JUNE 3-20, 2002
Monday, June 3 - I TOOK JETBLUE OUT OF TAMPA AIRPORT TO NEW YORK.
TAKES ABOUT ABOUT 2 HOURS, BUT TIME FLYS WHEN YOU ARE THINKING OF YOUR TRIP.
VISIT JETBLUE LINK
Tuesday, June 3-4 - BRITISH AIRWAYS FLEW US TO LONDON ABOUT 6 HOURS AND
THEN ONTO OSLO ABOUT 2 HOURS. VISIT BRITISH AIRWAYS LINK
AM I THERE YET??? FINALLY I ARRIVED AROUND NOON.
NEXT, I DECIDED TO DISCOVER OSLO. WITH MAPS IN POCKET, I WENT ON A 2-3 HOURS
WALKING TOUR. AS THIS IS THE CAPITOL AND LARGEST CITY OF NORWAY WITH
1/2 MILLION PEOPLE, THE SITES WERE GREAT. ALL ALONG THE WATERFRONT, IN TOWN AROUND
THE PALACE, UNIVERSITY, AND CATHEDRALS, I FELT COMFORTABLE, SAFE AND SECURE AS I WAS
LEARNING ABOUT OSLO AND ITS MANY PLACES OF INTEREST. THE INFORMATION CENTER IS
BY AKERSHUS FORTRESS AND CASTLE ALONG
THE WATERS EDGE. FOUND OUT ABOUT THE SIGHTSEEING AND TOUR PACKAGES.
SEE VISIT OSLO LINK FOR MORE DETAILS.
Wednesday, June 5 - OSLO HAS SOME REAL NICE TOUR PACKAGES BY H.M.K. CLASS
AND BATSERVICE. THEY HAVE GUIDED TOURS FROM 2 HOURS TO ALL DAY THAT TAKE IN THE
PARKS, MUSEUMS, SKI LIFT, AND THE HARBOR - OSLO FJORD. I TOOK BATSERVICE'S GRAND TOUR.
BAT IS BOAT. IT WAS A COMBINATION BOAT AND COACH TOUR THAT LASTS 7 1/2 HOURS WITH
A STOP FOR LUNCH AT THE MUSEUMS AT BYGDOY. IT WAS A VERY ENJOYABLE TRIP THAT INCLUDED
EVERYTHING THAT I WANTED TO SEE.
VISIT HMK CLASS AND BOAT SERVICE LINK
Thursday, June 6 - I TOOK THE NSB TRAIN - 4 HRS 40 MIN., FROM OSLO TO MERDAL.
THE SCENERY IS BREATHTAKING AS YOU GO UP 1220 METERS INTO THE SNOW COVERED
MOUNTAINS/LAKES AND SEE HUGE WATERFALLS. BRING YOUR CAMERA.
VISIT NSB - NORWAY'S TRAIN LINK
ARRIVING AT MERDAL,
I TOOK THE FLAM RAILWAY TRAIN THAT WAS WAITING AT THE STATION. IT IS AN HOUR RIDE
TO FLAM AND STARTS AT AN ELEVATION OF 866 METERS. THE TRAIN CRISS-CROSSES
THE VALLEY AND TRAVELS THROUGH 20 TUNNELS - MANY ARE MAN MADE AND TOOK 1 MAN A MONTH
TO DIG ONE METER. IN SEVERAL PLACES, THE TRAIN TRAVELS OVER THE RIVER THAT
HAS BEEN DIVERTED UNDERGROUND THROUGH ITS OWN TUNNEL. THE SITES ARE AWESOME,
ESPECIALLY COMING INTO FLAM. HAVE YOUR CAMERA READY!!!
DON'T PASS UP THIS EXPERIENCE.
VISIT FLAM RAILWAY LINK.
AT 4 PM, I TOOK THE FJORD FERRY - FYLKESBAATANE, FROM FLAM TO BALESTRAND - A 1 1/2 HOUR RIDE ON THE SORFJORDEN FJORD.
THIS IS THE LONGEST FJORD IN THE WORLD. WE WEAVED ARE WAY AROUND THE SNOW COVERED MOUNTAINS AND WATERFALLS TO OUR DESTINATION. IT WAS VERY NICE.
