Akershus Fortress

This morning I did not sleep that long, I just couldn't! I got up and when I was pulling up the blinds a nice and warm autumn sun was already greeting me! I had a good breakfast with two or three cups of coffee and sat down in my room to read a bit and to start preparing my time in Stockholm. 

I was really enjoying the relaxed morning, my book and one more cup of coffee. I was talking to A. and was listening to some music. At around 12 o'clock I decided to fix myself and go out to enjoy the sunny weather. I think it's really important to use days like these before it will get misty and rainy autumn weather.

The plan was actually to meet up with F., the French trainee, and to go with her out to do something. But, when we spoke round 12.30 she said, that she would need at least 1,5 hours to fix herself. For me this was too long, I wanted to go out as long as the sun was up. Last time, when we met in the early afternoon to go to Sognsvann, the sun was already going down and it got cold; today I wanted to avoid that and go earlier.

So I decided to go alone to the Akershus Fortress, a medieval castle that was built to protect Oslo and sits on a small hill close to the Christiania Torv overlooking the harbor and the Oslofjord. I made my way down Møllergata to the city. I passed Bankplassen and entered the Akershus Fortress, as recommended by my guidebook, through Myntgata. 

It was wonderful weather as I said and the sun was still pretty warm. When I came along the street two police officers were about to back their horses. It was funny, they had a small platform to get onto the horse, I have never seen that before and had to laugh.

Anyways, inside of the fortress were a lot of people strolling around or just sitting on the numerous benches enjoying the sun. I walked around and took loads of pictures. The colors of the trees were wonderful and everything was covered with leaves glowing in the sunshine red, orange and golden. It was just fabulous!

I walked up the wall to overlook the harbor. There I was asked if I could take a picture of, presumably, father and son doing sightseeing in the city. When the son asked, where I was from and I told him, that I was from Germany he started talking in very good German to me. The story was, that he had been living in Gießen for six years. He was apologizing all the time for his bad German, but I thought and also told him, that his German was really really good.

I walked on and just enjoyed the good view and all the people walking around. There were couples, friends and families. The kids were playing and running around and the parents were sitting on the benches in the sun. When I came through a gate I had to laugh; there were a bunch of people, some friends in their mid or late 30s having a leave-fight! It was so refreshing to see these people having the time of their lives and didn't feel to old to do something like this. 

After like 2 hours strolling around the fortress I made my way back through the city. On the way I stopped by Rema 1000 to buy some food and things to cook. When I came home, I was happy to sit down again. It had been very cold outside and I was happy to warm up again. I made tea, switched on my fan heater and sat down to read again a bit in my book.

Then after a while I got hungry and started cooking. I made some asian-style food, which tasted really really good. I made so much, that I have some still for tomorrow and even froze some. I made basically for six people food. It's just so much easier to cook a larger amount. I hate to just cook for myself and would love to have again a social live within the flat like we had it in Helsinki the last couple of months. 

It was such a good time, when we were all together. I really miss S. & E. and of course A., who was also living with us the last 3 months. There was always somebody you could cook for/with. Either it was the four of us or just A. and me. There was never the problem of being alone. Here I am living with two people, but have no social live in the flat whatsoever! 

I also wrote that to S. earlier this week; I am looking forward to leaving Oslo! It's not that I dont like my job or the city (although it is not and will never be my favorite city). It's just, the thing with my living situation right now and foremost the prices here. Everything is super expensive and this means, that the only thing you think about, when going out or shopping is money. Furthermore the constant lack of money holds you back from doing stuff. Everything is expensive and many things are simply not worth doing. This keeps me from going out and also from just going around the country to see something!

Anyways, my beer is cold now and I really have to get it out of the freezer, before the can bursts! I am so looking forward to the refreshing taste! Mjam, I really like beer!

~M~