Category: Norway

Trondheim, the former viking capital

August 20, 2025

Unfortunately, because of a land slide, the Rauma Railway is out of operation, so we take the train from Dombas instead of Andalsnes. The scenery is as spectacular and ever changing.

‘The Troll Wall’ (Trollveggen) is a natural feature in the landscape and the tallest vertical cliff in Europe (1100 meters). It is a most popular challenge for rock climbers

Trollveggen got its name after a big wedding among the local trolls, in which the participants partied so wildly that they didn’t notice that the sun was rising, and, as you might know, trolls turn into stone when they are subjected to sunlight.

Or so goes the story…And speaking of those little creatures, we presume these partied as well…

Because of an Aqua Nor exhibition, the hotels are full in Trondheim but Mel found us a very spacious Airbnb.

Is that Roger taking a bus? Lol

We must say the ATB is very efficient😊

For some, this is another option…

As the centre of the city, Midtbyen is a most important transportation hub. Notice the Nidaros cathedral, a memorial to St Olav, built over a 230 year period, starting in 1070. A major reconstruction started in 1869, was completed in 2001.

By Edgar El, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=52934798

We walked up to the Kristiansten Fortress. Great view of the harbour and a very significant historical site, site of Rinnan’s execution, a Norwegian who joined the gestapo in 1940.

We walked the shopping street…

As we can attest to, Trondheim is one of the most well planned cities in Norway.

And we foraged ha! This is a quest to find wild-growing edible goods in the neighborhood, berries, wild herbs, seaweed etc… We were astonished by what we found and the taste of our resulting meal.

Thanks to Jim-Andre, our expert guide, we will be so much more aware of our surroundings when back home. I am positive I have seen <polypody> on our property in Ontario!! Thank you Up Norway for making this happen and for helping us plan this wonderful holiday!

Cheese and crackers, a delicious salad, a tasty drink +++What a reward!

Last but not least, we celebrate early at Fagn, an award winning Michelin restaurant!

No night on the town…the taxi is picking up Mel, Dan and Curtis at 3:30 a.m.. for their flight to Amsterdam😊 Luckily they have rebooked their flight to Toronto on KLM because of the Air Canada strike.

Roger and I are happy to board our original flight back to Canada the next day.

Thank you Mel for the beautiful knitted sweaters, all in Norwegian knitting patterns of course.  They kept us nice and cozy during our holiday and will do for years to come.😊

Alesund

August 15, 2025

To get to our next destination, Dan, Mel and Curtis drive. Amazing scenery!

Roger and I opt for a cruise on the Geiringer Fjord.

The Seven Sisters Fall

Our guide in Alesund, Synnove, is so informative and super accommodating.

After a major fire in 1905, the buildings in this town were rebuilt in Art Nouveau architecture. The Art Nouveau Center is located in the former Art Nouveau designed building of Swan Pharmacy. For a while, this was the only pharmacy between Bergen and Trondheim.

During the second world war, the Germans occupied Norway. The city has erected a statue to commemorate the people who were part of the resistance (including our guide`s grandmother).

Another striking sculpture is that of a woman washing and salting fish. Because it was considered bad luck to have a woman on a fishing boat, women worked in the factories.

If you would like to spend a night in the lighthouse, you might have to empty your pockets ha!

Dan walked up 400 steps to get the best view of Alesund.

I went up 40 steps to take this picture ha!

Craft beer to end a perfect day!

And Mel knits:)

OFF TO FLAM

August 13, 2025

From Oslo, the train to Flam stops in Myrdal. We disembark to board the famous FLAM RAILWAY, Europe’s steepest railway line and one of the “best train journeys in the world. “ The line features 20 tunnels, some of which were hand excavated. It took one worker one month to carve a meter of a tunnel.

The majestic Kjosfossen waterfall, a highlight of the scenic ride!

Flam is at the innermost banks of the Aurlandsfjord, a most dramatic fjord and a branch off of the main Sognefjorden, Norway’s longest fjord. Upon arriving, we are treated to a 5 course Viking tapas paired with 5 locally produced ales.

Flam to BerteBakken, in Hafslo

What scenery… We also drive through a 25 km tunnel, the longest car tunnel in all of Europe.

Gunner, our guide, brings us to an amazing restored farm and we meet an equally amazing lady of the house. She offers tours on electric bikes, cooks delicious meals and is the perfect hostess. (That is besides picking blueberries for fresh jam, looking after her gardens and her alpacas).

Dan and Curtis go on a 50 km bike ride. They get to see the wooden church of Urnes a world heritage site, built in the 12th and 13th centuries. ‘It is an outstanding example of traditional Scandinavian wooden architecture with traces of Celtic art, Viking traditions and Romanesque spatial structures.’

Mel, Roger and I walk down to the village, a hike in itself…

The next morning, Gunner brings Dan, Curtis and Mel to rent cars for a once in a lifetime drive. Both cars are fully electric like most cars, buses and even trains in Norway. Roger and I will be flying from Songdal. How we appreciate Gunner`s professionalism and his sense of humor.

En route to Songdal…

Again, our flight is delayed and we all get to Geiringer at almost the same time ha!

Hotel Union in Geiringer is set on a mountain overlooking the Geiringer fjord, a World Heritage Site listed for its incredible natural beauty!

Sunny day, kayaking in the fjord!

And fishing…

And seafood! Who can ask for better?

To top it all, a classic car museum…

Holiday of a lifetime

August 8, 2025

Our first flight from Toronto to Frankfurt is delayed by 2 ½ hours. Good thing we have a 5 hour layover.

After another 2 hour flight, we arrive in Oslo at 6 p.m

Our driver is looking to pick up 5 people, Mélanie, Natalie, Antoine, Roger and Denise. We laughed and explained that only Roger and Denise were coming today and that Mélanie, Natalie and Antoine are in fact one person, Mélanie. She would, as well as Dan and Curtis be landing the next day and the next day, the driver does have the proper UP NORWAY sign. 😊Mel chose UP NORWAY to curate our trip. The great news is they are always available to chat!

After a quick bite at the pub, it`s off to bed in the centrally located Clarion The Hub.

No having to fight for the blanket in this bed ha!

Day 2 is spent exploring the city on our own, the cleanest we have ever seen. We walk on crowded and not so crowded streets, up to the palace, the most important royal residence.

We welcome Mel, Dan and Curtis! Off to bed they go after a quick bite to eat as well.

Day 2 Guided, walking tour of Oslo. Thank you Kirsti. You were fabulous!

The highlights? The harbor of course, the Viking ship, the architecture. The new Deichmanske library for one is made to look like an iceberg, similar to our science center, the snowflake in Sudbury. Here, you can reserve anything from a sewing machine to a recording studio…

On the island of Lindoya, only summer homes!

The National museum has a room dedicated to the artist Edvard Munch, including <THE SCREAM>, a most powerful painting!

Vigeland Sculpture Park is of course incredible. It is a free park for all to enjoy! The 214 sculptures were created by Gustav Vigeland (1869-1943). The monolith (180 tons) is a granite column carved out of a mountain block!

Of course, let’s not forget the food!!