Turist i egen by

Henrik Sørensen: Work, administration and partying. This is not painted by the traditional method on plaster but on wood, making  colours brighter

Once a year, in spring, Oslo has a Sunday when everyone who goes to the Town Hall can get an Oslo Pass for a day, which gives a free entrance to most places. You get in at 9 am.  Or do you?

I attached myself to the queue at 20 to nine, it already reached past the Town Hall. It was cold, it was raining. Just before nine the whole crowd surged forward, dissolving the queue. A woman had appeared in front of the door and started telling us what was going to happen. Sometimes I almost hate the Norwegians. They talk, and talk, ... and talk. It took 12 more minutes before we were let in! Inside I was able to get a ticket but nowhere could I find the program that would tell me the locations. The central hall is huge and there were tables, but they just had touristy booklets about Oslo. I met a friend, which made me a bit happier, she even had a spare program.

We went for a tour of the Town Hall. It was built in 1931-1950 and it has wonderful murals, friezes, and paintings.

The central hall, where the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony is held. Okkupasjonsfriset by Alf Rolfsen in the background.

I love the painting of king Olav, with the children's procession on the background.

Johan Wilhelm Midelfart: Det gror (Fragment)

This was on three walls and the ceiling, Per Krogh

The Council Room

Then I went to the Cathedral to get a ticket to climb to the tower. Before the climb I had time to visit the Astrup Fearnley Art Museum. There is a permanent exhibition which I visited.

This "painting" is based on a black and white photo and is drawn on pencil on paper, with short lines. Artis: Karl Haendel.

Tom Sachs: London Calling. Wood, hardware and synthetic polymer.

Gedi Sibony: A Month of Sundays, 2015

A detail

The climb up to the Cathedral consisted of 198 steps on very steep stairs, you had to hold on to the handrails, sometimes take a hold of a higher step.View was great and the history told by  our guide interesting. I was the oldest climber and people were very kind, somebody carried the light shopping bag I had which kept getting in the way, and they checked my progress.

The tower was earlier used to watch for fires in the city, here are the instructions for the watchers.

The climb was a killer on knees and untrained thigh muscles, so much so that when I got down, I hardly knew how to use my knees and the muscles were very sore. Somehow I got to the bus stop to take a bus to the Reptile Park.

The highlight of the visit to the Reptile Park for many is the chance to hold a boa snake. The girl with the snake took my photo. I made the mistake of smiling which made me look silly. Very few seem to check on my blog so I will include it here.