After getting to bed around 2330, we were awake at 0100 for our approach into Kristiansund in the semi-dark. It was a relatively short night for us. We were up at 0600 to watch the scenery as we headed to Trondheim, well noted as the departure point for many Viking expeditions in the past. The first ever export of goods to Europe from North America took place here about 1000 years ago.
Since we were not sure how much time we will have when we drive south, we decided to join the excursion ashore to visit the Nidaros Cathedral, the Musikkhistorisk Museum at Ringve, and to see some of the local sights.
The cathedral is the only surviving cathedral in Norway, so it has great national and cultural importance. Although Norway was unified in 872 AD by Hakon Hakonsson with the defeat of the local chieftains by the people of Trondelag, it was Olaf who brought Christianity to the Vikings following his service to many lords in the Middle East. In the battle of Stiklestad in 1030, which was part of the struggle to force Christianity on the Vikings, Olaf was killed. Following his death, pilgrims traveled to see and be healed by St. Olav’s shrine. In 1152, an archbishop was appointed, and as a result, a more prestigious church was needed. Construction of the predominantly Gothic cathedral (early parts are Romanesque) began in 1170 on top of St. Olav‘s holy shrine, and was completed in about 1300. The cathedral remained one of Europe’s most important places of pilgrimage until the Reformation in 1537.
The Ringve Museum is the location of the Norwegian national museum of music and musical instruments. Our tour through the museum was amazing. We saw many beautiful old instruments dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries. There were early violas and cellos with 6 to 14 strings, rather than the 4-stringed version with which we are familiar. There were many Hardanger fiddles, a traditional Norwegian folk instrument, with 8 strings (4 conventional, plus 4 resonating) which apparently can have more than 30 different tunings. The museum has an amazing number of harpsichords, clavichords, and ancient pianos and organs. Our guide was a talented young musician who was extremely knowledgeable about all of the instruments. He also played many of the old instruments … amazing and delightful! This was definitely a highlight.
Our ship left port at 12:00 noon and eventually headed north along the coast passing farming communities and lighthouses. We sailed through a myriad of small islands and skerries and into the Froya and Halten areas known for many years for their fishing banks to the west. The Halten bank is more recently known for its oil and gas fields. The highlight of the afternoon was near Stokkoya when the ship entered a narrow channel about twice the width of the ship, made a sharp turn to starboard under a beautiful curved sweeping bridge on the coastal highway and then, sounding it’s horn, made a hard turn to port through an even tighter passage! It was amazing and leaves one in awe of the skill of these captains. The rest of the trip we passed by picturesque islands on either side, many with fish farming operations. We then headed out into an open stretch of sea as we made our way to Rorvik, our next port of call. Most of our day was been under sunny skies with just enough clouds to make them interesting. The wind remains cold however so we have been happy to have our mountain parkas. Sunset was about 2234.
After supper, we conversed with our dinner mates until near midnight in broken French and English … and hand waving. It turns out that Yvonne and Heintz live Nice during the winter, and Bavaria during the summers.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
May 26 - Hurtigruten - Floro, Maloy, Torvik, Alesund, Geiranger, Molde
When we awoke at about 0430, we realized that the ship was not moving. In fact, we were docked at Maloy, and moments later we departed under heavily overcast skies and strong winds. At this point, we realized that we must have stopped at Floro about 0200 while were sleeping.
The ship continued north skirting around islands, under beautiful sweeping bridges, occasionally crossing open sections with a good cross ‘lop’ from the west. Before we knew it, we had stopped at Torvik to offload cargo and passengers. And then, we were off to Alesund for a 45 minute stop, and a quick walk down to the end of the harbour. The town burnt in 1904 and was rebuilt with a distinctive Art Nouveau style of building along the waterfront.
We spent most of the day outside on deck 5 in the wind and cold, not wanting to miss any of the spectacular scenery passing by. As the day wore on, we came in several times to warm up and put on few more clothes. From Alesund, we headed south for a short distance, and then east up Storfjorden and Sunnylysfjorden to Geirangerfjorden. What fantastic scenery; just amazing! There were spectacular waterfalls plunging from the mountainous snow-capped 1500 to 1700 m margins of the fjords, picturesque small towns and villages along the coastline, and small abandoned farming communities (now summer homes) and ‘hyttes’ dotting the higher slopes sporadically midway up the fjord sides. After dropping off some passengers for an afternoon bus excursion, we headed back to Alesund, again enjoying the fjord scenery on the return trip.
After leaving Alesund, we were chased by an ominous black line squall (cold front). As the cold front caught up and passed us, the temperature dropped and the rain turned to sleet with 3-4 mm ice pellets bouncing off the deck and railings.
Since we were assigned to the 2nd sitting for dinner, we didn’t eat until 2030. At this time, we met our dinner table mates for the rest of the trip. She was from Alsace and only speaks French and German; he is from Germany, and speaks German, French and a little English. With our English and limited French, our dinner conversation must be fascinating to others. While having dinner, the ship stopped at Molde. The town looks south over Romsdalsfjorden to the Romsdalen Alps (87 snow-topped peaks … and no, we didn’t count them).
From Molde, we headed west, then north past Julsnundet, Fraena, Gossen Island, Hustadvika and Bud towards Kristiansund.
The ship continued north skirting around islands, under beautiful sweeping bridges, occasionally crossing open sections with a good cross ‘lop’ from the west. Before we knew it, we had stopped at Torvik to offload cargo and passengers. And then, we were off to Alesund for a 45 minute stop, and a quick walk down to the end of the harbour. The town burnt in 1904 and was rebuilt with a distinctive Art Nouveau style of building along the waterfront.
