Oslo to Bergen

Sunday, July 20

We awake early ready for a big travel day involving train to train to ferry to bus to train to Bergen.  The hotel brown bag breakfasts were ready for us as we board an awaiting taxi van at 7:15. 

Arriving at train station

The group

Boarding

 

  The train left the Oslo Central Station around 8.  The conductor came by a few minutes after departure and Barb handed him our tickets for all 8 of us and said, while pointing to the group, “Two, Six, Eight.”  We all paused as so did the conductor.  “Two, six, eight?” he asked?   Barb pointed again to her and me, and then pointed out the other six.  “Interesting math, two, six, eight,” the conductor related, stamping our tickets, returning them and headed on. 

 As the urban then suburban Oslo passed by our windows, we soon passed into rural, then the occasional village, Norway.  The gorgeous scenery with exquisite farms, lakes, rivers, and streams dotting the landscape.  High mountains often flanked us sometimes revealing ski runs and a couple of ski jump areas.   

 

 

 There were a few stops as more passengers entered but in between stops, the train zoomed at, I guess, 60 MPH. The conductor passed by again to check in the new passengers.  As he approached our group, he stopped and pointed to each of us and stated, “Two, six, eight,” and moved on.  We howled.  Everyone else in the train car stared at us with a puzzled look.   Farmland evolved into forested mountains and the frequency of tunnels increased (200 tunnels between Oslo and Bergen).  As we exited tunnels, people flocked to the windows to take pictures of the mountain vistas.  After a few hours the trees disappeared and the high altitude tundra began to dominate the landscape.  Glaciers were visible in the mountains and vacation huts were frequent, often in such isolated settings that roads or electrical service appeared to be lacking, especially near the highest point around 4,000 ft. 

 

We reach Myrdal near noon and exit to board another, albeit a very unique train to Flam. 

 

The train car from Myrdal to Flam

 

 The train drops 2,800 feet, through 20 tunnels, in the 12 mile, one hour time.  It is unique to any experience I have ever had.  The vistas are impressive, once stopping at a roaring waterfall, complete with a siren singing in the distance, her voice amplified by speakers at the stopping point.  Surreal. 

 

 

 We drop through the valley to Flam, the Ferry waiting to take us down the Aurlandsfjord. 

On the ferry

 

 

 Although impressive with its steep sides and relative narrow pass, it is not as impressive as the landscape north of Vancouver Island.  One incredible question persists, however.  How do they build those impressive farm buildings high on the cliffs overlooking the fjord?  There often are no signs of roads or electrical service leading to those impressive farms. 

 

 

 

The cruise ends in Gudvangen where we board buses.  But no, the Norwegians do not take the easy way out.  The bus exits the main road to Voss to drive by the landmark Stalheim Hotel which dates back to 1885 and there has been an inn there since 1700.  From there the bus drops in a series of switchbacks descending back to the main highway through curves that the bus can barely negotiate.  The bus driver acts out demonstrative anguish as he negotiates the curves.  When the bus reaches the valley floor we all applaud.  The bus driver, while negotiating the last curve, then raises both his hands above his head and applauds as well.

We arrive at Voss and are dropped off at the railroad station to await the next train to Bergen.  The kids grab some food at a nearby fast food place and make it back just in time to board the train. 

Watching the luggage at Voss. 

 

At 9 p.m., after another 2 hours of beautiful scenery, we arrive at the Bergen train station. 

I think we need to go this way, no this way is better.  Men can consult maps.

 

 We grab some local tourist maps and set off by foot to our hotel.  It is warm, probably around 80.  Our hotel is a welcome site but as we enter our rooms, reality sets in.  Hotel rooms in Bergen have no AC.  In a city that receives 80 inches of rainfall per year, at the latitude in which Bergen sits, when would one ever need AC?  Today, it would have been nice.  Thankfully the evening cools and open windows allow us to sleep.

We check in but the historic waterfront, a UNESCO site, calls.  But after a short walk, we collapse into bed.  Big day.  Perfect day. Could it have been better?

