Bergen, Norway
My overnight train from Stockholm to Oslo on Wednesday (21 June) night was 2 hours late arriving into Oslo on Thursday morning so I missed my connecting train to Bergen. On the bright side I did sleep great and it was a nice overnight trip. But as luck would have it, I got a window seat on the next train to Bergen that left 1.5 hours after I arrived in Oslo. Had I caught my original, earlier train, I would have not had a window seat and I would have missed some of the spectular views.
The train ride from Oslo to Bergen was incredible. My only complaint is that is was cloudy so the views were of mountains covered with clouds (it was clear for the return trip though). Really stunning scenery though and on the train ride back I was feeling guilty for not stopping and spending some time between the 2 big cities.
The hostel in Bergen (called Bergen Vandrerhjem YMCA) was great, perhaps the best hostel/town combo so far. The hostel was steps away from the famous fish market (similar in fame to Pike's Place), the tourist information center, grocery stores, a cool climbing shop, the train station, and hiking trails. The hostel itself was really cool too and the people working there were really helpful. I would definitely stay there again. I didn't have much time to do anything on Thursday (22 June) evening when I got to Bergen so I just grabbed dinner and hung out at the hostel.
Friday (23 June) I had big plans to do some major hiking in the hills next to town. So I packed up my bag and headed out. Upon opening the door to leave I discovered drizzle and cloudy skies. My heart sunk. I hate hiking in the rain, but I wasn't just going to sit inside all day either. I put on my rain coat and headed up the almost paved trail to the top of the small mountain (~1000 feet), Mt. Floyen. At the view point on top of the mountain where the funicular, and therefore tourons arrive, I could see nothing except clouds. It was still raining.
After sitting for a bit I decided that it was pointless for me to do any hiking as the views are what make this a hike (the paved and lighted paths hardly make this a wilderness). Upon starting down I decided to take a scenic loop to rejoin my trail down. I started to hear this horn blowing from the fog. A few minutes later a guy popped out of the fog wearing 'viking' clothes and blowing a 'viking' horn. When we met, he said something in Norwegian (as they like to do here), and then in english; "viking market ahead on the left". Well, since I was here....
It wasn't much of a market, even by Viking standards I think. It was really, really weird though. Everyone was dressed in Viking clothes and they had what I guess were supposed to be viking tents and shelters erected. (apparently the Vikings used lots of petroleum-based plastic tarps drapped over their tents and wares to protect from the rain). It was foggy and wet. I took a couple erie photos and continued on. strange place.
My scenic loop ended up taking me higher and surprisingly out of the rain. So I continued on for another hour or so before returning to the view point. By this time the clouds had partially lifted so I was actually able to see something now. The view down to Bergen was great, but the other mountains were still socked in. Lot of tourons had also arrived so I quickly snapped some photos and began the hike down, this time directly down. I had planned to spend the entire day up in the hills exploring but the weather (and my motivations) decided otherwise. So I returned to the hostel feeling a bit defeated.
I didn't do much that afternoon, but early in the evening 3 of us decided to head over to the midsummer's eve fair/celebration. Of course it was raining the entire time we were out as it likes to rain in Bergen (most rain of any place in Europe apparently). Once at the entrance and finding out they wanted 100 NKr (~$17) for the pleasure of standing in the rain to watch a bonfire and be subjected horrible music, we opted to hang out under a roof of a neighboring building and watch the bonfire for free. After a couple of hours we headed back to the hostel.
Saturday (24 June) I spent the morning trying to figure out what my next move was. I had planned to do a 3-4 day hike from Finse to Aurland but the guy at the DNT (similar to WA ranger station) office said there was still a lot of snow on the ground. So being alone, with quite finicky weather, and in unfamiliar terrain I nixed that idea. I was also feeling like my time was getting tight with places and things I want to see later and so I needed to pass on something. Later that afternoon I walked around the fish market which was quite an experience. Unfortunately every stand was selling whale meat and of course this is popular with the tourists. I'm pretty sure they shouldn't be selling whale meat at a commericial fish market. Aren't whales protected from commercial fishing!?
