An Afternoon at the Lake

One of the famous Fords of Norway...

One nice thing about Oslo is that for a capital city it's not very large, having a population of around 600,000. While that's not small by any means, it does make for an atmosphere with a little less hustle and bustle; Oslo is definitely one of the quietest cities I've ever spent time in.
In addition to being small in population, Oslo is also on the smaller side when it comes to area. Part of the reason for this is that the city is hemmed in by forest, and so the countryside is never very far away. In fact, hop on the metro and ride to the end of the line (it only takes about 10 minutes) and you feel like the big city is nowhere to be found. Yesterday, having a little free time in the afternoon, a couple friends and I decided to do just that. We hopped on line number 3, going west, and ten minutes later found ourselves at Sognsvann, a  conveniently located lake that is a popular weekend destination for many of Oslo's inhabitants.

Although some flock to its shores for swimming and grilling and other beach type activities, Sognsvann's largest draw is it's hiking trail around the lake, which runs through a dense pine forest. People come to hike, to bike, and to run, some of them every day of the week. The seagulls and the small children prevent Sognsvann from being very peaceful, but it is a definitely a nice place to sit outside and relax. I have not yet hiked around the lake, but it's on my list of things to do. Perhaps, the other side will be a little more quiet.

Doing a little homework down by the lake shore.