Oslo, Day 4

Saturday, July 19

Bam, I am awake at 12:01, wide awake and fidgeting.  This is a big day.  Bigger then I know.  Nathan and Cailyn are readying to board Icelandair in Seattle connecting through Iceland.  Ben and Penny are readying to board their Delta flight in Atlanta with connections through Copenhagen.  Kari and Eric are in Stockholm and will board the direct train to Oslo.  All are scheduled to arrive within 2 hours of each other.  Will it happen?  All the planning and only hours to fruition.  I continue to fidget and to avoid from disturbing Barb, I get up and go downstairs.

I sit down in the lobby, its doors wide open to the warm night air.  It is electric outside.  The sidewalk and park in front of the hotel are full of young people, partying on this Friday night.  I put down my writing and walk out into the night.  Bars and restaurants are busy, theaters emptying their patrons into the street.  Laughter, music, smiles, fun.  At one venue there is a long queue.  I approach a young man and ask over the loud volume of the music, “Excuse me. Why are you standing in this line?  Are there popular artists here that are performing?”  He looked at me in a puzzled way and asked, “Where are you from?”   “America,” I respond.  “Where?”  he asked.  “Seattle.”  “I am from the UDub,” he responded.  He and a bunch of Pacific Northwest college students, including 2 from PLU, were spending the month of July studying in Oslo.  The PLU students were probably in their hotel rooms studying.  Sure.

I walked around a bit more then went back to the room and fell asleep.

Barb and I walked over to the Resistance Museum midmorning.   There are excellent displays documenting the Norwegian Resistance to the Nazi occupation 1941-1945.  The resistance is given much credit for the sabotaging of Nazi efforts to fortify the northern coast against possible Allied invasion and for sabotaging the efforts to build a heavy water plant which could have led to the development of a hydrogen bomb. 

We were back in the room by lunch and soon Ben and Penny arrived.  After warm greetings, they decided to go for a walk, to keep their jet lag at bay.  Also, since we leave early tomorrow morning, this will be their only exposure to Oslo.  We waited at the hotel to welcome Nathan and Cailyn who arrived around 1 ½ hour later.  As they checked in, Kari and Eric arrived.  Whew!   As mom used to say, “All the chicks are in the nest.”  Now the real fun begins.

B and P arrived back from their walk and soon we were on a ferry heading for the Viking Museum.  It was a delightful, warm day and the short voyage and walk was filled with sharing, laughter, and hugs.  The Viking Museum was the same as it was in 1973, the huge building housing 3 Viking (circa 1000) ships that had been retrieved from burial mounds with many relics and artifacts from the Viking Era.

Cailyn took this picture on the ferry to the Museum

We are all here.  Ready to embark on a journey.  Fun

Cailyn examining a Viking ship

 

We boarded the ferry back to the harbor, walked about then sat down at the same restaurant that Barb and I had eaten the first day.  Stories flowed as drinks then eats were ordered.  Then the announcement, followed by silence, then the roar.  Ben shared that they probably won’t be out for Christmas this year.  Silence.  “Why, is everything OK?”  “Well,” he pauses, “We have a situation.”  Pause  “Are you all right?”  Then Penny smiles, no--lights up, and announces, “I am 8 weeks pregnant.”  In the crowded open air restaurant on the wharf of Oslo, a roar erupts which may have been heard in Bergen.   Wonderful news.  Another Aune grandchild on the way, due in February.

Restaurant on the Harbor

 

I pinch myself.  This is a dream come true.  It is sunny and warm.  I am sitting at the harbor in Oslo.  Barb, the kids, and their spouses are sitting with me.  Penny announces that she is expecting in February.  For the first time on this trip, the tears of gratitude flow.

We slowly make our way back to the hotel and all is well.  I have my best night of sleep in 5 days.

 

Oslo, Day 3

Friday, July 18

I awoke at 4:30 a.m.  It is quiet, still light, and very warm outside so I take a short walk.  However, the hotel lobby, with its coffee machine and pastries, call me back.  I sit and try to write.  The night manager, Henrich, a student around 24 years old, is very friendly and easy to talk to so we discuss all the “hot button” issues, church attendance, education, gay rights, drug use, abortion, national leaders, taxes, and the number one issue in Norway, immigration.  The stories and the arguments are the same.  Civilization is civilization everywhere.  I had breakfast on my own at 7, then went up to the room.  I took a short nap while Barb prepared for the day. 

