The Tiger City

Sunday, August 16, 2026

Today was a day at sea. We sailed down around the tip of Sweden, through the narrow passage between Denmark and Sweden, and then up the coast of Norway and into the very long Oslofjord. Here is what we saw along the way:

Sailing under the bridge between Denmark and Sweden

Monday, August 17, 2026

Strong winds prevented us from leaving Visby on time, so we arrived at Oslo almost an hour late. We docked at Revierkaia, which is the less convenient of the two cruise terminals in Oslo, but the center of old Oslo was still within walking distance, and we were grateful that it was not necessary to take a train or shuttle bus.

Our plan for the day was to follow Rick Steves’ Self-Guided Walk for Oslo, have lunch, then go to Bygdøy by ferry to visit a museum. However, our time frame was impacted by the late arrival, getting a manicure in Oslo, and a difficult geocache. By the time we finished lunch we were pooped and we didn’t want to wander too far from the ship, so we never made it to Bygdøy.

Oslo is a vibrant modern city with deep roots. Its metropolitan area population is about 1.5 million. Oslo is nicknamed the Tiger City because of a poem from 1870 which compared Oslo to a dangerous tiger and the rural countryside to a safe horse. (In 2000, to mark the 1000th anniversary of Oslo’s founding, a bronze statue of a tiger was installed at the Central Train Station.)

I get it. I had the feeling that, compared to the other Scandinavian and Baltic capitals, Oslo was a bit more “wild west” and a bit less refined and civilized. Whereas in Copenhagen, packs of cyclists stayed in the bike lanes, in Oslo, cyclists rode in bike lanes, in the streets, and on pedestrian paths, with no bell-ringing or audible warnings. In Oslo, they have elevated swimming in the harbor into a major social event. There are little houseboats that are essentially big saunas, and groups can rent them. (The water in the harbor must be quite clean. We even saw swans there.)

I decided that Copenhagen is like the Japan of the Baltic. It is quirky and interesting and eclectic, but safe, and people there tend to follow the rules. Oslo is more like the Alaska of the Baltic  — a little edgier, definitely more rule-bending going on, but such an exciting place.

On our walk we hit most of Rick’s highlights.

Ostbanehallen, the original train station, now a food court

We walked along Karl Johans Gate, which is a grand boulevard, rather than a gate. Here we saw the iconic Freia sign, reminding us of Norway’s best chocolate.

Oslo Cathedral

A modern new train station sits at the top of the steps behind the Ruter Tower. In the background, a shopping mall and the 37-story Radisson Blu Plaza.

One of the most important buildings in Oslo is the City Hall. The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded in this building.

Statues of workers belonging to different trades line the front of City Hall

Because of the two towers, City Hall is called “the goat cheese building.” That’s not the first thing that pops into my mind, but I don’t eat that much goat cheese.

In the area of the harbor, there was a lot to see. Facing the water, on the left you can see the looming Akershus Fortress and the Norwegian Resistance Museum. We spent a lot of tme in the Fortress, climbing up and down to different levels and finding dead ends, to complete a complicated, tricky geocache. 

On the right side of the harbor, you will see the Nobel Peace Center and the National Museum. Beyond that is Aker Brygge, a recently developed district of restaurants, shops and nightclubs. Our lunch destination, a waterfront restaurant called Jarmann Gastropub, was located there.

Another building that was once an old train station is now the Nobel Peace Center. The Peace Bench in front reminds us of the value of dialogue and diplomacy.

The National Museum

Jarmann Gastropub

On the other side of the peninsula where Akerhus Fortress is located, a number of magnificent buildings dominate the waterfront facing another branch of Oslofjord. These include, the Opera House, the Munch Museum, and the public library.

Munch Museum

Opera House, front on right
Public library, slightly behind on left

Here are some random photos of things I liked in Oslo:

Houses along Oslofjord

Remember the Vikings!

Harbor art

Although Oslo is one of the most expensive cities in the world, 

Norway has a very high standard of living.  Norwegians receive cradle-to-grave social benefits: university education, healthcare, one year of parental leave, five weeks of vacation, and pensions from the government. Norway has excellent infrastructure: roads, bridges, tunnels, ferries, public transportation, and so on. This is paid for by high taxes and revenue from oil and gas which goes into a fund that is similar to Alaska’s Permanent Fund, but is managed better and worth over a trillion dollars.