We spent most of the day outside on deck 5 in the wind and cold, not wanting to miss any of the spectacular scenery passing by. As the day wore on, we came in several times to warm up and put on few more clothes. From Alesund, we headed south for a short distance, and then east up Storfjorden and Sunnylysfjorden to Geirangerfjorden. What fantastic scenery; just amazing! There were spectacular waterfalls plunging from the mountainous snow-capped 1500 to 1700 m margins of the fjords, picturesque small towns and villages along the coastline, and small abandoned farming communities (now summer homes) and ‘hyttes’ dotting the higher slopes sporadically midway up the fjord sides. After dropping off some passengers for an afternoon bus excursion, we headed back to Alesund, again enjoying the fjord scenery on the return trip.
After leaving Alesund, we were chased by an ominous black line squall (cold front). As the cold front caught up and passed us, the temperature dropped and the rain turned to sleet with 3-4 mm ice pellets bouncing off the deck and railings.
Since we were assigned to the 2nd sitting for dinner, we didn’t eat until 2030. At this time, we met our dinner table mates for the rest of the trip. She was from Alsace and only speaks French and German; he is from Germany, and speaks German, French and a little English. With our English and limited French, our dinner conversation must be fascinating to others. While having dinner, the ship stopped at Molde. The town looks south over Romsdalsfjorden to the Romsdalen Alps (87 snow-topped peaks … and no, we didn’t count them).
From Molde, we headed west, then north past Julsnundet, Fraena, Gossen Island, Hustadvika and Bud towards Kristiansund.
May 25 - Last Day in Bergen and the Hurtigruten
On Friday morning, after eating breakfast at the usual place, we walked along the Bryggen area and explored Bergenhus and the Hokenshallen and the Rosenkrantztarnet with a variety of sun, clouds and rain.
The Bryggen area is comprised of about 40 small wooden houses which are painted in bright colours. They were placed on squares, streets and narrow alleys and date back to the 18th & 19th centuries. The foundations of the oldest buildings in Bergen date from the 12th century.
Hakon’s Hall was built during the reign of King Hakon Hakonsson between 1247 and 1261. It was the largest royal residency in the 13th century when Bergen was the political centre of Norway. Rosenkrantz Tower was built in the 1560’s by the governor of Bergen Castle, Erik Rosenkrantz. It was both a residence and a fortified tower. Earlier structures from King Magnus the Lawmender’s keep from about 1260, and Jorgen Hansson’s defences from about 1520 are all part of Bergenhus.
We drove out to the Arboretet og Botanisk hage pa Milde with Lill in the early afternoon. We walked around the arboretum for about 2 hours. Wow, what a display of Rhodadendrons in a beautiful forest park setting. And then, it was on to Lysoen Island so that we could see Ole Bull’s villa/castle. Ole Bull (1810-1880) was a Norwegian violin virtuoso in 1873, and was referred to as the Paganini of the north. He had a lot of influence on musicians of the time, and is credited with discovering Edvard Grieg. Lysoen Island is where he spent his summers.
After a quick dinner with Lill and Kjell, we boarded the Hurtigruten, the ’coastal express’ in the early evening. The ship sailed promptly at 2000, right on schedule. When we got on board, everyone was given a schedule of meetings to review safety features and other announcements. The English-speaking passengers had their meeting right at 2000 … yes, just as we leaving. The 15 minute meeting took 40 minutes, so we missed seeing our entire departure from the Bergen area. Need we say that this was more than a little frustrating…however, how can we complain!
We sailed north along Hjeltefjorden parallel to the coast, and inboard of the Oygarden Island chain. Tucked in behind these islands, the sea was relatively quiet, but once we got past Hellesoy Lighthouse, we were exposed to the strong west winds from the North Sea, and the ship began to roll and pitch. We managed to eat supper (open seating) before reaching the open water. The skies were heavy and threatening as we headed for cabin #603 and sleep.
The Bryggen area is comprised of about 40 small wooden houses which are painted in bright colours. They were placed on squares, streets and narrow alleys and date back to the 18th & 19th centuries. The foundations of the oldest buildings in Bergen date from the 12th century.
Hakon’s Hall was built during the reign of King Hakon Hakonsson between 1247 and 1261. It was the largest royal residency in the 13th century when Bergen was the political centre of Norway. Rosenkrantz Tower was built in the 1560’s by the governor of Bergen Castle, Erik Rosenkrantz. It was both a residence and a fortified tower. Earlier structures from King Magnus the Lawmender’s keep from about 1260, and Jorgen Hansson’s defences from about 1520 are all part of Bergenhus.
We drove out to the Arboretet og Botanisk hage pa Milde with Lill in the early afternoon. We walked around the arboretum for about 2 hours. Wow, what a display of Rhodadendrons in a beautiful forest park setting. And then, it was on to Lysoen Island so that we could see Ole Bull’s villa/castle. Ole Bull (1810-1880) was a Norwegian violin virtuoso in 1873, and was referred to as the Paganini of the north. He had a lot of influence on musicians of the time, and is credited with discovering Edvard Grieg. Lysoen Island is where he spent his summers.
After a quick dinner with Lill and Kjell, we boarded the Hurtigruten, the ’coastal express’ in the early evening. The ship sailed promptly at 2000, right on schedule. When we got on board, everyone was given a schedule of meetings to review safety features and other announcements. The English-speaking passengers had their meeting right at 2000 … yes, just as we leaving. The 15 minute meeting took 40 minutes, so we missed seeing our entire departure from the Bergen area. Need we say that this was more than a little frustrating…however, how can we complain!
