Friday, July 22, 2011

The Heir's Day in Oslo

Welcome to "The Gods Are Bored!" My three readers will remember that I commended my daughter The Heir to the not-very-bored Goddess Freya a few weeks ago. The Heir decided to spend her summer abroad, studying architecture in Norway. She is residing at the University of Oslo.

This morning, The Heir went to the National Museum in Oslo to view Edvard Munch's paintings. Having done that, she went downtown to shop at a thrift store she found. While she was in the store, she heard a very loud explosion. She noticed that the people working in the shop looked scared. But most people went on shopping. Heir bought something and went outside.

The thrift store's door had been open when the explosion occurred. Heir noticed that other stores had shattered glass lying in the street. She saw many people talking frantically on their cell phones, people running toward something on fire in the distance -- and then she heard something she hadn't heard since arriving in Norway: police sirens. Lots of them.

Heir began to panic, because all the people around her were panicking too. But she got herself to an elevated train and headed back to the university. It was there that she discovered that Oslo's government buildings had been bombed. She was hunkered down in the dorm with her fellow students when a crazy gunman started shooting down kids at a summer camp on an offshore island.

The worst violence on Norwegian soil since WWII.

I had my tongue firmly planted in my cheek when I asked Freya to look out for The Heir. And for her first four weeks in Oslo, Heir pretty much ran the city by herself. She said she never even saw a policeman, and she never felt endangered in any neighborhood.

Freya, Your people are baffled. Not that Norwegians aren't tough ... they are. But until now they haven't exactly been consumed with anxiety about terrorist attacks. This will change now. Heir might have seen an end of an era in her previous four weeks in Oslo.

Prayers of good will to the praise and worship team of Odin, Freya, Thor, and Loki. And thank goodness my Heir is all right!

12 comments:

Debra She Who Seeks said...

Holy moly! Freya came through big time! Glad the Heir is all right. And what a terrible story this whole bombing is.

Aquila ka Hecate said...

Yes, thank the gods she's OK.
The present violence seems quite baffling.
I hear some dude dressed as a policeman was also shooting randomly at people in a youth camp, yesterday.
My prayers are with you.

Love,
Terri in Joburg

yellowdoggranny said...

Oh my Goddess, I had completely forgotten she was in Norway..holy shit..I bet she was terrified..so glad she is ok..Did your heart stop when you heard the news?...

Intense Guy said...

I'm glad Heir is okay. I'm sure both of you had a fright. The news says the attack was by someone that "describes himself as a Christian, leaning toward right-wing Christianity, on his Facebook page" -

Fanatics of any sort... are bad news... people need moderation in everything.

Teacats said...

Praise Be to Freya! Raise a Mug of Mead to Her! Yes -- thanks Be to the Stars and Goddess that Heir is fine. Very very sad for the people of Norway!

Pom said...

Like several others I'd forgotten she was there. I'd seen the story about Oslo and my heart was broken because it is a nearly idyllic place... then I saw your post. I can only say that I am so glad to hear that she is safe and I hope your pulse returned to a normal rate shortly after hearing this frightening news. I cannot even imagine what any of you might have been feeling through this ordeal.

Anne Johnson said...

Fortunately we heard from her before we turned on the news. Otherwise I would have freaked out completely. But now my heart is so sore for all those teenagers killed by that terrorist. And my heart aches for a country that was so complacent for its children's safety that it took 90 minutes for a SWAT team to arrive.

Wizardess said...

Thank the Creator that Heir is okay.

The Kitchen Witch said...

I am really glad that the Heir is ok!

kimc said...

Thank goodness the Heir is okay, but it is so awful that so many others are not okay. It is horrible even to contemplate.
Why are humans so violent?

Witch Mom said...

Glad to hear that she is OK. What a relief for you.

BellaDonna Oya said...

Thanks and praise to the gods, indeed, that Heir is safe and well!

I was supposed to be in Egypt shortly after the uprising there. Needless to say, I was NOT. Even the "safest" places in the world are apparently not anymore, and no one knows where the danger will be next. Shouldn't this be a message to someone, somewhere, that things need to change???