Almost exactly ten years ago this week I worked in Oslo for a small software company on a project that lasted about six weeks. I was 24 then, an impressionable age some might say, and so coming back is not just a visit back to a pleasant city, it is a visit back with my younger self. It is like having a third person along for this leg of the trip. An immature, energetic, annoying guy, and he keeps making passes at my wife...

Most of what I remember here is unchanged. The sky is low and curved, as if  you are always looking at a normal sky through a wide angle lens. The architecture is uniformly solid and there is a congeniality between the very old and the contemporary buildings. The main street, Karl Johans Gate, is filled with people most of the day and night strolling and sitting by the fountains and cafes. This time of year, the sun is setting around 10pm, but it never really gets dark.

Some things have changed, either in me or the city - it just doesn't seem as wildly foreign as I remember it. Even hearing Norwegian spoken at the street seems more like English spoken with a Norwegian accent than a genuine language of its own. The city shows clear signs of expansion even though the cranes and scaffolding that you usually see in say, Seattle, are missing. For example, we visited the Munch Museum and it is significantly larger than when I was there 10 years ago; granted, most of the obvious expansion is a cafe a larger gift shop, but there is also a new gallery, theater and offices. I guess all those inflatable "The Scream" dolls really paid off for old Edvard and his estate.

One of the things I loved most when I visited Oslo before was the public art - sculpture, particularly the work of Gustov Vigeland, is of course still around much of the public buildings like the Radhuss, the University, and Frogner Park.  We haven't made it to the park yet, but I'll post some pictures after we do.

For the folks at work, I just wanted you to see that 3pm Latte time is still on, although it was 6am Seattle time when I had this one (it wasn't bad, but no Vivace). Stopped dreaming about my bugs about 2 days ago...

- rob