After our overnight ferry ride to Norway the next leg of our trip took us from from Oslo to Bergen.
Our three days in Oslo included touring the futuristic Oslo Opera House, the Akershus Fortress and World War II Resistance Museum, and an “urban hike” along the Akerselva River. A highlight was a visit to the amazing Vigeland Sculpture Park with its hundreds of statues of naked people sculpted by Gustav Vigeland.
A sobering experience was a visit to the July 22 Center, a memorial to the 77 people killed in Norway’s worst terrorist attack in 2011. Most of the victims were teenagers attending a camp. We also had a presentation by a member of Norway’s security service about the impressive success of their prison program which focuses on rehabilitation instead of punishment. He informed us that, sadly, it does not work for someone like the July 22 terrorist who remains unrepentant.
Flåm and Bergen
The scenic ride from Oslo to Bergen took us first by bus through the world’s longest road tunnel to the tiny picturesque village of Flåm for an overnight stay. Along the way we stopped at the 1,000-year-old Borgund Stave Church. After visiting a local farm and another (350-year-old) stave church we boarded a train on the Flåm Railway for an unbelievably beautiful ride west to Bergen.
We spent two days touring Bergen, including a tour of the Oleana knitting factory, a presentation by a very talented local folk musician, and a ride up the funicular to magnicifent views of the city. Before boarding ship for our coastal fjord cruise we rode a bus and a high-speed rigid inflatable boat (RIB) to tour a salmon farm and a coastal museum in nearby Øygarden.
Photo Gallery
Click on any thumbnail image below to see the full-screen photo. Use the left and right arrow keys to advance through the photos, or press P to start a slide show. Press ESC to exit.Next: Hurtigruten Fjord Cruise
