Sunday, January 12th
Today was a fun and relaxing day filled with early morning adventures, revisiting past excursions and trying new things.
Early this morning around 1:00 or 2:00am, several of us had just left a popular nightclub along the Karl Johans Gate strip in Oslo. This popular nightclub is right across from The Norwegian Parliament and next to an amazing pizza joint named Peppes Pizza. The club had two levels each with a bar and a different style arrangement. The entry floor resembled a meet and greet for people to get to know each other over a couple drinks. However, as you walk down the stairs to the base floor you enter this room with several booths, tables, an open dance floor with a DJ booth in the corner. The music played is enjoyable for everyone of every age group. While we were there, we got to listen to some hits from the 2000-2010 era of music. Just to give a feel for what the environment was like, it felt like it was about 70 degrees F in the base floor of this club and it was humid. By the time we left we were all decently soaked in sweat. Aside from the environment, this nightclub is an amazing experience for yourself or a group of your friends.
Our next adventure started off by grabbing a quick bite at Expresso House and then meandering back towards the Deichman Bjørvika Library. The stores along Karl Johans Gate strip had a functionalist architecture meaning they all had practical forms. Some were multi level and others had few levels with apartments and offices on top. Additionally, each store had a unique item that was being advertised. The main advertisement were cars, clothes, and everyday practical items.Unfortunately the stores were closed today due to the work-life balance, however it was still fun to walk around and look at the stores. As we’ve learned so far the only places open on Sunday’s are bars and restaurants.
The final destination tonight was the sauna and outdoor fjord plunge at the Oslo Fjord Sauna. We were excited about this activity because we were planning to do it when we first started learning about our trip to Oslo, Norway. Aside from this the culture was also different. We met some locals and they said that they do this every Sunday. So not only is this an activity for tourists, but also for those that live in Norway.
This fjord plunge is different from some because the company behind this fun activity believes in a fun, healthy, and sustainable lifestyle on an affordable budget. Additionally, it’s located right behind the Opera House rather than in front like other saunas. This was a bit of a shock because we got there and wondered if we were in the right place. Even though the location seemed as if it were a private activity, anyone can participate. The activity costs roughly 500 NOK for two hours and can fit 6-8 of your friends or strangers. When we arrived at the sauna tonight around 7:00pm, the temperature of the air outside was about 8 degrees F, and the water temperature was roughly 30 degrees F. While this temperature difference seems great, especially to have a warmer water temperature over the air temperature, the heat coming from the sauna would soon make the sound of jumping into the fjord miserable.
We started stoking the fire in the sauna until the heat inside became unbearable. Sitting on the bench dripping in sweat as you feel as though your skin is melting off was a soothing yet almost an uncomfortable feeling. Soaking up the heat from the fire until your body can’t take it anymore is the sign that you are ready to jump into the freezing fjord. We ran outside the sauna, grabbed the ladder and jumped in. The initial feeling sent our bodies into a 3 second shock before we jolted awake with energy. As soon as I gasped for air I hopped out of the water and ran back inside to the warm air coming from the sauna. The experiences today between the nightclub, walking down Karl Johans Gate, and sitting in the sauna and jumping into the fjord were amazing. In total, the activities today were a great way to spend our free day in Oslo.