Feeling more than a bit defeated by the weather (it rained every day I was in the Bergen area) I decided to just do the standard tourist trail (described below) back to Oslo on Sunday. This was really a let down for me as I really wanted to do some hiking and camping in the area. I've been carring my camping gear for nearly 3 weeks now without using it!
Sunday (25 June) morning I caught the train to Voss, one of the stops on the Bergen-Oslo line. I had only about 30 minutes to spend walking around Voss before catching the bus to Gudvagen. Voss is a neat, small, lakeside town that I wouldn't have minded staying the night at, but the tickets were already bought. The bus ride down to Gudvagen was pretty incredible. At one point I feel asleep and got mad at myself for doing so! The bus went down these really tight hairpin turns that made me pucker! Next was the ferry from Gudvagen to Flam through this fantastic fjord, Naeroyfjorden, which is a branch of Norway's longest fjord, Sognefjorden. It was an incredible journey even though it rained for at least half the 2-hour trip. I had no idea it rained so much in Western Norway!! Then I had about 2.5 hours to wonder around the small, beautiful, and heavily touristed city of Flam before taking the Flambanan rail journey up to Myrdal. Flam is another town where I would have liked to stay the night. Maybe next time..... In Myrdal I had an hour or so before catching the train on to Oslo. This side trip was incredible and I'm glad I did it (although I never planned on missing it as it is heavily hyped here). All the pictures you see of the fjords and mountains against blue skies is just a scam though!!
At least it was clear for the train ride back to Oslo. When the train stopped at Finse (the highest stop on the Bergen-Oslo rail journey and where I wanted to start my hike from) I was really, really wanting to stay, but that would have cost me a rail travel day and the hostel (in Oslo) deposit. It was a beautiful high alpine village with glaciers (at the same elevation) on the mountains in the background. You can ski year round in Finse and it was just such a beautiful place. I'm definitley going back there some day. I also discovered that some dining cars have huge windows where you can just sit there and glare out at the fantastic scenery if you happen to be stuck in an aisle seat like I was this time. What a great train ride!
I arrived in Oslo late Sunday night, but when I got to the hostel at 11 pm the sun still hadn't set yet! The hostel in Oslo left something to be desired compared to the hostel in Bergen. My roommates were not quite (one snored really loud) and it was overpriced. But I'll probably spend another 2 nights there so I can see Oslo before moving on. The hostel I wanted to stay in is closed for renovations.
The train ride from Oslo to Bergen was incredible. My only complaint is that is was cloudy so the views were of mountains covered with clouds (it was clear for the return trip though). Really stunning scenery though and on the train ride back I was feeling guilty for not stopping and spending some time between the 2 big cities.
The hostel in Bergen (called Bergen Vandrerhjem YMCA) was great, perhaps the best hostel/town combo so far. The hostel was steps away from the famous fish market (similar in fame to Pike's Place), the tourist information center, grocery stores, a cool climbing shop, the train station, and hiking trails. The hostel itself was really cool too and the people working there were really helpful. I would definitely stay there again. I didn't have much time to do anything on Thursday (22 June) evening when I got to Bergen so I just grabbed dinner and hung out at the hostel.
Friday (23 June) I had big plans to do some major hiking in the hills next to town. So I packed up my bag and headed out. Upon opening the door to leave I discovered drizzle and cloudy skies. My heart sunk. I hate hiking in the rain, but I wasn't just going to sit inside all day either. I put on my rain coat and headed up the almost paved trail to the top of the small mountain (~1000 feet), Mt. Floyen. At the view point on top of the mountain where the funicular, and therefore tourons arrive, I could see nothing except clouds. It was still raining.
After sitting for a bit I decided that it was pointless for me to do any hiking as the views are what make this a hike (the paved and lighted paths hardly make this a wilderness). Upon starting down I decided to take a scenic loop to rejoin my trail down. I started to hear this horn blowing from the fog. A few minutes later a guy popped out of the fog wearing 'viking' clothes and blowing a 'viking' horn. When we met, he said something in Norwegian (as they like to do here), and then in english; "viking market ahead on the left". Well, since I was here....
It wasn't much of a market, even by Viking standards I think. It was really, really weird though. Everyone was dressed in Viking clothes and they had what I guess were supposed to be viking tents and shelters erected. (apparently the Vikings used lots of petroleum-based plastic tarps drapped over their tents and wares to protect from the rain). It was foggy and wet. I took a couple erie photos and continued on. strange place.
