An extraordinary 3 days in Oslo

My time here has been a blur of walking, exploring and absorbing: I find I am inspired to understand the Norway Gustav Frederik Moller and Emma Lorentzen knew...the one they left. And so, I have gone looking for things they might have seen in Old Oslo (Christiana), that is, the area of the city, near the Akershus Fortress, just east of the main harbour.

Overlooking the harbour is a row of very old trees that I found very touching. They seemed to be sentinals of a sort, perched over the harbour so as to bear witness to all the partings, separations, leavings. I couldn't resist talking to them, laying my hand on their trunks.

My first adventure was to Bygdøy Peninsula to visit the University of Oslo's Viking Ship Museum. Though I could have gone by bus, I opted for the ferry and as we were pulling away from the dock, I was stuck by the sense that this may be the same view my migrating ancestors' had of their homeland - minus the skyscrapers and waterfront shopping centres. Still, the surrounding landscape has probably not changed all that much - certainly, the distant mountains and lay of the land are the same. Imagining their pulling away from Christiana harbour - full of what? excitement, sadness, anticipation, sorrow, hope? - with a long, arduous journey and brand new land ahead made my heart pound.