Oslo city is bounded by the Central Station (Oslo S) to the east, the Royal Palace to the west and the seafront by The City Hall to the south. It’s a compact area and easily walkable! Karl Johan; the mostly pedestrian main street connecting Oslo S and the Palace is the artery of downtown Oslo and takes only 20 minutes to walk through. So when I meet someone new in town, I always walk them through Karl Johan and advise them to remember the name. Getting acquainting with this main street, you never get lost in Oslo, or you can ask everyone for it to get back on track :-)
Social Media connecting People:
As a network evangelist, I have a lot of connections also out of Norway. My regular readers know I have met some of them, especially blog friends. A few weeks ago, a Facebook friend of mine in Canada recommended a fellow citizen to contact me since he was visiting Oslo. We hooked up on Facebook and started to plan for our meeting. He and another friend of his came by train from Stockholm in the afternoon and I met them at Oslo S upon arrival. So I took them on a guided tour and gladly take you along to some of the highlights, referring to my earlier posts:
The New Oslo Opera House:
It’s only a minute walk from the Central Station and you don’t need to like Opera to enjoy this extraordinary building that rises directly from beneath the fjord and the only Opera where you can walk on the roof. Shaped as a glacier or a ship, the amazing building seems to float by the inlet Bjørvika, giving a stunning impression. I’ve posted a lot about it with pictures before (e.g. The largest single cultural-political initiative in contemporary Norway) – here I am together with my guests:
Pradeep Nair, Shaun Toolsie and RennyBA at the Opera House.
The Karl Johan Street:
The main pedestrian street has plenty of quality shops (click to read: Oslo – Shopping with a charming atmosphere), as well as some monumental buildings where in particular the Parliament-Palace axis has a certain Parisian grandeur. The same with Grand Hotel (click to read: Jazz Brunch at Grand Café in Oslo), where the Nobel Peace Prize winner stay as well as the National Museum and the former Oslo University.
Aker Brygge:
Is the coastal area located south, at the City Hall, 5 minutes walk from Karl Johan. It’s a former shipyard area in Oslo harbour, across from Akerhus Fortress. In 1982 work started on demolishing the former shipyards and workshops of Norway’s largest shipbuilding yard. It’s now been converted into a shopping and nightlife centre, pulsing with life – there are outdoor restaurants and bars almost everywhere (click to read: Show off your tan at Aker Brygge in Oslo).
After a couple of hours walk through the city – Yea, I know I said just 20 minutes, but it takes some more time with me constantly stopping, showing and talking about the buildings and the city’s history :lol: – we where all exhausted and hungry. We ended up at one of the many restaurants at Aker Brygge with outdoor serving and had some seafood pasta delight:
My beloved American wife DianeCA joined us half way through Karl Johan so during dinner, there were a lot of questions answered about how it was adjusting to living in Norway :-)
Oslo Blog Gathering 2010:
This is an example of what you can experience if joining our gathering in August next year – it won’t take you long to get acquainted with Oslo. Included in the program fee, you get the Oslo Pass with free travel on all public transport (easily available on Karl Johan) and free admission to museums and sights. During three days, you will be able to explore the Oslo Fjord, The Maritime and Viking Museum, Vigeland Sculpture Park, The Botanical Garden as well as hiking in the woods at Holmenkollen Ski Jump and Mountain – and many, many more options. Check out the gatherings officially program site and start planning to meet bloggers from all over the world – booking will soon be available!
Oh I can hardly wait!!!!!
hi Maribeth,
how are you doing,am emma from uganda n w’d like to b yo friend.
So how was the pizza? Just saying since I’m not going next year.
Have a terrific day. Big hug to you and Diane. :)
RennyBA:
No pizza on our table Sandee :-)
You really make it tempting ;-)
It sounds fantastic! 8)
I’m getting so excited and there’s still 10 months to go!
Would be a dream to go in August. I hope so.
I have a three year old son and I want another baby. If Im not pregnant in August, I be there.
The firts trip my son went to Oslo and the firt steps were in the Hollmenkollen. Norways allways in our hearts.
A big hug Renny and I hope to go one day to give in to you personally.
Maria
What an interesting building … the one with the windows.
Excellent from my own Home Town.
You are a born Guide
You put all other evangelists to shame, Renny! :)
Fantastic post and I hope to visit your country in 2011 (as possible).
what a gracious host you are! it sounds liek a lovely meeting and so special to be shown the town by someone who loves oslo as much as you.
Of course i have been at Karl Johan, but the opera house is new too me and I’m looking forward to see it. Oslo city center feels small and cozy to me :-)
…but what I more look forward to is to meet you & Diane again – and all the other bloggers showing up!!!!
BTW: I’ve started to promote the blog gathering now. In FB, Twitter, Plurk and will continue now and then.
(I’ll put the badge in my sidebar later too, right now I have some problems with the widgets in WP I must fix first, so it will take some time).
I love the site. You have a lot of good posts here. I have a site as well that provides inspiration and guidance to people around the world. I was wondering if we could do a link exchange, so we can tell our visitors about both of our sites. Let me know.
Jason
TheWISDOMWALL.com
It’s really amazing how social network sites can connect people from different places. I like meeting people in real life when there is an opportunity. Especially with those you got acquainted from online life.
You have great plans and seem like one who is capable of carrying them through – good luck!
Now, Renny you are an official and certain blogger everyone must meet in the real life!!!! You are FAMOUS I say! thanks for the explanation. I noticed all and I imagine we are already walking in Karl Johan street!!! What a great time we will have in Oslo!
i have a bunch of friends on facebook, but ive noticed that everyone has mutual friends (which i know that they r people that u know who u have stuff in common) but idk how to get mutual friends. help?
RennyBA:
Mutual friends means simply friends that are on your list as well your friends list. It does not mean mutual interest or anything like that.
You are making it impossible to say ‘No’ to this Oslo Blog gathering. :D
hi all i’m very happy with your facebook friends in oslo but i’m now in Portugal enjoying my self with this good facebook …Thank’s for all and good lkue. Tarek Larbi 18-02-1963 in Tunisia
That’s looks so nice your posting.
Everything looks good in your posting.
That will be necessary for all. Thanks for your posting.
Bathmate
So, nice your posting. It look’s so good in your posting. It is useful for all.
http://www.webroyalty.com
Your posting is so valuable. Thanks for your posting.
I just wanna friendshpis relations
Sweet, that’s exactly what I was looking for! You just saved me alot of work :)
hi
How are u doing just planing tomove to norway and am looking for friends to share my time with and show me around before settling down if you can help let me know.
I am looking my cousin they are live norway I looking them but i can’t communicate with them cause i have no contact with them plz you all contact with me there are prothik prova prothiva my facebook address shamimworld90-at-yahoo.com i miss u all guys. shamim