We sailed north along Hjeltefjorden parallel to the coast, and inboard of the Oygarden Island chain. Tucked in behind these islands, the sea was relatively quiet, but once we got past Hellesoy Lighthouse, we were exposed to the strong west winds from the North Sea, and the ship began to roll and pitch. We managed to eat supper (open seating) before reaching the open water. The skies were heavy and threatening as we headed for cabin #603 and sleep.
May 24 - Bergen with Lill
Down the hill again for breakfast at Sol Brod … it’s becoming a pleasant routine, even in the rain. We met Lill at 1000, and she took us to several stops outside of Bergen Sentrum.
Our first stop was the King’s hytte which is really a small castle called, Gamlehaugen. This beautiful castle was built sometime during the mid-1800’s by a wealthy businessman. It is situated on the shores of a small lake and is surrounded by manicured lawns and gardens, and forest. The king and queen stay here when they visit Bergen.
From there, we went to see if Edvard had arrived at his summer house, Troldhaugen (the hill of the Trolls). Unfortunately, Mr. Grieg and his wife, Nina, were not in. His staff, however, showed us around the museum, his summer place with the original Steinway built specifically (less 2 keys) for Edvard in Germany, and his little garden hut down by the shore of Lake Noerdas where he did some of his composing. Grieg (1843-1907) is Norway’s most famous composer, and used to spend his summers here (April - September). Edvard and his wife, Nina, are buried in a cliff tomb on the grounds.
Next, we visited the Fantoft Stave Church which was originally built in Fortun in Sogn in 1150, and moved to Fantoft in 1883. It took almost 10 years to reassemble the church because the individual pieces were not labelled when the church was disassembled in Fortun. The original church burned down in June 1992, and was rebuilt using wood from the same forest as used for the original church, and the same construction techniques. It was interesting to hear about the history of the church, and construction techniques used from selecting and preparing the trees to the actual construction mechanics.
We drove up one of the many hills in Bergen, passing many beautiful houses built into the rocky hillsides. Getting up and down some of these roads in winter must somewhat exciting. You don’t want to even think about the possibility of missing a turn.
After a late lunch, we headed back to our apartment, i.e., up the hill with the many stairs and switch-backs. Mari picked us up in her Toyota Yaris in the evening and drove us to Lill and Kjell’s for a delicious dinner of traditionally cooked reindeer. It was a perfect end to an interesting and full day.
Our first stop was the King’s hytte which is really a small castle called, Gamlehaugen. This beautiful castle was built sometime during the mid-1800’s by a wealthy businessman. It is situated on the shores of a small lake and is surrounded by manicured lawns and gardens, and forest. The king and queen stay here when they visit Bergen.
From there, we went to see if Edvard had arrived at his summer house, Troldhaugen (the hill of the Trolls). Unfortunately, Mr. Grieg and his wife, Nina, were not in. His staff, however, showed us around the museum, his summer place with the original Steinway built specifically (less 2 keys) for Edvard in Germany, and his little garden hut down by the shore of Lake Noerdas where he did some of his composing. Grieg (1843-1907) is Norway’s most famous composer, and used to spend his summers here (April - September). Edvard and his wife, Nina, are buried in a cliff tomb on the grounds.
Next, we visited the Fantoft Stave Church which was originally built in Fortun in Sogn in 1150, and moved to Fantoft in 1883. It took almost 10 years to reassemble the church because the individual pieces were not labelled when the church was disassembled in Fortun. The original church burned down in June 1992, and was rebuilt using wood from the same forest as used for the original church, and the same construction techniques. It was interesting to hear about the history of the church, and construction techniques used from selecting and preparing the trees to the actual construction mechanics.
We drove up one of the many hills in Bergen, passing many beautiful houses built into the rocky hillsides. Getting up and down some of these roads in winter must somewhat exciting. You don’t want to even think about the possibility of missing a turn.
After a late lunch, we headed back to our apartment, i.e., up the hill with the many stairs and switch-backs. Mari picked us up in her Toyota Yaris in the evening and drove us to Lill and Kjell’s for a delicious dinner of traditionally cooked reindeer. It was a perfect end to an interesting and full day.
May 23 - Bergen Walk About
Today was a more typical ‘Bergen day’, i.e., rain and drizzle intermixed with low cloud on the surrounding mountain tops. We began our day by sharing a ’gourmet’ (the only one we had) apple for breakfast. Our apartment has no groceries (our choice), but otherwise is comfortable enough.
After our sumptuous and filling breakfast in the apartment, we headed down the many steps and switch-backs to the main street below, and homed in on the closest bakery for coffee and a pecan pastry. Sherrill says, “Yum!” Thus fortified, we headed down Torgalmenningen to see the Royals open the Bergen International Festival. While waiting in the rain and drizzle for the King and Queen to arrive, we listened to the Royal Guard band and some local school bands as they prepared for the occasion. We were also able to visit briefly with Martin (son of Ragnhild & Anders neighbours in Oslo) who plays a saxophone in the Royal Guard band.
Next, we headed back down the main street towards the harbour where Sherrill made a quick stop at a local quilting shop while John took some photographs of the Bryggen area around the harbour. The Bryggen area was in 1360 the site where German Hanseatic merchants set up their import/export offices that dominated trade in the area for the next 400 years. While the buildings have been destroyed by fire several times during their history, they’ve been rebuilt and are now a UNESCO Heritage Site. These old wooden buildings have settled and sagged over time with the result that there are few square joints in the walls, windows, doorways and narrow alleyways. The eccentricity of the architecture gives a special feeling to the many interesting shops and restaurants located in Brygen.
