I knew I had more than one hour in Oslo this morning before my meeting started. Before leaving Trondheim I packed my diary and decided to find a coffee house where I could sit down and enjoy life just the way I do in coffee houses - sipping coffee, eating something sinful, writing, reading.
I had planned to go to Grand Hotel and the old, very charing place where we took Marta during our Oslo days last summer. But when I came it was still breakfast time for the hotel guests, not open for ordinary coffee house guests untill 11, which would be too late for me.
Well, what was I to do then? I passed several coffee houses, but they were all new and modern, and I was completely in a mood for something more of an old style.........
Suddenly I remembered a place behind Stortinget (The Parliament) where I have been once or twice years ago. Halvorsens Conditori.
It was open, it had the perfect style for me, and as it was still early, it was quiet. No problem to find a window table.
To celebrate the day and the birthday's of two friends (one in Trondheim, one in Venezia), I bought the most sinful cake I could find. After all it was already almost 5 hours since breakfast......
Eating, drinking coffee, writing.......and reading from the book I had bought just minutes before, Paul Theroux's The Pillars of Hercules.
"People here in Western civilization say that tourists are no different from apes, but on the Rock of Gibraltar, one of the Pillars of Hercules, I saw both tourists and apes together, and I learned to tell them apart......." Paul Theroux
This is a good idea- coffee houses seem perfect either way- alone or with friends. And what a good idea for a detour of your regular blog!
Posted by: Margaret Lambert | 11/12/2009 at 03:31 AM
The cake looks really sinful, but...oh boy.....so delicious.........
Posted by: Gracie | 11/12/2009 at 10:29 AM
Yummy! I'm glad you're sharing all your travel adventures. I do have a question: what job do you have that gets you traveling so much?? I want to sign up for it too!
Posted by: Evelyn Jackson | 11/12/2009 at 01:19 PM
I have been thinking of you this past week whilst up in Edinburgh for work. When time permits I have been sampling some of the many coffee shops here. I have a smile to myself as I sit down with a Latte or hot chocolate and maybe an almond croissant or muffin, along with my journal and a book to read. I know you would join me happily!
Enjoy the Paul Theroux, it is a fascinating read.
Posted by: Fran | 11/12/2009 at 05:10 PM
What a yummy way to begin the day - with a cake, coffee and a book. May I join you at the table? I promise to bring my own book and not say very much at all.
Lorrie
Posted by: Lorrie | 11/12/2009 at 05:35 PM
Oh lovely a new blog to enjoy! That cake looks delicious.
Posted by: Carol | 11/12/2009 at 09:25 PM
i like this part of the blog:" Eating, drinking coffee, writing.......and reading from the book I had bought just minutes before, Paul Theroux's The Pillars of Hercules." is very good
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