More beach, hiking, and hiking

Everything here is so expensive (beer at the bar: $15, beer at the store: $5, "cheap" street food kebab: $12, edible "cheap" street food kebab: $15) that I have been on what I've been calling the Norwegian diet - eating pasta once a day.  I am already sick of eating spaghetti.  I am desperately missing the taco truck.

They like to drink here, so I have pre-gamed with some Norwegians before going out to the bars just about every night this last week because classes have yet to really begin (without spending any money on alcohol on every night but one!).  There are quite a few "American" bars here that would not look at all familiar to an American - it has been a really bizarre scene, from my perspective, at most of the bars/clubs I've been to so far.  I have been told that "this is Norway."  Many of the Norwegians and international students I have met have been really excited to talk to an American and practice their English.  Apparently the Norwegian students like me because I'm not "cocky".  So there's that.

A handful Germans and I went hiking in the area nearby the university campus yesterday and went swimming, my first time in Norway, afterwards to cool off.  It was cold.  

Here's a photo dump: