Sunday, July 24, 2011

Oslo bombing and Utøya shooting - the day after

This morning I woke up and found out that the total number of people killed now stands at 92.  Most of my day was spent in front of the TV just watching the news and reading news online.  It's been a pretty crazy 24 weekend.  My parents were in Malaysia and they didn't even know until my brother told them around 4pm local time.

The Norwegian news websites are vg.no, afternposten.no and nrk.no  You can use google translate which isn't a perfect translation but you will be able to understand most of it.

I went to the city later tonight with a friend and scoped out the atmosphere.  There were military personnel along Karl Johans gate, and the surrounding area where the bomb blast occurred had been cordoned off.  I took a walk along Karl Johans gate all the way to Oslo Cathedral.  People laid wreaths, flowers, candles along various parts of the city.


Karl Johans Gate just outside the Parliament building (Stortinget)


May the victims never be forgotten


Junction along Grensen Street


Another spot along Grensen Street


Just outside Oslo Cathedral


Oslo Cathedral.  There were quite a few people gathered there and the atmosphere was sombre to say the least.  Some people were crying.  The weather didn't help either.  It was already raining but really started to pour shortly after I took this picture.  I was there for probably 5 minutes or so then left because it started to pour.  I arrived home soaking wet and after 1am, it didn't help that I could not find my bus stop as the bus routes have changed but I eventually I got home using a different route.

All in all it was a night to reflect on.  I feel the pain just looking at the pictures and having it hit home so close is just unbelievable.

Tonight I will sleep and hopefully wake up to see the sky in the morning whereas the 92 victims will never awake to see another day again.  Life is really too short and you should be glad you are alive.  Always maintain good relationships with the people you care about because you never know when your last day could be.  For all I know I could've been one of the 7 victims from the bomb blast.  Forget about all your prejudices for all of us are the same and if you hurt others you only hurt yourself.  No matter what religion or creed you believe in, in the end all of us desire the same things, it does not matter if you are right or wrong, because we are all one.

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