We had spent so much time on the waterfront that it was time to head out onto the water.
And in.
Located on the Oslo harbor across from the Opera House, the tour of the Oslofjord begins. We sailed around the small islands that speckle the harbor and by different spots around the city.
This tour was a truly relaxing way to spend the morning. The water was calm. The weather was perfect. The views were stunning.
The tour lasts about an hour and a half and is a great way to see other parts of the city and outlying areas that you might have missed from the mainland.
The houses and landscape look so idyllic. I know this place looks and feels wholly different in the winter, but it still gives off the vibe of a wonderful place to live.
We had planned on renting a sauna boat later that day/early evening, because how could we not come to another Scandinavian country and not sauna and cold plunge? It seemed like a no-brainer.
My oldest sister and brother-in-law were in Oslo back in December and recommended a specific sauna company. As we were on our harbor tour, we came across one of the boats that we were going to rent. It looked like a lot of fun. We would not be venturing out on the water, but our excitement grew upon seeing the sauna boat.
Once back on land, we walked up an appetite. We wandered through the streets, marveling at the colorful buildings and the varied architectural styles from block to block.
Our walk took us back to the waterfront, albeit with a different view than the one we had seen the past few days.
I won’t lie, we got big into food halls here in Oslo. It’s the perfect spot to visit when you’re traveling with people who have different tastes. At Vippa, we found some more great things made by people who call Oslo home. Did I fly halfway across the world and have some tacos? You know I did!
We spent more of the day wandering the city and making sure we were all set for our journey back to Denmark the following day. That means making sure we had the souvenirs we wanted and the ones we wanted for others.
After securing enough trinkets and doodads for those back home, it was time to head back to the waterfront. This time we would be venturing into the cold, cold water.
Was I mentally preparing myself for the experience? Yes, yes, I was. But here is the thing about me: I thrive in the cold. It’s the heat that does me in. I’ll be out in 40°F (≈4°C) and be comfortable wearing shorts. I mean, I will also be wearing a sweatshirt/coat because I’m not immune to the cold. But my legs are just fine being exposed to the elements.
Perhaps it was all those years of waking up early and running that made my legs stronger against the cold. Or it is that I like to feel some airflow between my legs, and shorts are the best way to do that. It’s all speculation and usually draws some eyeballs from those who are bundled up in scarves and gloves.
Anyway, having said all of that, we boarded our KOK sauna boat directly across from the Opera House and Munch Museum and began our journey into the Norwegian waters.
We booked our sauna boat for two (2) hours, and when we arrived, we were greeted by the super-friendly staff, who gave us a rundown of how the sauna worked and made sure we operated it safely.
This sauna experience was vastly different from our time in Finland. There, the sauna was a good 50 to 75 yards away from the water, so by the time we made it into the Finnish water, our bodies had acclimated to the outdoors, and the water felt piercingly cold. Here, we could exit the sauna, jump directly into the water, and get the full experience of going from hot to cold.
I look a bit like a cooked lobster because the water is so cold, but let me tell you, it was amazing! I loved jumping in and wading around after getting so hot and sweaty. Since we were docked on the pier, people walking on the pier were stopping and taking photos of me in the water. They knew how cold it was and were probably amazed that someone was in the water.
I do not blame them. Even though it was June, the water was still so cold. I think the water in Finland was colder, but I enjoyed both sauna experiences equally.
As our time was drawing to a close, it was high time we bundled up in towels and got warm again. Saunas and cold plunges are noted for their health benefits. Something about improving circulation, muscle recovery, and reducing inflammation as well. I wish we had more options to do them where we live. It looks like we might have to make pilgrimages to Scandinavia to get our fix.
I will say, once back in our room, we did rinse off. There is no way I could have gone to bed after swimming in that harbor without getting clean. Also, we were driving back to Denmark the following day, and I did not want any lingering briny funk on me during our drive.
Our drive back was one of little adventures. We stopped at another Max Burger and an IKEA for some soft serve, and then we were back in Copenhagen, where our journey started. We returned our rental car, thanking Volvo for a capable EV (no, this is not sponsored content… although if anyone from Volvo reads this… hello, sponsor me!) and settled in for the night.
The Copenhagen airport (CPH) is a great place to spend some time. Numerous restaurants, lounges, and shops will help you kill any amount of time you may have before your flight boards. As we were standing in line at passport control, we saw a tall, red-haired man with a tennis bag ahead of us. It turned out to be Jannik Sinner, who was probably headed to London in preparation for Wimbledon.
This was an exhausting, worthwhile, two-week-long excursion. I added four new countries to my list of places I’ve visited, swam in new bodies of water, and saw some incredible sights along the way. It was time to head home and see our dog, who was patiently waiting for us and, presumably, missing us as much as we missed him.