TRIP TO BERGEN

We were up early, looking forward to our train trip through the Norwegian countryside and the fjord express boat trip to Bergen.

The hotel had a wonderful breakfast buffet.  I found it very interesting and very nice that in most of the Scandinavian countries breakfast  always included wonderful  yogurt with toppings including flaxseeds, raisins, walnuts or hazelnuts and fruit.  Smoked salmon, cucumbers, tomatoes, cold meats and cheese, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, sometimes pancakes and some other local breakfast items.  

The bread and rolls  ( sweet and not) were delicious and sometimes there was a toaster available but very often not.  Of course there was always juice and coffee ( not decaffeinated for sure)!

We saw our friends from Malaysia and exchanged greetings and realized we were both going to be in Bergan and taking the Fjord Ferry, etc.  

We checked out, grabbed our bags and headed  to the train station which required climbing a number of steps to get into the station.  Believe me we searched for an elevator but were unsuccessful in our efforts.  I think there had to be one but we gave up to soon.  After all we only had our one bag to carry.  

We got situated on the train and began our journey to Flam.  We were sitting across from some High School Seniors that were taking a field trip to one of the towns located along the line.  One of the young men had been a foreign exchange student to Nova Scotia and although they all spoke English his was flawless and often the boys would defer to him if we asked a question.  Before they departed I has to ask them if they used Uff Da and if so could they spell it for me.  They most certainly do - and it is two words, spelled as I have done.  I explained to them that I used to use the term all the time while growing up in North Dakota and had seen it spelled any number of ways.  They told me that basically it means "oh no".  So now I know what it means and I learned another word in Norwegian Takk -- thank you.

By the way, we hadn't seen the Malaysian ladies at any time on the train.  We had been in the lunching car quite often and of course to the toilet :-).  We were concerned that perhaps with all their suitcases they didn't make it up to the train station.  It was a lot of steps and they had a lot of bags!!!  They were probably smarter than we were and found the elevator.  But we were concerned and hoping we would see them in Bergen.  

The trip was beautiful - nothing more to say - just look at the countryside through the windows of the train.

                     

The landscape starts to change just a little.

Pretty soon a little snow and Sharon asked if there was a glacier and no sooner had the words escaped her mouth - 

                                       

The students got off at Finse

and the terrain changed yet again.

We arrived in Myrdal and had a short stop before catching the train to Flam.

Waiting for the train.  

Flamsbana  is a special train journey that offers a panaoramic view of some of the wildest and most magificent nature in the Norwegian fjord landscape.  It is on the steepest trainlines in the world on normal tracks which almost 80% of the journey has a gradient of 5.5%.   You  hear those brakes a screeching as you ride along.  I believe they said it took 22 years to build the railroad going through the rocks and mountains.  There are 20 tunnels - in a single hour, the train takes you from the ocean level at the Sognefjord in Flam, to the mountaintop at Myrdal mountain station on Hardangervidda, 863 meters or 2,906 feet over the ocean.  National Geographic Traveler Magazine has named the Flam Railway as one of the top 10 train journeys in Europe and Lonely Planet rnamed it the best train journey in the world in 2014.

The inside of the train was very interesting as well.  Lovely wood and upholstered seats.  Of course Sharon and I were so caught up in getting a seat - the train was crowded - and getting settled andjust looking   out the windows we forgot to take a picture of the interior.  I did go on line and found this one.

You can actually see what it looks like better than with all the people and the all the bags around.

We started the journey.  Again pictures say it all.

                          

                          

There was Enya like music playing as you got out to look at the falls and just as we were getting back to the train I noticed that there was a dancer on the ledge by the falls.  Unfortunately by the time I saw her it was almost finished and she disappeared as the music faded.  I have a very short video which I'm going to put on facebook and you can hear the music, unfortuatnely the dancer cannot be seen and the video is way too short.  Just wasn't thinking - what's new there!

                                 

                          

We arrived in Flam and had some time before catching the fjord cruise to Bergan.

Big cruise ships come in here and unfortunatrly spoil the beautiful setting and obstruct the views of many of the hotel rooms.  It's a cute area to roam around and there are places to eat and the train museum is there which unfortuately we didn't get to.

Notice how sharp we are in our black travel garb.  I think I should mention here that I am wearing my pants of steel.    Many years ago ,probably 12

I bought these pants at Chico's.  One time when I was meeting JoAnne and Ginger in Willliamsburg for a few days I forgot my slacks for the trip on the hook of the closet so I ended up having to wear the pants for the duration of the trip.  Anyway, they got named the pants of steel because they never bag at the knee and they really look nice and wear well - obviously.  At the last minute I threw them into my suitcase for this adventure and I have worn them and worn them and worn them.  They still are good as new.  Amazing.  They wash up, they dry quickly and they require no ironing.  I have someties worn them 4,5 days in a row.  Throw them in a suitcase for a few days and take them out and wear them some more.  I do want to point out that everytime you see me in black pants, they are not necessarily my pants of steel.  I have other black pants as well but nothing like these.

