Norway Visit

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Norway Visit Summer,1992
I spent eight weeks in Norway, six at the
International Summer School at the University of
Oslo with more than 500 students of different
ages from 70 countries. My then-girlfriend,
Alice, accompanied me.
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Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and
narrow-mindedness. Mark Twain
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Pathway to Blindern Studenterhjem dormitories.
Blindern is location of University.
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Main University courtyard. Memories came
backHere I was going to a Norwegian class at
Blindern 22 years after I made the trip by trikk
to Blindern as an 11-year old to take Norwegian
lessons with a University student. I got a lump
in my throat as I reflected on the memory.
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The steps outside main dormitory the social
gathering place.
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A clear day outside Frognerseteren Restaurant
gives you a view of Oslo from the highest point
overlooking the city.
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The Oslo Folkmuseum is an open-air museum with
buildings dating several centuries. You will find
animals grazing.
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A Sunday afternoon at the Folkmuseum means
folkdance exhibitions by men and women dressed in
traditional regional bunads.
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We took the Norway in a Nutshell tour to
Bergen. Train from Oslo to Myrdal train on four
tiers of tracks to Flåm boat around fjords to
Gudvangen bus to Voss train to Bergen.
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The ride to Myrdal in July offered views of green
and snow.
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On the Flåmbanen, the train stops so people can
take pictures of Kjofossen, the largest waterfall
in Norway.
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The village of Flåm.
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The ferry ride around the fjords to Gudvangen.
You never know which way to look and what is
coming next.
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The ferry came up close to the waterfall so
people could take pictures. The next pictures
tell 1,000 words.
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From beauty to hair raising. At left, I am
photographing the bus from our bus. Our bus
driver said, The back of the bus is now two
meters lower than the front of the bus. At
right, a view from the bus on road from
Gudvangen to Voss.
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Views from train from Voss to Bergen.
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Reaching Bergen can be anti-climatic after the
trip. It is a charming city and has retained the
look of the 15th-16th century when it was a
member of the Hanseatic League. Bergen is also
the city between seven mountains.
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The main attraction is the open air Fisketorget,
Fish Market, which has grown from just selling
fish off the boats to souvenirs, clothes and more.
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A family friend allowed us to stay at her house
even though she was away. This is a view from the
house.
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Among the dramatic activities is taking a
funicular up steep tracks to Fløien for views
overlooking Bergen.
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From Fløien, there are hikes of varying
difficulty. We hiked two hours uphill to the top
of the mountain.
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The paths took us higher until we reached the top
where there is no view of Bergen.
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Seals and penguins are among the main attractions
at the Bergen Aquarium.
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Later the following week I was in Lillehammer,
where a wooden ski jump had a countdown to the
start of the 1994 Winter Olympics.
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The following weekend, (July 25-26) we went on
our excursion with the Summer School to Noresund.
We visited the Ringnes Manor, which has been in
the family since 1325. We walked through the
house which was built in 1812 and had this view.
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The next day we took an almost three-hour hike to
the top of Høvegarde, 1,340 meters above sea
level. We saw reindeer and sheep along the way.
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People from 12 nations climbed together. If
someone tired, people waited.
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The following weekend we were in Rauland. Someone
had come up with the idea of reenacting the horse
procession of the 19th century from Western
Norway to Rauland. People would bring the horses
to a market. The procession went by the end of
Torbjørn and Debbies street.
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Ingrid leads the way. The procession ended at the
site of the old market, where we were treated to
fiddle music on Hardanger fiddles.
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The following week brought exams and the
conclusion of the six weeks of the Summer School.
There was a farewell party, signing of yearbooks
and tearful good-byes. Above, back, Kaare, who
worked in the administration office, Zivojin
(Yugoslavia), the night watchman for 37 straight
summers, my Norwegian teacher, Audun front, me,
classmate Shayna (Miami), receptionists Kare and
Inge.
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Above left, Matthias and Astrid (Germany) and me
above right, Sultan (Russia) bottom right, me
with classmates, Erica (Vancouver, BC) and Bea
(Spain, who was living in Norway with her
American husband).
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We would travel North above the Arctic Circle to
Stamsund in the Lofoten Islands. Eight hours by
train to Trondheim, stay overnight 11 hours by
train to Bodø, stay overnight four hours by
boat. Above, on train from Trondheim to Bodø.
Those are clouds not fog.
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We reached the Arctic Circle (pyramid marker) at
515 p.m. just as the conductor said.
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Past the Arctic Circle.
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View down street in Bodø, second largest city in
Northern Norway above Arctic Circle and gateway
to the North.
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The Lofoten Islands is one of two places in the
world people should visit before they die.
Ragnhild Dalgard Views of The Lofoten Wall, the
islands and their mountains. There are 30-40
islands stretching 125 miles into the Norwegian
Sea 10-12 are inhabited.
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We stayed with friends of friends. Their house
was perched on top of a cliff overlooking the
harbor. They had an outdoor pool. Guri and Nils
were tremendous hosts.
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From front of the house around 10 p.m.
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All prepared for the day. Notice Im wearing a
Norwegian sweater and it is August.
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View from Stamsund.
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We head home, south on two-day boat to Trondheim.
View of Lofoten Wall from boat around 10 p.m.
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We pass the marker for the Arctic Circle by sea.
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