Crack Norse code for peace, culture and cuisine in Oslo
HURTLING down the slope, stomach churning and eyes shut tight, I prepared for my Eddie the Eagle moment, in which I would be flung across Oslo like a cannonball.
I gritted my teeth as I landed with a bang on the powder, to riotous applause from the crowd.
Then the screen went blank, the ride shuddered to a halt and the door of the simulator swung open. Solid ground at last.
For most people, Scandinavia generally means winter sports, log cabins in woodland and an abundance of fish, an image that is quite an accurate fit.
During my two-night trip to the Norwegian capital, I not only ‘enjoyed’ a tussle with a ski-jump simulator at Holmenkollbakken hill, I trekked around a lake and sampled delicious seafood.
But Oslo is far more than a Scandi cliché – it’s a hive of highclass cuisine, culture and fine art.
Under two hours from Aberdeen with bmi regional and a speedy train journey on the Flytoget airport shuttle and you’re slap bang in the heart of the city.
The highlight of my trip came very early in the form of a twohour boat trip around the Oslofjord in spectacular sunshine.
The boat circles close to some of Oslo’s main attractions, including the Opera House, a shining glass and stone architectural feat, and Akershus Fortress, the medieval castle built to protect the city.
However, I was more enthralled by the more ‘mundane’ aspects of Oslo scenery: the tiny islands dotted with brightly coloured summer houses and fishing huts, the locals sailing in their boats.
Oslo is a city intimately associated with peace, and the nexus of this is Oslo City Hall. Its great hall – where the annual Nobel Peace Prize is presented – is a marvel.
Stunning, colourful murals by the finest Norwegian artists line the walls and at the far end of the hall you have a spectacular view of the harbour below.
When you are there it’s hard not to feel a sense of, well, peace.
In Oslo, you are never far from peace’s bedfellow, quiet, either. There is space in the city, and plentiful opportunities to get away from city life.
We took a train ride to Lake Sognsvann, north of Oslo. Within minutes you are plunged into some of the most magical and tranquil woodland.
We wandered around the mirrorlike lake and we were constantly overtaken by super-fit, Lycra-clad runners and walkers – many could not have been more than nine years old.
With such beauty on their doorstep, no wonder most Oslo folk spend their weekends walking.
Perhaps this combination of city life and outdoor relaxation is what makes Oslo top lists of the most pleasant cities to live in.
AND the cuisine is unforgettable. We visited the Festningen Restaurant, a delightful, modern establishment at Akershus Fortress. The food was delicious, featuring some of Norway’s finest produce: snow crab that melts in the mouth, rich, meaty monkfish and a cherry and amaretto cheesecake that converted even me.
I would recommend Festningen for the food, but even more so for the spectacular night-time view of the harbour – speckled with the white sails of boats – and the dark, wide expanse of the fjord, twinkling in the moonlight.
If you are seeking a city break destination where you can escape the crowds, take a breather and lap up a different culture for the weekend, Oslo is for you.
Take the plunge, close your eyes and dive in.