I once read that National Geographic ranks Norway as the most beautiful destination in the world and although we had set foot in it in 2010, we only found time to visit its capital, Oslo, and did not cruise through the renowned fjords with steep walls and narrow waterways.
Geologically, a fjord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created in a valley carved by glacial activity. Fjords are found along the whole coast of Norway and Iceland, the island of Greenland, west coast of North America from Puget Sound to Alaska, and the southwest coast of New Zealand.
So, during our final summer holiday in Scandinavia last year, it was not a surprise that we decided to embark on a 8D7N cruise around Norway.
For the first time, we had a balcony cabin! Yes, since we were going to cruise through the fjords, we wanted to admire the beauty of it right here instead of having to jostle with the crowd on the deck. It was also a bliss to be able to have breakfast in the comfort of our cabin while enjoying the morning sun rays and the cooling sea breeze.
Well, it's been over half a year but join us as we reminisce some fond moments from the trip and once again be wowed by the awe-inspiring beauty of Norway.
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Oslo
Oslo is the capital of and the most populous city in Norway. It was ranked number one in terms of quality of life among European large cities in the European Cities of the Future 2012 report.
For several years, Oslo has been listed as one of the most expensive cities in the world along with such other global cities as Zurich, Geneva, Copenhagen, Paris, and Tokyo. Oh yeah, tell me about it, I remembered we spent a bomb on food alone the last time we visited.
Since we had already explored Oslo previously and visited places like the Stortinget (Parliament House, above), Vigeland Sculpture Park, Holmenkollen Ski Jump and even crossed the Oslo Fjord, we decided to bring Angel somewhere which would delight her - The Oslo Reptile Park.
It took us quite awhile to get to this place because it was not on the spot indicated in the map and no one seemed to be able to point us in the right direction. Well, looking at how inconspicuous the main entrance was, we considered ourselves lucky to even make it to their door step.
We spent a couple of hours gazing at lizards, frogs, spiders and crocs. If it makes my girl happy, sure, I can do this all day long provided the reptiles are kept behind glass at all times. And, don't expect me to say "Look! The poisonous Dendrobates azureus!" instead of "See that blue frog? You touch you die."
One memorable incident from this trip was about Angel and her newfound friend. We were browsing in the souvenir shop when I took this monkey off the shelf and once Angel saw it, she fell in love with it. She doesn't usually plead with us to buy stuff but we also didn't want to give in to her request because well, this furry animal cost over a whopping S$80. Fine if you go by Norwegian standards, but for miserly Singaporeans, that is horrendous.
So the hubby thought he was clever by telling Angel "This monkey has no mouth, it doesn't smile. We go and buy one that smiles, ok?"
That said, we left and a look at our watch told us that we had to return to the ship immediately. After a few minutes, Angel started to harp on the question of "So we are going to find a smiley monkey, right right right?" And I knew it. Her heart was going to be shattered if she didn't get a monkey friend that day.
So, guess what? Yeah, we decided to buy that freaking expensive monkey for her. So the hubby dashed back to the store, hoping that he could still catch one of the two monkeys that were left. Angel and I eagerly waited for him on the streets and when he ran back to us, his arm was empty and he said "Sold finished already. No more." That was when I saw my girl break down into tears. Dejectedly. Devastatingly. Heart-brokenly.
Suddenly, the hubby took out his other arm and said "Got you! Daddy bluffed!" and put the monkey in her arms. At that moment, my girl gave a smile that was enough to light up the world. Well, at least it warmed my heart so much. She hugged the monkey like she would never let go and this lucky animal has traveled across the globe to become one of her best friends.
Stavanger
Stavanger is the third largest urban zoneand metropolitan area in Norway. With the oil industry as one of the key industries in the region, the city is widely referred to as the Oil Capital of Norway.
Since we had some free time in the morning, we took a leisure stroll along its Town Square. Its famous tourist spots also include the Stavanger Cathedral, which is the best preserved medieval cathedral in Norway, and the Stavanger Oil Museum.
In the afternoon, we boarded a sightseeing boat tour which took us around the Stavanger archipelago. Cruising on the Lysefjord, we were supposed to visit the so called impressive cliff of Pulpit Rock, which was one of Norway's natural wonders. Alas it was raining throughout the trip and the fjord became pretty foggy.
Nonetheless, while the hubby was looking after Angel in the sheltered cabin, the adventurous and somewhat willful me decided to put on a poncho, armed myself with my DSLR and went onto the deck. I stood there for a couple of hours trying to take some scenic shots while the rain drops splattered on my face incessantly and the cold winds made me shiver. Weirdly, I actually enjoyed that feeling.
On board the ship
You know, part of the reason why we love cruises is the endless array of activities we could participate in and all the fun facilities that we could use.