En route to the Bryggen area, we stopped by the ‘Fish Market’ at the head of the harbour where became acquainted with local varieties of Wolf-fish, Monkfish, Atlantic Catfish,and many other varieties. We also sampled smoked and marinated salmon and whale … yes, whale! M-m-good!
After recharging ourselves at a local indoor food market for lunch, including ice cream for Sherrill (John was forced to have some too), we headed up Mount Floyen on the Floibanen. This is a 844 m long funicular railway with slopes from 15 to 26 degrees that ascends 320 m above Bergen. The views of Bergen were spectacular, and we timed it just right to miss the heavier rain and fog. While the weather closed in, we headed for the restaurant that overlooked the city for a coffee and another pecan pastry (just as good as the ones from the morning).
As the rain eased a little, we wandered up and down through the narrow streets behind the Bryggen area, marvelling at the narrow passages, many stairs and almost 360 degree turns on the roads as they switch-backed up through the houses. Being ‘older’ folk, we headed back to the apartment for a quick nap before dinner while the rain continued.
By the time we headed back down the hill for dinner, and then back up to our apartment, we were ready to finally slow down for the day.
After our sumptuous and filling breakfast in the apartment, we headed down the many steps and switch-backs to the main street below, and homed in on the closest bakery for coffee and a pecan pastry. Sherrill says, “Yum!” Thus fortified, we headed down Torgalmenningen to see the Royals open the Bergen International Festival. While waiting in the rain and drizzle for the King and Queen to arrive, we listened to the Royal Guard band and some local school bands as they prepared for the occasion. We were also able to visit briefly with Martin (son of Ragnhild & Anders neighbours in Oslo) who plays a saxophone in the Royal Guard band.
Next, we headed back down the main street towards the harbour where Sherrill made a quick stop at a local quilting shop while John took some photographs of the Bryggen area around the harbour. The Bryggen area was in 1360 the site where German Hanseatic merchants set up their import/export offices that dominated trade in the area for the next 400 years. While the buildings have been destroyed by fire several times during their history, they’ve been rebuilt and are now a UNESCO Heritage Site. These old wooden buildings have settled and sagged over time with the result that there are few square joints in the walls, windows, doorways and narrow alleyways. The eccentricity of the architecture gives a special feeling to the many interesting shops and restaurants located in Brygen.
En route to the Bryggen area, we stopped by the ‘Fish Market’ at the head of the harbour where became acquainted with local varieties of Wolf-fish, Monkfish, Atlantic Catfish,and many other varieties. We also sampled smoked and marinated salmon and whale … yes, whale! M-m-good!
After recharging ourselves at a local indoor food market for lunch, including ice cream for Sherrill (John was forced to have some too), we headed up Mount Floyen on the Floibanen. This is a 844 m long funicular railway with slopes from 15 to 26 degrees that ascends 320 m above Bergen. The views of Bergen were spectacular, and we timed it just right to miss the heavier rain and fog. While the weather closed in, we headed for the restaurant that overlooked the city for a coffee and another pecan pastry (just as good as the ones from the morning).
As the rain eased a little, we wandered up and down through the narrow streets behind the Bryggen area, marvelling at the narrow passages, many stairs and almost 360 degree turns on the roads as they switch-backed up through the houses. Being ‘older’ folk, we headed back to the apartment for a quick nap before dinner while the rain continued.
By the time we headed back down the hill for dinner, and then back up to our apartment, we were ready to finally slow down for the day.
May 22 - Norway in a Nutshell, part 2
Having seen what we wanted to see in Flam, we decided to take the early boat to Gudvangen with plans to spend the day at the Stalheim Hotel before catching the train at Voss.
The 2 hour boat trip to Gudvangen winds its way north down the Aurlsland Fjord, then into a narrower fjord, Naeroyfjorden, that extends to the southwest. Throughout the trip, the rocky fjord margins extended straight upwards to snow-capped crests. There were numerous waterfalls, many of which extended from the 1200 m high cliffs to sea level. One of these waterfalls, Kjelsfossen, is one of the 10 longest in the world. While most settlements were situated at sea level, occasionally there were houses perched high on the edges of the fjord with access only by precarious narrow trails, and temporary bridges. At the narrowest part of the Naeroyfjorden, it narrows to a little over a 250 m wide, yet the fjord margins are undiminished in height. It was through this narrow gap that winds became ferocious as they funnelled down the fjord, causing the deck chairs to strewn across the deck of the boat until rescued by the crew.
Upon our arrival at Gudvangen, in the rain, we climbed aboard the bus and discovered that the Stalheim Hotel was closed for the day. Nevertheless, we decided to head for Voss, including an adventurous drive up the old Stalheim highway. The old road which was built between 1842-1848 with a 1:20 grade = steep. This is apparently the steepest road in Norway. We lost track of the number of hair-pin curves. We were awed at the bus driver’s ability to negotiate the many turns, avoiding the sheer drop-offs and the occasional on-coming car that had to back uphill out of the way. We passed two spectacular waterfalls and the view down the valley was fantastic. It was amazing to think that this was the main highway down to Gudvangen until 1964 when a tunnel was constructed to by-pass the area.
As we neared the crest of the old road, Sherrill asked the bus driver about the tall stone monument. Without skipping a beat, the driver responded, “That’s to commemorate all of the bus drivers who lost their lives driving the old road!” He quickly quipped, “Just kidding,” indicating that it was really to acknowledge a famous local poet.
We paused only for a few minutes at the Stalheim Hotel to take some more passengers. After rejoining the main highway, we headed to Voss along twisting valleys, passing a couple large lakes and many farms, a paralleling a swollen and tumbling river. In Voss, we caught the express train to Bergen, and arrived there mid-afternoon.
