Day 13: Through the Fjord and onto Bergen...and then onto Oslo

Whew...that was a really busy day. Instead of boring you with all the little details of everything that happened, we will instead break the day down into the sinusoidal ups and downs that we experienced (pictures included when available, of course, for illustration purposes).

Low: We wake up in the morning, and the bathroom is a mess. A guest that arrived the night before (an older man with a funny hat) was the last to be seen leaving the bathroom region. We immediately blame him for the travesty (in all fairness, it could have been someone else).

High: We check out of the hostel and make our way to the boat. It is not raining (which is always an unexpected plus in Norway). We board the boat, get a great seat, and begin to enjoy the show.

Low: It is very cold on the boat and we do not have any gloves or hat. Also, the old man from the hostel is onboard...oh no.

High: Scenery...obviously.

(Last picture for Flynn...they deliver mail to isolated regions of the Fjord Valley using the boat we were on)

Low: Pushy tourists from the Eastern part of Asia...they will step right in front of you to get a picture and block the photo you were just setting up.

High: The old man in the hat disembarks at an isolated village (see pic) during a mail drop off...he is the only passenger to get off. Daryl excitedly turns to me and says, "Oh my God, we just left the man in the hat". We then proceed to high-five.

Low: It is still extremely cold...almost unbearable at this point. Most passengers have moved inside the cabin, but a few hearty people remain on deck (as Canadians, we can't be seen reacting negatively to cold weather).

High: The scenery continues to be breathtaking.

Low: We get off the boat at a small town, with plans to catch a bus to the main train line. Unfortunately, the bus does not depart for almost an hour. We find our way inside a gift shop and try to get warm...to no avail.

High: While we assume the bus ride will be nondescript and uninteresting, particularly after the boat cruise, it is splendid. The bus even goes down a scenic road that has a grade of 18 percent and many hairpin turns. While it doesn't seem like a road suited to a coach bus, but we try to put aside our reservations and enjoy the view (including two waterfalls). A picture of the road, looping back on itself repeatedly, is included.

Low: We get dropped off in Voss and catch a train to Bergen (about 1.5 hour trip). When we arrive, it is cloudy. When we step out of the train station, it is pouring. Seems to be our luck since arriving in Norway.

High: We find a great cafe and tuck in for coffee and a pastry. We get warm and stay dry.

Low: The weather clears and we head back outside to begin exploring Bergen. It begins to rain again.

High: We find a local Farmer's market that is setup near the harbor. We sample a variety of goat cheeses and buy a couple. We also get some organic ice cream in a really delicious, fried pancake-like cone.

Low: We check out the supposedly cool fortress...it is a major letdown. It continues to rain.

High: We stumble upon the old part of Bergen, called Bryggen. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is awesome!!! It is comprised of old wooden buildings, that they are in the process of restoring.

Low: We head to dinner at a place recommended by the ever-useful Rick Steves (European travel guru). It all starts well...the ambience is nice, the food tastes good. I order shrimp, while Daryl gets the stuffed peppers. Half-way through, we swap (as we often do) and I stumble upon a very sharp piece of plastic in the pepper stuffing. I proceed to badly cut my gums under my tongue. It really hurts. While the plate is comped, the pain remains.

High: Walking back through the streets of Bergen, we have a couple of hours to kill before catching the overnight train back to Oslo. While searching out a bar, we discover a street choir. They sound great and begin to brighten our spirits.

High: We find a really cute, Norwegian-style pub. We enjoy a few beers and a jazz band, while we plan our next day in Oslo.

High: We make our way back to the train station and find our sleeper cabin. It is ridiculously cool, like camp for adults.

All in all, we had a great day. We loved the fjord region (although more sun and warmth would have been welcome) and Bergen was very cute and charming. We would love to return again in the future and spend more time experiencing the culture.

So where does that leave us now? We just arrived back in Oslo this morning (about an hour ago) and we are currently killing time before striking out into the city to explore. We have today and tomorrow here and then tomorrow evening we take the overnight ferry to Copenhagen, Denmark. Hopefully our cabin on the ferry is just as cool as the train, but we are not holding our collective breath. That cabin was wicked.

Till next time...