Norway and Denmark Day 9

Start of day: Oslo, Norway (Clarion Hotel Oslo)
End of day: Nordic Crown ferry, somewhere between Oslo and Copenhagen

Today was my first full day in Oslo! Truly, I had a fantastic sleep at the Clarion Oslo (the one on Dronning Eufemias gate 15), nearish the water and train station. I woke up about 10 minutes before a leafblower started out on the courtyard, so fortunate timing there.

My ferry starts boarding at 2:30, so there wasn’t time to waste. I tend not to be a churches-and-museums kind of guy[1], so I left the hotel without a firm plan for the day. When this happens, I switch into improv mode: start heading somewhere and make it up as we go. So I endeavored to figure out the light rail system. Turns out it’s stupid easy. I downloaded the Ruter app, which lets you plan trips and buy tickets within Oslo. I’d heard someone recommend Vigeland Park, featuring 200+ sculptures representing Gustav Vigeland’s life work, so I figured what the hell. I walked down to the train station and picked up the 15 train for about 20 minutes, which deposited me on the corner of the park.

Once I entered the park and saw a sign for a cafe, it occurred to be I was neither fed not caffeinated, so that would be the first stop. It’s not every day I dine in view of a historic manor!

One average-tasting chocolate croissant and Americano later, and I was ready to explore the park. I wandered aimlessly for a bit. There were lots of tour groups here, likely shore excursions from the MSC cruise shop docked outside of town. It was a beautiful park but I didn’t feel I was getting an Oslo experience. It was around an hour walk back to my hotel, so I set out walking back in that direction. The Royal Palace, being about halfway back, was a good first waypoint. It was a bright, warm, beautiful day, and I really enjoyed walking back through the city. The Palace itself was preparing for tomorrow’s huge May 17th Constitution Day festivities. The 17th is a big deal throughout Norway but especially so in Oslo.

The second half of the walk was a lot of the same (not in a bad way). I stopped through two malls on the way back, remarkable on its own as I’m not a big Mall Guy. The mall next to the main train station had the best sushi-to-go I’ve ever encountered ANYWHERE:

A hand holds a plastic sushi container with four pieces of salmon nigiri and four salmon maki rolls filled with salmon and cucumber. The top section contains pickled ginger, wasabi, and a parsley garnish. A round label on the lid reads 'Gambus Salmon Omega 3'. The background shows a tiled floor and part of a black sneaker.

With still more than 2 hours to kill before my ferry, I meandered back to the hotel, sat out front in the sun and people-watched for a bit, then grabbed my luggage from bell services and started the walk over to the ferry terminal. It was around a 25 minute walk from the hotel to the ferry terminal but it was super easy. My concern was I’d be walking through an industrial area, dodging cars and trucks hauling containers, but it wasn’t that at all. The path was well-marked and well-paved and it was no trouble at all.

The DFDS ferry itself, the Nordic Crown, is older but still perfectly serviceable.

A large cruise ship named 'Nordic Crown' is docked at a port next to a mostly empty parking area. The ship has a white and teal hull with multiple decks, red lifeboats, and a red funnel with a white 'G' logo. A tour bus is parked nearby, and a few small buildings and trees line the edge of the port under a clear blue sky.

I opted for an outside stateroom with a window. The room was certainly small – I think it’s even smaller than my crew cabin on the Disney Wonder – but served my needs fine. There were four beds, though I’m not sure I’d want to attempt that, even with people I like.

A small cruise ship cabin with a window in the center of the back wall. There are two folded bunk beds on the left and right walls, a light green bench-style seat below the right bunk, and a small wall-mounted table beneath the window. A black chair is positioned near a dark desk in the foreground, and a 'TAX FREE' magazine hangs on the wall next to the door. There are no visible towels.

During the remaining daylight hours I explored the ship and tried to capture photos and videos of my last view of the Norwegian fjords.

Before dinner I wanted to have a shower and wash the sweat and sunscreen off. Only problem, I didn’t seem to have a towel! I dried off with a sweatshirt, instead, and that was mostly fine. God Bless my handy old LinkedIn sweatshirt, that’s been so many places around the world with me.

For dinner I hit the buffet. I’m pretty sure it was 299 Danish kroner (DKK), or around 45USD.

A buffet area with a variety of food displayed in black bowls and serving trays. Visible dishes include pasta with pesto, mixed vegetable salads, and roasted vegetables. Bottles of dressings and condiments are arranged in the center, along with a decorative flower arrangement. Several people are serving themselves, and the setting appears to be well-lit with ceiling lights and a modern interior.

Since there’s not much going on onboard, I stayed at the buffet for like an hour and a half with my laptop, working on my journal. Nobody seemed to mind, even when I had two desserts. I probably got my money’s worth.

Guess what I found when I went to pull down my bed?

A close-up view of a neatly made single bed with white sheets and a pillow against a light-colored wall. A folded white towel is placed on the bed, and a hand is pointing at it. The towel is circled in red for emphasis.

Live and learn. Oh, I seem to have lost my Kindle. My best guess is I left it at my Oslo hotel. Tomorrow we’ll be exploring Copenhagen electronics stores!

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