Amazingly, Bergen was sunny upon our arrival! We walked from the station with our bags in tow over cobbled, lumpy streets and up the numerous switch-backs to Skansen Pensjonet and our apartment for the next 3 nights. After a quick rest, we headed back down the hill to dinner with Lill, Kjell and Mari. It was great to re-connect with friends from our time in St. John’s. True to form, it didn’t take long for the weather to change. It started raining during dinner. Bergen boasts, “Four seasons in a day!”
The 2 hour boat trip to Gudvangen winds its way north down the Aurlsland Fjord, then into a narrower fjord, Naeroyfjorden, that extends to the southwest. Throughout the trip, the rocky fjord margins extended straight upwards to snow-capped crests. There were numerous waterfalls, many of which extended from the 1200 m high cliffs to sea level. One of these waterfalls, Kjelsfossen, is one of the 10 longest in the world. While most settlements were situated at sea level, occasionally there were houses perched high on the edges of the fjord with access only by precarious narrow trails, and temporary bridges. At the narrowest part of the Naeroyfjorden, it narrows to a little over a 250 m wide, yet the fjord margins are undiminished in height. It was through this narrow gap that winds became ferocious as they funnelled down the fjord, causing the deck chairs to strewn across the deck of the boat until rescued by the crew.
Upon our arrival at Gudvangen, in the rain, we climbed aboard the bus and discovered that the Stalheim Hotel was closed for the day. Nevertheless, we decided to head for Voss, including an adventurous drive up the old Stalheim highway. The old road which was built between 1842-1848 with a 1:20 grade = steep. This is apparently the steepest road in Norway. We lost track of the number of hair-pin curves. We were awed at the bus driver’s ability to negotiate the many turns, avoiding the sheer drop-offs and the occasional on-coming car that had to back uphill out of the way. We passed two spectacular waterfalls and the view down the valley was fantastic. It was amazing to think that this was the main highway down to Gudvangen until 1964 when a tunnel was constructed to by-pass the area.
As we neared the crest of the old road, Sherrill asked the bus driver about the tall stone monument. Without skipping a beat, the driver responded, “That’s to commemorate all of the bus drivers who lost their lives driving the old road!” He quickly quipped, “Just kidding,” indicating that it was really to acknowledge a famous local poet.
We paused only for a few minutes at the Stalheim Hotel to take some more passengers. After rejoining the main highway, we headed to Voss along twisting valleys, passing a couple large lakes and many farms, a paralleling a swollen and tumbling river. In Voss, we caught the express train to Bergen, and arrived there mid-afternoon.
Amazingly, Bergen was sunny upon our arrival! We walked from the station with our bags in tow over cobbled, lumpy streets and up the numerous switch-backs to Skansen Pensjonet and our apartment for the next 3 nights. After a quick rest, we headed back down the hill to dinner with Lill, Kjell and Mari. It was great to re-connect with friends from our time in St. John’s. True to form, it didn’t take long for the weather to change. It started raining during dinner. Bergen boasts, “Four seasons in a day!”
Monday, May 21, 2007
May 21 - Norway in a Nutshell, part 1
Today, we left Anders and Ragnhild, and began our 471 km journey across Norway towards Bergen. We were up at 0530 for breakfast, and were then driven to the main train station downtown by Steiner (next door neighbour to Anders and Ragnild), arriving there at 0715. A little before 0800, we boarded Coach 6, and found our reserved seats (#’s 77 & 78). The train pulled out promptly at 0811, and once out of town we were skimming past the country-side at 100+ km/h along broad twisting valleys and small towns. As we gained elevation, it wasn’t long before we started seeing remnant snow patches and snow covered mountains. By the time we reached the tree-line, the mountainous landscape was entirely snow-covered, and yet there were still numerous ‘hyttes’, villages and ski areas. We eventually reached an elevation of 1222 m above sea level at Finse, and then began our descent to Myrdal at 866 m.
We reached Myrdal just before 1300, and transferred to the ‘Flambana’ (Flam Railway) for the 20 km trip down to sea level at the town of Flam. We arrived in Flam at about 1400.
The Flam Railway travels down precipitous mountain sides with numerous waterfalls, twisting around sharp curves and through 20 tunnels (many of which were excavated by hand), and switching valley sides to avoid potential avalanche risks. Almost 80% of the railway line has a gradient of 55%, or 1:18. Construction of this railway began in 1923 with the first tracks laid in 1936. The first train (steam) ran in August, 1940 when the line was opened temporarily, and for electric trains in 1944.
As the train descends to Flam, there are numerous farms and farmhouses spread across the lush green valley bottoms and in meadows hanging off the sides of the valley. Many of these farms date back to the 17th century. Some settlements have been occupied for over 1000 years. The cascading waterfalls along the valley margins feed a river in the bottom of the valley as it rushes to the sea at the head of the Aurlands Fjord.
At Flam, you are situated at the head of the Aurlands Fjord, a southern arm of Sognefjord, looking north. The steep-sided fjord rises to over 1500 m from sea level, straight up to sporadically snow-capped edges. There are lots of places to hike between Myrdal and Flam.
We stayed at the Fletheim Hotel in Flam. Our room faced out on the fjord as did the dining room so we were able to watch the light change down at the end of the fjord as we ate dinner. Quite a treat indeed! Dinner itself was a delicious buffet with the usual varieties of seafood and wonderful breads offered.
We reached Myrdal just before 1300, and transferred to the ‘Flambana’ (Flam Railway) for the 20 km trip down to sea level at the town of Flam. We arrived in Flam at about 1400.