By 10 a.m. we are on the ferry heading toward the Fram and Kon Tiki Museums.  The Fram, built in 1893, now enshrined in its own dry dock, has now been turned into a wonderful museum, situated in a park like peninsula across the bay from Oslo harbor.  The museum detailed the many expeditions of the ship, a unique design allowing it to float out of the ice as it set in during the polar winter.  It carried Amundson, the first to the South Pole, 1911,  and made many arctic voyages and discoveries as well.  An amazing story.

Next door, Tor Heyerdahl’s Kon Tiki is housed along with his other vessel, Ra.  The Kon Tiki, 1947, proved the possibility that ancient Pacific Islanders could have made long sea voyages creating contacts between different cultures.  His Ra failed, but RA II sailed from Morocco to Barbados, again proving the possibilities of ancient African cultures visiting South America.  Two impressive stories of Norwegian seamanship and their zeal for exploration and discovery, traits exhibited so many years ago by the Vikings.

Ra

Lunch site.  Oslo harbor in background

 

Between visits to the two museums which are next door to each other, we purchased a sandwich and sat in the glow of the sun, overlooking the bay and the view back toward Oslo harbor.    We took the ferry back and arrived at the harbor by 5.  This evening, to save some money, we went into the ICA grocery store and bought some chicken and salad.  We ate our dinner on the steps overlooking the harbor – a feast in a beautiful setting.  By 8 p.m. we were back to the hotel and I fell fast asleep.



Street entertainers.  Levitation illusion.

Day 2 Oslo

Thursday, July 17, Oslo
(if you want to read in chronologic order, scroll back to day one, Wed, July 16)

Not much sleep.  I am too excited to be in Norway again and I gleefully anticipate the arrival of the six.  I walked the local neighborhoods at 5 a.m.   The hotels here, starting around 7 a.m., offer expansive breakfast buffets of good coffee, sliced meats including salmon and herring, cheeses, breads, cereals, milks, yogurts, eggs, sausages, sandwich spreads, fruit, sliced vegetables, juice, teas, etc.  There is a lot and there are lots of choices.  Barb and I ate well at breakfast which was included in the price of the rooms. 

By mid-morning we visited the local tourist information office and bought our 3 day passes which provided us free transportation on buses, ferries and trains, as well as free admission to the many museums.  When I asked for the senior rate, which is 67 in Norway, the agent looked at Barb and hesitated.  She will be 67 Aug 15 so he relented and issued her a senior pass as well, still expensive but much cheaper than paying at each venue.  We then set out on the bus to the Frogner Park, an eclectic assortment of statues, some bronze, others granite.  Each statue represents some emotion or stage of life.  Impressive.  The 75 acres, over 600 sculptures were all done by Gustav Vigland over an almost 20 year period.  The nudity and facial expressions of the sculptures give them deep meaning and human affect.

The story is that the sculptor gave a child chocolate, then took it away to get this grimace. 

 

We took the bus back near the hotel and walked over to the Royal Palace.  We did not take the inside tour but did walk around the grounds.  Here, the Royal Guards readily interact with visitors.  On nearing one, he asked, “Where in the states are you from?”  (I had a Masters hat on)  He had lived in the states two years while his mother did some research for her company. 

Palace Guard

 

The nearby Historical Museum was thorough but not as good as I had hoped.  All information was in Norwegian (we are so spoiled, there is English everywhere, including the announcements on the trains) and so I was only gaining info from the dates and the pictures.  Around 2:30, I hit the “jet lag wall”.  I shared with Barb that I needed to go back to the hotel.  She stayed and walked/shopped around the area a bit more, feeling very safe in the Oslo environs.  I slept but only one hour.

Barb and Ryan in park in front of our hotel.

 

At 6 p.m. we met Ryan, Barb’s former kindergarten student who, on going to PLU, visited Norway during a J Term outing (January at PLU involves many students visiting/working in other countries – J Term)  Ryan fell in love with Oslo and found a program to his liking.  He returned a year later to Oslo, now getting his degree from the University of Oslo and is living here year round.  His degree will be a “political science” type of degree with an emphasis on peace.  He hopes to, after graduation, work for the UN or some other NGO that carries out peace efforts throughout the world. 

