Bergen Trip!

So looking over my blog, I seem to be more than a little remiss in keeping it updated while I was in Norway. I had such plans!
However, I still have pictures, so I thought that I'd share some with you today.

These come from a little side trip we took to Norway's west coast towards the end of July. We took a train from Oslo to Bergen and saw some of the most stunning scenery that you can imagine. Truly! The ride has been described as one of the most scenic in the world! See here if you want to learn more.

See?? Isn't it beautiful?! These are taken from the Hardangervidda, the highest mountain plateau in Europe. I thought it had a soulful, Wuthering Heights kind of feel to the landscape. But there were lots of waterfalls, glaciers, mountains, and forests.

Welcome to Bergen

This was the sight we saw when our train pulled into Bergen. The city is absolutely ADORABLE. It reminds me of a smaller, Norwegian San Francisco. It has the hills, the sea food and the colorful houses.

Scene from the top of a mountain, Bergen in the background

We dropped off our stuff at our hostel (more on that later) and took the funicular. The funicular is like a tram that you ride up the mountain. It was a pretty view. Our professor took us on a hike even further up the mountain. Again, it was a pretty view. I didn't really understand why we had to put that much work into seeing the same sight just at a higher altitude, but apparently, there is a hidden joy to hiking and nature that I have yet to find...

After our adventure on the mountain, we had dinner at Peppe's Pizza! Hurrah! And it was Dr. Kramer's birthday, double hurrah! He threatened to walk out and leave us with the check if we had the servers come to sing him happy birthday.

We disregarded his warning and had the servers sing happy birthday anyways. Secretly, I think he really enjoyed it...
The next day was our Norway in a Nutshell. We saw Norway via train, bus and boat. It was, stunning, as usual.

Experiencing the scenery really helped me to better understand where the mythology and folklore comes from. I mean, who wouldn't see trolls in the mountains when you are surrounded by them?
It also explains why Norwegian mythology ends so violently. Looking at the dramatic landscape, the world just has to end in fire and ice.

The next day, our last day in Bergen, was our visit out to Troldhaugen, or Edvard Grieg's museum/home.

This is the concert hall that they built just a little ways from his house.

We were fortunate enough to attend a concert of some of his piano pieces in that very, grass-covered, concert hall and it was AWESOME.

After the concert, we went back to Bergen to check out of our hostel and explore the city before our train ride back to Oslo that night.

This is Bryggen, the old wharf area of Bergen.

Yes, this is probably the most recognizable part of Bergen. It's on all the tourist things. These buildings are hundreds of years old from the old Hanseatic league traders that made Bergen an important part of Northern Europe economics. They are also a part of UNESCO's world heritage sites, so they are all sorts of famous. It's really neat to walk past them and peer down the alleyways between buildings and see how much they lean. When I say lean, I mean lean. It's practically a miracle that they are still standing! Bergen is cosy like that. They have lots of curvy cobble-stoned streets and alleys and old buildings. Lots of charm, lots of personality.

Besides Bryggen, I wandered all of the city with my professor. We looked at the theater building with all these crazy carvings; St. John's Church (very big and very red); the Bergen Cathedral; this old medieval fortress called Håkons hall and Rosenkrantz tower; AND the fish market.

Since Bergen is by the coast, they have a pretty vibrant fresh fish market. There are all these different languages being spoken because of so many tourists and there were crabs literally jumping out of their containers! Live produce, man! It was freakin me out. I wasn't into the whole seafood thing, so I opted for a kebab instead. (SO GOOD. So much meat for so little money.) The other girls got plateloads of seafood. I even tried a little whale from one of the girls' plates... It was interesting.  I just had to try it because where else in the world would I have the same opportunity, hmmm? Norway is one of the few countries that still participates in whaling, which is so odd considering how pro-environment they are...

After the fish market, we went to our hostel to collect our things and meet back at the train station. Unfortunately, when we got to the hostel, I discovered that someone made off with my backpack. Sad day, I know. I was most distressed about loosing my journal that I had just finished. Two years of my life, sporadically recorded, gone forever.

Bergen YMCA, beware of your luggage...

After a brief mourning period, I got over it. I am glad that it was my backpack instead of the others. Besides my journal, packed with sentimental value, all I had in there was some clothes and some chargers; so nothing that cannot be replaced. (All the good stuff was with me the whole time.) I will just be more careful about my items in the future.

When we met up with our professor again at the train station, that is when we heard about the bombing and the shootings. We were shocked and stunned. We quickly contacted our family and our host families. Everyone was ok and safe and we just read the news as it came online as we waited for our train. It was unbelievable that something like that could have happened to a country that we had come to love so dearly, but bad things do happen to good people, so we had to deal with the tragedy the best way that we knew how. And even though it was a truly sorrowful experience, I thought Norway's reaction was one of the most beautiful and heartfelt that I've ever seen. The rose memorial has been burned into my heart forever and I will always, always remember it.

Jeg elsker dette landet. <3

Copenhagen in 5 hrs or less

This is our boat. I didn't remember to get a picture of my own. We were always in a hurry, either coming or going.

Our cabin. Small isn't it? We were on the most bottom level you could get. You couldn't get any lower in the boat than we were.

Pretty little island in Oslo fjord

Goodbye Oslo

Hello Copenhagen!

 For a broader experience, we took a little trip over to Copenhagen! Prior to the trip, we prepared ourselves most fully. 

