Oslo - Day 1 - Vigeland Park

('Vigeland = 3 syllables)    A late start this morning, but that was okay.  First thing I did was ... shop!  Saw a lovely coral tunic at a shop window and -- this hardly happens -- decided that I would have it.  The shopkeeper said there was one size smaller, and it was good.  There was yet another tunic which I thought was okay, too, but the sleeves were just too tight and I left it.

The shop was actually on the way to Vigeland Park, where the statues of nationally famous sculptor Gustav Vigeland are permanently exhibited and, in fact, make up the park itself.  Obviously, this obelisk is the most prominent work, and rightly so.  There is also a beautiful fountain (see extra) and, in fact, that was the one we shot most often.  Behind the obelisk is yet another piece of scupture.  We walked around the whole complex and shot several other pieces as well.  It's well worth a visit, even in 30-degree heat.

'We' means AW and I.  Nan was with us, of course, but chose to remain in the vicinity of the fountain, and, in fact, not even near it but close to the trees.  We didn't mind.  She is mentally 16,000 km. away and barely appreciates what is before her eyes.  Am I responsible for this state of affairs?  Technically, no, and morally, no.  But there's a big 'but' there, somewhere and somehow.

After Vigeland Park, we had a yummy lunch, then a hot walk to the royal palace on the hill.  Picture-taking is not allowed, but after having seen the palaces in Versailles, Copenhagen, and Stockholm in the past 7 days, I didn't see this as an issue.  After the tour, we passed by a supermarket and bought stuff for the evening, then headed back to our B&B.  Upon arrival, Nan went instantly into the by now familiar WiFi mode and set up communications with Manila.  I think she had her boyfriend on the line, and after talking to him, she sat down a bit with me and explained that he told her that he realized that he had become too dependent on her presence, which is why he got so depressed after she left.  I do not know what to make of this explanation and am trying to take it at face value.  Nan says she's thankful for all I've done and will try to be more 'present' and enthusiastic 'starting tomorrow', if only in fairness to me.  I told her that I wasn't going to be the loser in this situation, and that it was going to be a pity if the date of her departure was going to have to be pushed even further ahead.  The boyfriend apparently said that perhaps this distance was good for him, so that he could sort out his own thoughts.  Nan is not happy with the situation, and he apparently doesn't want to 'chat' the way they used to, but clearly this has nothing to do with me.  Or am I missing something here?

Not quite the summer any of us expected to have, but AW and I are nevertheless determined to make the most of it, Nan or not.  I think some decisions will be made quite soon.  In the meantime ... there's still tomorrow to enjoy more of Oslo!