Norway's Southwestern Coast

 

Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock) overlooking fjord

Bergen

We traveled from Flåm to Bergen on Dermot's birthday, passing gorgeous waterfalls and towns perched precariously on mountainsides along the way. We were pleasantly surprised by the nice small lakefront Grimen campsite so we extended our stay to three nights. 

View from our campsite.

The ride into Bergen via public transportation was crowded. Stepping off the tram, we went forward to get out of the rush of passengers who knew where they were heading. Then we checked our phones for directions. A man we assumed was drunk made his way towards us unsteadily and began speaking in Norwegian. Dermot replied that he didn't understand him and we both headed towards our next destination. After a few steps, I heard the man slur in English "I'm gonna kill you." but we were out of knife range by then so I didn’t feel too threatened. Dermot seemed not to notice. I asked and he said he hadn't heard him. So there you have it, our first real, but not very serious, threat of a violent death. And here I had predicted that would happen in a pub while watching a game when we were rooting against the hometown team.

Click here for our photos, "i" for information

After popping into Scruffy Murphys to see if they'd have a particular soccer match on, we bought tickets for a walking tour for the following day. We strolled to the Bergenhus Fortress, admired the medieval stone walls of the Rosenkrantz Tower and Håkon's Hall but both were closed. 

Håkon's Hall

This being Monday, it was apparent we'd just missed a big music festival on the grounds. We climbed the ramparts for a nice harbor view and watched an enormous Danish battleship enter the port. According to RS, Travelers in the 12th century described how there were so many trading vessels here "you could cross the harbor without getting your feet wet." 

Having cooked most of our dinners in the van, we splurged for Dermot's birthday. We had delicious meals of seafood stew and Norwegian leg of lamb. Then we found a bakery for dessert and back to Scruffy Murphy's for a pint of Guinness to round out the evening.

The next day we strolled to the Bergen harbor enjoying the distinctive wooden buildings. Many are obviously leaning and they're being restored using medieval techniques and materials behind glass windows so you can see the old and sometimes singed wood.

We cruised the great seafood variety on offer at the fish market. There was whale meat, urchins, many fish and tanks stocked with giant crabs. RS says locals don't shop here - we found it crowded with tourists but we accepted our plight and tucked into a lunch of decent fish and chips. 

Our walking tour was led by a tall young docent from the Bryggens Museum sporting a red "dress"/ medieval tunic. The museum was literally built on the excavated ruins of the multiple fires that burned the city to the ground over and over. It housed many of the items found during the excavations. One memorable item was a tiny coffin made for a fetus that had been found within the stone wall of a church. Since stillborn babies weren't buried, it was the only hope it's parents had of their child making it to heaven and they had risked much to secret it there. Had they been caught, they would not have been allowed a Christian burial themselves. Though the city has a long and fairly unique history, we didn't find the tour very interesting. I did like the recreated kitchen of the Hanseatic Quarter. 

Preikestolen aka Pulpit Rock

According to its own guide, "Preikestolen is the most iconic natural landmark in Norway. Atop the 604 meters high cliff, you will find the most dramatic views Norway has to offer. The trail has significant shifts in terrain, and includes marshes, forests and stone stairways built by Nepalese Sherpas." It sounded too good to pass up. So we drove through Southwest Norway experiencing one of the most beautiful drives we've ever taken. If you look at a map of this area, you'll see dramatic fjords and countless islands. Many islands can only be reached by ferry or tunnel - our drive took us two ferries and many tunnels. The ferries are efficient and fun. Tunnels dive deep under the fjords and then ascend. I've included pictures taken from the ferries and passenger seat of the car but they don't do the trip justice. 

Preikestolen Camping is large and has a free-for-all approach to sites. They don't take reservations, and there are no space numbers or boundaries. We had arrived early enough to find a reasonably good spot, but those who arrived later had to get creative. We've had mostly sunny days and we were especially lucky to have a day with no rain in the forecast on the day we planned to hike.

We were advised to get to the trail by 7:30 at the latest to avoid the crowds and to take breaks whenever we needed to so we there at 7. Unfortunately, the midges were out in full force. They bit and harried us for most of the trip up and there was no rest without a swarm. Though the view from the cliff down to the Fjord is spectacular, the hike itself was mostly stone with some forest and marshes. Except for the few boardwalks over marsh, each footfall had to be placed carefully on the rocky trail so there was not much chance to enjoy the view. It's an exceptional photo op but don't let those smiles fool you, we suffered for it. 

