The drive from Geilo to Bergen has to rank among the most beautiful in the world. The road winds up and down steep peaks, rambles across old bridges, burrows deep into miles-long tunnels that cut through the mountains, and then stops abruptly at the edge of a fjord where you drive onto a sturdy no-fuss ferry boat to cross to the other side. This is not a place for people who suffer from phobias about bridges, tunnels or water.... [ I have to confess that I kept a close watch on how many kilometers we'd already done and how many were left to go during each pass of the really long tunnels.]
We drove past waterfalls and alongside the stillest waters holding incredibly crisp reflections of the mountains. Luke and I kept up a fairly constant banter urging each other to look and marveling at the beauty around us. It was hard for Jeff to concentrate on the narrow windy road with such distracting scenery and driving companions.
We loved Bergen, Norway's 2nd largest city and the so-called Gateway to the Fjords.
The old city centre is a walkable collection of medieval forts, colorful wooden buildings from the days of the Hanseatic League, and a funicular that took us up to the top of one of the Seven Mountains that ring the city. It's a rainy place, but we didn't mind the grey skies. They fit the slightly melancholic, steeped-in-the-past feel of the place.
The seagulls who regularly visited the ledge outside our room didn't seem to mind the rain either, especially when Luke kept them happy with chunks of bread and the Pringles from the mini-bar.
No comments:
Post a Comment