Norway!
August 3rd, 2022 (G) - Family Cabin
As we prepared for our visit to Norway, we were truly fortunate to have met two wonderful Norwegians while hiking in the mountains of Peru. They are awesome.
Here are us 2 Americans and 2 Norwegians exploring Peru:
N is easily one of the coolest guys I’ve met in my travels. He sailed the west coast of Europe to the Caribbean and back when he was younger, taught surf lessons in Portugal, is now a pilot, an excellent chef, artist (check out @n.j.drawings on Insta), excellent fly fisher, and all-around badass. S also has a fascinating background, having lived in Australia and Sweden and traveled extensively. She’s an expert hiker, gourmet waffle maker, and likes Harry Potter and metal music. S loves animals and has taken care/takes care of them in a variety of very important ways.
Now, T and I try to be pretty cool, but really we have no idea why these two awesome Norwegians decided we were cool enough for them to hang out with… we’re not. We definitely felt more than honored when they offered to show us their Norway when we made it there.
That is how and why our preparation for Norway was significantly less than normal. We did of course visit the government website, search the web, and scour maps of the country for points of interest as is fairly standard for us, but we did not plan as much in the way of lodging or transportation as we normally would. Our friends advised us that we should rent a car to make the most of our time, but that generally lodging and transportation within the cities is a total non-issue. They were of course correct.
Upon landing, we took the easily accessible train to the city where S and their new puppy were waiting on the platform to greet us. We headed off quickly to meet N who was waiting with the car. We met up and greeted each other warmly. With great grins on all our faces, we were soon all in the car and on our way to N’s family’s mountain house. As we drove N remarked he was pleased to see that we still traveled so light (just one small backpack each) and after catching up a bit on the two years that had passed since we’d last seen each other, he told us a bit more about the mountain house as we drove.
It had originally been built by his grandfather and then expanded and remodeled by his parents. More recently N and his brother had built a gear shed with a bar, for those required post-skiing beers in the winter. We also heard about their grand escape from the Covid lockdowns of South America. Their escape had been every bit as intense as our own, but with a bit of luck and timing, they managed to return to Norway just as the country closed down. Had they waited, they may have been stuck in Rio, somewhere we would not want to be stranded.
We also stopped on the way up to the cabin for Rakfisk. Rakfisk originated from the particular region we were in and for those who may not be familiar with Rakfisk, I will save you a google search. Rakfisk is simply fermented fish. Originally, it was salted and buried in the ground and dug up for consumption later in the year, usually in autumn or winter. When first opened, it is especially pungent, however, I stand by its categorization as a delicacy. I will leave its culinary description for when we first tried it, further down in this post.
After acquiring some authentic Rakfisk, we continued on up a series of switchbacks and arrived at the cabin. Clad in black wood siding, with a covered porch, it was inviting. Upon entering it was easy to see that this place was built for comfort. Its history as a hunting cabin appeared tastefully and honestly throughout the interior, but where you might expect to find a certain roughness there was instead comfort. Images of N and his family gathered together in this place on cold, dark, winter nights flashed before my eyes. My imagination saw them there as happy faces illuminated by soft light from the original fireplace which was still used. Comfortable couches placed so that all might face each other and enjoy each other’s company or simply relax quietly for an hour or two. Which is exactly what N asked me to do. After we had dropped our packs into a marvelous little bedroom N produced a beer for me. When I asked if there was anything I could do to help with dinner he simply told me to have a seat and relax by the fire. I complied with pleasure.
After an hour or so of sitting and chatting with T and S, N reappeared from the kitchen and in the abrupt but efficient and endearing way of Norwegians said, “Okay, let’s do it” meaning dinner was ready. N’s homemade pizza was scrumptious. By the time we had finished eating, it was well into the night so we said goodnight and went to bed. The quality of our rest that first night at the cabin was excellent.
August 4, 2022 (T)
That first night in the cabin may end up keeping the top spot for best night’s sleep. The slightly chilly temperature was perfect and it was so quiet and dark. We slept in a little and woke up well rested. Coffee was waiting for us and N had already started on making a delicious breakfast of scrambled eggs with bacon and veggies. G and I tried brown cheese, a goat cheese cut into thin slices. We both really liked it. It’s creamy and slightly sweet. S had to work during the day, so G, N, and I finished our breakfast and coffee and then set out for a hike to summit the nearest peak to the cabin.
