The train taking me back to Bergen is just pulling away from the station in Oslo city center. My parents are on the ferry leaving for Cophengan in 25 minutes. I think it is safe to say we are all exhausted after two weeks of traveling around Norway using about every mode of transportation possible. For two adults in their mid-70s, I am impressed with their endurance!
This past week began in Reine and ended in Oslo. In the days in between we drove from Reine at the tip of the Lofoten Islands to Svolvær where we enjoyed a night in a converted fishing cabin, something I wanted to experience last summer but had no need while traveling in a camper.
From there we made our way to Narvik, a town with a brutal WWII history. It was incredibly scenic but lacked a lot of what would draw tourists to the area. We spent the night at Breidablikk Gjestehus (guesthouse) which mimicked a bed and breakfast. From there we traveled back to Bodø and flew to Bergen for the 17th of May celebration.
The 17th of May is Norway’s Independence Day. I had been prepped for it by the locals for weeks and it did not disappoint. The longest parade in Norway takes place in Bergen and it is long! And there is not only one! We began watching the children’s parade and then switched to the main parade. It was so long that we had to break for pølser (sausages) before the end.
The next day we boarded the train to Oslo and enjoyed one of the most scenic train routes in Europe!
I am finishing this post back in Bergen, back into my routine of language meetups, studying Norwegian, hiking, and spending time with my new friends. It feels great to be “home” again. 😊
Lessons from: North! South! East! West!
- The train from Bergen to Oslo/Oslo to Bergen takes 7.5 hours. It costs around $150 USD each way. The most scenic part by far is the western half- the Bergen side!
- Svinøya Rorbuer in Svolvær is a wonderful place to stay. They have many converted fishing cabins, a restaurant, and a floating sauna!
- March-June is the season for cod fishing in the Lofoten Islands. We saw hundreds of thousands of cod drying in the sun on specially-made racks. Check out my Instagram for a photo!
Something Interesting: A culinary tour!
We had the joy of sampling many ethnic Norwegain foods on our travels.
Fisksoupe (fish soup) was my favorite. We tried about five different versions. The image below was from Bryggerikaia in Bodø and was the best! Every region and restaurant makes it a bit differently, but cod is always the main ingredient. Most of the versions include shrimp. One even had fresh muscles!
We also tried Bacaloa-Norwegian salt cod stew. This is a staple, and it is very hearty, made with creamy carrots, dried-salted cod, stewed potatoes, and peppers. It was topped with a creamy yogurt sauce. Delicious!
And for fun, we sampled brown cheese ice cream. It was actually very good!
You might remember that I never embraced Norwegian brown cheese last summer, but I must admit that it has grown on me! A thin slice of bread with butter has become a common addition to many of my meals.
A look behind the curtain.
Once again, my favorite event of the week was the most simple. I was invited to another potluck/cul-de-sac night with my neighbors on the 17th of May. And this time, my parents would join as well!
We talked, and we ate burgers, hot dogs, and several different homemade Norwegain cakes. I played basketball again and laughed the entire time, again. I met lots of new neighbors and enjoyed long conversations with many of them. My parents were welcomed into the group with incredible warmth. We were brought drink after drink, and though the day started with us assuming there was no way we would still be awake at 11:15pm for the fireworks, we were still lost in conversation as the hour approached.
As a group, we made our way out to the end of the neighborhood park to watch the fireworks from a distance. They were impressive!
Upon our walk back, my dad, who is not one for sentimental words, said “What a great ending to the day”.
One of the hardest things about leaving next week is the thought of leaving this apartment, this neighborhood, and this community. Not one hour after I had told Serhii this very thing, one of my neighbors offered the top floor of her row house for rent to me in September, when I plan to return. My dad, after a night of being incredibly impressed with the community that I enjoy here, was almost giddy with the idea that I could come back to it.
My parents experienced Noway and get it. They totally get it.
She Simply Wanders 
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