Bergen to Oslo, Norway
Sunday, July 27, 2025
This morning in Bergen started early for us. We had to have our luggage down in the lobby at 6:30 am and we had to be ready to leave the hotel at 7:30. A taxi had been ordered last night and it arrived right on time. Our luggage was travelling in a separate vehicle en route to Oslo. (We hope it gets there!)
It was going to be a Rivers, Roads and Rails day for us. When our kids were much younger we used to play a game by that name. Today we are going to live the reality of it. First up, we will travel by boat from Bergen to Flam. Next, we will board a bus and travel up a mountain to the Stegastein Overlook, over 650 metres above sea level. The bus was powered by electric and served us very well. And, after that, we boarded a train that will take us all the way to Oslo, arriving late this evening. We are hoping that our luggage will be there when we arrive. That was certainly the plan.
The first leg of our journey was aboard a modest-sized cruiser, designed to carry about 200 passengers. We ended up sitting with a couple from Edinburgh and thoroughly enjoyed their company on the five hour ride. We travelled through several fjords en route to Flam. Some were wide and many were quite narrow.
Some had mountains on both sides that were high enough that there was still snow at the top.
These mountains also had waterfalls flowing from the peaks to the sea, still shedding the melt from the snow. The sun was shining brightly and the whole world had a glow to it. One of the fjords, Sogne Fjord, is the longest and deepest fjord in Norway. Its deepest point is 1300 metres from the water’s surface to the sea floor and the mountains along the fjord rise more than 1700 metres. It was very impressive to be on a small boat on top of the water and at the bottom of the mountains.
When we arrived in Flam, we said farewell to our Scottish companions and moved on to board a small electric bus
that would take us to a lookout high above the ground surface beside the fjords. We climbed the mountainside to the Stegastein lookout, about 650 metres up. It was a busy Sunday in Flam and the very narrow and steep road was packed with cars, large and small busses, motorcycles, bicycles and occasionally pedestrians. Our driver was masterful at the wheel, a difficult task given that the road was only one lane wide for most of the way. There were pull-offs which he used regularly but others did not.
There were streams of traffic going up and down and occasional traffic jams that took time and patience to work through. The trip was well worth the effort and we enjoyed the amazing view from high above the fjord, revelling at the sight of glaciers up high and the fjord far below.
We were also thrilled that we were not driving ourselves.
Back in Flam, we experienced a true tourist town. There were open markets, several large souvenir stores, food stalls and a whole parking lot filled with tour busses from all over Europe. To say it was crowded does not begin to describe it. We ventured into one large store and Jim bought a Norwegian tuque to wear this winter. That was all he wanted and we left as soon as he had paid.
By that time, our train had arrived, already quite full of people who had boarded at earlier stations.
We sat with a couple from Bahrain, very friendly and they spoke English. At times, it is embarrassing to be able to only communicate in English when so many others are fluent in multiple languages. We enjoyed the ride with them, taking photos of glaciers, rushing rivers, bubbling rapids, giant waterfalls, forested landscapes and small villages and rural properties along the way. Our destination was Myrdal, a climb of 865 meters over 20 kilometers of track. The train passed through 20 tunnels along the tracks. It operates year round and the tunnels protect it from rock slides and avalanches.
We made one stop for photos. A large platform had been built below an amazing waterfall. Most passengers got off the train to take photos and for an extra treat as there was a dancer performing above the crowd on the mountainside. Recorded music played as she danced.
We disembarked at Myrdal and waited a short time (time for a coffee) for yet another train that would take us to Oslo. It left Myrdal station at 5:40 pm, right on time and we will arrive in Oslo just before midnight tonight. We hope our luggage precedes our arrival.
This final train ride has been smooth and beautiful.
It is northern Europe’s highest stretch of railway, 100 kilometers of which runs through wild mountain terrain which includes the Hardangervidda mountain plateau, well above the alpine tree line. We did notice a large swath of the journey where there were no trees.
Cabins, both basic and luxurious, are located in areas where people enjoy hiking and skiing. We also spotted the Hardangerjoculan Glacier, 1863 metres above sea level. As we descended the mountains, rocky terrain transformed to red pine and white birch forests. Further down again, agricultural land was used for grazing, harvesting hay for the winter and growing crops such as grain. Buildings are most often red or white, making a striking contrast to the green land around them.
Rivers abound; tunnels are common, and we passed though many small towns. At times, we had to await another train as there is only one main track with short sections that are doubled so that trains can meet and pass by one another.
And finally, we reached Oslo. The station was extremely large and complex. Without having to transport our large luggage, we managed quite nimbly across the platform and up the ramp to the main level. There were at least 100 taxis waiting for passengers. No problem getting from the station to our hotel. We are now in Oslo, in a comfortable hotel, if a little eclectic. No issues. The bed is comfortable and calling us to sleep. It has been a long day and midnight has passed.
Good night!
Sunday, July 27, 2025
We arrived in Oslo yesterday after a full day of "river, road and rail". It was just before midnight that we finally got to our hotel, the Sommerro. It is an old building which was the central electrical hub for the city. It has been transformed into an elegant and beautiful hotel with four restaurants, sauna and swimming areas, and an elevator system that responds to the touch of a room key and takes you to the floor you want without ever pushing a button. Quite amazing.
Monday, July 28, 2025
I have to admit that we are both a bit tired from all the activity of the last several weeks. Since we have been to Oslo before, we are more inclined to do a bit of relaxing rather than running all over town to see the sights. So today was a day to lay low.