My scenic loop ended up taking me higher and surprisingly out of the rain. So I continued on for another hour or so before returning to the view point. By this time the clouds had partially lifted so I was actually able to see something now. The view down to Bergen was great, but the other mountains were still socked in. Lot of tourons had also arrived so I quickly snapped some photos and began the hike down, this time directly down. I had planned to spend the entire day up in the hills exploring but the weather (and my motivations) decided otherwise. So I returned to the hostel feeling a bit defeated.
I didn't do much that afternoon, but early in the evening 3 of us decided to head over to the midsummer's eve fair/celebration. Of course it was raining the entire time we were out as it likes to rain in Bergen (most rain of any place in Europe apparently). Once at the entrance and finding out they wanted 100 NKr (~$17) for the pleasure of standing in the rain to watch a bonfire and be subjected horrible music, we opted to hang out under a roof of a neighboring building and watch the bonfire for free. After a couple of hours we headed back to the hostel.
Saturday (24 June) I spent the morning trying to figure out what my next move was. I had planned to do a 3-4 day hike from Finse to Aurland but the guy at the DNT (similar to WA ranger station) office said there was still a lot of snow on the ground. So being alone, with quite finicky weather, and in unfamiliar terrain I nixed that idea. I was also feeling like my time was getting tight with places and things I want to see later and so I needed to pass on something. Later that afternoon I walked around the fish market which was quite an experience. Unfortunately every stand was selling whale meat and of course this is popular with the tourists. I'm pretty sure they shouldn't be selling whale meat at a commericial fish market. Aren't whales protected from commercial fishing!?
Feeling more than a bit defeated by the weather (it rained every day I was in the Bergen area) I decided to just do the standard tourist trail (described below) back to Oslo on Sunday. This was really a let down for me as I really wanted to do some hiking and camping in the area. I've been carring my camping gear for nearly 3 weeks now without using it!
Sunday (25 June) morning I caught the train to Voss, one of the stops on the Bergen-Oslo line. I had only about 30 minutes to spend walking around Voss before catching the bus to Gudvagen. Voss is a neat, small, lakeside town that I wouldn't have minded staying the night at, but the tickets were already bought. The bus ride down to Gudvagen was pretty incredible. At one point I feel asleep and got mad at myself for doing so! The bus went down these really tight hairpin turns that made me pucker! Next was the ferry from Gudvagen to Flam through this fantastic fjord, Naeroyfjorden, which is a branch of Norway's longest fjord, Sognefjorden. It was an incredible journey even though it rained for at least half the 2-hour trip. I had no idea it rained so much in Western Norway!! Then I had about 2.5 hours to wonder around the small, beautiful, and heavily touristed city of Flam before taking the Flambanan rail journey up to Myrdal. Flam is another town where I would have liked to stay the night. Maybe next time..... In Myrdal I had an hour or so before catching the train on to Oslo. This side trip was incredible and I'm glad I did it (although I never planned on missing it as it is heavily hyped here). All the pictures you see of the fjords and mountains against blue skies is just a scam though!!
At least it was clear for the train ride back to Oslo. When the train stopped at Finse (the highest stop on the Bergen-Oslo rail journey and where I wanted to start my hike from) I was really, really wanting to stay, but that would have cost me a rail travel day and the hostel (in Oslo) deposit. It was a beautiful high alpine village with glaciers (at the same elevation) on the mountains in the background. You can ski year round in Finse and it was just such a beautiful place. I'm definitley going back there some day. I also discovered that some dining cars have huge windows where you can just sit there and glare out at the fantastic scenery if you happen to be stuck in an aisle seat like I was this time. What a great train ride!
I arrived in Oslo late Sunday night, but when I got to the hostel at 11 pm the sun still hadn't set yet! The hostel in Oslo left something to be desired compared to the hostel in Bergen. My roommates were not quite (one snored really loud) and it was overpriced. But I'll probably spend another 2 nights there so I can see Oslo before moving on. The hostel I wanted to stay in is closed for renovations.
posted by Dustin at 5:11 AM
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