It’s been almost two weeks since I tripped, fell and broke my leg in Estonia.
We are on the last leg of this latest adventure through Scandinavia, returning to Oslo for a few days. I love Oslo. I loved it the first time we visited, and I love it more now that I get to spend some time wandering around. The weather is beautiful, and the flowers are blooming. What better thing to do than take your crutches and broken leg out for a spin through town so you can look at the gorgeous flowers?
Heading out for the day, we stop outside our hotel, the Grand Hotel, and giggle at the defiant bronze statue of ‘Fearless Girl.’ It is a replica of the same statue that stands on Wall Street in New York as part of International Women’s Day. Norway purchased a replica and installed her in early 2018. She is very popular with guests as they enter and exit the hotel.
However, Norway and Scandinavia in general was not terribly friendly to those of us who might need a little extra help while hobbling in a walking cast with crutches. Inside our gorgeous hotel, I have to climb a small marble staircase to get to the elevators and find my thoughts focused on ‘don’t slip, don’t slip, don’t slip’ as I make my way down the slippery steps. Once we get to the National Gallery, by foot of course, I’m faced with a beautiful staircase to climb. Inside, another lovely staircase that to those who are less encumbered might be quite gorgeous but for me, today, I’m a little hot and bothered by it all. But the goal, the entire reason I’m doing this is to see the collection of Impressionist paintings and the work of Edvard Munch.
We enjoy the various Edvard Munch paintings, and of course, his most well known work, is ‘The Scream.’ I’ve been on my crutches/feet/foot for hours now and I could scream too…. I know what that person in the painting is thinking – Misery!
While the Impressionist collection isn’t very large, what Oslo exhibits is enjoyable. I have seen many renditions of the water lilies, Argenteuil, and Rouen. I loved seeing paintings that I hadn’t seen before and discovering that Monet spent two wintery months in Norway.
There, he painted, the “House in the Snow’ which is an example of his work while in Norway with the beautiful soft pink, blue and green lighting. But what I also loved to learn about, and see, was how the students who had been sent from Norway to France to apprentice under the Impressionists learned the craft and art of painting Plein Air.
Time for a nice long walk to find lunch at Engebret Cafe, established in 1857, where we enjoy sitting out on the patio with a glass of wine, mussels in white wine sauce and fresh baked bread. We’ve walked/hobbled over 6 miles today and enjoyed it immensely. I’m looking forward to the delicious mojito from the Orthilia Lobby Bar before heading out to a lovely dinner.
I continue to push myself to enjoy the trip, see all the sights I want to see, and worry about the broken leg later. Much later. As in when I get back to the US, I will go to my doctor and figure out the leg situation.
For now though, I am fearless, fierce, and feisty!