06 Oct - Tunneling to Date Night in Oslo

One of the first entries hypothesized that there are many tunnels in this country. Well, I finally have metrics to prove this hypothesis. I counted 25 tunnels on my return trip this past weekend. You may think, “that’s not crazy,” especially for a 5 hour drive. The kicker is the first 20 tunnels were burrowed in 45 minutes. Yes, that’s a tunnel every 2:15 minutes. Some of the tunnels are 100 feet, some are a mile long. Some have lights and some have reflective arms that reach out from the rock, as if they will push you back on the road if you veer to the side. In reality I think they just spring back, allowing you to demolish your vehicle into the wall.

My car’s “Service Engine” light had started blinking a couple weeks ago. Coincidentally, it started about the day the rental agency expected the car to be returned (my travel arrangements were faulty). Long story short, after work on Tuesday I made the trip to Oslo airport to exchange the vehicle. While at it, I would get a smaller car… both to save money and have a convenient road-sized vehicle. Oh, was it pouring. I can’t remember the last time I’ve driven in rain like that… I know I know, easy to admit coming from a SoCal resident. It’s probably been since my teenage years in NY. I was just hoping that the 2+ deg Celcius would remain steady that night so the rain didn’t turn to ice and snow for an even more eventful drive.

Oslo is the capital of Norway; however it’s not that big and well-known to Americans… let alone visited by them. This particular night it was enjoyed by two Americans, heck … New Yorkers, and to be even more specific Hampton-ers. Yes, it’s a small world. Last week at a customer’s house, the customer and my Dad were in a conversation. She was just starting a new job (based in London) and was visiting Oslo the next several weeks for training. Oslo! My Dad informed her of my situation, and you can figure out the rest. It was date night with Dad’s customer. We have more in common than knowing my Dad and the Hamptons. She graduated with a Mechanical Engineering degree and is very active in the outdoors. Despite being late (Oslo traffic and slow drivers in the weather), being lost (the nearest Parking Hus driving distance from the freeway is not the nearest bird’s eye distance), and being a soggy sheep (it was raining cats & dogs), it was a very pleasant dinner.

Since I was running late, at the car I changed out of my heels and into my brown hiking boots. I figured they would be better footwear to navigate the streets quickly without worrying about puddles nor breaking an ankle on the cobblestones. We met up at Union Station and walked to a restaurant she was familiar with, called the Theater Cafeen . When we checked our coats to the valet coat hanger (person), I was disheartened by my faux pas. An optimist would claim my clothes were business casual (these plans were not on the schedule after my shower that morning). However, with brown boots peeking out of the black slacks, even the optimist would say I was under-dressed. The restaurant was quite beautiful and the live pianist on the balcony gave the antique décor a classy 1920s or 30s feel to it. I discovered later from my Norwegian coworkers that the country’s celebrities go there to be seen wining & dining. The wining and dining dishes of choice that evening were the classics… fish soup and a poached cod plate. They were done wonderfully, especially the fish soup. Nearby to the table was a large picturesque window. It overlooked a dark park square that was only lit from the street and business lights reflecting in the puddles and wet cobblestones. Folks with umbrellas strolled down the sidewalks and leapt across the drenched streets. One could almost imagine Dick Tracey or Sherlock Holmes turning the corner.

The return drive (11pm-12am) was surprisingly crowded for a Tuesday at midnight. There were men and machines working on entire road sections, constricting the useable lanes to a single lane on the opposite road. It was all worth it and I plan to return to Oslo this weekend. Thus far my weekend time has been consumed with adventure. With the Celsius going negative, it’s time for some culture.