Stats:

Flights climbed: 90 - that's approximately 900 feet of elevation gain but doesn't count the times you descend and then have to climb up again.

Wildlife: Besides midges, one black slug and several birds. 

Midges inhaled: lost count.

Kristiansand

The drive to Kristiansand was also scenic, but the ferries were less efficient and it took us most of the day. The last few photos in the album are of the beach at the campground and the coast of Norway from our ferry to Denmark.

Norway's Natural Beauty

 

Nigard Glacier

Lom

We drove from Oslo past Lillehammer (site of the 1994 winter Olympics and famous knee-capping incident) and on to Lom enjoying the shift from city to small towns, then to a mix of modern and log houses with sod roofs that looked like they were built long ago. Our Lom camping was next to rushing Bøvra river so our view and soundscape couldn't be beat. While there, we visited Lom's impressive stave church built in the 1150's. Little remains of the early interior as its been expanded and even converted from Catholic to Lutheran in 1608, but it is still in use today. The process for preparing the trees prior to felling them and for building these churches is unique so google it if interested. The exterior is still painted with tar periodically to preserve the wood so there are many warnings not to light matches or smoke nearby!

Click here for our photos, "i" for information.

We got advice from the TI on roads conditions and a recommended unmarked trail along 55 for a hike with great views of three mountain lakes. This area is beautiful! We enjoyed comfortable temperatures as we hiked through mud, over rocks and even snow. Dermot climbed far higher than I did. I was happy to take panorama shots as I slowly followed, vowing silently to hit the stairmaster before our next trip. I say this every year but it could still happen!

Gjerde

The following day we set out for Gjerde along the Sognefjell over the ridge of the mountains on 55 to the Lustrafjord. We started along the churning powder blue river then climbed into the snowy mountain peaks. Dermot described the route saying "around every corner is another Kodak moment." At one pull out we learned that at one time "it was unsafe to journey across the Sognefjell. You were liable to be set upon by the vagrants who lived beyond the reach of the law. The stone [in the panorama shot to the right of Dermot] is supposed to have been much used by the vagrants as a hiding place." 

Another had stone markers for a group of men who were searching for grain and all froze to death.  This drive runs thru valleys and over peaks and has many fantastic waterfalls. It's usually closed mid-October to May and it was clear from the spots that still had deep snow on both sides of the road it was quite a job to clear it. Descending out of the mountain terrain we got our first glimpse of the Lustrafjord which looked like every picture postcard of a Norwegian Fjord. 

We had decided to take a trip to the most accessible branch of the largest glacier in Norway, though it is remote by our standards. We arrived at Jostedal Camping too wrecked from driving on the very narrow roads to attempt the hike that day so we settled in the campground to relax.

 The Nigard (translates to ninth farm) glacier is named so because, in the days it was advancing, it had crushed eight farms higher up the valley and stopped at the ninth.  Over 75 years ago the glacier reached all the way to the parking lot of the Breheimsenteret Glacier Information Center. Unfortunately, it's been shrinking for many years now so getting close enough to see it involved driving down a toll road, taking a boat and hiking over rocks of every size including huge ones polished smooth by the glacier. Dermot picked his way relatively easily while I lagged behind. 

Its hard to find the words for experiencing the glacier because the physical beauty can be somewhat captured in our photos, but the emotions standing before it are varied and conflicting. Imagining it's mass and power to carve out mountains inspires awe but knowing how climate change is causing glaciers to shrink all over the world gave me such a heavy heart. Dermot ventured past the chain posting warnings knowing that the melting waters create voids that could collapse at any time and said that it felt like an immense monster's mouth ready to devour you.

Safe back at our campsite, we enjoyed dinner watching birds catch insects for  their young beside the rushing river of melt water, the colors and sounds of which we never tired.

Flåm

Besides the beautiful scenery, the drive to Flåm had a few very special features. The first was that the road abruptly came to an end at a ferry crossing - our first fjord cruise! Not long after that, we were surprised by the many long tunnels we drove through. At 24.5 kilometers, the Lærdal tunnel is the longest road tunnel in Europe. It's good neither of us are claustrophobic! I was getting a bit hypnotized by the end of it.