N assured us the peak looked far away but it only took an hour. G and I aren’t quite on the same hiking fitness level as N and S (even with the West Highland Way experience now), so I doubted it would take only an hour, but we must have leveled up because it did! On our hike up to the summit, we passed sheep on the side of the road who are let out to wander the mountainsides during the summer, trolls sculpted from old trees that appeared occasionally, street signs with each cabin name (we learned each cabin in Norway now has a name and address), a dairy farm with only 10 cows and the milk truck passed us to collect the milk even though it’s a small producing farm in the middle of the mountains, and a few other hikers. G and I marveled at the number of cabins that had natural roofs full of grass and wildflowers. The summit had a beautiful view of the landscape in all directions. We were hoping to avoid the rain, and we successfully did, though there was some in the distance. S was right, she had told us when there’s cloud cover, Norway’s colors are muted with a slightly silvery tone over them, and when the sun shines, Norway looks like another planet because it’s so beautiful. The colors are so vibrant and rich, unlike anywhere we’ve seen before. We sat at the summit for a while, admiring the views and the gigantic size of the raven that flew overhead. When asked if we wanted to return the short way or go to another summit close-by then return, we, of course, chose to go to the other summit first.
As we were on our way to the next summit, a Norwegian made some small talk with N during which G and I were honored with the title “American Vikings”. I felt as though we had just been knighted. I’ll happily claim that title. The other summit had beautiful views as well. We wandered back down the mountains, by some houses, around a lake, up a field, and found our way to a hotel that also boasted impressive views of the area and proudly hung a piece of N’s artwork in the entryway. We enjoyed a drink on the balcony and then returned to the cabin. S had finished her work for the day and she was preparing waffles for us to enjoy for lunch. Waffles and champagne is a lunch of champions.
After lunch, we relaxed for a while. G and I enjoyed chatting with S near the fire again while having some red wine. There was an increasingly enticing smell coming from the kitchen. We were eager to know what N had prepared this time. A couple of hours later it was time for dinner. The appetizer? Rakfisk! Tourists may chicken out to try it or turn their noses up at it, but we found it to be really tasty. It was served with sour cream and arugula on top and in a potato wrap. It was also accompanied by a variety of aquavit, a Norwegian liquor with a strong pine flavor. The texture of the rakfisk is incredibly smooth and the flavor truly is not bitter or acrid, as one may think, but instead retains the flavor of the fish with some additional depth. We both would willingly choose to eat it again. In fact, we asked for seconds to try it by itself. Even by itself we still liked it. The entree was boeuf bourguignon and it did not disappoint. G has talked about it a few times since because it’s his favorite boeuf bourguignon he’s ever eaten. N could open his own restaurant if he wanted to.
Because the American Vikings were going to be without their Norwegian Vikings for about a week, N and S were kind enough to help us write down a cheat sheet of Norske words and phrases to try on our own. They also gave us their recommendations of places to visit. We spent a while after dinner enjoying each other’s company and giving the puppy some pets and cuddles before retiring for another sound night’s sleep.
August 5th, 2022 (G) - Lom
After quickly packing up and tidying up the cabin, we all once again piled into N’s car and were off to pick up a car. This would have been truly impossible without N’s help as the pick up location was not specified on any sign. Fortunately, N came to the rescue and asked around a bit to find the right place. Far too soon, we were saying our goodbyes to N & S. We planned to see them again in Oslo after wandering the Fjords, but the time we had together was rich and we knew already that we would miss them.
As we got into our car we saw them drive off and our adventure into the unknown of Jotenheim began. Jotenheim is the mountain range that divides Norway, North to South. We were soon deep within the high passes of Jotenheim where we stopped for a hike to catch some spectacular views.
After the brief hike, we passed a herd of reindeer and then stopped again to do a random but spectacular little hike down to a river. The hike brought us to a place where the river narrowed enough to be able to jump across with relative ease. We spent a few minutes hiking around, then pressed onward to Lom.
Not long after, we arrived in Lom.