Breakfast offered an amazing array of foods. A full buffet of breads, fruits, cereals, smoothies, four kinds of yogurt, nuts, chocolate in many forms as well as a full menu of 8 different options, ranging from standard bacon and eggs to an incredible Belgian waffle. No need to starve here.
Later in the day, Jim did go out for a walk in this rather esteemed area of town. He saw the changing of the guard at the Royal Palace just down the street.
He walked past the three buildings that house the Nobel Prize responsibilities that Norway has. And the National Library of Norway was also on his path. I had a nap while he was out and began to read a new book. The day passed quite quietly which was exactly what we needed.
We went to the bar on the rooftop for a drink before dinner.
So, we crossed the street and explored other options which were several - Italian, Greek and Latin American. We chose Latin American and enjoyed fajitas and scampi and cod in a creamy coconut base. Our server was lovely, spoke flawless English, and had time to engage in a lively conversation. She is heading to Hong Kong where she will continue her studies in comparative politics. Interesting, for sure.
And soon after, it was time for sleep. The electrical system stymied us a bit. There are no light switches in the room, only touch panels on the wall where the touch of a finger activates various lights. It took a few tries to get all the lights to go out. And, when you walk into the bathroom, there is clearly a motion sensor because all those lights go on immediately.
All of these components remind us that it was the 'house of electricity' Oslo in a previous life. There are several unique features in the rooms and the elevators.
Tuesday, July 29, 2025
Another gentle start to the morning. We are going to miss the buffet style breakfasts that we have been enjoying. The cappuccinos they serve here are amazing. And all the other things as well. What a spread!!
Today, we headed out to explore the city. Our standard approach is to ride the Hop On Hop Off bus. The nearest stop was quite close to the hotel so we started there. The weather forecast included rain showers and by the time we reached the bus stop, it was coming down hard. Of course, the top of the bus had its roof closed so we sat on the lower level and watched the city go by through the raindrops. No photos today. Also, as often happens, the sound system did not work well so, even though it was in English, we could hear very little of it. We rode around the whole route without really knowing what we were seeing. Occasionally, we could read the signs on the buildings and, of course, at the port, we saw several cruise ships. Loads of people got off the bus at those stops.
At the end of the route, back where we had started, we were in the central area of Oslo. Streets were pedestrian malls with stores in all directions. It was still raining hard so we did not care to browse very much. We found a cafe called Espresso and went in and enjoyed a huge cappuccino while watching the rain fall. There were lots of umbrellas and many thin plastic rain ponchos that some enterprising person must have been selling. We decided to take a taxi back to the hotel even though it was not far away.
We both had a nap and felt refreshed and ready to take on the world again. Jim is always looking for things to do wherever we are and I work at recording our experiences, either by writing or organizing photographs. I have given up hope on having all our photo books done before we get home but the blog posts are coming along quite well. What I realize is that when we travel we do seem to fill every day with some adventures.
Tonight, we had dinner in Plah & Ahaan, a restaurant that is in our hotel building (there are six restaurants to choose from). It is an Asian-inspired restaurant and both our meals were very good. I had a citrus salad to start (mostly nicely dressed shredded pink grapefruit and orange). It was delicious. Then came the bowl of mussels, at least 25 mussels in a delicious broth. I could not eat them all and Jim was happy to help me out. Jim had langoustine, something he has never had before. He liked the texture and flavour but it was messy to eat. He also had some sticky rice.
We were sitting beside two youngish Norwegian men who struck up a conversation with us. We talked about language acquisition and how most Norwegians can slide between Norwegian and English without taking a breath. We also talked a bit about politics, a topic that we have generally avoided. We talked about places we have visited, them and us, and sports in both countries. They were lovely to spend time with. We have been fortunate to meet some wonderful people on this journey.
And now, we are back in our room winding down after another pleasant day. Hopefully tomorrow the weather will be better as we continue to explore Oslo.
Wednesday, July 30, 2025
Our last full day in Norway ... It's hard to believe that this dream is coming to an end. And, yet, we are both ready to go home and resume our regular lives.
We enjoyed the amazing breakfast in our hotel again this morning. An enormous breakfast buffet with the option of adding eggs benedict, eggs florentine, belgian waffle, eggs with smoked salmon if the buffet does not satisfy.
We decided that this lovely morning was a great time to take a harbour cruise and see the city from the water. We boarded a large and comfortable ship just after noon and cruised around the adjacent waters for almost three hours. It was a warm and sunny day for the most part which made the journey very comfortable. There are several fiords that flow into Oslo, connecting this city with the sea. There are many islands in the harbour area, many of them dotted with colourful homes and a boat or two alongside a dock. Other islands are quite small and provide housing for birds.
From the water, we had the opportunity to see many of the main buildings in the city - the shopping area, the government buildings and many museums. There is a large industrial area outside the city and, of course, many cruise ships in the harbour. There was a very audible commentary about the harbour on the ship which provided many details about the development of the shoreline and the islands. We passed by several marinas with a wide range of boats in each one - sailboats, cabin cruisers, canoes and kayaks, open motor boats etc. In spite of it being a weekday afternoon, there were several personal craft plying the waters.
We took a taxi back to the hotel and paused on the patio to have a drink. We had a few things to do to be ready to leave in the morning. Laundry was high on the list and Jim found a place quite nearby. I am still writing and organizing photos to put into books. We have created a book for each country we have been in - Ireland/Northern Ireland; Britain and Wales; Norway and Finland; and next up will be Iceland, albeit for only three days.
We just returned from dinner at a tapas restaurant. The food was delicious, the servings small and the menu, unique. It was a pleasure to eat there.
Now on to the business of preparing to fly. Thanks for travelling with us. One more stop and then home. Iceland ... here we come.
Comments
Post a Comment