Open "Late".

There were a few places that WERE open after 4pm, and after missing Akershus Castle the first day of Oslo Pass sight-seeing, we made sure to see it on Sunday.  Akershus is an old fortress right on the water, and it is also and old castle.  Some events are still held in the HUGE rooms there, and it is open to the public to walk through.  There were dining rooms, living rooms, the dungeon, the chapel, and others.  Everything was really beautiful, most rooms had huge tapestries hanging on the walls, lots of old chairs, and beautiful artwork.  I think I've figured out that Norwegians like to carve wood (?), because every little inch (even in the ceiling) is carved.   Also a little eerie is that the sarcophaguses of the older members of the royal family are in the castle and you can look at them. 

After the castle we went back out into the pouring rain and walked the small jaunt to City Hall.  I haven't been inside yet, and I am glad we went...it was beautiful!  You walk in and BAM there is a huge open room and 2 enormous frescoes on either end.  The floor, ceiling, staircase, walls...all breathtaking.  The artwork in this place is like nothing I have ever seen.  Each room we entered was a whole new experience.  All I could think about was our little Litchfield City Hall, which is basically a prefabricated shed :(  City Hall is where they present the Nobel Peace Prize, as well as hold court hearings and other "fun" stuff.  There are even huge sculpture/carvings on the outside walls as you walk into the building.  

I think Sunday was the night we had kebab for dinner.  Mom and I took Gma's credit card to get food and bring it back to the hotel to eat.  We took the tram one stop and walked about a block to the place.  I had English word vomit and COULD NOT order the damn food, even though I've been there before...super embarrassing!  When I realized we didn't bring our transit passes, I said we should walk home.  To our surprise, we were literally like one block from the hotel...WOW, blonde moment!  We laughed pretty hard!  

Monday we had a "Boy's Date" with Espen and Filip (Aleks had to work, boo!) and went to the LazyBoyz Harley Dealership and the Opera House.  It was a long bus ride to the Harley shop, and we passed the Hell's Angels clubhouse on the way.  We had a fun time looking at bikes there, Espen wants a chopper, but first he's gotta learn to ride when they come visit me in the states!  Mom got pins for some FOA members and after looking at some more used bikes in the back, we headed back to the city center.  The bus was kinda of full, so Espen and I went wayyy to the back (expecting Filip to follow), but Filip ended up with Mom and Gma...so cute!


We checked out the Opera House and walked all the way to the top.  Mom and Grandma really liked it.  We were chatting away on the top for about 20-30 minutes when all of the sudden Espen goes "Where's Grandma?"...FUNNIEST thing ever!  She had walked all the way down, and inside, to get water to take her medication and Espen was the first one to notice, haha!  

We followed her in and the boys said goodbye to go work out.  We had a small snack, picked up some souvenirs, and headed home.  The next day Mom was whining to go out of town and see Holmenkollen.  Lucky for us...it was under construction!!  I swear, construction never leaves me alone, even in Norway, it's insane!  So we didn't get to walk up to the ski jump, we could only look at it from outside a fence.  But Mom still got to see it!  

We polished off Tuesday by doing some shopping downtown in OsloCity, a big mall.  Grandma came away with some clothes, and I almost splurged on  some bad ass boots, but I couldn't do it!  Luckily since Mom had brought me so much FOOD, they had room in their suitcases for all the gifts that Grandma had bought while being here :)