We loved the pool and the jacuzzis but cruising along a cold country like Norway meant that it got too chilly on some days to even lie on the deck chairs. So when the sun was out, you bet we made full use of it.
One of our favorite hangouts was the Japanese restaurant on board. For the first time, we could choose not to feast on the Italian food during the buffet lunches but instead lay our hands on sushi, temakis, sashimi and tempura udon! We were pleasantly surprised by how fresh the sashimi was!
All dolled up for the grand formal night
Can you tell that I was 4 months pregnant?
Angel: I don't want to take picture! The hubby: I think I just got slapped!
Since Angel loved to dance from young, she thoroughly enjoyed the theater shows we watched every night. Her eyes would be glued to the stage, she would applause with all her might, and even start to boogie when the music came. The hubby and I also loved to attend the dance classes and party sessions, so when it was my girl's turn to take the stage, you bet she impressed the crowd. Why, she even had ground moves (aka 地板动作) and some ass-spanking moves which nope, she didn't learn them from me, probably from watching all the J.Lo music videos.
Sunsets. Never get tired of watching them, right? To be able to breathe in the beauty of them all with my loved ones by my side, this had to be my idea of a perfect vacation.
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway and the most popular gateway to the fjords of West Norway. With its city surrounded by the Seven Mountains, it is renowned for its beautiful nature and is a famous spot for tourists and hikers.
In wanting to make full use of time, we decided to go on a tour which was called "Norway in a nutshell" and lasted eight hours. Although a large part of it was spent traveling on the bus, it was still worthwhile because let's face it, you simply do not get the chance to witness beautiful landscapes like these every day.
Interestingly, in the late 1990s, the water at Tvindefossen had acquired a reputation for rejuvenation and revival of sexual potency, thus making it an important natural tourist attractions in western Norway with as many as 200,000 people who came to visit and fill up containers with the water every year.
Next up, we traveled up Stalheimskleiva road, which was said to be Northen Europe's steepest road. The 1.5-km-long stretch of road wind its way up the mountainside and it was a joy, and relief, to admire that spectacular view of the valley and mountains when we got to the summit.
My most anticipated part of the tour was that we were going to board the Flåm Railway - a train journey from the mountain station at Myrdal down to Flåm station nestled in the innermost corner of the Aurlandfjord. As one of Norway's major and most famous tourist attractions, this stretch of railway attracts people from all corners of the world every year.
On the 20-kilometer train ride, despite it being crowded, we were able to come up close with Norwegian nature, including rivers that cut through deep ravines, waterfalls that plunged from steep cliffs, snow-capped mountains and farms that clung onto steep slopes.
The Flåm Railway is one of the world's steepest railway lines on normal gauge tracks. Nearly 80 percent of the route is on a 55‰ gradient, that is, a rise of one meter per 18.
Halfway through the ride, we were able to get off the train and witness the beauty of the majestic waterfall - Kjosfossen, which has an impressive total fall of 225 metres.
What we found fascinating was that there was an actress dressed as a legendary Huldra (a seductive forest creature in Scandinavian folklore) who danced and sang in front of the waterfall. Yeah, how touristy. Nonetheless, this had to be one of the most awe-inspiring waterfalls we had ever seen in Europe.
Geiranger
Our last stop in Norway was Geiranger, a village which has one of the most beautiful mainland fjords. It is home to some of the most spectacular scenery in the world and has been named the best travel destination in Scandinavia by Lonely Planet.
Even though only 250 people live here permanently, several hundred thousand of people pass through every summer and it is no wonder that tourism is the main business here.
At Lake Djupvatnet, we were thrilled to actually see snow again despite it being summer time. Well, it might be the last time for many years to come because going back to Singapore means bidding farewell to snowballs and snowmen for the time being.
Posing for a shampoo commercial?
More happy poses
Saying byebye to the snow
Stacking up rocks to leave our mark and wish for a safe journey
The cold winds are freezing our smiles!
We learnt something interesting from our tour guide - An annual event takes place in June in Geiranger, which is called the From Fjord to Summit event. It comprises a half marathon run and a bicycle race, both starting from the sea level at the fjord and ending at the 1,497 metres summit of Mount Dalsnibba, near the lake Djupvatnet. Since there is still a lot of snow left in the mountains at that time of year, the race could also be called From Summer to Winter. I would love to take part though I seriously doubt I could even finish half the race. Ok, who am I kidding, probably not even one-quarter.******
All in all, we loved how we were able to get close to nature during our trip to Norway. From fjords, rivers, lakes to mountains, valleys and waterfalls, these were picturesque landscapes which would be etched in our minds for a long time to come.
With this trip, we bade farewell to Europe and are thankful for all the memories we had from every holiday. For now, I am looking forward to writing my next Travelogue post which will probably revolve around the continent I call home - Asia.
To see more of the world, visit my Travelogue page here.
