This was my second time in Oslo. I first came in 2003 when I fell in love with Scandinavia and wanted to stay, even considering missing my flight home.

Since then there have been some changes in Oslo. A new opera house has been built with creative slanting architecture in the water looking like a floating iceberg.

A friend had recently visited and I saw his pics as this wasn't here on my last visit in 2003. It was close to the hotel so I spent some time here first.

There is a new downtown skyline nearby also. I really liked the esthetics of how all the buildings looked together and how thought had been made on the long term landscape as being a work of art, rather than just slapping together any old bunch of high rises.

I now wanted to visit city hall as my friend had also visited and I was impressed with his photos. I was worried it might not open today on a Sunday.

I didn't visit on my last visit in 2003 as from the outside it just looks like a 1950s bland brick building, a lot of which we have in London. My guide book didn't do a good job of explaining the interior back then.

I since learnt this is where the Nobel Prizes are awarded (I thought before it was Stockholm). I got to city hall at 3.15 and luckily it was open till 4pm.

At first I couldn't find my way in. It faces the harbour but this is actually the back of the building. I had to make my way round to the front worried it might close.

The interior is a very grand hall with giant murals stretching in all sides. As impressive as this is there is much more to be seen.

As you ascend the long staircase the rooms surrounding the central hall are very ornate and palatial.

It reminded me of the Presidential Palace in Hanoi which similarly was built in a contemporary 1950s socialist style building

There were also displays of gifts given to the city from overseas.

I'm glad it didn't close and I got to see something new I didn't see in 2003. The art continues on the exterior which is decorated with more sculptures. You can see how a council can be inspired to beautify a city when these are the surroundings they work in themselves.