Flåm is not a picturesque Norwegian village, but it gave us easy access to the two best sightseeing opportunities of the area. We took the fjord cruise from Flåm to Gudvangen and it was incredibly beautiful. 

The landscape is awe-inspiring and I felt very small compared to the heights of the mountains and depths of the fjord. If waterfalls give you chills, there are hundreds here. That some people managed to live in such inaccessible areas is a wonder.

The Flamsbana Train trip from Flåm to Myrdal climbs 2838 feet in 12 miles and passes by mighty waterfalls and scenic mountain landscapes reaching a crescendo of thundering water - Kjosfossen Falls. 

If the sight didn’t give you chills, the combination of the meltwater spray and haunting singing by a woman in a bright red dress definitely would. 

We also passed by villages and farms. Pictured here, if you zoom in, are horned goats whose milk is used to make brown cheese which is slightly sweet because the milk and whey are cooked which carmelizes the sugars. Marion had invited us to try it and I'm so glad she did because I never would have bought it but it's delicious!

Next stop: Norway's West Coast

Norway - Oslo

Vigeland Sculpture Park

What comes to mind when you imagine Norway? Frojds, mountains, and trolls, perhaps. Since we'd been traveling the fairly flat areas of Denmark and Sweden, our entrance to Norway was delineated by a ridge of mountains. Ekeberg camping is flanked by Ekeberg Sculpture Park and sits high above Oslo giving us a wonderful introduction to the area with great hiking sprinkled with benches and viewpoints for admiring the city through the trees. Dramatic sculptures dot the landscape - some were beautiful, most were thought-provoking. Famous names such as Rodin, Dali, and even Paul McCartney were represented among the 41 artists. We didn't even cover a tenth of it.

Click here for our photos, "i" for information

The second day we followed RS's Oslo walk. He had warned of pick-pockets and possible aggressive pan-handling we felt perfectly safe. 

The Oslo Cathedral's colorful ceiling and special box for royals was lovely. The city is compact but still manages to fit in a large relaxing park with a water feature that does double duty - in warm months it's a fountain and wading pool for youngsters and a skating rink in winter. The City Hall is enormous and slathered with art depicting scenes from Norse Mythology.

We’d listened to Norse myths from the Swedish National Museum's app on the drive to Norway so we appreciated it a bit more. There's a Norse mythology equivalent to Adam and Eve except their version of Eve isn't the cause of original sin and she is depicted beautifully.

Meeting up with friends in our travels is such a rare, special treat. Dermot's friends Frank and Marion had often asked him when he was coming to Norway and we made plans to meet Frank downtown. I enjoyed meeting him and listening to their banter as they caught up. Frank graciously invited us to spend Friday and Saturday camping at their home.

The National Museum of Norway has such a huge collection of art that we decided to do the audio "Meet the Collection" tour on their app which highlighted 22 works throughout the museum. It was fascinating. You would think that would be fairly quick but we often found ourselves just walking by such intriguing works or pieces by such famous artists as Picasso, Van Gogh, Cezanne, and Rodin - that we couldn't help but stop for a quick look. We broke up our visit with lunch in a nearby cafe enjoying the view of the sparkling harbor from the second floor. 

As you can see from our photos album, the Vigeland Sculpture Park captured our imagination. Gustav Vigeland was Norway's greatest sculptor and he specialized in nudes. Rick Steves wrote "At once majestic, hands-on, entertaining, and deeply moving, I find this park to be one of Europe's top artistic sights." It had something for everyone.

The angry toddler statue has become famous and you can see from the picture that his small left fist has been polished by the many people who can't help but hold it. I found the statues depicting moments of joy as well as the struggles of both young and old couples particularly moving.

We’d “earned our refreshment,” as my cousin Sonja would say, so we stopped at The Dubliner Folk Pub for a rejuvenating beer/cider break. Since restaurants are particularly expensive in Oslo, I went shopping for the makings of dinner while Dermot had a second beer for good measure. Pickings were slim so we had heat-and-serve Chicken Tandoori in the van that night. 