And here's our ship which will take us to Bergen.

We met a nice couple from Canada and sat and talked to them for a while.  They were going on the boat with us an than were staying in Bergan a few days and catching another boat that delivers mail and packages to comunities along the coast.  

Next - a trip on the Fjord Express.  

MORE OF OSLO

After lunch we headed to the Opera House the home of the Norwegian Opera and Ballet which we could see from our hotel.  It is a piece of art in its own right and is made of marble and glass and took five years to complete.  It is the largest cultural building to be built in Norway since the construction of the Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim at the start of the 14th century.  Thre angled exterior surfaces of the building are covered in Italian marble and white granite and make it appear to rise from the water. 

This is the roof and you can walk on it and enjoy the panoramic views of Oslo.  

Sharon cheered because she got ot the top!

I had to sit down and rest.  

From the top you can look down and see these posters of the many opera and ballets that have been performed there.

The crystal sculpture that you see in the background on many of these pictures was done by an Italian artist, Monica Bonvicini and financed by a Norwegian businessman .  She Lies seems to float on the waters of the Oslo Fjord but actually stands on a concrete platform and can turn on its own axis, moved by the winds and the tides.  

 

That evening we decided to go down to the water area and have a little dinner.  we were told there were a lot of nice restaurants there and no need to make reservations.  It was pleasant night so we just did a leisurely walk from the hotel to the water.

On our way I decided to stop in this shoe store to see if they carried narrow shoes.   I have a terrible time finding shoes because I have a very narrow foot.  I wasn't interested in buying shoes but doing research.  Most shoe stores in Europe do not carry narrows.  Because I am half Norwegian I wanted to see if my Norwegian heritage is responsible for my narrow feet.  BINGO!  The store does carry narrow sizes but they were all sold out.  I am sure that proves conclusively that my  Norwegian ancestors are to blame for my shoe fitting problems.  Who would have thought those Vikings had narrow feet.  

   The entrance to the Grand Hotel.

This is the famous Grand Cafe, one of several restaurants in the Grand Hotel.  It is best known as the annual venue of the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.   It is situated in a very central location on the main thoroughfare between the Norwegian Parliament building and the Royal Palace.  The hotel was opened in 1874.  Each year the hotel hosts the annual Nobel Peace Prize banquet, and the prize winners stay in the Nobe suite at the hotel.  The"Grand Cafe" is where Henrik Ibsen, the famous playright used to eat every day. 

We strolled  inside for a ittle peak.  Who  knows maybe we will stay here next time.  If it 's good enough for Mick Jagger, a regular guest, it's good enrough for me.  As Oslo is the most expensive city in the world I thought I would check out the rates at the hotel.  Just going to the hotel I found the cheapest room to be around $753.00 a night and reading some of the reviews I'm afraid that may not get you a very good room.  I looked at some of the discount sites and found they had some specials and one could book a room for around $310.00 a night which isn't bad.  Again you're probably not going to get Mick Jagger's room for that price.  

A cocktail area. 

 We continued our walk and wandered into this little park.

Discovered these wonderful statures of children.

                            

And this not so wonderful statue of ????

                               

We ambled down to the water.

                          

Found the street of restaurants.

And joined this couple.

They were just really into each other and despite our best efforts we just couldn't get them to notice us.

So we just ignored them.  

Now Sharon doesn't like fish so it's a little difficult to sometimes find things that she enjoys but she does like lobster so she decided to splurge - remember world's most expensive city.  The waitress had kind of indicated that the lobster dish Sharon was looking at may not be enough ad perhaps she should order a side dish.  Sharon is not a very big eater so "we" decided that the dish would be enough.  Well, 1/2 of a cold lobster tail with mayonaise and some lettuce without dressing was not even enough for Sharon.  Her stomach and her pocketbook were empty.  I did have a wonderful Halibut dish so there was nothing wrong with the restaurant just probably the selection but the price being what it was "we" certainly expected something more substantial. I'm not going to help Sharon anymore with her selections.  

We walked home and the city was all lit up - just beautiful.

The parliament building.

                      

And now it  was time to turn in for an early call to catch the train to Flam, via Myrdal and than to the Fjord Express boat to Bergan.

Bye Bye - Oslo and the Comfort Hotel Grand Central .  Right next to the train station so an easy walk in the morning.