VISIT FJORD FERRY LINK
I STAYED THE NIGHT AT ONE OF THE LEADING HOTELS OF THE FJORDS - KVIKNE'S HOTEL,
WHERE THE KING AND QUEEN VISIT. WENT ON A WALKING TOUR OF THE TOWN WITH MAP PROVIDED
AT THE FRONT DESK.
Friday, June 7 - DAY 1 OF VOYAGE CAUGHT THE MORNING FERRY, AND ARRIVE IN BERGEN 3 HRS.
50 MINS. LATER. THE TEMPERATURE WAS IN THE MID 80'S AND I WAS LOOKING AT THE
SNOW CAPPED MOUNTAINS IN MY TEE SHIRT. WOW!!! BERGEN IS THE SECOND LARGEST
CITY OF NORWAY WITH 220,000 PEOPLE. IT IS WELL WORTH SPENDING SEVERAL DAYS
SIGHTSEEING AND SHOPPING HERE IN TOWN. I PURCHASED SEVERAL ITEMS TO HELP ME
REMEMBER THE PLEASANT TIMES I HAD IN NORWAY.
VISIT BERGEN LINK.
AT 5 PM., I BOARDED THE
NORWEGIAN COASTAL VOYAGE SHIP ms NORDNORGE, AND WAS TREATED T0 A WONDERFUL
DINNER INCLUDING CAVIAR AND ALL THE FISH I COULD EAT.
SEE COASTAL STEAMER LINK THIS IS CALLED
THE COASTAL STEAMER FROM DAYS GONE BY WHEN THEY HAD A STEAM POWERED SHIP TRAVEL
UP AND DOWN THE COAST OF NORWAY. OUR JOURNEY BEGAN AT 8 PM., WE TOOK OFF OUT OF
BERGEN AND HEADED NORTH ALONG NORWAY'S BEAUTIFUL COAST FOR A 12 DAY VOYAGE.
WE VISITED 35 PORTS ON THE WAY TO KIRKENES - OUR NORTHERNMOST PORT 15KM FROM RUSSIA.
Saturday, June 8 - DAY 2 OF VOYAGE STILL THE WEATHER IS WARM AS I AM WEARING MY TEE SHIRT
HEADING UP TO THE ARTIC CIRCLE AND THE LAND OF THE POLAR BEARS AND SAMI - FORMERLY
LAPLANDERS. THE SIGHTS ALONG THE COAST ARE NOT LIKE THE ONES YOU WILL LIKELY FIND
IN YOUR BACKYARD, AND ARE WORTHY OF A PICTURE. THE EXCURSIONS OFFERED BY THE
NORWEGIAN COASTAL VOYAGE LINES ARE A MUST. YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SEE NATURE AND
ITS WARM AND FRIENDLY PEOPLE OF NORWAY, UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL. IT IS A 7 1/2 HRS.
TRIP TO THE LAND OF THE TROLLS AND TROLLSTIGEN MOUNTAIN. WE TO0K A COACH FROM GEIRANGER
TO MOLDE, WHERE WE HAD DINNER AT SKARSTUA. MOLDE IN VERY NICE AND WELL WORTH
A VISIT.
VISIT MOLDE LINK.
SEE PICTURE -1-
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Sunday, June 9 - DAY 3 OF VOYAGE WE WENT TO THE RINGVE MUSEUM
OF MUSIC IN TRONDHEIM WHERE THEY HAVE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS THAT GO BACK
100'S OF YEARS. THEY ALSO HAVE SOME BEATLE ITEMS.
Monday, June 10 - DAY 4 OF VOYAGE THEY HAVE A GLACIER TOUR.
Tuesday, June 11 - DAY 5 OF VOYAGE WE VISITED TROMSO'S MUSEUM-
WHERE WE LEARNED ABOUT THE SAMI'S AND THE ARTIC, AND THE
ARTIC OCEAN CATHEDRAL - WITH THE LARGEST STAINED GLASS IN THE WORLD. AS WE ARE
NOW WELL INTO THE ARTIC CIRCLE, THIS TIME OF YEAR THE SUN NEVER SETS. THIS IS
CALLED THE LAND OF THE MIDNIGHT SUN. I WAS OUT TAKING PICTURES OF THE CATHEDRAL
AT 1 AM. IN THE MORNING. NO TIME TO SLEEP NOW!!! I MIGHT MISS SOMETHING.