Oslo has successfully revitalized and modernized itself by adopting a long-range master plan called the Fjord City (Fjordbyen) Project, based on five overarching strategies:

• Removing and burying traffic infrastructure (tunnels, port relocation)
• Implementing a “Car-Free Livability” program (parking elimination, nudging drivers)
• Anchoring the waterfront with cultural beacons, such as the Opera House
• High-Density Architectural Innovation, to preserve forests and limit urban sprawl (a good example is known as “The Barcode Project”)
• A continuous Harbor Promenade (walkway) 9 km long providing continuous public access to the waterfront zone

There’s more, look it up. I am really impressed with how well Oslo has pulled it off.

Today’s fabric is Norway on Blue by brynnbader for Spoonflower.

The Town of Roses and Ruins

Saturday, August 15, 2026

Gotland is a large island in the Baltic Sea between Sweden and Latvia, but closer to Sweden. It is pronounced as if it were spelled “goat-land,” though the name does not imply there are goats there. It is a province of Sweden. The population is around 61,000.

Gotland’s main town is Visby, with a population of about 23,600. The PBS series “Murder in Sweden” is about a group of police detectives based in Visby. Visby is a fairytale town boasting of an extensive, well preserved medieval walled city.

Gotland has been inhabited for 9,000 years. It is mainly rural, and agriculture is an important part of the economy. The island is a popular vacation destination for Swedes from the mainland. It has a milder climate and is accessible by air and by ferry. Various festivals during the summer draw large numbers of tourists.

We took a Princess tour called “A Taste of Gotland.” Our guide, Anne, was excellent. This tour gave us the chance to see Visby, as well as other parts of the island. I loved the drive through the fields and forests. It was so unspoiled.

Our first stop was Ansarve Farm, a sheep farm that produces wool, sheepskins, and yarn. Clothes and household furnishings, such as blankets, are also designed and produced at the farm.  Our experience here was different from our visits to sheep farms in New Zealand and Argentina. They did not demonstrate shearing or the skills of their dogs. They also had a course for Ultimate Frisbee and specialized UF equipment could be rented there. 

They had three kinds of sheep: Gotland sheep, Leicester sheep, and Merino sheep. (The Gotland sheepskins in the shop had deliciously soft, curly grey hair, which seemed very familiar to me.)

Merino

Leicester

Gotland

Tofta is a popular beach and resort area on the island of Gotland. It has a beautiful, long, sandy beach, but I imagine the water is too cold for anyone but Scandinavians. Our second stop was the Tofta Lodge & Beach Resort. It was a rustic family resort established in the 1930’s and nestled among pine trees. We met the owner, who had inherited the resort from her parents. It had a handful of long, low bunkhouse-type buildings and a cozy main building/dining hall. This type of accommodation is known as a pensionat in Swedish. It was located next to a forest where there were nature trails, and it was about a two-minute walk to the beach. It reminded me of the summer camps I used to go to when I was a kid. 

Tofta Church, dating from the mid-1300’s

After a little free time to explore the property, we sat down in the dining area to sample some local specialties. It really was just “a taste,” but everything was delicious.

Inside the main building of the Lodge

The entrance to the main lodge building is is behind the people

After our snack we headed back to Visby for a walking tour with Anne. Visby has the most extensive and best preserved medieval city wall in Scandinavia. The two-mile wall was built in the 13th century to protect against attack from the sea. The wall was impressive from the outside, but what lay inside was even more stunning.

Inside we found a small, charming medieval town, replete with houses, shops, restaurants, cobblestone streets, churches, roses, and ruins.

People still live in these houses

Visby Saint Mary’s cathedral

There has been a church here since at least the middle of the 13th century. Saint Mary’s Cathedral was originally the church of the German Hanseatic traders. Today it belongs to the Church of Sweden. When we arrived, a string quartet was playing Pachelbel’s Canon in D Major and it was quite lovely. These old churches often have outstanding acoustics.

We also visited the ruins of Sankta Karin, or Saint Catherine’s, which was also the site of a convent at one time. 

These ruins are now used for different summer events, such as a medieval festival

Some more photos from “inside the wall”:

Sheep have always been important here

Roses are everywhere

The Town Square

And outside the old walls, on the ocean side, on reclaimed land, a pleasant, well-used park.

I liked Visby and Gotland a lot. I can imagine spending a loong weekend at the Tofta Lodge (but don’t expect me to swim in the ocean) and then spending a couple of nights in Visby and hanging out in the Town Square in the evening. Lots of atmosphere. Maybe I would even help the Visby police solve one of their murders. 

Today’s fabric is knitted Gotland wool. A sweater knitted with Gotland wool feels substantial, weighty, and warm. The wool develops a fuzzy “halo” after washing and wearing, which seems to make it feel warmer.

These two photos are by Kim Goodling, whose blog, “Living with Gotlands,” can be found at livingwithgotlands.com