Yesterday (Aug 14) I woke up tired from only about 4 hours sleep to catch the train. I had enough time between hostel check out and train departure to go to a thrift store in Oslo. Man, they had some crummy stuff, but it was awesome. Super out dated stuff that I'm sure hipsters would enjoy. I almost bought a sweet military green shirt with a Swedish patch on the arm, but it was slightly too big. I finally found a really decent button down for 85 NOK (less than $15, a steal for Norway).
The train was nice. I got a row (only two seats) to myself. I was tired but knew I needed to get down the last night in Oslo story as soon as possible. There are so many trees, forests and rolling green hills. It is absolutely beautiful. I wished the window wouldn't have been slightly distorted at the very edge and that the train ride was twice as long. I didn't want to get off and have to figure out a new city, hahah. This picture probably won't do it any justice.
I arrived in Gothenburg and had to pull money out of the atm because I had no illusion that my guts were going to let me make it to my hotel and the only toilets I say cost 5 SEK (about 75 cents) to use. I cashed a 500 SEK note for a 5 SEK bathroom charge =/
I got to my hotel and it was slightly better than decent. Not as nice as the new hotel by the Oslo airport, but still solid. All hotels and hostels I've been to in Scandinavia have a bottom sheet and a blanket in a sheet instead of a top sheet and a blanket on top of that. I suppose it's just because you always need a blanket in these lands. The girl at the counter was the prettiest Swedish girl I've talked to, but she had dark, long hair. Go figure! And she pronounced my name correctly. I don't understand how Norwegians and Swedes can pronounce my name, but no American can. (I'm talking about my first name).
I ventured out to some tents form the Gothenburg Culture Festival. Apparently it's a multi day, multi event gathering. I'm glad I caught it because a big tent I stumbled was having one of the most amazing things I could imagine. The music was loud, there was an MC. What do you think it was? Yes, you're right, it was a full on, judged dance battle. They called it a dance fight. Every single team I rooted for or thought they deserved to win lost. I couldn't believe it. Anyway, I need to get into the details. Each team had a name, a city of origin, and three members. Only 1 team had a uniform. All of the others were in regular, kinda baggy clothes. Some were kinda goofy/hipster, but nothing too crazy. Plenty had hats. Each person danced for maybe a minute. Only the current dancer could dance, that is, no help from teammates. It was enforced on only obvious times when a teammate or enemy was dancing on the sidelines.
The first battle I saw was between a squad of Norwegian girls and a squad of guys from Gothenburg (I think). The girls were really good. I got hella shivers when I watched them because they had some super sweet moves (mostly popping and locking) and it made me feel so deeply for them that they spent so much time on this passion and it was clearly showing. I took 3 dance sessions at UCLA and I know how difficult the most basic movements actually are. It's funny to say, but I was really emotional for them! Not for the guys, tho. Probably because they weren't white and I'm subconsciously racist and can't identify with them. Anyway, the girls were marvelous, moving their arms in ways you weren't sure we're meant for humans. Just looking so odd, but looking so damn good doing it. The guys won. Lame.
One other group to note was from Gothenburg I believe. They were three white guys and the best team I saw. I really can't describe the movements of their star. As soon as he started dancing, my jaw was dropping, my flesh goose-bumping, and my voice cursing. It was the creepiest robot I've ever seen. It was the smoothest rhythmic strides that came out of nowhere that I'd seen. You just can't believe your eyes. No human can do these things. He was marvelous. He wore a sweet three toned sweater that cut colors at angles just off the horizontal. His teammates were solid. One guy did a lot of ground game and the other did some solid stand up work. The main guy needs to find a new dance crew tho, because he lost when he easily could have beat any one of his opponents one and one. His team lost to the team with the uniforms. The odd thing was that the team with uniforms had a member not dancing but judging. Instead of him, a guy in an Oakland Raiders sweatshirt danced. He was by far the most boring during this battle. I thought he was just warming up with mild shakes and twists, but it never improved. His teammates were much better, but not as good as three tone. In the end, the uniforms won. One guy in uniform was quite good. He did some very impressive leg work, as in, hands on the ground, legs doing things you didn't think could. Even some Russian style dancing.
Before the dance battle started, the judges were introduced and got to do a solo dance. It was fun. One girl was called Mary Poppins and I laughed. What a silly name. She was good tho. Uniform guy who was an "impartial" judge was really good and danced after everyone else (including himself) had been introduced and given the chance to dance. It seemed a little show off-ish. One of the judges was a blonde girl with long hair who had performed in another crew earlier. She was memorable because she had a big black Yankees hat on that fell off during her performance. Instead of putting it back on dance-ishly, she grabbed her hair, holding it out a bit and shook her head and body to simulate being shocked. It was killer. Her team lost.
The last highlight came during the judges solo dances for the break dance competition. I learned I had been watching the popping and locking competition (and it made sense given the movements). The last judge to dance was a Chris Brown look a like (with the dyed blond hair). Except he had his red shirt tied up like a girl to show his abs. Anyway, he points towards the crowd in one beat, the next beat he does a ducking back flip. Out of nowhere. No loading up, no platform he's jumping from. A freaking back flip after pointing ahead. Then, he does the point and flip to all of the other compass directions! Holy freaking crap! Then he does some great standing work, moves to the floor, and then springs up, plants off of the ducking vertical tent supports and lands on his feet. I was floored. Unbelievable. How did I go from paying to use a bathroom to watching this maniac back flip in a matter of a few hours. How awesome was that? I had arrived a perfect time in Gothenburg. The break dance competition was pretty solid with a lot of that spinning, flailing legs in the air with your back on the floor. It was killer. My pick lost. And they were the home favorite! Gothenburg lost to Stockholm. And the Swedish poppers lost to the French uniformed crew. Oh well. Hey, the prize was a plaque and 900 euros, not bad for a free admission event! It was terrific.
Today was lame. I had to be out of my hotel at noon and check in at this hostel wasn't until 4 pm. I accidentally didn't pay for my tram ride to the hostel and spent a good deal of time wandering around trying to find the darn place. A guy at the very front of the tram had a huge pack with a pad sticking out and a pot hanging down and a huge walking stick. The guy next me (out of earshot of the hiker) said something to his friend across the aisle. The friend replied "You shall not pass!" and I laughed because I realized the first guy had said a word that sounded like Gandalf.
When I got to the hostel, the wifi wasn't working so I couldn't get a bed for tomorrow night. I'm not staying here. There are too many kids, there's no bathroom in the room, they make you pay for sheets and breakfast and it's definitely not in the interesting part of the city. It's just by a bunch of apartments and shops and businesses and restaurants. The tram is good, but it's too far to walk into town. Here's hoping I get a decent hotel for the weekend in Göteborg.
Oh, I forgot to mention this amazing church in the midst of the apartments and shops. It just towered over the street it was on. Here are a few pics of the Oscar Fredrick church.
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