SIDEBAR:  During the Viet Nam war years, I had a friend who attended the War College in Washington D.C.  I asked at the time if there was a Peace College.    We knew of none.  I guess there is and it is in Oslo.

Ryan escorted us around downtown Oslo, showing us among other things, the area that was bombed by a right wing zealot, who also shot and killed teens at a political summer camp.  He killed 77 people and injured 319 in July of 2011.  Oslo, and much of Norway has not recovered from this horrific violence.  Many of the government buildings located at the bomb site are still empty.  The future of the area, in central Oslo, has not been determined.  Violence again, is so damaging, and to what end?  True patriots build which is difficult to do.  Anyone can destroy and it takes little skill or talent.

Area in Oslo where bomb went off.  Buildings are still boarded up.

 

We attended a local typical Norwegian diner with Ryan and I had boiled lamb and potatoes.

We walked the streets a bit more then retired to the hotel.  I slept till 3 a.m.

 

 

Norway, 2014 Intro

We just returned home from 3 weeks in Norway, a trip summed up by Barb and me yesterday, as we flew the 12+ hours home from Oslo to SeaTac, as perhaps our best trip ever.  It was a pilgrimage, not a vacation.  Nathan, Cailyn, Kari, Eric, Ben and Penny all joined us for 6 days of the trip, then each couple went their own way.  What we did, as we were all 8 together, was visit family in Bergen and Trondheim/Selbu, investigate the "roots" on both sides of our family, and to share in the beauty of natural Norway and its people.  Fantastic.  Then Barb and I had time to experience Norway again together, but with a different perspective than we did 41 years ago.  God again has been so good to us and there will be several times as I rewrite this narrative ( I kept a written journal this time.  I did not have time to blog on the trip.) tears of gratitude will come to my eyes, as they did several times during this trip.  Powerful and profound these last 3 weeks.  I pray that I can adequately document this pilgrimage. 


Wednesday, July 16, 2014
So, with 5 hours of sleep in the past 36 hours, I am wide awake at 2 a.m. local time in Oslo.  I have to write my thoughts or I will not return to sleep.

Collin came by the house on Monday and got his last orientation for the house, for Loki, and the garden.  By 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Barb and I were sitting on some lawn chairs at the garage’s big door, sipping a glass of wine, as Gordon and Carol drove in to take us to the airport.

 

Our flight was on time and some 10 hours later we were sitting in the airport at Reykjavik, Iceland.  An hour later we boarded a plane for the 2 ½  hour flight to Oslo.  An interesting note, throughout the entire flights, the sun shone on our left (north) as we traveled east and north.  When does the sun ever shine “from the north”?  It does when you are flying near the poles, and you are looking across the icecap down on to the eastern hemisphere (ie. China) where it is midday.

 

The Oslo airport was a breeze, waiving us through customs not even stamping our passports.  For 90K ($15, and the last “cheap” buy we will make it the next 3 weeks) we boarded the slow train, which was really quite fast, and exited the National Theater stop to find our hotel across the street.  We checked in (flowers were on the dresser, a gift from Torgeir and Heidi, welcoming us to Norway) and even though we were tired and beat, we began a walk around downtown Oslo.

Excited to be back in Norway (not since 1973), and once again in Oslo, we headed for the Akershus Fortress (c 1300) which overlooks the harbor.  The streets were filled with tourists, most speaking Norwegian so presumably country folk coming to experience their beautiful capital.  July and the first week or so of August is the typical vacation time for Norwegians so many businesses are closed as people head to other countries, or to the country or big cities.  We walked by the Parliament, hundreds of shops and eateries open for the tourists, and found ourselves walking up the cobblestone road to the fort. 

Downtown Oslo looking toward the Royal Palace, home of King and Queen

 Akershus not only guarded the harbor, but also served as the Royal Castle for Christian IV and Olav I.  It now serves mostly as a cultural and historic icon, with many ceremonies and a few museums inside its walls.  We wanted to stop at the Resistance Museum but the balmy warm weather and beautiful scenery drove us on.