The Flam Railway travels down precipitous mountain sides with numerous waterfalls, twisting around sharp curves and through 20 tunnels (many of which were excavated by hand), and switching valley sides to avoid potential avalanche risks. Almost 80% of the railway line has a gradient of 55%, or 1:18. Construction of this railway began in 1923 with the first tracks laid in 1936. The first train (steam) ran in August, 1940 when the line was opened temporarily, and for electric trains in 1944.
As the train descends to Flam, there are numerous farms and farmhouses spread across the lush green valley bottoms and in meadows hanging off the sides of the valley. Many of these farms date back to the 17th century. Some settlements have been occupied for over 1000 years. The cascading waterfalls along the valley margins feed a river in the bottom of the valley as it rushes to the sea at the head of the Aurlands Fjord.
At Flam, you are situated at the head of the Aurlands Fjord, a southern arm of Sognefjord, looking north. The steep-sided fjord rises to over 1500 m from sea level, straight up to sporadically snow-capped edges. There are lots of places to hike between Myrdal and Flam.
We stayed at the Fletheim Hotel in Flam. Our room faced out on the fjord as did the dining room so we were able to watch the light change down at the end of the fjord as we ate dinner. Quite a treat indeed! Dinner itself was a delicious buffet with the usual varieties of seafood and wonderful breads offered.
May 20 - Vigeland & Oslo Tour
After a ‘really’ leisurely morning, Anders and Ragnhild, took us to see the Vigeland Museum to view the magnificent sculptures produced by Norway’s best-loved sculptor, Gustav Vigeland. Here, there are over 200 granite and bronze sculptures that are simply amazing. The sculptures are of people of all ages, from tranquil elderly couples to a small ill-humoured child (Sinataggen). There are traditional static poses to others catching an individual(s) midway through movement. It really was a thrill to see.
After the museum, Anders (our Oslo taxi-driver) took us on a tour of Oslo to see the areas around the University of Oslo, the older rejuvenated parts of the city, and places where he and Ragnhild lived when they were going to school. It was really special to hear them talk about their early days and times.
In the evening, we were all invited next door for coffee and desert with Tove and Steinar. They are such warm people. No wonder they are such good neighbours and best friends to Ragnhild and Anders.
After the museum, Anders (our Oslo taxi-driver) took us on a tour of Oslo to see the areas around the University of Oslo, the older rejuvenated parts of the city, and places where he and Ragnhild lived when they were going to school. It was really special to hear them talk about their early days and times.
In the evening, we were all invited next door for coffee and desert with Tove and Steinar. They are such warm people. No wonder they are such good neighbours and best friends to Ragnhild and Anders.
May 19 - Norsk Folk museum & Baerum Verk
Ragnhild dropped us at the Norsk Folk Museum while she went to the National Art Gallery to scout out a new landscape painting show. At the museum, we saw numerous old style farm buildings and houses with slate and sod roofs, and an old stave church. We were fortunate to be able to spend the best part of the day here while the sun was shining.
We then went to Baerums Verks which is located about 20 minutes outside Oslo along the Lommendal River. This is the site of a historic iron foundry that dates back about 380 years has been converted into an artisans centre with glass-blowing, wood-working, quilting, iron-smithy, ceramists, doll-maker, a chocolatier and other stores. There are various places to eat including a Dutch ‘Pannecake’ restaurant … really good! We also saw a wonderful old inn that has been converted into a restaurant.
That evening, we headed off to the cinema with Anders and Ragnhild to see “Notes on a Scandal” with Judi Dench and Cate Blanchette?? There were lots of twists and turns to this interesting socially sensitive story. We finished off the evening enjoying some red wine and wonderful cheeses as we chatted our way to 2;30 A.M.
We then went to Baerums Verks which is located about 20 minutes outside Oslo along the Lommendal River. This is the site of a historic iron foundry that dates back about 380 years has been converted into an artisans centre with glass-blowing, wood-working, quilting, iron-smithy, ceramists, doll-maker, a chocolatier and other stores. There are various places to eat including a Dutch ‘Pannecake’ restaurant … really good! We also saw a wonderful old inn that has been converted into a restaurant.
That evening, we headed off to the cinema with Anders and Ragnhild to see “Notes on a Scandal” with Judi Dench and Cate Blanchette?? There were lots of twists and turns to this interesting socially sensitive story. We finished off the evening enjoying some red wine and wonderful cheeses as we chatted our way to 2;30 A.M.
May 18 - Bygdoy
This morning, it dawned cool and damp, so we decided that it was a good day to be inside = museums! Ragnhild offered to drive us to Bygdoy where several museums are located. En route, we visited her old school where she has been teaching grade 10, and her ‘brand’ new school where she will be teaching grade 8 this fall. To get to Ragnhild’s new school, we drove up and over the hill past Tanum (the old church), and through the beautiful rural countryside, and down the twisting country road on the other side of the hill. It’s amazing how quickly one can switch between residential and rural in such short distances, and still be this close in to the centre of Oslo (20 minutes by bus). The houses where Anders and Ragnhild live are nestled in a small valley with lots of trees, flowers and attractive houses. Everything is close by, i.e., train, bus, shopping, schools, churches, x-c skiing, forest to walk in, etc.
