Day 21 - part 1. Train to Oslo and some sightseeing.
Distance and average not known.
We decided to visit the Konditori in the old town for breakfast before leaving for Oslo. After some wonderful food cake and a sandwich and a large cafe latte, we headed back to the hotel. After packing up, taking a few last photos of the old town from the hotel we handed our keys back and headed off to the train station. It was a little sad to leave the sleepy old town of Fredrikstad as it meant our great adventure was nearing its end. The route had been finished.
We arrived in plenty of time to buy our tickets and waited on the platform in the morning sun. A sign amused me so I took a picture, the Norse gods claiming to be quicker or so it seemed. The train arrived as planned, and left on time with us on board. There was plenty of room for the bikes and the train was at least as good as the newer Dutch trains. We enjoyed our trip, the line runs for much of the way along the Oslofjorden, giving us views such as this and this. The sun shone again for us, as we arrived in Oslo, and headed for the Tourist Information sited in the old half of the Station complex.
We decided to have a wander round before heading to the campsite. After depositing all the bags in a largish locker we wheeled the bikes out into the sunshine. On the way out of the station we noticed that in the square there were tables where you could enjoy a drink, so we did, taking in the view and watching the world going by. After returning the utensils we headed out into Oslo's bustling city streets.
There was one place we decided we definitely had to see and that was the Frognerparken, which looked like it was a short cycle from the station. So armed with a tourist information map we headed up the hill.
We started off walking through pedestrianised streets humming with the sound of voices, past shops and the odd stall selling this and that, past the wonderful cloisters that sat behind the cathedral, and to the first crest on the route. We paused to admire the view, on direction back down to the station the other up to the Royal Palace, looking sideways going down to the town hall the other up to more shops.
Walking towards the palace the street opened up into a square, with Narvesen kiosks, Pepe's Pizzas and most importantly the Norwegian parliament building.