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Published: July 21st 2009
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July 21, 2009. Just a quick note, to let our followers know, we are alive and well, but have not had internet connection, thus our blogs are a bit delayed. At the present we have just arrived in Amsterdam.
I haven't been everywhere, but it's on my list. - Susan Sontag
June 29, 2009, Monday, Tvinda CG, to Voss Train Station, to Bergen, back to Voss and onto Taulen Campground, Norway.
We decided we needed to see Bergen, before leaving this area, so we are off on the train from Voss to Bergen, about 1 ½ hour trip. The very first buildings in Bergen were built alongside the wharf called Bryggen. In 1360 the German Hanseatic merchants set up one of their import/export offices in Bryggen and dominated trade for the next 400 years. It is now on the UNESCO’s World Heritage List and the city of Bergen is a designated World Heritage City. Today this area houses quaint old buildings… with tourist stuff to sell?
The Floibanen Funicular is our next destination and we are off… up and up. It is a 6-7 minutes ride to the top of Mount Floyen, with magnificent views of Bergen and the suburbs. The glaciers really carved up
this area and the coastline is, at best, strange. We stopped for a small picnic lunch, and decided to walk down. It was about a 45/50 minute walk, but down is easier, then up, and the day is hot again.
On to the Fish Market along the wharf, all the fish for sale, it staggers the mind… whale, salmon, shrimp, crayfish, so many other unidentifiable fish, the market just goes on and on. Of course, we sampled some of this and some of that.
A quick stop at the TI where we obtained info on our plans for tomorrow. Tonight we are camping at Taulen a bit further north from Voss, since we plan to drive north tomorrow. Taulen is right next to a rushing stream, and I mean rushing! We had our first rain in Norway. They truly need it, but it is not a major soak, just a nice steady rain during the evening and then again early morning.
June 30, 2009, Tuesday, Taulen Campground near Voss, through the longest tunnel in the world, to Laerdal, Norway.
The scenery continues to be amazing…fjords, mountains, waterfalls, glaciers, greenery, villages, lakes and streams.
The rain began again this morning, so we changed our mind about a boat trip for today. We begin our drive north to Laerdal, and start going through tunnels, eventually we approach the longest tunnel in the world…24.5kms! Every 6 kms there is a special light effects, inside the tunnel!
Laerdal is on the Sognefjord, which is the longest fjord and in our opinion the most beautiful in the world. We walked into the old village center of Laerdal passing many well preserved wooden houses from the 1700 and 1800 centuries.
Laerdal Campground (CG) has wifi, so while it is raining, we can catch up on some blogs. This is a well organized CG, right next to the fjord and the ferry.
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Jim and Joan
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A most inviting country, Norway!
Norway is one of the top places on my list. It seems more inviting than Russia. Beautiful pictures etc. This must be a highlight of your trip. Keep us informed. Most interesting.