We began our museum tour today by visiting the ‘Vikingskiphuset’ which houses famous Viking ships that date back to about 800-900 AD. The Oseberg ship was built about 820 AD. It was originally used as a sailing vessel before finally being used as a burial ship for an important woman who died about 834 AD. The Gokstad ship was built about 890 AD, and eventually also used as a burial ship for a powerful chieftan about 900 AD. The Tune ship was built about 900 AD. All 3 ships, or parts of them with various artefacts were on display at the museum
From here, we walked about 1.5 kms to the ‘Norsk Rjofarts Museum’ (Maritime Museum). There was an excellent widescreen movie showing the coastal scenery and way of life along the Norwegian coast … beautiful scenery of and photography from places that we hope to visit during the next few weeks. There were many informative displays showing many types of Norwegian boats, from the oldest log boat (2200 years old, Bronze Age) to modern container ships. The ‘seafaring’ heritage of the country is well-represented by the museum.
Our next stop was the ‘Frammuseet’ which housed the Polarship ‘Fram’ and many artefacts from Arctic and Antarctic expeditions by Nansen, Amundsen, Sverdrup, and others. Norwegian explorers were some of the first visitors to the Canadian Arctic. Their exploration legacy is represented by their names throughout the Arctic Archipelego, e.g., Amundsen Sound, Sverdrup Basin, Ellef-Ringnes Island. The ‘Fram’ is a stout wooden vessel with hull planks up to 83 cm, 3 masts and a large diesel engine. It’s amazing to think of the places that this sturdy little vessel (39 m) travelled, and how she spent two winters trapped in the ice, yet sailed away, all due to her innovative ‘egg-shaped’ hull.
And then, it was on to the ‘Kon-tiki Museet’ to see the various displays that document Thor Heyerdahl’s expeditions in the Kon-tiki, Ra I and II, and Tigris across the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans. It’s amazing to think that the boats used for these expeditions used materials such as balsa and papyrus.
After the museums, we took our own expedition across the cold, wind-swept harbour by boat to the downtown area, and then back to Slependen by bus.
We began our museum tour today by visiting the ‘Vikingskiphuset’ which houses famous Viking ships that date back to about 800-900 AD. The Oseberg ship was built about 820 AD. It was originally used as a sailing vessel before finally being used as a burial ship for an important woman who died about 834 AD. The Gokstad ship was built about 890 AD, and eventually also used as a burial ship for a powerful chieftan about 900 AD. The Tune ship was built about 900 AD. All 3 ships, or parts of them with various artefacts were on display at the museum
From here, we walked about 1.5 kms to the ‘Norsk Rjofarts Museum’ (Maritime Museum). There was an excellent widescreen movie showing the coastal scenery and way of life along the Norwegian coast … beautiful scenery of and photography from places that we hope to visit during the next few weeks. There were many informative displays showing many types of Norwegian boats, from the oldest log boat (2200 years old, Bronze Age) to modern container ships. The ‘seafaring’ heritage of the country is well-represented by the museum.
Our next stop was the ‘Frammuseet’ which housed the Polarship ‘Fram’ and many artefacts from Arctic and Antarctic expeditions by Nansen, Amundsen, Sverdrup, and others. Norwegian explorers were some of the first visitors to the Canadian Arctic. Their exploration legacy is represented by their names throughout the Arctic Archipelego, e.g., Amundsen Sound, Sverdrup Basin, Ellef-Ringnes Island. The ‘Fram’ is a stout wooden vessel with hull planks up to 83 cm, 3 masts and a large diesel engine. It’s amazing to think of the places that this sturdy little vessel (39 m) travelled, and how she spent two winters trapped in the ice, yet sailed away, all due to her innovative ‘egg-shaped’ hull.
And then, it was on to the ‘Kon-tiki Museet’ to see the various displays that document Thor Heyerdahl’s expeditions in the Kon-tiki, Ra I and II, and Tigris across the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans. It’s amazing to think that the boats used for these expeditions used materials such as balsa and papyrus.
After the museums, we took our own expedition across the cold, wind-swept harbour by boat to the downtown area, and then back to Slependen by bus.
May 17 - Norwegian National Holiday (Constitution Day)
We felt really privileged to participate in this day with Anders, Ragnhild and their friends. This is the day that Norwegians celebrate their first democratic constitution when they were liberated from Denmark in 1814. Unfortunately, this lasted only about 6 months, as Norway became part of the post-war division of spoils from the War of 1812, and subsequently found itself part of Sweden. It wasn’t until June 17, 1905 that Norway formally and amicably separated from Sweden.
So, on June 17th, we were up bright and early on a beautifully sunny day, and off to a local school for a flag raising ceremony for 8 AM. Most of the women, and a few men, wore their regional costumes which are very distinct, and which have amazing embroidery and jewellery. And of course, there were Norwegian flags everywhere, e.g., on houses, cars, taxis, and trucks, and being carried by many people.
From here, we headed back home for another jolt of caffeine before heading downtown for the main parade along the main street, Karl Hans Gate, that runs up to the palace. The parade started off with folk dancers and folk music, followed shortly after by the Royal Guards and their band. The parade itself is really groups of school children and their bands from about 100 schools each year. Each school in Oslo participates in the parade every 4 years. It’s quite a spectacle … lots of children singing, cheering, playing instruments and waving the Norwegian flag. And again, the Norwegian costumes were amazing. It was impossible to count the number of regional varieties.
In the afternoon, the Royal Guards were part of a Tattoo at the regional headquarters. We weren’t quite sure what to expect but what precision! It was impressive. It was especially enjoyable to be there as Ragnhild and Ander’s very good neighbours’ son was part of the display.
We were further privileged to spend the evening with Ragnhild and Anders, and some of their wonderful friends. Wow, what a day and what memories we will take away with us! Norway sure exhibits a lot of pride in their heritage, their identity and their accomplishments. They have much to be proud of, and have no hesitation in waving their flag.