SEE PICTURE -1-
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Wednesday, June 12 - DAY 6 OF VOYAGE WE WENT ON THE TOUR TO NORTH CAPE HALL.
IT IS HIGH IN THE MOUNTAINS WHERE THE WEATHER CHANGES BY THE MINUTE. YES, I WAS
WEARING MY COAT. THIS WAS A NATO CENTER RADAR SITE USED FOR DEFENDING OUR COUNTRIES. IT IS
NOW A BUSINESS / CONFERENCE CENTER AS WELL AS HAVING A DINING AREA, CHAPEL, AND A
HONEYMOON SUITE. WELL WORTH THE VISIT.
Thursday, June 13 - DAY 7 OF VOYAGE ARRIVED AT KIRKENES, AND WALKED AND SHOPPED AT THIS NORTHERN TOWN. DO YOU KNOW YOU CAN BUY
REINDEER SKIN HERE?
SEE STORE PICTURE -1-
SHOP AT TILBORDS
Friday, June 14 - DAY 8 OF VOYAGE WE ARE GOING DOWN SOUTH AND BACK TO BERGEN.
RELAXING AND TAKING IN THE SITES. WATCHING FOR WALES!!!
Saturday, June 15 - DAY 9 OF VOYAGE WE TOOK THE TOUR FROM HARSTAD TO SORTLAND,
AND WE STOPPED AT A WORLD'S MOST NORTHERLY MEDIEVAL CHURCH AND HISTORIC CENTER -
MUSEUM, AT TRONDENES. LATER THAT DAY, WE TOURED THE BEAUTIFUL LOFOTEN ISLANDS AND
LEARNED ABOUT THE COD AND HERRING. OUR TOUR GUIDE WAS THE BEST THAT
I HAVE HAD IN MY YEARS OF TRAVELING. HER NAME IS CHANTAL NICOLE FORSA.
SHE PROVIDED US WITH FACTS, MAPS, GUIDES, AND PHOTOS. I REMEMBER THE ONES
WITH THE GREAT SNOWFALLS OF THE WINTER, AND WHERE HER HUSBAND IS SHOVELING THE ROOF.
HER E-MAIL ADDRESS IS CHANTNIC@ONLINE.NO
SEE PICTURE -1-
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Sunday, June 16 - DAY 10 OF VOYAGE A DAY AT SEA.
Monday, June 17 - DAY 11 OF VOYAGE WE WENT SIGHTSEEING IN TRONDHEIM.
WE SAW A PANAMORIC VIEW OF THE CITY AS WELL AS NORWAY'S LARGEST MIDIEVAL CATHEDRAL-
THE NIDAROS CATHEDRAL.
Tuesday, June 18 - DAY 12 OF VOYAGE OUR LAST DAY, WE ARRIVED IN BERGEN AT
2:30 pm. WOW, WHAT A GREAT TIME AND A MEMORABLE TRIP. IF YOU ARE WONDERING ABOUT
THE SIGHTING OF WALES, YES I SAW SEVERAL MINKE WALES. WE SHOPPED AND TOURED AROUND
IN BERGEN. THEY HAVE A NEAT FISH MARKET, AND A SHOPPING DISTRICT THAT WAS ESTABLISHED
IN 1070 AND IS A UNESCO'S WORLD HERITAGE SITE.
SEE WALES PICTURE -1-
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Wednesday, June 19 - WE LEFT BERGEN AT 10:30 am. BY THE NSB TRAIN.
IT WAS A 7 HOUR RIDE TO OSLO THAT IS JAM PACKED WITH GREAT PICTURE TAKING
OPPURTUNITIES. THE TRAIN HAS A DINING CAR AND ALSO SELL SNACKS. DON'T MISS THE
CHANCE TO RIDE THE TRAIN. ARRIVED IN OSLO 5:30 pm. TOOK THE AIRPORT TRAIN TO
THE RADISSON HOTEL AT THE AIRPORT.
Thursday, June 20 - WE DEPARTED THIS MORNING 7:45 am. FOR LONDON AND ONTO
NEW YORK, AND TAMPA AND HOME. WOW, WHAT A TRIP!!!
PLEASE E-MAIL ME WITH ANY QUESTIONS-----
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