Sunday, January 19th was our last free day in Oslo, so I put together a collection of some of the many activities my fellow students and I decided on for one of our final days before heading to Bergen. There were several different routes that people chose on their day off, some choosing to stay in and relax and others finding one last adventure to be more up their alley. When it comes to what to do on this day, there was no correct answer, with options varying from doing laundry, and going on a fun ferry ride around the fjord, to even enjoying a comedy show from a famous drag queen. If this free day represents anything, it is the diversity of what Oslo offers, even on its own “off day”.
As I was collecting stories from some of my classmates on what they chose to do, I found that a large group got together for a fun day out, which included a ferry ride, Norwegian waffles, and general exploring around the streets of Oslo. It was interesting to hear about their experiences with the ferry ride, as I got to compare it to my own experience on a day that was ripe with fog so many of the islands were not visible during the trip. I am happy to say that they had a much clearer, and therefore better, experience on the ferry. They also raved to me about their experience with the famous Norwegian heart-shaped waffles (pictured above), that come in both sweet and savory flavors. Lastly, this group got to walk around and explore new streets/areas of Oslo one last time, where they found a cool sculpture on a wall of the female reproductive organs, which is just one of the many gender-related sculptures that can be found in the city (pictured below).
Feeling a little less adventurous (and a little under the weather), other classmates of mine shared that a majority of their free day was spent doing laundry in preparation for our trip to Bergen. I filled my morning with some simple handwashing, so I understood the need for more simplistic tasks. This also reflects how many of the Oslo natives spend their Sundays. Most places of business (clothing stores, grocery stores, etc.) are closed on this day throughout Norway, which allows many people the opportunity to take a day of rest and recovery. This could include doing tasks, such as cleaning or laundry, that help prepare the household for another new week ahead.
Finally, my own choice of what to do on my free day was to attend a comedy show of a famous drag queen, “Bob the Drag Queen”. I went with two of my friends/classmates and we found it very interesting to see how the Norwegians in the crowd reacted to very American based humor, as that is where she is from. It was a very entertaining show and was received very well by the audience. Bob also chose a Norwegian-French comedian to open the show, which included some jokes about Norwegian culture and laws that I felt I now understood due to the knowledge that I have gained on this trip.
