Oslo - Norway - page 136

Oslo World Music Festival MUSIC
( www.osloworldmusicfestival.no ; early Nov) It's not just the West that can make mu-
sic. The rest of the planet's diverse rhythms are showcased at this world-music festival,
which also includes lots of child-friendly events.
GAY & LESBIAN OSLO
Oslo is a liberal, gay-friendly city in an already liberal country, which makes for a re-
laxed gay/lesbian scene. Favourite watering holes include the mixed scene at Elsker
Offline map Google map ( Kristian IV's gate 9) , meaning lover in Norwegian,
which has a 'kind of Eurovision schläger-musical profile', according to local Øyvind
Gjengaar; and the dark basement at London Pub Offline map Google map (
www.londonpub.no ; CJ Hambros plass 5; cover charge Nkr40) , Oslo's oldest
gay bar. The parties at Stratos Offline map Google map ( www.stratos.as , in Nor-
wegian; Youngstorget 2; cover Nkr100-150) are also popular.
At the end of June, don't miss Skeive Dager ( www.skeivedager.no , in Norwegi-
an), Oslo's Gay Pride week complete with a parade, art exhibits, concerts and other
events. Girls Beer Night at Café Sara Offline map Google map ( 22 03 40 00;
Haumanns gate 29) every Tuesday evening is a good place for lesbians to meet up.
For more information, the Streetwise guide published by Use-It ( Click here ) has a
'Gay Guide', which covers cafes, pubs, clubs, bookstores and activities. Or for a
truly insider scoop, ask someone to translate the weekly guide from Blikk
( www.blikk.no ) , Oslo's gay and lesbian magazine.
Sleeping
Oslo has plenty of accommodation, including a growing number of small B&Bs, which
offer more character than the chain hotels. However, compared to many other parts of
Europe, standards are generally fairly low.