Monday, 1 December 2008

Life in the Grorud valley

I've had this post mulling around in my head for some time... well, about the amount of time in which I have been too lazy to post anything. It centres around my increasing urban malaise produced by living in a tower block in the nowhere part of town.
The Groruddal, as it is known, is a valley radiating from Oslo which is home to two major motorways, some heavy industry, shopping centres and countless tower blocks. Together with the weather at this time of year, this makes for a pretty grey urban atmosphere. The other day I heard a sort of squeaking sound from the window - I wondered for a moment if it was a bird, but it turned out to be the sunshade on the balcony, squeaking away happily. At that moment I realised this is the first place I have ever lived where you never hear birdsong. I got so used to living close to nature that I stopped noticing it, but now I'm living here it's one thing I really miss.
When the urban planners of the fifties and sixties dreamt up this 'machine for living', they really failed to consider that you can't live in a machine. Certainly not a country bumpkin like me!


3 comments:

Anonymous said...

you can see a big bloody forest from your gaff, you cheekster

Anonymous said...

Hannah man.. it can be done. You need to appreciate the wonder of the tower block and learning the art of balancing on the balcony wall preferably with a cigarette in hand catching eyebrows from whoever's ~kinda opposite will be a good start. (Not recommended if you're vaguely skittle like or sane like.) Err.. Do they not have pigeons or sparrows about in Oslo? I'm thinking of starting a bullet proof vest business for all my glamourous pheasant neighbours here in the fields. Also calling you soon like in shah allah. cxx

Anonymous said...

yeah.. BUY A BIRD! ?? Adopt a pheasant, I'll ship it over to you. c again