Month: March 2016

Winter anywhere is a study in muted colors. Norway is no exception.

Alesund was the first port of call providing us the opportunity to leave the ship. The ship line has 34 ports of call for every ship heading north and every ship heading south. It’s the transportation link for all of the communities along the Norwegian coast north of Bergen, so the ships carry freight, local passengers and tourists. Some stops are up to six hours, while others are 15 minutes.

Our local guide, Odd (a common Norwegian name) warmed us up by recounting a business trip to Buffalo where he introduced himself “I’m Odd”, and was followed by his colleague who then introduced himself with his (also common) Norwegian given name “and I’m Even.” Joachim Ronneberg is the Norwegian resistance fighter who trained in England and led the raid of Norwegian saboteurs who blew up the Nazi production facility working on the production of heavy water during WWII, thereby setting back German production of an atomic bomb. “Is” because he still can be seen walking the streets of Alesund.

Alesund is known as the scene of a devastating fire in 1904 following which 10,000 of its 12,000 residents were made homeless. Aid poured in from around the world and Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany organized the rebuilding of the town as a gesture of goodwill.

The purpose of Day Five was to get us from Oslo to Bergen. Most Norwegians fly. We found out why. One reason is that flying takes two hours, while the train takes eight.

At the tiny whistlestop of Haugastol, about four hours into our journey, our train came to a halt and we learned that a power failure up ahead on the line meant that buses must be sent to find us and take us the rest of the way to Bergen.

Less than five minutes into our bus trip we approached what looked like a railroad crossing with flashing lights – as if our train continuing to sit at the little station had blocked our road forward, or so we thought at first. But, the reality was more sobering. The road was closed, except for convoys of vehicles headed by snow plows.

At least our bus had WiFi, so we could follow our progress.

We spotted a few cross country skiers as well as a skier using a kite like we see on the bay at home.

Most resorts seemed to be closed for the season.

We made our way through the mountain passes.

Through an incredible number of tunnels, many quite long, some multi-level, and one with a traffic circle in it.

Until we began to see more and more water.

More evidence of human presence.

And a bit more of the majestic scenery before arriving behind schedule in Bergen, but in sufficient time to catch the ship that will take us to the top of the world.

Designed as floes of ice on the edge of the fjord, the Oslo Opera House dips down into the water. Covered in Carrera marble, in the summer it causes “snow blindness” for people venturing onto the roof. We did not make it inside, although we understand it is beautiful with perfect accoustics.

The chilly weather and significant breeze made us happy to be bundled up as we climbed the roof to have a view of the city.

Indeed, Oslo is a fast growing city (the fastest in Europe) with a lot of new construction. We looked for, but didn’t see, some of the modern buildings featured in the recent TV show Occupied.

The Oseberg ship at the Viking Ship Museum was built around 820, would have been rowed by 30 men, and was used for the entombment in 834 of two very high status women, one in her 70’s and the other in her 50’s. A burial chamber was lined with elaborate tapestries and many burial goods accompanied the ladies, including 15 horses.

Found in over 2000 pieces, buried in clay, most of the iron nails holding the boat together survived the centuries.

The ladies were also accompanied into the afterlife by other grave goods, including these three sleds.

The Gokstad ship is another incredibly well-preserved ship from about 850 and used for the burial of a warrior slain in battle in about 900. It had 34 rowers and the burial included yellow and black battle shield arrayed around the ship. Remnants of a red and white striped sail were also found.

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The Vigeland Sculpture Park was designed and executed by Gustav Vigeland (1869-1943). The principle grouping is centered around the “Monolith,” a sort of obelisk. Thirty-six groupings of granite figures of progressive ages surround the Monolith. The granite is impossibly smooth, in summer it is said to feel like warm skin.

A fountain is surrounded by bronze sculptures representing trees of life with various stages of human life and death intertwined in their branches. The final picture is one of the figures, also in bronze, that line a bridge capturing relationships in the family. The works were executed in the 1930’s. Some art critics believe they express a fascist aesthetic. Vigeland himself was a Nazi sympathizer and collaborator during the Quisling government. Ironically, he was also the designer of the Nobel Peace Prize Medal.

We rounded out our day with a visit to the Museum of Industrial Design (furniture) and a lovely concert by the Oslo Chamber Music Orchestra.

On a frigid Oslo morning we set off to explore the Fram Polar Museum, named for the first boat involved in successful polar expeditions to both poles, manned by Norwegians (naturally) and shown, above. We hope the lighting effects on the walls aren’t the closest we get to seeing the Northern Lights, although we keep being told there are no guarantees. Ra (the Egyptian Sun God) must cooperate, as well as the weather.

Next door, at the Kon Tiki museum, the exploits of Thor Heyerdahl are brought back to life. As you can see, the Kon Tiki was not a large boat. In fact, it was a raft made of lashed-together balsa logs he sailed from Peru to Polynesia in 1947 to make a point – that ancient peoples could have done the same thing. Objectively speaking, Heyerdahl was a little nuts. He was afraid of the water, could barely swim, was not a sailor and had no idea how to handle the raft. Fortunately, he recruited some capable crew, although no one had any idea how to handle the raft.

Not satisfied with life back on land, Heyerdahl decided to test the notion that ancient people could have travelled from Africa across the Atlantic. His first attempt failed, but the Ra II did make it from Morroco to Barbados after being lost at sea and the subject of a UN search and rescue mission.

Down the road at the open-air Folk Museum, a very well-preserved Stave Church is the highlight of a visit. Built around 1200, it is one of only 28 remaining such churches in Norway. They are called “stave” churches after the staves or posts that support the roof.

The museum boasts 160 buildings from all over Norway, providing a hint of what life has been like over the past 500 years.

And, interiors to match, all the way into the 20th century.

The big surprise of the day was the interior of the City Hall we failed to love from the outside. The grand hall on the ground floor is where the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony is held.

Upstairs, the rooms are equally dazzling.

And provide a wonderful view of the fjord.