Old Man Encounter, #4

There's more I need to blog about, but for now, I'll share this brief story.

For those of you who aren't aware, I have this sign that only old men can see, that tells them that I'm a good person to approach and compliment and generally talk to. And because I'm a smuck, I generally let them talk to me (some strange thing about respecting your elders and all that, even if they are are crazy).

Since coming to Sweden I've had three old men encounters.

Now, I would like to add a fourth, that happened while I was in Oslo.

So on Friday I'm walking down Main Street in Oslo (a wonderfully touristy place that is a pedestrian street) and I stop at a light and suddenly I feel a hand on my arm. I jump, turn and some older man is speaking to me in Norwegian (which is close enough to Swedish that it sounds familiar, but not close enough that I can understand anything he is saying.) Throughly startled, I respond, "Lo siento, Ya talar bara lite Swedish," managing in one sentence to mangle three languages.

The man gave a long slow blink (I'm fairly certain he thought I was a native- at least, I didn't have a map out), and asked, in English, "Where are you from?" I have to say, I think I throughly disarmed him. "The States" I reply, as I realize what I had just done. (again, showing how mixed up I've become, Americans don't call the States the States, only English speakers not from American do that)

Well, he recovers. "I want to give you a compliment."

Me: "Ok."

Him: "I'm not trying to be a... scary man, but you have a... nice... a good way of walking. I noticed as you were walking."

Me: *wonders* Does that mean he was looking at my butt? "Uhhh, thank you."

And then the light changed, and I hurried off.

I don't know if it's just a cultural thing, and an older generation of European Males have it hard wired into their systems to give women compliments, because I haven't noticed younger men doing this. I can't just write them off as creepy old men, because this one, similar to the others except for Crochet man, seemed sane and, well, rather charming in the way that only old men can be. But it does provide a sense of amusement, and I have to say, the rest of the day I was more aware of how I walked.

I suppose, when it all comes down to it, the whole thing makes me smile.

In Oslo, Norway, Day 2.5 (AKA: OMG BACKPOSTAGE BECAUSE I WAS LAZY)

So I went to a museum in the fort that was on Norway's resistance when they were taken over by Germany. The most striking thing about it? A wall of guns. I don't know why it was there (the explanation was in Norwegian) but when I saw it I thought of a certain someone who would appreciate it.
*coughMichaelcough*
It was kinda scary to behold.

After the Museum, I went across the street to the City hall. I really liked the statue out front... The Swans are so pretty, and in a strange way, romantic.
At least I think so. I think I'm going to play with this picture ot see if I can get rid of the buildings, so you just see the swans against the blue sky.
The inside of city hall. It was actually kinda funky decor, but I liked it. Very impressive in the way that you could kinda tell they wanted to intimidate you. I think I accidentally snuck in, there wasn't a person at the desk so I just walked in and followed behind a tour. I think I went to some places I wasn't supposed to go, but if you walk like you know like you're going somewhere, and you hung your coat up before you got in so it isn't obvious you're a tourist, and your camera bag kinda looks like a purse, well, nobody stopped me. A lot of my pictures didn't turn out so well though.
But this was my favorite room. It was a beach scene, with NAKED PEOPLE. YEY! I love Scandinavian sensibilities about Saunas, nudity and HEY HERE I AM NAKED.
Ok, next to the Tiger's Balls, I loved this. See what the little boy is doing? *giggles*

On a much more serious note... notice all the people in the painting are Blonde. Norway is so ethnically homogeneous.
More imposingness- but look at the medallion above the door with the horsie!
Swans! They were all over the place, and they never told us in English WHY. I wanted to ask, but I wasn't REALLY part of the tour.
Seen through a window while wandering around an open air market.

The great thing about Oslo, is if you have a map it's really hard to get lost. The Main street runs the length of the main part of the city, and almost impossible to get lost. This is good for me, because I decided to be adventurous and go to an outdoor market in a part of the city that wasn't as touristy. It was a lot of fun, but I wasn't quite comfortable taking a lot of pictures, because there were a lot of ethnic people there and I didn't want to seem rude.
Duckies!
And this guy was just hanging out on the street made up of... I think computer parts. Or odds and ends. It doesn't really matter other then he was REALLY COOL. And he has a tail. And a staff. And ARMOUR. Coolness.

And that was my second day in Oslo

In Oslo, Norway, Day 1 (AKA: The post that takes forever to load)

So I decided I was going to head over to the palace, and see what it was like, and then from there perhaps check out a museum or something. I have to say, for so little planning, things went really well!

The first thing I did was look at the view from our hotel, the Radison, which is the highest building in Oslo.

I headed out of our Hotel in the direction of Main Street. I was told if you got to the church, you would find Main street. It was, actually, quite easy. And while Main street is rather touristy, it is also really pretty, with street musicians and nice buildings... and really great sculptures! I went a little trigger happy with my camera (but then, when do I not?)

I took several pictures of this lady at different times of the day, because the shadows around her kept changing.
The church was quite beautiful, or at least, what I could see of it, because it looks like it's under restoration.

Pretty buildings!The quite talented street musician. There was a really neat couple that was watching him that I wanted to photo, but they kept looking at me strangely and I didn't want to seem too weird.


Oh god, the amazingness! *drools*
Oh, come on. You know your inner child wants them so badly!Ok, so the first picture you see here is the view of the Palace, and I'm still not so good with my camera so it's blurry.

To the left are gardens... and the National theater. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

To my intimidate left (you can't see it in the photo, is the Parliament Building, which is GEORGEOUS!

I'm SO planning to go there.