Namely, we watched this:

*Note, they do swear once or twice FYI

It's mostly funny if you can hear the different between Norwegian and Danish. Danes speak wonderful English so we didn't hear too much Danish. But when we did, it was great and sent us into gales of laughter.
The boat dropped us off at 9:45 AM in Copenhagen and we had to be back onto the boat by 4:30 PM, so that gave us five or so hours to see everything we wanted to see.
So we made a list:
1. The Little Mermaid (it's a must. You are in Denmark, you have to Hans Christian Andersen's beloved little aquatic heroine.)
2. The original Christus Statue. (We are LDS and it means a lot to us. See here)
3. Danish bakery to try a pastry. (We did and we are converted)
4. Danish souvenirs (We have our priorities)
5. Strøget
6. The Marble Church
7. The Queen's Palace
8. Nyhavn
9. Tivoli
We accomplished our list! All in five hours! I say, we are quite skilled. All it took was a good map (I marked three with our destinations and routes), quick walking, and quick picture taking skills. Here are the results.

1. The Little Mermaid

2. The Christus by Thorvaldsen

3. Danish pastries. So good. I'm ruined for life.

5. Strøget: One never-ending mile of shopping and pedestrians

6. The Marble Church

7. The Queen's Palace, complete with guardsmen

8. Nyhavn

9. Tivoli

Ta-da!

I got some typical souvenirs but I really wanted a Hans Christian Andersen book of tales in Danish but NOOOoooooo. I couldn't find a bookstore in Copenhagen for the life of me. Which led me to the conclusion that although the Danes have a very pretty city with to-die-for-danishes but they must not read. Ever. 

Ach well, it was a busy day, but it was fun.

We made it back to the boat in time. I fell asleep immediately for a couple of hours. When we were seaborn, I rendezvous-ed with the other girls and we got some dinner, played some card games and so on. We woke up at 4 AM to see the sun rise...but it was cloudy.

See?

4 AM, I'm telling you folks.
Well, that is it for Copenhaven.
Ttyl!

Bygdøy: Picture Post (Words will have to come later...)

I missed the bus by ONE minute

So, I am still getting the hang of this whole public-transportation-thing here in Oslo. Surprised? I should think not.
Today was the first official day of classes. We started the day with three hours of Norwegian 101 and after a brief lunch period, we moseyed on over to the Oslo City Museum next to Vigeland Park.

This is the Oslo City Museum

Vigeland Park

We didn't get a chance to explore too much of Vigeland park today. We are planning on going back another time and really get to know the place. The Oslo City Museum was pretty neat. It was interesting to see the growth of Oslo from a little Middle Age city to the metropolitan capital it is today. Did you know that Oslo burnt down about the 17th century and was rebuilt by King Christian the IV of Denmark and then he renamed it Christiania? Later it was renamed Oslo again in 1925 after Norway finally claimed its independence again.
Interesting stuff, no?
Anyways, after walking around the museum, we went back to our classroom and had dinner with our professor and his family (who just arrived via boat from Denmark). The poor woman had to control five boys all under the age of 16. She should be sainted any minute now. ;) Actually, the boys are pretty good and it was fun to interact with them. After dinner, I decided it was time to make the trek home, and this is where the gist of this post comes from.
After I finally figured out the trikk system and got on the right one, I RAN (let me repeat, I ran) to the bus terminal, only to miss my bus by ONE FREAKING MINUTE. Seriously, my hand touched the side of the bus as it drove away. Ah the sweet sting of regret!
I was tempted to shed a tear or two, but I reminded myself that I'm a big girl now (very important) so I sat down on a bench and caught up in my journal. Wahla! No tears and I was productive in the hour-long wait between buses. And it was alright in the end, because I got home safe and sound and I was able to take a shower and watch Dr. Who (Yes, it's quickly becoming an addiction. I'm going to be very heartbroken when this Doctor regenerates into someone new. I've grown attached) and...I updated ye olde blog.
Very productive I say.
And now it's time for bed.
Goodnight.

And let the games begin...

Woah. So things are happening fast and furious down here in Happy Valley. I have, like, 3 close friends getting hitched at the end of this summer. 3! That is a lot even for me.
And I am going to Norway in like less than 2 weeks!
It's all getting pretty crazy!
So, this was my way of apologizing for the lack of posting. I was trying to be more consistent, but gosh darn it, it's hard to post something interesting every day. My life is rather normal.
Oh! Except I do have some posts about my (practically) first real concert concert and the symphony from last weekend. Okay, so keep an eye out for those. Otherwise, nothing really cool is going to come up until I am in Norway.
Oh! Except my birthday. That is coming up sooner, and we allllll know that is going to be really cool.
Otherwise, keep your eyes open.
Loves!

Did I mention how much I love bubbles?

So in my blog hopping mode, I came across this post from A CUP OF JO. I was quite blown away with the photos. They combine two of my favorite things: bubbles and Norway. I ask of you, is there any better way to start the day? I submit, there is not.
Pretty things always make my day better. 

 These stunners are from a Norwegian photographer by the name of Odin Hole Standal and here is his flickr account. Below are some links to a couple of my favorites. I might just have to try this little bubble blowing activity when I get there.
37 days left folks til I am on my way to dear old Norway! SO EXCITED.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/odinodin/3825948756/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/odinodin/3825946144/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/odinodin/3825935088/