Oslo Fjord

Occasionally, I'm going to try to give an idea of what Oslo and the surrounding area is like. A few weeks ago we took a 2-hour cruise around Oslo Fjord. It isn't regarded as the most spectacular of the Norwegian fjords, as it has no towering cliffs and waterfalls etc, but I think it is pretty and charming. The fjord is 100km from top to bottom and filled with islets, some of which are privately owned.We obviously saw just some of it:

The islets have homes and holiday homes on them, although most of them have bans on new buildings. There is huge demand for these houses as they don't come up for sale very often and when they do prove very expensive. The houses have to be painted red, green or yellow according to local rules, and are all wooden. I didn't get the best pictures of them, but these hopefully give some idea:

We saw locals fishing and many, many boats.  The fjord is an active, working space not just a picturesque vista.

I found the whole trip beautifully tranquil.