Oslo to Bergen
We had never been to Scandinavia. Overseas Adventure Travel offered a 17-day trip that began in Oslo, included a ferry up the western shoreline to Kirkenes, followed by Lapland, and ended in Helsinki. Our trip started in late April, so snow and freezing weather could be expected, especially once we got north of the Arctic Circle.
We decided to add Sweden to our itinerary by starting two days earlier, spending a day sightseeing in Stockholm, then taking a train to Oslo. We were ready to board our flight in Denver when we were told that our flight through Frankfort was canceled. Instead of an overnight flight, we were booked at a hotel near the airport and watched a huge screen as the Denver Nuggets played Minnesota.
To make a long story short, after a two-day delay, we were booked on a flight to New Jersey with a connection overnight to Stockholm. We took a commuter train to the Stockholm train station and then boarded a train to Oslo, where we joined our fellow travelers.
It appeared that we would see rain, rain, and more rain. The rain never stopped us as we walked through the Vigeland Sculpture Garden
and visited the Fram Museum.
Then a miracle occurred. Throughout the remainder of our trip, we enjoyed sunshine and warm temperatures. The ocean currents help to create a more moderate climate than might be expected from its northern location.
Highways in Norway must go over or through rugged mountains. Our bus ride from Oslo to Bergen included high mountain passes and long tunnels.
One of our stops was at an old Stave church.
Farms in Norway are little more than an afterthought. The central government provides direct support to keep many of these farms operational.
We rode by train to a ski area.
The postcard city of Bergen includes these wooden houses without smokestacks. Why no smokestacks? Because these types of houses burned down so often that wood-burning stoves are now forbidden.
We rode the tram to get a great view of Bergen.
Our next farm visit appeared to be more like a luxury resort than a working farm. Our host had at least two groups of visitors on this day.
We visited one more farm in Norway. Salmon farming produces a large portion of the gross domestic product. We visited an active farm and later heard from an organization concerned about fish farms.
The Ferry
After a couple of days in Bergen, we boarded our ferry for the next part of our adventure.
One such ferry leaves each day from Bergen, headed north. At Kirkenes, each ferry reverses course and returns to Bergen. Each ferry stops at roughly 34 ports along the way. The time in port varies from 15 minutes to several hours.
We had enough time in Alesund to explore the city and take a picture of the Herring Woman.
Trondheim’s sights included a large cathedral, a World War II fortification, and a calm waterway.
The closest we came to seeing the northern lights was this street painting of a child spray-painting the northern lights.
Crossing the Arctic Circle requires champagne.
It was after 10 PM when we visited the Lofoton War Memorial Museum, a private museum built by an individual who told us how important the current war in Ukraine is to the future of democracy.
And wherever we looked, another picture postcard.
The excitement builds as a northbound ferry intercepts a southbound ferry. The rules are simple: yell louder and wave a Norwegian flag more vigorously than the other ship. Each ship keeps its own score. Everyone wins.
North Cape is as north as north gets, at least in Europe.
Finland
We left our ship in Kirkenes and rode by bus to Ivalo, where we stayed at a resort designed for watching the northern lights. With over 20 hours of daylight, we struggled to make our lodge dark enough to sleep.
The Sámi are the indigenous people that live in northern parts of Norway, Sweden, and Finland. An outdoor museum showed where they lived and how they trapped wild game.
Reindeer in Finland are no longer wild but rather are tagged and owned by Sámi families. We visited a Reindeer farm and met the Sámi owners. Reindeer meat is expensive and is mostly served in restaurants.
On our flight to Helsinki, we could see ski resorts and carefully-managed forests.
An impromptu concert awaited us as we checked in at our Helsinki hotel.
The Sibelius Monument honors one of Finland’s greatest composers.
A modern library blends in with the classic European city. The library promotes small entrepreneurs by providing access to technology such as 3D printing and rooms for Zoom or in-person meetings.
Why is Finland the happiest country in the world? At a home-hosted dinner, our hosts pointed at their sauna, their party house, and a tub for taking ice baths. Maybe we need more of that. Even the Sea Gulls seem to be happy.
