The land of the midnight sun, Norway, is the most scenic and prosperous of the Scandinavian countries.
Historically, Norway has been ruled by Swedes and Danes for a long. In 1905, the country became an independent, sovereign nation after the Swedes left. Norwegians are proud of their history.
The official name of Norway is – “The Kingdom of Norway” – Norge.
Norway has a rugged landscape of mountains, plateaus, and deep fjords. In the northern part of the country, which extends north of the Arctic Circle, the sun never sets at the peak of summer and never comes up in deep winter.
ARRIVAL IN NORWAY
We arrived in Norway’s second-largest city, Bergen, by plane from Stockholm. The Arlanda Airport of Stockholm was chaotic, and uncertainty prevailed in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. Luckily, our flight was on time. We landed at Bergen’s cute little Flesland Airport, 20 km south of the city centre. The airport bus runs between the airport and downtown Bergen stopping at Radisson Blu Royal Hotel in Bryggen, the harbour-front area, and the bus station.
The ticket costs about 140 Kr (INR 1400) per person and takes 40 minutes. Taxi costs more- 400 Kr (₹4000) and takes 20 minutes. Getting around in Bergen is comparatively easy. Most in-town sights can easily be reached by foot; only a few places are more than a 20-minute walk from the TI. The main attraction in Bergen is the Hanseatic Quarter called Bryggen, an iconic fragile wooden old town. The long rows of warehouses’ hide lanes seeped into history.
While we think of Bergen as “Norwegian,” Bryggen was German- the testimony of Deutsch-speaking merchants and traders. Some of the houses in Bryggen date back to the early 1700s and are ramshackle now. Bit by bit Bryggen is being restored using medieval techniques and materials. Strolling through the lanes of Bryggen, we felt swallowed up by history. The last Hanseatic merchant moved out centuries ago, but this is still a place of touristy commerce. There are artists’ galleries, T-shirt boutiques, atmospheric restaurants, sweaters, trolls, and souvenirs. This Disney-cute gathering of about 50 homes and shops built between the 18th to 20th Centuries was founded in 1934 to save old buildings from destruction.
Bergen’s Floibanen funicular climbs high above the city to the top of Mount Floyen for the best view of the town. The journey takes 6 minutes and is an experience; when you arrive at the top, a stunning view over Bergen awaits you. Besides, there are exquisite cafés and shops on top. The return ticket to City center-Floyen costs 150 Kr (INR 1500) per person.
POINT TO REMEMBER: Norway is a cold country. The mean daily minimum temperature in summer is 7-11 C, and the maximum is 14-18 C. Norway’s most significant claims to scenic fame are her deep, lush fjords. An ice age made this land inhabitable as Greenland’s centre three million years ago. As the glaciers advanced and cut their way to the sea, they gauged out long grooves- today’s fjords.
The entire west coast of Norway is slashed by stunning fjords. The longest & deepest Sognefjord tops the list. The seductive Sognefjord has tough ferries, towering canyons, and tiny villages marinated amid countless waterfalls.
Our next destination in Norway was Flam (pronounced Flom). The boat and Flamsbana train meet here at the head of Aurlands fjord. The 20 km spur line leaves the Oslo-Bergen line at Myrdal, a scenic high-altitude train junction with a decent cafeteria. The Flamsbana train winds down to Flam through 20 tunnels in 55 minutes; on the way stop for photos at the best waterfall Kjofossen. According to a Norwegian legend, a temptress lives behind the falls and tries to lure men to the rocks with her singing.
FLAM-GUDVANGEN FJORD CRUISE
Flam is a scenic, functional transit hub at the far end of Aurlands Fjord. We hopped on the Fjord 1 sightseeing boat that took us to Gudvangen, which is at the apex of the Naeroyfjord. The fjord cruise is an experience challenging to express accurately in words; one has to go and experience it. Next, we boarded a bus for the final leg of Norway in a Nutshell tour to arrive at Vestlia Resort in Geilo (pronounced Yai-lo), a famous ski resort village in southern Norway.
Vegan food that suits Indians’ taste buds is difficult to find in this part of the world, but fresh fruits and bread are excellent alternatives to our spicy food. We wanted to see the northern lights in the far north corner of Norway, but summer is not the season for this adventure. Northern lights can best be viewed from October to March only. It was time now to explore the capital city of Oslo.
While Oslo is the smallest of the Scandinavian capitals, there are more sightseeing thrills than expected. Situated at the head of a 96 km fjord, surrounded by forests and populated by more than 1.5 million, Olso is Norway’s cultural hub. For 300 years, the city was called Christiania, after Danish King Christian IV. With independence, it reverted to the old Norse name Oslo. The main street of Olso is called Karl Johans (pronounced yohans) Gate. The grand boulevard leads directly from the train station to the Royal Palace. A stroll down Karl Johans Gate is a must for anyone wanting to experience city life both day and night. The street is lined with cafés, street musicians, artists promoting their art, and all the big brands of Europe. At the end of this colourful stretch is the Parliament Building- Stortinget.
Norway’s Parliament meets in Stortinget, built in 1866; the building seems to counter the Royal Palace at the other end of Karl Johans Gate. If the flag is flying, Parliament is in session. People-watching is excellent along Karl Johans Gate, but in summer, half of the original population is gone- Vacationing in Spain, and the city is filled mainly with visitors.
Shared By: Ruchi Jain