Here you have one of the lions out in front of the parliament building, which I'm going to go take a tour of on Saturday... since that's the only day they let you in. Isn't he cute? I always like the daydream I have where the statues come to life in a city, and it tickles me pink to think of this guy roaming around Mainstreet.













You guessed it, the Parliment Building.
























When I first saw these deer, I thought they were real. Surprised the heck out of me.



So I was just starting to get hungry (it was just after noon, when I came by this place. They were doing some type of promotional gig, and they were giving out free soup. God, It was AMAZING soup. The Beef was nice and soft, the vegetables well flavored... if you're ever in Oslo, and want someplace that has good food, this place is what it says, fast good wholesome food. YUM.

NOW I can talk about the National Theatre!

This place was surrounded by statues, the most prominent being three of Norway's biggest playwrights, one of which is Ibsen (*loves on Ibsen*)








I took a picture of my favorite statue.













I then proceeded to make my way up the hill that leads to the Palace. This is a picture of the view.












And this is my attempt to photograph the roses that are still in bloom. (Are they aware that it's cold out? )


















And finally, I made it to the Palace!














MORE PALACE!













So after looking at the palace, I was just about to leave when something started happening! I really don't know what it was, but it was cool:



After the palace I went to the Ibsen Museum, which is the apartment where he lived out his last years. It was a really cool place that I could write a whole post about just in and of itself. It was really sweet because when I got a tour of the apartment, I was the only English speaker, so they gave me my own tourguide, who not only was really nice, but tolerated me peppering her with questions.

In Oslo,Norway baby!

I'm in Oslo, Norway and ready to take on the city! Dad has to work, so I'm going to be wandering around on my own.

FUN FUN.

NOT in Oslo

Now, you may be wondering why that is since I was supposed to be on a bus this morning to the Airport so I could meet up with dad. Turns out snowstorms in the states have got the planes out of sync, so dad missed his flight to Oslo.

I found this out sometime this morning, or last night, just after Midnight when Mom called me.

So now I'm flying out TOMORROW morning, same time.

God, I hope things go all right.

REALLY bad day.

The following is an edited version of the series of events I sent in a letter:

This is one of the days that you just shouldn't leave the house. Really. Forgive me if I sound a bit bitter, and perhaps part of it is being in an unfamiliar place, but today was a day I do not want to repeat again.

Things went all right until lunch. Then, I decided I needed to get my food subsidy money cashed and my graded papers from the University, since it looked like I wasn't going to get to a museum or to do anything really productive.

A quick internet search later, I left armed with the different locations of the Nordisa (I know that spelling is wrong but we'll go with it) in my pocket, and determination. I got on the subway and started heading to the nearest one. I went there, and they informed me that I needed to have a Swedish person with me because they could not know if I was the person on my passport. Ok. I get frustrated, but that's all right, they're probably being strict so I'll just go to the next bank. After all, I know I CAN cash at check at Nordisa, I did it in Visby all right. So I get on the subway and head to the second location. It turns out just to be an ATM kisok, after I walk about half a mile. OK. Great. Excersize. That is good considering I've been an invalid for the past four days.

I go to the next place. Oh, they're relocating. Wonderful. At this point, I'm close to the University, so I go and pick up my papers and stuff. Then I turn around. I'm frustrated, it's cold, and it's getting to be almost three o'clock- banks close at four. I get on the subway... and happen to notice a sign for the Mika concert I'm going to. Except... wait a moment. It says the 9th. That's the day I'm leaving to go see Dad in Oslo. But I thought the concert was on the 8th... Well, I just happen to have the tickets with me, I'll just take them out and look at them and... SHOOT.

I have the wrong day.

Now, take note, these tickets have caused me some trouble, being more expensive than I was first quoted, then the girl that was planning to go with me having to cancel, (so now I'm saddled with two tickets and she never paid me for hers), so then Anita offers to go with me, and now, wonder of wonders, I've got the wrong day. I've been functioning thinking that the concert was on Thursday, but no, it's on FRIDAY. And I'm going to miss it. Because I GOT THE WRONG DAY.

Of course, because I'm on the subway, I now have time to think of the repercussions of my actions, and the fact that Mom is going to be furious with me because she already gave me the talk about keeping my spending down while I'm in Sweden (because when I first got here I got the conversion rate wrong AND I didn't know that there was a service charge on my credit card... I asked and the people SAID there wouldn't be). And now, I'm being frivilous about money because I've just sunk 100 dollars into tickets to my first ever real concert and in EUROPE of all places and Anita thinks she's going with me on Thursday but it's not Thursday it's Friday and well, SHIT.

So I stew all over this while I go to the third Nordisa bank, and they flat out tell me they won't cash my check because I don't have an account with them.

I go out of the bank and cry.

I then proceed to go back home and cry to Sam who tries to be supportive but I'm having none of it because all I have in my brain is thinking about looking really really stupid in front of Anita and telling my parents and them being FURIOUS.

Narrator intervention. I then proceeded to rehash the whole argument, which, unless you were there, was not very interesting other than both mom and I loosing our tempers, me getting off the phone and crying. I also spoke to dad before speaking to mom; and dad was a lot calmer.

A while later I get back on the phone with them again, and we figure things out so that I can go a two days earlier, on Wednesday. And now, on with the excerpt:

I'm happy I'm leaving earlier, but I'm also emotionally wrung dry, and I keep ocliating between wanting to cry and just feeling ambivalent.

So... yeah.

I'm still smarting from everything. Gabe's delighted about the tickets, now that the show's on Friday he can go, and take a friend if he wants. And I need to be packed and leave the apartment by... 5:15 am tomorrow morning. And I have no clean Laundry, because that was what I was planning on doing tomorrow. That is, I have clean laundry to go, but I'll have to clothes to wear when I come back.

Joy.