Lom has one of the oldest and best preserved all wooden (no nails were originally used just joinery) churches in Norway which dates back to the 1100s. This particular gem dated back to 1158-59. It’s one of the most unique churches we’ve ever visited.
We spent the evening there followed by visiting a bakery where T decided to begin a gluten bender because the waffle did not make her feel super sick. Pizza and a pastry was her first meal of choice. After dinner, we sought and found accommodations at a nearby camping and cabin company. The cabin, though small, was clean, cheap, and conveniently located very near the church and bakery.
We capped the night off with a pint of local beer. since it had been ages since T had enjoyed a real beer it was a welcomed occasion. Satiated, we returned to the cabin and slept.
August 6, 2022 (T) - Norway’s Tallest Waterfall & Kristiansund
We had a long day of driving ahead of us, so we woke up at a decent time and were quickly on our way. We decided to make the most of having a car so we chose a route that would take a little longer but would allow us to see more of the country. A few hours in, the landscape became even more mountainous, and G and I were both enamored by a specific waterfall starting way up at the top of one of these mountains. There was a rest stop near it, so we pulled off the highway where we uncovered that particular waterfall just happened to be the tallest in all of Norway and the 5th tallest in the world! It’s called The Vinnu, standing at an impressive 860 meters high (2,821 feet) and comes from The Vinnu Glacier. When we saw a sign for a quick(ish) hike closer to it, we didn’t hesitate to go for it. About 5-10 minutes later we figured out the short hike was to the trail, but we couldn’t stop and not make it to the tallest waterfall in Norway, so we followed the muddy and at times very steep trail right next to the waterfall for another 10-15 minutes. The hike was well worth it. We paused to enjoy the moment, snapped a few pictures, then were on our way back down. We were a bit nervous about how the way down would go because it was so steep and muddy, but there were plenty of trees that lent a hand for our support. When we made it back to the car, we didn’t stop until we arrived at our destination with the exception of filling up gas.
Our destination for the day was Kristiansund, up further north and west and close to the famous bridge that’s in one of the James Bond movies. The weather wasn’t very agreeable so we decided we would stop to admire it the next day. We did, however, admire the engineering behind the numerous, lengthy tunnels in Norway! G remarked they have to have dwarves in Norway and not just trolls because of how innovative these tunnels are. We’re familiar with The Eisenhower Tunnel in Colorado in the US which is also impressive, but a normal tunnel in Norway is easily 3 times longer. Without them, driving around the fjords would take days or be impossible.
After we made it to Kristiansund, we decided we would go out for dinner. We walked to the harbor and chose the restaurant that was our host’s recommendation, Bryggekanten Brasserie Restaurant. As we were walking along the harbor, I noticed there were jellyfish in the water! Of everywhere we’ve been, this was the first time I saw wild jellyfish. The restaurant was a good recommendation and the seafood was delicious. Plus, our server appreciated our attempts at speaking Norwegian (using our cheat sheet) and she even spoke mostly Norwegian to us which made us happy. We spent the rest of the evening walking around town then went back to the apartment early to get ready for another long day of driving, seeing the famous bridge, and venturing deep into the fjord lands.
August 7th, 2022 (G) - James Bond Bridge & Geirangerfjord
We woke and quickly left for the bridge visit since the weather was clear and sunny. The bridge was impressively cantilevered and the area surrounding it was very picturesque. With the addition of the sunlight, it was magic. This visit to a Bond film sight reminded me of the first one we had also stumbled upon unwittingly in the high desert of Bolivia. It felt as though a puzzle piece had landed to bring us full circle, connecting the experiences of our first attempt to travel the world to this one. An odd sense of satisfaction in the completion of this circle of time, space, and experience lingered as we drove away from the bridge and deeper into the fjords to the south.
Sometime later, we found ourselves on a ferry that crossed one of the Fjords, it was here that our luck with the weather began to fade some. As we continued through the Fjords and tunnels (I still wonder where they are hiding the dwarves that dug them) it became overcast and eventually, a gentle rain began. The rain was not so intense that it obscured our view of the Geiranger Fjord. A lookout point which preceded a series of switchbacks provided us an excellent thought slightly grey view of the steep walls of the fjord.
