Hovedøya is the closest, just five minutes away. Here you will find the ruins of an old cistercian monastery, and also buildings and cannons from the time when the island was a part of the city’s defense. In a small cafe you can by simple sandwiches and a beer. The nature is wonderful, and you can have a long stroll. Most people come for the bathing during summer. 

Also for bathing: Gressholmen and especially Langøyene. Then there is Nakholmen, Lindøya and Bleikholmen – all islands with several cottages. Not so much for outsiders like you and me, but it is certainly possible to get off the boat to have a look, especially at Lindøya, where there is plenty of space.

More to come about the islands later on!

This is the time to visit Oslo – from early May to end of August!

Well, they would probably be Swedish (if they are friendly). Service isn’t in the genes of Norwegians, and young Norwegians tend to go for other opportunities. Lucky then, that many young Swedes, having trouble finding work back home, come to Oslo to work in restaurants, bars and shops.

I wouldn’t dare to give an explanation, but the fact is that Swedish waiters tend to be more friendly and clever, working with a smile on their face, and that they have become so popular among Norwegian employers that they are by far outnumbering Norwegians working in restaurants in Oslo these days.

Tjuvholmen is an important element in the ongoing process of dockland-to-city which is now the main prerequisite for every debate on the development of Oslo. Not one cultural institution or governmental office is located without discussing the possibility of placing it in the new Fjordbyen – at the waterfront. The new opera is already there, in Bjørvika – a new musem for Edvard Munch’s paintings and a new main library is soon to follow.

The Tjuvholmen area is already half way to conclusion, and has become very popular both among new residents and people using it for recreation. Renzo Piano’s building will be accompanied by a new park from where you can take a swim during summer – from 2012. Piano has made many spectacular buildings, among them the Pompidou Centre (Beaubourg) in Paris.

To start with: You can’t book a table. You will have to show up at the door. But it is not like the soup nazi, though – if it is crowded, you will in a friendly way be asked to wait in the bar at the other side of the entrance. When there is a free table, they will pick you up.  It may take some time, they’ve only got 23 chairs. It is worth waiting.

There is no menu. Or, there is in fact a list of ten dishes. Start at the top and work your way through. The whole lot will cost you 850 Norwegian kroner, a little more than 100 Euro, or you can make a deal with the waiter which ones to skip. All ten is a quite a challenge, believe me, but the food is delicious. And then there is the wine. Just bring it on.

Service is indeed informal. Don’t shout at the waitress, she would probably shout back. Don’t be shy if she cuddles your hair, or if the chef comes along and asks you to taste something new he has created, right out of the casserole. To put it simple: Do exactly as you are told.

The Palace Grill is one of the three elements in the same house. There is also the bar which  I’ve mentioned already, a little rough. Live music on Mondays. And then you have got ”Skaugum”, an outdoors bar in the backyard, open during a long summer.

There is a certain danger that the two bars are crowded with young aspiring people at the end of the week. Monday to Wednesday is recommended.
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The city bikes are available from a large number of bike stations around the city. You are only allowed to use a bike for maximum 3 hours – then you have to return it to a station (any one of them), and you can immediately loan a new bike if you wish.

Most of the stations are in the city centre, but you can also find bikes at Bislett, Grünerløkka, Gamlebyen (the old town) and at Bygdøy, and new stations are being built continuously. The bike stations are open 6 am – midnight. The bikes are not available in the winter.
For an updated list of bike stations, visit the website http://www.oslobysykkel.no, and you will find a map and a complete list of stations.

Tourists and others who don’t need a season card can rent a smartcard at the Tourist Information. This costs NOK 80 for one day. In addition to that, you have to have a credit card as a deposit.

One of the few places that serve the original bayer on a tap, they will also provide you with some other bottled sorts, and you can have a hot dog. That’s about it. And of course the friendly service.

Cash is king at Ferja – they don’t accept credit cards. That’s about all you have to remember.

Although Dr. Kneipp is as informal as you can wish, they stick to old fashioned service, and their list of wines are probably the largest in town. They have focused on Italy as the corner stone, but you will also have a decent choice of especially French and Spanish wines. Many wines are served by the glass, and they’ve got weekly offers. Prices are probably as low as they can afford – still, I have to warn you once again on Norwegian prices. It is, simply put, expensive to enter a restaurant. In this case, do it anyway.

Dr. Kneipp also provides you with what goes along with the wine; cheese, antipasti, and even a larger menu if you are in the mood. But remember that you are there for the wine.

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