…Diane of course!!! :D
RennyBA
Your welcome and we hope to see you soon :D
Ah Movenpick – I miss that place. They have great apple juice! The ice cream thing cracks me up, too cold for me still… But there are signs, less clothing, no scarfs…
It was 10 to 12C here this weekend, sunshine and lots of clouds but lots of wind also, so it felt cooler than 10C..
But spring is coming! So are those longer days, which I LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)
RennyBA
I know you like Mövenpick and was thinking of you when I saw it!
Yea, life seams brighter and the day’s are already about 6 hours longer since winter solstice – we’ve just passed Equinox you know :-)
Wonderful pics and narrative, as usual, Renny. We’re much farther along in our Spring here, with some Spring flowers blooming and temps in the upper 60’sF here today.
Unfortunately, one of our signs of Spring is severe weather and we’re forecast to have severe thunderstorms and tornadoes here on Tuesday and again at the end of the week. Just another Spring in tornado alley.
Have a great new week, and enjoy your Nordic Spring. :-)
Love and hugs,
Diane
RennyBA
Your welcome Diane, and I know you are a bit ahead – just give us a couple of weeks.
We sometimes have some ‘heavy’ weather in spring too, but more likely at fall.
Wish you the same and hope you enjoy at your end :-)
Tons of hugs back!
These photos make me feel a little better about our spring, which was sunny but cold this weekend. No snow, but I see in my diary that last year at the same time it was snowing — and over Easter weekend to boot!
RennyBA
Glad I could make you feel better Betty :-)
Yea; We had a lot of snow at our Easter Bunny Egg hunt last year too, you know!
Hi Renny and thanks for taking us around in lovely Olso. You’ve captured the atmosphere very well!
Hehe, only people from Nordic countries go and buy an ice cream after telling you it’s rather cold today. I’ve witnessed it a lot of times :D
Oh, and I’m most definitely going to our Mövenpick café next weekend. ;)
Nice to see some spring signs. I haven’t seen any over here simply because of the fact that I haven’t been out in the city. though it snowed again yesterday and it stayed, so we have a bit white on the streets again. *sigh*
I love how you see so many people out and about even if Spring is a but cold. I know . . . it’s not the weather, it’s the clothes :)
great pictures as usual,Renny!i like the fashion f that lady in red :D
i hope you had a great weekend!
A nice journey into a day in Oslo. Real people doing real things.
Oh yes, ice cream while sitting and enjoying the sun… definitely Spring! :) Wonderful pictures!
I will be honest, ice cream would not be my first choice when I see snow still on the ground. :) But it’s so good to see the first signs of spring. Oslo does look so lovely.
By the way, your Google followers widget doesn’t seem to want me!
Definately adequate proof of warmer times! So glad you had such a good day!
Hope you have a wonderful week
Love, Jess
It still looks a bit too cold for me… ;-)
What a few months difference can do !
bring the snow over here where the sun rules…it’s now summer here too
Very nice pictures of the cityscapes. Thanks to you, I get to see the various moods of this lovely city through the seasons.
Thanks so much for posting this wonderful early spring atmosphere from Oslo.
After reading your text and watching your great photos, we simply had to visit as soon as possible.
In fact, we arrived Oslo around Midnight (Mon – Tue) directly from Düsseldorf in Germany – a short 2 hours flight away.
And – what a dream waking up to a sunny blue sky.
I still see snow although it is Spring time in Norway. :)
I can’t wait to see the beauitful blooms in Spring and waiting patiently for bikini weather.
it really looks like a lovely part of the city and lots of people seem ready for spring. that first creamy taste is a sweet one. thanks for sharing yours :)
Lovely pics Renny and Diane – yip the icecream is a sure sign!
We used to have Movenpick here in Toronto … but they disappeared about five years ago. They were good!
Renny,
Oh my God…Karl Johan is so beautiful!! I loved the buildings, the Royal Palace: gorgeous!
I like the concept of going out to look for the signs of Spring: it is cute!
I loved this post, Renny…I really did :D!
Brrrrr! Oslo is looking very different (and a lot colder) than the last time I was there!
It is really cold there I think. But Norway is the best known with this weather. If it is hot, it will not be so interesting. Actually Oslo is beautiful city and I like it much. Karl Johan is beautiful, Royal Palace is large and the Norwegian Girls are fantastic