I may not be the first person who came up with this title. But I haven’t seen it before – so I use it 🙂 Devoting this post to my favorite neighborhood in the whole Oslo (and, let’s be honest, in the whole of Norway). Grunerløkka which we locals call shortly and affectionately “Løkka”.
Hipster, trendy, full of life. Barber shops and concept stores, coffee chains pressing out the local small shops – all as it should be in the gentrified neighborhood. Once a messy and cheap neighborhood that attracted students and artists, and as it often happens, those people contributed to the new coolness of the place. Which became popular, modern, full of fancy places to hang out and quirky stores. And when the whole city had discovered its coolness, the prices started crawling up, the quirky stores – disappearing, the new big brands popping up.
But whatever happens, I still love Løkka and will keep it in my heart. Because it has the best vibes in the whole city of Oslo, in my opinion. As my man says, “it is the most Latino hood in this city – no, in the whole country”. There are bakeries and cafes, always full of people, even on the weekday afternoons – packed with students and their laptops. So many young people here. Young parents, also hip, strolling with their prams and takeaway coffees. A flea market in the park on Sundays, keeping its lights until the desolate evening.
If you look at these photos and observe the lifestyle, remember: it is not how the usual Norway looks like. It is how the hip and young Norway looks like. How it spends it days, sipping espresso in the coffeeshop run by the Norwegian barista champion (“Supreme Roastworks” is the name). Biking with the modern backpacks attached.
These photos were taken on some random weekday in early September. Here it is sunny and almost summer. It is not usual autumn here, just so you know 😉 But when the sun pops out, everything springs to life. Even if it was an early afternoon of a usual workday.
Come, walk with me those colorful streets! Meet the side of Norway which is not all about the snowy landscapes, fjords and mountains :)) This is also Norway! Though quite a unique one. An exception confirming the rule, one could say. Living la vida Løkka, I would say 🙂
What is your favorite part/thing in your city?
Me Exploring 
Looks like a cool place. Place to hang out and catch u with friends!
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It is definitely one of the coolest places in Oslo. For me it is #1, maybe, some would disagree :))
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It is fine for people to disagree. 🙂
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As long as we can agree that we gonna disagree :))
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haha! cool!
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Nice clean, colorful images – looks like some parts of downtown Helsinki, which I might have mentioned once or twice before 😉
“Meet the side of Norway which is not all about the snowy landscapes, fjords and mountains :)) This is also Norway! ” -> that’s such a good point! An American girl I know here in Helsinki recently visited some fjord area in north Norway and when I asked her how it was, she shrugged, “I was a victim of marketing – Norwegians are so good at marketing their fjords. It was okay but to be honest I’ve seen similar views in so many other places around the world.” — sometimes I think the most unique things aren’t what tourists are told to visit, but the bits of everyday life in city neighborhoods like yours. (As much as I love nature!!!)
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Haha, I was not targeting at this Norwegian feature – but maybe, she is right. Norwegians are so good at marketing this picture, that it overshadows other things. And everyone has this image of mighty mountains and fjords, while there are many different bits and pieces to this country.
Well, I don’t know about that girl, but I must admit, I have seen this kind in no other place. I had lived in Austria, with the Alps views. But on the simple ride to Bergen (8 hours though) I saw so much, that it was too much. It is really mighty here. And I regret that I haven’t traveled much around the country. Whenever I get a chance I prefer to travel outside of it. And I end up without knowing much of the country where I live :)))
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