The diary of David, a just-turned-30 Brit living in Norway
Other than celebrating my first year in Norway, I've been a little quiet on here of late. Reason being, I've been incredibly busy! A New Job When I moved here one year ago it was on a temporary contract, so my future was always unclear. Sadly things didn't work out so the past couple of weeks I've been looking around for a job. Not an easy thing to do when you don't speak the language fluently and you're running out of money! Well, I have some … [Read more...]
A further glimpse at the lampposts and bus-stops of Oslo... … [Read more...]
Last month Visit Oslo, the organisation charged with promoting the city to a worldwide audience, joined the iGeneration. A free app for iPhone, iPad and Android allows visitors to Oslo access to a wealth of information to aid their stay. Let's take a closer look... Welcome to iOslo My first impression of the iPad version is positive. It's bright, colourful and appears to be pretty user-friendly. Clear navigation is displayed down the left hand … [Read more...]
The trial of Anders Behring Breivik finally gets underway on Monday. It's hard to believe almost nine months have passed since the Oslo terrorist attacks. Life in the capital has long since returned to normal, although the government quarter which bore the brunt of the explosion is still out of bounds. I live a few hundred yards away and walk past the area most days, but with the impending trial and increased media interest, I decided to take a … [Read more...]
Not only has springtime brought better weather and the Norwegian Easter break, we've also seen the return of Oslo Bysykkel - the Oslo City Bike - after its winter holiday. The concept is far from unique in Europe(London's Boris Bikes spring instantly to mind) but the implementation in a compact city such as Oslo is spot on. Unlike pretty much everything else in Oslo, the city bike scheme is fantastic value for money. Let me say that again, … [Read more...]
I have a confession to make. I've not really enjoyed the winter. Before all the Norwegians start piling in, I'm well aware it's been the mildest winter for many a year. But that doesn't change the fact that for me, it's been the coldest, darkest, iciest winter I've experienced. The knowledge that next winter will surely be colder, darker, icier, does not put a smile on my face. It's not so much the cold that's bothered me (although if … [Read more...]
Today I want to tell you all about my favourite street in Oslo. It's not the grand Karl Johan, taking you from the Central Station all the way to the Royal Palace. Neither is it Aker Brygge, with its people watching qualities and Mövenpick ice cream stands. It's not even the main drag through Grønland, which hosts great value curry houses and some of Oslo's best bars such as Gloria Flames, Asylet and Dattera til Hagen. Nope, none of … [Read more...]
Something I’ve done a lot of since arriving in Norway is walking. I love to explore Oslo's neighbourhoods and I've discovered some of my favourite cafes and other places of interest just by walking around and "getting lost". Eastern Oslo is known for its tower blocks, industry and not a lot else. But sited proudly on top of a hill, between the inner-city and outer suburbs is this charming colourful place called … [Read more...]
There is a strong cafe culture in Oslo; Norway is after all a nation of coffee drinkers. Close by, I have my regular spots (T18 on Torggata), my coffee-geek spots (Tim Wendleboe in Grunerløkka), my indulgent spots (a little further out at the Oslo Chocolaterie) but my favourite spot of all is just over the river in Grunerløkka at the Chillout Travel Centre on Markveien. When my friend Charlotte visited back in the summer, she commented … [Read more...]
He writes here about his new life in Norway: his observations and experiences, the language and culture, the people and places. [Read More …]
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