9 August - The Norwegian Opera House

I had planned the day before to go to IKEA the next morning.  Oslo has two IKEA's which are located on the west and east side respectively.  There is a free bus that can take you to both, either on the hour or half past. On the way to the shop I saw the sea for the first time...and around every corner it was sprinkled with sailing boats.  I ended up going to IKEA Slependen, the last word translating directly to 'trailing end' (?).   It was the biggest shop I've ever seen or entered.  It sells everything from furniture to kitchenware to lights to garden equipment to bed linen...and actually some food too. And you can actually eat a not-too-expensive meal at their restaurant.  I first ended up on the second floor...furniture...little rooms (kitchens, bedrooms, offices) displaying their products.  I found a cheap-prised mop in one of the cupboards of a kitchen. Eventually when I was too tired to get lost in the maze of it all once again, I asked a person that worked there where I could find kitchenware.  He said I had to go to the first floor. Another big maze awaited me, but I had found all the stuff that I was looking for.  When I got to the counter to pay, the lady told me that the mop I had taken in my first dazed impressions, was only on display and that I could not buy it. I was too tired to enter the maze to fetch another one.  After I paid I found a small kiosk with cheap take-away food...and cheap doesn't really come into the Norwegian vocabulary often. I bought me two thick slices of pizza and a soft drink and CONSUMED it.  To say that a very tired person arrived at my place is an understatement. It started dripping when I was still in the bus.  When I arrived at my place...thunder...and then hail!!After resting a bit I decided to take an early evening stroll (still light though) to the Norwegian Opera House.  It was love at first sight. The reflections of nearby people danced and melted on the smooth walls of the Opera House and the endless, placid ocean greeted it on its right side.  People moved like ants up and down the roof of the Operaen (the Norwegian name of the opera house). A few jazz musicians had an outdoor show there and soothed my tired soul. I decided to walk up the roof (not thinking of my already tired, heavy legs).  When I reached the top I had a beautiful panoramo view of central Oslo and the sea. The best rewarding for such a day!