My Australian friends and I had taken a tram on the way to the center of Oslo. From the city center, we walked up a very steep hill to our first stop, the Holmenkollen Olympic Ski Jump and Museum. It was a hot day, about 86 degrees Fahrenheit, and we were sweaty and tired by the time we got to the ski jump.

After paying an entrance fee, we walked through the museum and saw many displays on the history of Olympic skiing and winter sports in Norway. There's a mannequin of a Norwegian skier in an old skiing costume (no such thing as waterproof nylon in the old days!) and dioramas of many ski hills from World Championships and Winter Olympics. There are also trophies and medals of many Norwegian Olympic champions on display. The museum is not to be missed.

After seeing the museum, my friends and I made the long and steep climb up a staircase that is the ski jump. When I reached the top, I gulped at the height and grade of the ski jump ramp. I was greeted by a spectacular view of the bottom of the jump (which is now a pool of water), the Olympic Stadium, and the city of Oslo and its surroundings. Very breathtaking.

My friends and I then left the jump and made our way to the bottom, where there are statues of the leader of the Oslo Olympic Games and other important figures of the time. There is also a ski simulator which allows people to experience how it feels to go 80 miles an hour downhill on skis. I passed on the ski simulator, but my friends went inside it and were a little dizzy when they came out.

After our adventure at Holmenkollen, we took the train back to the Oslo city center. We wanted to save our energy for the rest of our day in Oslo.

Holmenkollen is perhaps the best place to get a striking panoramic view of the city of Oslo and the surrounding fjord. On a clear day the sight is breathtaking.

At the ski jump area you are permitted to tour the facility and ski jump tower along with the chance to experience ski jumping (through the use of virtual reality). For an additional fee, you can visit the skimuset (Ski Museum) with exhibits that concern skiing, Olympic, equipment, and athlete histories.

I thought that the most interesting aspect of Holmenkollen was its unique use when not ski season. The landing area at the base of the jump is filled with water, a stage is placed near and it is used for open air concerts and recitals.