*** FINAL COUNT DOWN.. ***
Ya-Ya-Ya (Spelt "Ja") = only Norwegian word learned.
This is my grand finale update so folks, have patience, no need to slime me with envy anymore cos I'm going home 4th July, boohoo..

Norwegians are really lucky to live in such a beautiful abundant place. Unlike the French though, tales of Norwegian hospitality abound, maybe to allay tourists stunned by the spectacular landscapes AND incredible costs (I hear Norwegians go Sweden/Finland to shop like we do JB). I'm doing a stars * ratings for the scenery but not bothering with prices which are all 6* anyway, except for the loo which is 10*.
    2* = 'basic' scenic lake + mountains,
    3* = add snow mountains,
    4* = add spectacular fjord or other spectacular, and
    5* = add good weather (rare commodity, counted only 3 out of 11 days).

BODØ to TRONDHEIM to DOMBÅS to ÅNDALSNES to ÅLESUND 3*: One heck of a long series of train/bus rides from North to South Norway but v scenic. I finally saw a sunSET, twas bluish glow nite, v hard to sleep.

ÅLESUND: 4* despite crappy weather when I arrived. Was told weather in Lofoten where I came from supposed to be better than here, excuse me?! Found an old organ to twang in the dorm, hope mum don't throw away mine.

Climbed up 418-step Aksla hill and inspired by pretty town & surrounding fjords to do yoga up here, ohm..

GEIRANGERFJORDEN 5*: See what I mean about long names, all one needs know is this is Norway's most stunning UNESCO fjord with snow mountains, abandoned farmhouses clinging to high cliffs precariously, crystal green waters, spectacular waterfalls aplenty - called the 7 sisters, suitor, bridal veil, go imagine.

And I had to do it in style - on board the luxurious Hurtigruten coastal steamer with sizzling sauna pools atop. Found myself sunning on the deck with the angmohs and enjoying the panorama.

Approach to Geiranger was spectacular and I was almost reluctant to leave the luxury, haha. This is one picturesque village with steep zigzag roads against the mountain and fronting the best part of the fjord. So it was only fitful that I finally managed to do a hike here from Beginning to End, and what a finale! The trail ends BEHIND a waterfall, awesome. Even my yoga lion roar couldn't drown out the thunderous falls.

ÅNDALSNES: 3* if no rain/fog.

Troll's land with nearby Trollstigen (Troll's Path), a 4* thriller road with 1:12 gradient, hairpin bends traversing a high waterfall, and lotsa snow! snow! snow! Enough said.


          

ÅNDALSNES to DOMBÅS to OSLO to BERGEN: Another circuitous series of train rides, bo bian

4* for seeing ice sheets on the lakes en route to Bergen


          

BERGEN 4*: Ex-capital of Norway v pretty and even tourist crowds can't spoil it. UNESCO Bryggen (Old Town) along the waterfront got a colourful shophouse row and inside, lotsa haphazard wooden passageways, overhanging staircase, balconies and a gravity-defying house, no kidding.

Romansque Mariakirken stone church had a most beautiful colour sculptured pulpit. Inspired by Edvard Munch's works at Bergen Art Museum.

Finally did a super shiong 5 1/2 hour hike here, from the top of Mt Ulriken cable car,

NORWAY IN A NUTSHELL TOUR 3*: Can't go Norway without hearing about this one. Trouble is I've seen Norway in a watermelon crust already haha, so find it so-so only. In a nutshell, you train from Oslo/Bergen to Myrdal, take the scenic 1:18 steep train down to pretty Flåm village,

ferry through a fjord to another village Gudvangen, then zigzag labouriously up from a valley to eventually reach Voss (incidentally a churner of extreme sports medallists, wonder if it has got anything to do with eating their sheep head specialty here, yucks!), then train back.

Think only the Flåmbasa railway is 4* for the sheer engineering feat achieved over 20 years, oh wait 5* for rare sun.

OSLO: Back to city, sigh. Self-professed (officially!) Gay Oslo was more like Grey London in the incessant rain. Got utterly wet visiting Vigelandsparken (sculpture park) but still v inspired by the emotive some 200 statues depicting the cycle of life. Then on to National Gallery for more artistic stimulation by no less than THE SCREAM, Munch's theft-ed then recovered painting. Left Norway as I had arrived, in the rain.

DENMARK: Told by various people Copenhagen is not nice so am here to find out. It's Gooduh! for the Frederiksborg Castle, though strictly you have to train out of the city to visit, at Hillerød. Interior of castle was most beautifully, elaborately and exquisitely decorated.

Makes Kronborg Castle where I went next looks bare, this one is known as Shakespeare Hamlet's castle via some tenuous description in the play without even mentioning Elsingore (Helsingør). The castle's interesting for being Denmark's cashcow for some 400 years, built to scare passing ships into paying "Sound Dues", I also want leh.

Then I zoomed in to have a look at Little Mermaid and snap it in between hordes of tourists posing beside it, she must surely be the most molested gal in the world!

SWEDEN: Back in Stockholm again via so-so Malmö and much prettier Lund, and be jetting back to London - land of diminishing pounds and half the real world - before heading home, sniff

Be tough going back to hot humidity, unearthly World Cup hours,

and I suspect, tricky finding a job with Scandi work hours

and French lunch breaks ...

The End

Diary :    1  !  2  !  3  !  4  !  5  !  6  © Ong Hwee Yen 2006

! travels ! photography ! art journey ! guestbook !   * This webpage is listed on, inter alia: ChangingLINKS.com. do visit yen's art blog for works inspired by europe

Comments wee nee Enjoyed reading about yr recent Europe trip and the picts... the flowers, the scenery...please load more! France has never been one of my "must go" list of European countries but now, i changed my mind. I will constantly visit to see new paintings (which by the way, are great) and your other travel updates. claudine Am TOTALLY impressed by the number of towns you got to and this not a driving holiday!! Just reading the French names makes me want to be there, let alone your great travelogue! As for the French, believe me there are nice ones ... ah choon really really enjoy your travelblog. very funny + brings back the memories of backpacking Paris ... yvonne i had an enjoyable time reading your travel updates twice and particularly the photos ! am sure u had a great time and ur photos brought back memories of my trip to stockholm, copenhagen and oslo for me. =) Sze Chiung Hi Yen, After 6 yrs, I accidentally came across your website again. In 2002, I left a message in your guestbook after seeing your Rockies pics. Just gone thru your journal of France & Scandinavia. Very entertaining, very nice pics. Wish I could travel that long like you! Was this your last trip? Other europe stories: Gaudi - Barcelona's Famous Son & Charming Geneva.