On the way down into Geiranger, we spotted cabins and a hotel which boasted room availability. In a snap decision, we turned into the lot. After inquiring about a room and requesting one be held (just in case), we checked with a couple of cabin sights nearby before we returned. We had no luck booking a more affordable cabin. So, upon our return to the hotel, the hostess, who had perceived correctly that the price had been a barrier to us initially renting the room, offered us the room at a discount. We happily accepted the discount and with the money saved booked two spots for dinner at the hotel later that night.
Sometimes, most times, it pays to just be polite and speak kindly to anyone who works in the service industry. They put up with a lot from all kinds of people and behind their initial smile that greets you as you walk up, you really have no idea what the rest of their day has been like.
We spent a little time getting settled in a spectacular room with a view of the fjord, then headed up for dinner. T finally wore her black dress packed specifically for special occasions and I was attired in my best grey slacks and black dress shirt. Through luck or some device of the hostess, we were given what may have been the very best seat - a small corner table with glass walls that overlooked the fjord. The food provided was divine. T found a new wine to accompany the meal and we spent our dinner time enjoying the view and at times the antics of a small British family with a young son who at one point proclaimed, “I’m 46 but I’m very small”. After dinner still chuckling about the child’s antics and his parent’s equally humourous responses, we returned to our room and hoped that the weather would improve by morning.
August 8, 2022 (T) - Geirangerfjord & Trollstigen: A Top 10 Day
We woke up and promptly went upstairs to breakfast. This hotel had an amazing spread at their buffet: fruits, meats, cheeses, different types of eggs, breads, pastries, waffles, oatmeal, juices, coffee, etc. Really anything you could want. After feasting, we went back to one of the cabins because they rented kayaks. We were able to secure a double kayak for 11:00 so we returned to our room where we packed up our bags, put them in the car, then checked out of the hotel and returned to the cabin. The weather was spectacular. It was cool, sunny, and there was absolutely no wind. The hostess at our hotel told us she could count on one hand how many days have been that pleasant this season. This day was quickly turning out to be a top 10 day of the whole trip.
G and I hurried down to the dock where we were given life jackets and paddles, then we hopped into the kayak and started paddling away. We spent the next 3 hours kayaking in Geiranger Fjord. We passed 2 waterfalls before arriving at The Seven Sisters, a waterfall with 7 falls. Then we crossed the fjord to appreciate another waterfall and made our way back. The entire time we were in awe of the beauty around us, knowing and appreciating how special those moments were. When we were finished kayaking, we got in the car and drove away.
The drive out of Geirangerfjord, Trollstigen, is so amazing. The first part of the drive is filled with switchbacks up the mountain exiting the fjord with beautiful views the whole way up, then it goes to a mountain valley with stunning images of mountain peaks and winding roads sprinkled with summer cabins.
A bit further into the valley is a glacial lake and hiking trails. We had to stop and hike for a bit. G was delighted to find a troll’s table. I think it might actually be a trolls table because later we found a troll postcard with trolls sitting around a nearly identical table. We spent about an hour walking around, marveling at the vibrant shades of green, and G even drank fresh mountain water before we returned to the car to continue the drive.
The weather decided to rain a little so that was the last time we explored outside of the car for the day. A few hours later, we arrived at our destination for the night, a small B&B in the middle of nowhere, and rested until we awoke the following morning.
August 9th, 2022 (G) - Kjenndalsbreen Glacier, World’s Longest Road Tunnel
The weather remained overcast but the rain had subsided. After driving a short while, we reached Loen and the glacial lake nearby. Seeing that the road continued past the town itself, we continued to follow the road as long as possible. Finally, after a half hour or perhaps a bit more of driving on a single-lane road that hugged the side of the fjord and then into the saddle of the fjord the road ended. Experience has taught me that where a road ends is usually where adventure of one sort or another begins. So, at the end of the road, we were pleased to find a trailhead that lead deeper into the fjord towards the glacier that had carved it.
Naturally, we began the hike with enthusiasm and though it was not particularly well marked, we were able to follow the cairns built by other hikers with ease. Near the end of the hike, we had reached very near the base of the glacier and after pausing to appreciate our surroundings T grabbed a quick drink of fresh glacial water and we began the return hike to the car.