So, on June 17th, we were up bright and early on a beautifully sunny day, and off to a local school for a flag raising ceremony for 8 AM. Most of the women, and a few men, wore their regional costumes which are very distinct, and which have amazing embroidery and jewellery. And of course, there were Norwegian flags everywhere, e.g., on houses, cars, taxis, and trucks, and being carried by many people.
From here, we headed back home for another jolt of caffeine before heading downtown for the main parade along the main street, Karl Hans Gate, that runs up to the palace. The parade started off with folk dancers and folk music, followed shortly after by the Royal Guards and their band. The parade itself is really groups of school children and their bands from about 100 schools each year. Each school in Oslo participates in the parade every 4 years. It’s quite a spectacle … lots of children singing, cheering, playing instruments and waving the Norwegian flag. And again, the Norwegian costumes were amazing. It was impossible to count the number of regional varieties.
In the afternoon, the Royal Guards were part of a Tattoo at the regional headquarters. We weren’t quite sure what to expect but what precision! It was impressive. It was especially enjoyable to be there as Ragnhild and Ander’s very good neighbours’ son was part of the display.
We were further privileged to spend the evening with Ragnhild and Anders, and some of their wonderful friends. Wow, what a day and what memories we will take away with us! Norway sure exhibits a lot of pride in their heritage, their identity and their accomplishments. They have much to be proud of, and have no hesitation in waving their flag.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Day 2 - Oslo
After a good sleep ... in fact, we slept in ... we got up around mid-morning to a wonderful Norwegian breakfast (variety of breads, cheeses, meats and fruits + coffee/juice). With Ragnhild's directions and help, we headed to Oslo on the train for the day. There, we walked around/past the Palace, the National Theater, the Parliament Buildings, City Hall, and the parts of the downtown. From there, we went to the Akershus Castle on the shores of Oslo Fiord, and had a picnic lunch there. We walked past the Nobel Peace Centre and along the docks.
Our next adventure was finding our way back to Slependen by bus. After alittle confusion in finding the right 'express' bus, we ended up taking an unintended 'scenic' tour when the bus driver forgot to tell us (in English) that the route had been changed 'en route', and as a result, we didn't get off and transfer to another bus to reflect the changes. Everyone who spoke Norwegian understood what the changes were when announced by the driver, but not us. So, we ended up going to the end of the line where the driver apologetically arranged via radio and then walked us to a return bus saying that, "The (new) bus driver would look after fixing everything." This bus driver did indeed look after us. He told us when to get off, and had radioed a connecting bus, i.e., the third bus driver knew who we where. He too told us when to get off. And so, alittle later than planned, we arrived back from where we started in the morning for a delicious dinner (salmon) with Anders and Ragnhild.
Tomorrow, Norway's National Holiday, we'll be up bright and early to see the celebrations.
Our next adventure was finding our way back to Slependen by bus. After alittle confusion in finding the right 'express' bus, we ended up taking an unintended 'scenic' tour when the bus driver forgot to tell us (in English) that the route had been changed 'en route', and as a result, we didn't get off and transfer to another bus to reflect the changes. Everyone who spoke Norwegian understood what the changes were when announced by the driver, but not us. So, we ended up going to the end of the line where the driver apologetically arranged via radio and then walked us to a return bus saying that, "The (new) bus driver would look after fixing everything." This bus driver did indeed look after us. He told us when to get off, and had radioed a connecting bus, i.e., the third bus driver knew who we where. He too told us when to get off. And so, alittle later than planned, we arrived back from where we started in the morning for a delicious dinner (salmon) with Anders and Ragnhild.
Tomorrow, Norway's National Holiday, we'll be up bright and early to see the celebrations.
Arrived Oslo
We left Calgary on time, and had a quiet flight to Frankfurt, including a meal and small breakfast on Air Canada, believe it or not. Everything went smoothly. Upon arrival at Frankfurt, we got alittle nervous after having to wait for 30 minutes on the runway for another aircraft to leave our arrival gate. We then had to rush once inside the terminal to make our connection to Oslo on SAS, including finding our way through customs and immigration, and more security. It turns out that you only show your passport once when entering Europe, rather than at each country entry-point. By the time we got our boarding passes, the plane was loading ... so no waiting involved.
The last half hour of the flight into Oslo was VERY lumpy and bumpy, and reminded us of flying into St. John's on windy days. Anders met us at the airport, and drove us to their house in Slependen, just alittle west and south of Oslo. After a light dinner, we went for a hour walk to Tanum (tan = place with tree, um = home). There was a beautiful 900 year old church on a hillside, surrounded by a forest and farmlands, overlooking Oslo. We were in bed by 1000.
The last half hour of the flight into Oslo was VERY lumpy and bumpy, and reminded us of flying into St. John's on windy days. Anders met us at the airport, and drove us to their house in Slependen, just alittle west and south of Oslo. After a light dinner, we went for a hour walk to Tanum (tan = place with tree, um = home). There was a beautiful 900 year old church on a hillside, surrounded by a forest and farmlands, overlooking Oslo. We were in bed by 1000.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Norway Trip Preparations
Spring has arrived in Calgary, and we're poised to leave on Monday for Norway. The challenge so far has been to get everything into two 50 litre suitcases (one size above carry-on), plus 2 small day-packs, including a camera tripod and some paddling gear. We're almost there.
Our plan is to keep everyone posted about our travel on this 'blog-site' rather than trying to send out individual e-mails. So, please check periodically for updates.
Our plan is to keep everyone posted about our travel on this 'blog-site' rather than trying to send out individual e-mails. So, please check periodically for updates.
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