View of downtown harbor Oslo from Fort

Ceremonial Guard outside Fort

 We exited the fortress and walked to the harbor, passing as well by the Nobel Peace museum.  Much of the walk was cobblestone, quaint but hard on my ankles.   But I didn’t let that stop me which will pretty much be my attitude the next 3 weeks.  The harbor plaza, spacious, pedestrian friendly, beautiful, and very busy, was filled with a few street performers and thousands of tourists.  We stopped around 6:30 p.m and ate at a waterside restaurant.  Here the prices of Norway hit us, $50 entrees and a $17 draft beer.  Oh, it is worth it, we decided, and we never again in the next 3 weeks let the high prices of Norway stem our enthusiasm to do what we wanted to do.  Oh, we will economize, sometimes eating from a supermarket or food kiosk, and we will go the least expensive way transportation wise and we will walk, but we will never let the price discourage us from having a grand experience.  We took the around 5 block walk, albeit slow, back to the hotel and collapsed about 8 p.m

Dinner at the Oslo harbor with fort in the background.

 

 

New Horizons

The trip to see Ben and Penny and attending the Masters was a memorable and heart warming experience.  On return home, we thought we would cruise out the rest of the spring and putter away at our yard work, the grandkids, our church commitments, and preparation for our Norway trip this summer.  Then soon after returning from Georgia, we went out to dinner with Jim and Julie Halpin.  I've known Jim since high school and Julie since PLU days.  They married mid life and have been such true and trusted friends.  Jim and I painted houses together for 14 years and owned rental units as well.  I have always admired Julie.  She recently retired from the drama teacher at Curtis High School, and is a respected director.  She took on such challenging productions as Joseph and the Technicolor Coat, the Crucible, and To Kill a Mockingbird, even using the "N" word on stage.  Julie can do that as she coordinated with her community and her respect runs so deep.  Now Julie takes on community theater, sometimes having 3 productions going on at once.  As we ate dinner, Julie noted, "You know, Norm, I am doing Godspell in late June.  I want you to try out."  I laughed it off. I so enjoy the Godspell story.  I did enjoy the 6 or so plays that I did in high school but I hadn't done anything since.  Two weeks later the phone rang and it was Julie.  "I'll get Barb," I said but Julie responded, "No, I want to talk to you.  Auditions are Tuesday.  I want you to be there."  I told I would be happy to sing in the chorus and even serve as usher.  I thought it would be cool to play a bit part and enjoy watching Julie's creative energy at work from the inside for a change.  I auditioned, sang a song and did some readings.

SHE CAST ME AS JESUS.  I was numb for two days.  I told her, "Are you sure?  I've seen a bald and fat Buddha before but...."  There were so many lines to learn ,  some paragraphs long... four solos, dancing, and "quarterbacking" the on stage sequence of events.   I have a lot of items left on my "bucket list".  Leading a play was not on that list.  And especially, playing Jesus....  Who can do that?  The refrain from Wayne's World kept coming to mind...."I am not worthy!"

I completely immersed myself into the preparation and memorization.  When I did work in the yard, an ear piece played the songs or dialogue.  I passed up fishing trips and did not bike much.  Grandkids helped me prepare and probably know the songs as well as I do.

I did it.  Perhaps not the best, perhaps not even well.  There were rocky times but on our third and last performance, it finally went pretty well.  The cast were all 55+  (Young at Heart Players) and many were very talented and experienced actors.   We were lacking a few voices and even though our young choreographer worked her heart out for us, our dancing techniques reflected our ages (83 - 55) and physical impairments.  But several of our cast were such strong performers, even in their 70's.  Their work ethic, their talent, and their continued support drove me on.  Also, they are such strong believers, most serve in many missions,  and they continued to support me to tell the Story.    Our friend Debbie Hushagen was the musical director and she helped me with many of the solos.  Her husband Jim, both PLU friends, played the guitar.  Theater local Iris played the  drums.

Julie added script that created our Godspell experience around a 40 year college reunion.  A fun experience mainly due to the support of the other cast members.  Done.  It is finished.  Thanks, cast, for such a memorable and remarkable 8 weeks.  Apparently 500+ attended the 3 performances.  I hope the message got through and I pray that they were entertained.  I know my grandkids loved it.

I really did live out the quote at the top of this blog; a quote that has been there for a couple of years.