The following day we took care of some essentials and headed to the Bygdøy area. The Fram Museum includes two ships and many artifacts from several polar explorations and their brochure recommended starting with the widescreen film but it wasn’t working. So we tried to follow the story by reading the many displays and touring the two ships. Though it was somewhat interesting, I never got my arms around the subject and just felt frustrated. 

Kon-tiki

The Kon-Tiki Museum was easier to follow and featured the two rafts used by Thor Heyerdahl and crew to cross oceans as well as artifacts gathered in their research. Dermot’s and I both enjoyed this one. We marveled that only one Kon-tiki crew member had any experience sailing and Thor was afraid of water. The story is well-documented in film and books so you can learn more if you're interested. Here's a link to get started: Kon-tiki

Dermot’s friend Frank met us at the campground Friday and drove with us to his home in a suburb of Oslo. Frank, Marion and their three children (aged 15-20) shared memories and laughter. The oldest daughter’s boyfriend joined as well and we all enjoyed a delicious dinner together and great conversation until the wee hours. It was the first night we went to bed after dark in weeks.

The following day Frank and Marion took us on a nice hike through woods and along the water to an inlet of the Oslo Fjord. It was beautiful and so relaxing watching the ducks and boats glide along the crystal clear water. 

Marion is from Norway and her national pride was clear as she told us about her country and offered us Norwegian foods to try such as mackerel in tomato sauce, pâte with bacon and her favorite licorice candies. She went above and beyond providing advice and options for the rest of our Norway travels. 

Frank cooked another wonderful dinner and we enjoyed their hospitality for another night. The following afternoon we waved goodbye but not before making plans to see them again.

That day we visited the Norwegian Folk Museum and learned alot about the folk traditions, varied architecture, and Sami cultures. Two thumbs up from me but Dermot was multitasking - earphones tuned to the Munster hurling final while also touring the museum.

Cruising to Norway, Denmark and Russia

I’ll skip the descriptions of the typical cruise activities everyone has experienced but there were some differences on this P&O Cruises. For example, there were no towel animals - too whimsical, perhaps? Beyond the usual food service, they also served afternoon tea. I only made it once but I tried scones and tea biscuits with clotted cream - much nicer than it sounds. Dermot and I were sometimes assets on a team with Brits in the quiz challenges. Embarrassingly however, we did not know the origins of ZZ Top. 

Kristiansand, Norway

When you think of Norway, you picture magnificent fjords with the occasional colorful village thrown in. Our time in Kristiansand, Norway was wet - ranging from drizzle to downpour and there wasn’t a fjord in sight. We attempted a self-guided walking tour but truncated it a bit and everything looks pretty gray in the pictures. As far as I can tell, the main reason our cruise stopped here is that it’s conveniently located along our route to St Petersburg, Russia. I spent that evening and the next day drying out my shoes, backpack contents, and new “waterproof” jacket. 

Copenhagen, Denmark

We were forecast to have fair weather during our stay but experienced more rain. After attempting to wait it out, we gave up, bought plastic ponchos and carried on. Copenhagen is a lovely city where bike-riders take the right-of-way on wide paths and pedestrians nervously pick their way along narrow even pavers and (often) uneven cobblestones. I wished we had more time to visit the reportedly wonderful National Museum or fit a canal tour in but time was too tight. On our way out of Copenhagen we had more rain and then a double-rainbow. 

Our Photos Here

St. Petersburg, Russia

This was the big draw for us and we took a “Splendors of St. Petersburg” excursion that had us hopping for two days from one impressive palace, artwork, and fountain to the next. There were 14 people in our minibus and we enjoyed riding in comfort with explanations from a young native Russian. Since we hadn’t arranged a special visa prior to leaving home, we were restricted to a led tour and there were no opportunities to chat with locals. We got a pretty rosy description of current life in Russia and descriptions of historical events were told with a similarly positive perspective. I once asked what happened to churches and cathedrals after the revolution and civil war and was told that of course, they lost some of what they had but that most churches were turned into museums.  

History for those interested

Though we did see many splendors of St. Petersburg, we didn't see much of the Hermitage and left feeling that we only got the barest glimpse into all the cities we visited.  I guess that's the trade-off between vandrifting and cruising.