Norway hop (Oslo)

Member Name: Salvatore Gagliarde

Product:	Oslo
Date:	14/07/09 (21 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Clean, organized, functional and lot of different activities and events

Disadvantages: Expensive, Cold.

"I wonder if there's a vacancy in a brighter place... if they need a cop in Bergen" (H.Hole)

Say you go to visit Norway. Of course you want to stay in Oslo a few days.

Say you want a unusual guide giving you an overview of the city with the eyes of a local (a very disillusioned one, I should add) and a few political and historical insights, keeping always your attention to "on your toe" level.

My choice was Harry Hole (Jo Nesbø's "The Redbreast " character).

He took me around places and showed the good and the bad side of the city, some bars and restaurants included, made me smile explaining the naive customs (i.e.: cops don't wear weapons? unbelievable but true over there!), thrilled me with the investigation on a terrorist threat connected to some apparently randomic murders, made me feel the taste of a sad winter in a nordic metropolis and the relief of the coming spring... and laying down on the table a down to earth analysis of norwegian sense of guilt toward nazism and a flame out of the problem in the youth suburban culture...... how does it sounds? It worked for me, I enjoyed the mix book/tour to the point I went back to Norway (in the spring this time!) with another Nesbø's masterpiece!!! :)

Just a warning... if you are heart broken, find other ways to enjoy the city... there's a full plenty of'em... Harry's company wont do you any good... his drinking genes and his grim view on the future will make your perpective even murkier...

Salvatore Gagliarde

Summary: worth a short-hop/week-end