Vivian Takes a Stroll Around Oslo

Mother yelled at me for not posting anything for nearly a week... so here I am. I haven't done much in the past week. I went to the Norsk Technology Museum and I would post the pictures from there but I don't think it would excite most of you as much as it excites me. Yes, I know. I'm a nerd. I had classes yesterday and had my first seminar for American Literature today, where I found out that attendance is NOT mandatory. Considering that it is my only class on Tuesday, it's two hours long, and it's about literature, it will be extremely hard to find the motivation to go to class. They should've just lied or not say anything at all about attendance. I already find it difficult to be motivated to do any work for my classes when all I have is a paper and/or final exam, which takes place 3 WEEKS after classes end. It makes no sense to me. The Norwegian education system is way too lax. I never thought I would miss having professors work me to the point where I have to choose between studying and sleeping...
Today was a sad day. I finished all of my Oreos and Teddy Grahams and I am nearly out of Lucky Charms. While they do sell Oreos here for about $5/sleeve, they do not have Lucky Charms. This is just sad, especially for a country that adores America and tries to mimic it in a lot of ways. Three and a half months without Lucky Charms... The thought is just terrifying. On the bright side, I still have half a jar of peanut butter.
We had pretty good weather today so I took a walk around the city with Anne, my awesome Norwegian housemate. We walked up hills and inclines for two hours and I did not pass out. You should be proud. :)

Nydalen (borough in Oslo) - Aker River

At the other end of the rainbow is the US :)

Oslo Domkirke (a.k.a Oslo Cathedral) -- Memorial for victims from the massacre

 Church by the bombings

 Government building that was bombed

 Area of the bombing -- has been completely shut off

 Shopping Mall

 Stortinget - Parliament Building

National Theater

Beside the National Theater

 University Plaza across from National Theater
So that car in the picture is actually a taxi and I figured out that the taxi fares here are outrageously high, not only because its Oslo, but because all the taxis are Mercedes-Benz.

Vivian Goes to Vigeland Park, Cultural History Museum, and Akershus Fortress

Vigeland Park (the naked statues park) 

 

 UiO's Cultural History Museum

A real mummy! AWESOME

Sept. 2nd is UiO's 200th Birthday and to commemorate that, the museum borrow the Ice Man, the oldest human body ever found, exhibition from a museum in England

Apparently, poor dude was running for his life before he was shot in the back with an arrow and died

He was a fashionable dude

Akershus Fortress 

View of Oslo fjord from Akershus Fortress

They had a moat.. but it was dried out... I was not happy.

This is the special door that the King uses to walk in when there's an event at the Castle

 Passageway

Dungeon -- prisoners were left here to freeze to death

Here lies King Haakon VII (1872-1957) and Queen Maud

 Here lies King Olav V (1903-1991) and Crown Princess Martha

King Olav V, son of Haakon VII, was the first king to be born on Norwegian soil in 500 years. Haakon VII was actually Prince Carl of Denmark before Norway gained independence

 Mausoleum

Front of the Castle's church

Still holds weekly church service

King's box

 Overview of Akershus Fortress and Castle

Inside of the door that the King enters

Christian IV's Hall

 Prince's Room

Romerike's Hall

Banquet Room 

Margrethe Hall