On the way back down the single-lane road, we stopped at a small picnic pull-off to dip our toes into the glacial lake and collect wild fresh raspberries for a quick snack.
After a bit more driving we spotted another picturesque spot where we opted to stop for a much smaller quicker hike. On the way back to the car we passed a small group of cows with a rather intimidating young bull that seemed to be deciding if he felt like charging us. Fortunately, he must have decided we were not much of a threat and we passed by without issue. After this stop, we finally were headed towards something which I had anticipated daily since we began our little road trip.
The worlds longest road tunnel which runs 24.5 km (15.23 miles) under the mountains. There are three sections that are illuminated and divide the length into quarters. Jokes about dwarves aside, it is truly a wonder of modern engineering and machinery.
After we exited the tunnel, we drove on a little further and found a cabin in a small viking village town. The accommodations were modest. There was a brief but spirited battle with flies for domination of the cabin’s interior, ultimately T and I were victorious. We then enjoyed dinner and called it a night.
August 10th, 2022 (T) - Viking Village
The first thing we did after waking up and checking out of the cabin campsite was make our way to The Viking Village. Now, we’re pretty sure this place is normally an attraction for kids and families, but G and I weren’t going to pass up the opportunity to see this viking village replica with live characters and try archery and axe throwing. We felt like it was worth visiting. Did you know it took 2,000 sheep to create a large viking sail?
Today was the day we said goodbye to the fjords and made the drive to Bergen. We stopped by a large waterfall on the way but that was the only stop. We were a little tired from all of the hiking and adventures of the previous few days, so after we checked in to the hotel we just relaxed for the rest of the day and saved our energy for our full day in Bergen.
August 11th, 2022 (G) - Bergen
We awoke to enjoy a generous breakfast, complete with smoked salmon and brown cheese. After breakfast, we decided to explore the mountains around the city of Bergen. The city itself is surrounded by 7 small peaks, small is relative of course. Given that the ascent begins at sea level they are still a nice hike. So after gathering our daypack we set off.
One of my favorite features of the city is the numerous staircases, most of which are unmarked, that link together the various switchback roads. By these stairs we wandered and wound our way up to the funicular. Rather than paying for the smooth rail ride up to the top we opted to venture forth on a trail off to the side which disappeared into the pine forest. The trail was spectacular. It was very well kept and enveloped by ferns, waterfalls, moss, and towering pines it felt like entering a different world, perhaps an elven wood or another fantasy realm. We were occasionally passed by trail runners or dog walkers which reminded us that this was in fact a real place. The trail itself was such a pleasure that before we knew it we had reached the summit point with a viewpoint of the city and restaurant. After a quick lunch, we sat and enjoyed the view, then headed back down to Bergen.
Our next stop was the old harbor of Bergan, Bryggen. The harbor was teeming with people, mostly tourists given the time of year, but a fair number of Norwegians could be spotted in the mix as well. The old buildings that lined the harbor were well kept and stood tall and beautiful in spite of having been originally constructed in the 1000’s and being rebuilt multiple times due to fires. These buildings with their distinct architecture and the tight streets that mazed between them mixed with the now overcast gray sky gave the place the deep authenticity that it deserved as a historic harbor town. After musing and relaxing on one of the piers for a little while we decided to return to our room to shower and change before dinner.
Feeling refreshed, we emerged from our hotel to find that the weather outside, was grayer and cooler than when we had left the harbor. The wind had picked up some and T was a bit chilly. I found it pleasant as I have a strong preference towards cooler weather. We walked around the town in search of a dinner venue that served Norwegian dishes and had availability. Bergen is a hub for gastronomy and did not dissapoint. We eventually found a cozy (or cosy as the Norwegians spell it) little spot and enjoyed an excellent chanterelle risotto and catch of the day. The quality and preparation of the food was excellent. After enjoying a slow dinner together, we returned to our hotel and prepared ourselves for the return flight to Oslo.
August 12th, 2022 (T) - Oslo
Our morning was spent eating breakfast, checking out, returning our car to the Bergen Airport, and then flying out to Oslo. That flight was the fastest flight I’ve ever been on. It was scheduled to take 55 minutes but we arrived 20 minutes early. As soon as we reached altitude, we began our descent. When we arrived in Oslo, we took the train to the city center, walked to our hotel, checked in, and mapped out our day with the help of our friends’ suggestions.
