Sunday, September 25, 2011

Norway in a Nutshell

That's the title of the great suggested tour that leads from Oslo to Bergen.  I discussed Copenhagen and Stockholm in my earlier post, and now its time to cover Norway.  Such an amazingly beautiful place and unfortunately the camera really can't do it any justice.  But it'll have to do for now.

Our adventure starts with water and lots of it.  It's definitely not something they'll have to worry about anytime soon.  At least it seems that way.  If you like waterfalls, you'll love Norway.

Tvinde Fassen Waterfall

Also, the train ride between Oslo and Bergen is beautiful, but if you must get off the train, I recommend highway 13. It's got more tunnels than I knew existed in the world and some beautiful bus shelters.


Route 13 To Vik Bus Shelter

The water is pretty still as well.

Route 13 Reflections

And the ski resorts have grass roofs

Green Roof Ski Resort

At the end of highway 13 is the town of Vik.

Vik from the Mountain Vik from Route 13

And in Vik is Hopperstad Stave Church, built in the 1100s, this church has been renovated to a certain extent but the inside is still in tact and an amazing specimen. It is said to be the oldest surviving church of its kind.

Hoppenstad Stave Church Hoppenstad Stave Church

On the train from Oslo to Bergen, the train ride is full of farmhouses and deep canyons. And we rode in the car that allows pets.

Animal Car on the Train Oslo to Bergen Scenery

At the Finse Glacier is the highest train station in Northern Europe. Only at about 4,000 feet the tree line doesn't go as high as it does in California or the Rockies because it gets so much colder. We found out later as well that this was where they filmed the Hoth scenes for Empire Strikes Back.

Finse Glacier Finse Station

On the other side of the Train ride is the beautiful Fjords with more waterfalls. This one was from a train that has some serious elevation changes.


Kjosfossen Waterfall Naeroyfjord "Narrow Fjord"

On the way back, we were in a commuter type bus going down this switchback, which was quite amazing that the driver could pull it off


Stalheim Switchback

And Bergen is a beautiful city


Bergen City Center

The Hanseatic quarter burnt down in the 1700s and the debris was pushed into the bay and built upon. But that was a bad idea as the buildings are shifting so much that some of them don't match up.

Hansiatic Quarter Mishmash Bergen Norway Hasiatic Quarter Hansiatic Quarter

Back in Oslo, Frogner Park is a must see and here's the obligatory tram shot. The photo below is a really cool water feature that the trams run directly over.

Tram Water Feature Frogner Park Tram
Frogner Park
Angry Kid at Frogner Park Frogner Park

And the urbanism is pretty great as well

Oslo Norway Oslo Norway

Finally though, I thought I would share our prison abroad, the US Embassy in Norway. That's what I thought it was at least the first time I saw it. It's too bad we create so many enemies and have folks that don't like us that we need to even do this. At least there is a tram line.

American Embassy Oslo

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Seafarers of Scandinavia

Well maybe not, but we got rained on.  Every two years I try to go somewhere interesting for a vacation. Over the last few years I've been to Eastern Europe and Italy with my parents and sister and decided to go a bit further north in Europe to Scandinavia this time.  I try to share some photos and stories so here is my latest adventure!

First we flew into Stockholm, some of the highlights included the awesome train from the airport that took 20 minutes to downtown at 205 km/hr.  That's one fast ride. Over the course of two weeks, we flew, took intercity rail, tram, bus, commuter bus, metro, ferry, large ferry, taxi, and yes rental car.  It rained a lot so no bikes.  But its not all about transportation.  Here are some shots from Sweden and Denmark.  I'll get to Norway in another post.

Scandinavia is famous for bikes, but I was impressed also with the subways and trams. I would be remiss if I didn't start with the Trams. This lane is shared by Trams and buses and the vehicle is a Bombardier Flexity.

Stockholm Streetcar

Here's Rush hour in Stockholm:

Rush Hour in Stockholm

And one of the worst traffic nightmares in the city (Slussen Locks) protects cyclists with some colorful barriers

Slussen Bike Lane Barriers

But even more fun in these cities is the old central city.  In Stockholm, this area is known as Gamla Stan. The Central Square known as the Stortorget has a fountain that is the center of the country.  Distances in different parts of the country are measured to it and it has been the location for some famous historical events.  It is said that the white stones on the red building in the photo represent each of the Swedish nobles that were beheaded in the square by the King of Denmark. 

Stortorget Gamla Stan

Back in the narrow passageways behind the Stortorget you can see small Phoenix's over windows representing who had paid their fees for the fire department to save the house.

The Phoenix of Gamla Stan

Across the lake from Gamla Stan is the 1700s Warship Vasa that sunk only a few minutes after launch and was only found again at the bottom of the lake in the 1950s. It is probably one of the most amazing things you'll see in the city.

Swedish Man of War Ship Vasa

Swedish Man of War Ship Vasa

On to Copenhagen, home of the bikes! It's a great city but I thought it felt a little less clean than Oslo, Bergen, or Stockholm.

In the Assistens Kirkegaard, half park/half cemetary, noted Danes including Hans Christian Anderson and Neils Bohr are buried. It's a beautiful place.

Assistens Kirkegaard

Off the main shopping street, a small back ally called the Pistolstrade will bring you to some Half Timbered buildings that are fun and brightly colored.

Pistolstrade Timbered Houses

Back into the City, the City Hall is defended by a pair of fearsome looking Walruses (Walri?)

Defense Walrus

Across town at the Rosenborg Slot (Castle), the crown has been showing off the Jewels and living quarters of Danish Kings since the end of the 19th Century. These are some of the toy soldiers kept in the basement vault.

King's Men

Christian IV was the major part of the progress of the Danes and there are a number of monuments to his movement to Lutheranism around the city including this history statue. The guy was pretty hardcore. At his castle Rosenborg, there is a room with his shirt bloodied after a battle and the shrapnel pulled from his eye that he made into ear rigns and gave to his mistress. That's love right there. Or something...

The Reformation Memorial

The first day we also took a train to Roskilde, home to a major music festival and the Viking Ship museum. I highly recommend it if you have kids, or even if you don't. The cool thing is that they show how the ships are built and how they used the wood to build them. This photo shows what parts of the tree they used for certain parts of the boat. Also, they've uncovered a number of viking ships including merchant vessels and warboats. Very cool.

How Vikings Built Ships

Viking Museum at Roskilde

I've got a lot from Norway as well. I'll post those later this week. Until then you can see them all on my Flickr page.