Monday, June 15, 2009

Oslo Opera House



I visited Oslo University to present my research. Before dinner with people there, I had some time to explore the city. I headed to the critically acclaimed Oslo Opera House.



It is an impressive piece of architecture. Since its roof is a slope from the ground level, visitors can walk up on the rooftop. As you are walking around, the view of the Opera House keeps changing continuously, because its shape is essentially a cluster of straight lines very few of which are in parallel. What's more, the surface texture of white tiles differs from part to part, creating some nuances in the color of the white roof. It's a photographer's paradise because there is a myriad of ways of framing the view of the building along with the sky and/or the sea.



Inside the building (including the rest room) is equally impressive. For the first time ever, I saw a concert hall where waiting for the show to start can be fun (or even more enjoyable than the show). No photo for the interior because I failed to do justice to its stylishly pleasant atmosphere.

Kaffebrenneriet

I was hungry while I was walking in the city centre of Oslo. I just wanted to bite a tasty, crunchy baked good. If I were in Stockholm, this would be almost impossible as people in Stockholm seem to hate crunchiness in baked confectionery. In Oslo, a cafe called Kaffebrenneriet made my desire fulfilled with its tasty, crunchy banana cake.