A Great Experience in Norway! From Oslo to Lillehammer to Bergen to Alesund!

Norway | Jun 24 - Jul 7, 2024

Tricia created an exceptional trip for us that we enjoyed immensely. It was a remarkable trip for the following reasons:

1). We saw a variety of the ways in which contemporary Norwegian society functions - from the sunbathers (a lot of them!) and commuters on the Aker Brygge to the shoppers in central Oslo to the residents of Hamar, Lillehammer, Bergen and Alesund as they went about their daily lives. This immersion into Norwegian life helped us go beyond stereotypes and experience a social climate quite different from what we have in the States, (especially right now).

2). We had numerous opportunities to learn about Norwegian history. The outdoor museums - from the Norse Folk Museum in Oslo to the Maihaugen in Lillehammer and the Sunnmore in Alesund - were all very impressive and well done.

3). Our guides were fantastic! Stig, Ole, John and Randi - each one very enjoyable and knowledgeable. They added so much to our experience of place.

4). We had surprises at each location. The ethereal singing of the guide in the Domkirkeodden in Hamar might have been the most magical moment in the trip for me. We also enjoyed Ole taking us to the wooden hotel, the “Norwegian Stonehenge”, and the ski jump from the Olympics. Randi’s walk about Alesund, pointing out the Art Nouveau buildings was very informative. After seeing the Schotstuene (Hanseatic League building) and the Bergenhus Fortress in Bergen, John walked us to the University where we saw the beautiful botanical gardens and the Maritime Museum. Our trip to the Fram and KonTiki Museums and to the Norse Folkermuseum with Stig far surpassed our expectations.

5). The seamless transition from place to place with taxis arriving/waiting as necessary made us feel well cared for. It was also instructive to travel by both train and bus - another aspect of the immersion experience. We very much also enjoyed our night onboard the Havila Capella from Bergen to Alesund. It’s too bad the weather was rainy because I can only imagine how fantastic the view would have been under other conditions.

Food wise:
- The Venti Venti in Oslo was a lot of fun and we enjoyed the great people watching.
- The breakfast buffets at all of the hotels were excellent except at the Raddison Blu Airport Hotel where it was terrible.
- Eating at the Bro in Alesund was another fun experience. We had gone to the Fishery Museum earlier that day so I tried the dried cod dish because I thought the pairing (of the historical information and cuisine) would be interesting. The dessert - 3 kinds of ice cream - was among the best food we had on the entire trip.

So - in summary - we went from south (85’ heat) to north (55’); from urban to small city to rural; from plane to bus, train, taxi and ship - with 4 wonderfully informed and friendly guides enjoying lovely breakfast buffets that lasted us through the day and seeing many interesting sights. I can’t imagine a better time then than!