Tag: Norway
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Crossing from Norway to Denmark
We started with another pleasant surprise on our final morning in Norway. Our hotel didn’t include breakfast, so we drove downtown to find a bite to eat. After walking around for a bit, we heard someone singing in the distance. We followed the delightful voice we heard and came to a large blocked area, preventing people from seeing inside. We walked around it a bit and found a clearing where we could spot a lady singing on a stage with a group of backup singers behind her. A poster nearby advertised a concert later that evening featuring Helene Bøksle, a…
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Family History and Norwegian Hospitality
Our ‘breakfast’ this morning was a bagged sandwich, a store-bought lefsa, and an orange juice. Not quite what we had in mind, so we set off in search of something more satisfying. We stumbled upon a charming little bakery and indulged in a sweet roll and a steaming cup of coffee, a perfect start to our day. Then, it was a long drive, starting with rolling hills, farms, and large green fields—nothing like what we had seen in Norway up to now. There was more traffic than we had seen, so the drive was slow, but once we started to…
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Conquering Norway’s Craziest Road
Wandering to the dining room of our hotel for breakfast, we once again listened to the bleating goats across the highway. Breakfast was sparse, but cutting down a bit was okay with how we’ve been eating on this trip. We had a good day of driving ahead, stopping frequently as we do, to take pictures. Goats lined both sides of the road, and a mother goat and her two babies sat quietly a short distance from us, with no fence between them and us. Jason pulled over so I could take a picture out the window. Momma goat was not…
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From Ferry Rides to Antique Finds
We began our day with a brief drive and a ride on a beautiful and very comfortable ferry. It gave Jason a break from all the driving. We chatted with Jason’s girls while on the ferry so they could travel along with us and see us moving, and they enjoyed that. We got off the beaten path to discover an attractive little seaside town. We noted that every house, shop, and building was white—dull but spotless. An antique store caught my eye, so of course, I had to take a look. It was a treasure trove of intriguing relics, furniture,…
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Our Second Day in Bergen
We were excited to get up this morning and head back into Bergen. It rained quite a bit during the night, and the morning was overcast, but the weatherman promised some sunshine and warmth. The train back down to the harbour was much quieter today without all the hundreds of soccer fans from last night. We came to a beautiful park and started walking to find some of the museums on the Bergen Pass we had purchased. Swans were flying around a huge water fountain as if they were on a track; around and around they went. Jason got some…
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Waterfalls, Scenic Trains, and Bergen’s Beauty
Our day today was a thrilling adventure we had eagerly anticipated. A short 15-minute drive from our hotel, we found ourselves in the charming town of Flåm, ready to embark on an hour-long train ride that would take us up a steep mountain to Myrdal. The Flåm Railway, renowned as one of the world’s most breathtaking rail journeys, is a true gem among Norway’s tourist attractions. Constructed between 1923 and 1940 for transportation between Oslo and Bergen, it boasts 20 tunnels, each painstakingly excavated by hand, adding to the sense of awe and adventure. Once on the train, we settled…
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When 200km Takes All Day
Remember last night when I said we had an easy, short, 3-hour drive to our next destination? Boy, was I wrong! We left our hotel at 10:30 am as Jason wanted to catch up on the blog. I took the time to walk around the breathtaking grounds of our motel and sit and relax at our outdoor table. We had about 200 km to travel today—not far by Alberta standards, but it’s a day’s journey in Norway. Not if you are driving from point A to B with no stops, of course, but the awe-inspiring scenery they have here makes…
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The Best Day Yet in Geiranger
I go to bed almost every night thinking, “This has been the best day yet.” Now I am sitting here at the end of another day, thinking, “This has been the best day yet.” How can each day get better than the one before? I can’t even imagine tomorrow being better. Today was perfect weather, adventure, humour, food, and scenery. We left our hotel this morning to grey clouds, but the forecast was hot and sunny weather. The first of two ferries we would take on our trip to Geiranger was just a short drive away. We had to stop…
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Stunning Views, Seagulls, and Sea Life
Alesund is a lovely city on Norway’s west coast known for its beautiful architecture and stunning views. We started out driving to the Aksla viewpoint. It did not disappoint! We followed a very narrow road to the top and were surprised to see several people already there. We parked near what looked like a deserted building and realized we were the only car up there. Many people climb to the top, but we both commented that we would never have made the trek. No matter which direction we turned, there was a different view of the mountains beyond or the shipyards below, with a huge…
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Goodbye Kristiansund, Hello Ålesund
Kristiansund was a beautiful city, but it was time to say goodbye and hit the road again for our next stop, Ålesund. Everywhere in Norway takes twice as long to get to as it does back home: there are no straight roads; you are constantly ascending and descending over the mountains; the speed limits are anywhere between 50 and 80 kph; there are many tunnels to go through (brightly lit, smooth, and well maintained and the longest so far has been 6.8 km) and ferries to take; and if that isn’t enough to slow you down, there are the stunning and…