Leaden skies in Oslo.Up bright and early for my first real day in Oslo, determined to find some good things in the city, but was chased back indoors by dripping wet weather. Half an hour later, suitably covered head to toe in waterproofing, I set of determinedly once again!
I know now where the centre of gravity of Oslo is - the clock tower, of course, and I can easily get there on yesterday's tram. I relax for 20 minutes, then start concentrating on landmarks, waiting for it to glide welcomingly into view. Try not to be impatient, I caution myself. Ten minutes later I am still cautioning myself, and after a further 10 minutes, I start to strain my neck, but don't give up. Then the driver pulls up, garbles something in unintelligible dialect, and everyone leaves the tram - except me, because we are not yet at the clock tower, are we!
There is a rattle at the window, and a weird face is leering at me, pulling at his ears, sticking out his tongue and wiggling his nose, while a man in a white coat watches my reaction gleefully. I move my eyes cautiously to the right, and see a sign with the word "Hospital" on it. The attendant moves forward, and I swear the bundle he is clutching is a straightjacket. "End of the road," the driver yells at me, but I sit, glued to the seat, so he starts up the tram from the other end, and heads back into town.
I chum up to a young woman who gets on at the next stop, and she smiles at me in English, so I pour out my woes. She nods understandingly, and points me off at the right stop. So pleased am I to be off that tram that I don't care that it is tipping down, that I can't find the way to the Ibsen museum, that the Munch Gallery is in the opposite direction or that I am still not at the clock tower!
I have long given up and idea of the harbour cafe, but I do notice some boat masts, and creep down an alley (only because it it relatively protected from the rain) to the quay to take a look. Norwegians certainly know how to play! There are boats of all shapes and sizes, from huge yachts HM would be happy to sail in, to moderate powerboats and all sorts of rowing craft. The place is crammed with them. Between that and the myriad of golf courses I have already seen from bus windows, it's a wonder any work ever gets done here - but then if the weather is anything like today ... Tomorrow at ten to midnight I start my long train journey up north, so please let me have just a bit of sun to cheer up dreary impressions of Oslo!