The first stop was the Opera House, which has really unique architecture and is situated by the water surrounded by city “beaches”. The building is white and glass, shaped with straight lines that create a series of rectangles or triangles, and the sides are sloped so you can walk all the way up to the roof to see a great view of the city and harbor. We were on the roof looking out at the city and the beaches when we noticed a structure that seemed out of place at the water’s edge. Red Bull was hosting the 2022 cliff diving competition in Olso the next day! We quickly added that to the list of activities for the following day as we watched the divers acclimate themselves to the platform, though they didn’t dive off.
The next stop was very close by, The Munch Museum. The building is very new and is home to “The Scream”. I always find it interesting which work of art becomes the famous one from an artist. Munch was incredibly talented at capturing human emotion in his artwork. Here’s The Scream and some others we were drawn to.
Our hotel offered dinner in the price, so we returned to the hotel where we ate our dinner and then spent the rest of the evening planning what we wanted to see on our full day in Oslo.
Travel tip: if you’re going to spend at least one full day in Oslo, download the Ruter app. You can buy a transportation ticket that includes local subway, buses, tram, and ferries for $10 for 24 hours.
August 13th, 2022 (G)
We woke early and snagged breakfast before heading off on a full day of art-fueled adventure. Oslo’s free art scene is really incredible. T had explored an interesting map of the city’s urban artwork which we appreciate and used to spend the morning walking around the area near our hotel.
Along the way, we found the old fortress of the city, Akershus, which now also serves as a concert venue, museum, and cafe. We took some time to enjoy the views as well as the history it held.
After this unexpected deviation, we continued in our search for the urban art pieces. Before long we had found several in a small harbor that held historic vessels; think pirate ships and industrial revolution era steamers. That particular day, the harbor was also playing host to a food and art festival with the expressed goal of making art and culture accessible to everyone! We grabbed a quick bite of some Thai food which we enjoyed at a park nearby.
After this, we set off to one of the city’s free sculpture gardens. This required we hop on the city’s tram, which we found easy to navigate and use with the help of the Ruter app. As the tram cruised up the large hill, we spotted the crowd gathering for the start of the “cliff” divers around the Opera. The event itself began at 14:00 (2 pm) which was a little more than an hour away. Plenty of time to visit the sculpture garden known as Ekebergparken Sculpture Park. This is a free park situated atop a hill to the southeast of the main city center. While you could spend several hours on the park’s trails there is a fantastic cluster of sculptures from renowned artists such as Rodin, Renoir, Dali, and a few others right at the park entrance. We weren’t able to hit all of them in the hour we had but found the sculptures and park itself very enjoyable.
When we arrived back at the Opera House, things were just kicking off. Having done some scouting the previous day, we were able to snag a spot atop the Opera House with a good view of the divers. The divers were excellent, but it was a hot day. having seen many of the divers perform their jumps, we decided to head back to our hotel for lunch before the sun’s kisses became burns. We relaxed for a little while before having an early dinner.
With the heat of the day having passed, we once again hopped onto the city tram. This time we were off to the west side of the city for the more famous Vigeland Sculpture park. This park was created by Gustav Vigeland (1869–1943) who is also famous for designing the medal of the Nobel Peace Prize. He created over 200 sculptures that are held within the park. We managed to walk the park during the golden hour just before sunset and caught the sun’s final rays of light as we arrived at our last sculpture to view, “The Wheel”. This park was exceptional and I highly recommend anyone who finds their way to Oslo stop by to experience it.
August 14th, 2022 (T) - Goodbye for Now
The time had come to say our goodbyes to Norway. I’m not sure we would have ever really been ready for that. We had seen new colors and landscapes that photos and videos can only attempt to capture. The people are friendly, happy, and welcoming. Viking history is unique and interesting.
We had hoped to be able to see N and S one more time before we left, but, unfortunately, S had an unexpected work emergency come up. We were still able to see N and their puppy at a cafe for a while where we talked about everything we had done since the cabin and expressed our love for his country. We also chatted about future travel plans and, who knows, we hope to meet up again in yet another country sometime soon.
One thing is for sure though, we will return to Norway one day.