Stunning views and small-town vibe greet Norway vacationers

Vikings, fjords and classical music by Edvard Grieg made up most of what we knew about Norway a month ago; we’ve returned home with a bit more knowledge and a profound sense of awe. We tried to learn Norwegian before our trip, but the word we used most was “wow.”

The scenic Flam Railway train stops for visitors to take photos at Kjosfossen, a 225-meter waterfall adjacent to the tracks. Waterfalls can see tumbling down the mountainsides throughout western Norway. Photos by Christine Haines / For the MVI

Our 11-day trip was spent primarily in Bergen, Norway, which is Grieg’s hometown and the closest airport to the Viking Valley Village in Gudvangen where a friend lives and works. Bergen hosts an international music festival each spring, so we had the added benefit of free concerts every day in the Festplassen, a pedestrian plaza in downtown Bergen and additional events throughout the city. The sun rose at 4:30 a.m. and set after 10:30 p.m., so there was plenty of time to see everything.

We were not prepared for the absolutely stunning scenery that surrounded us every day, the total international immersion and the small-town feel of Bergen, even though it is the second largest city in Norway. It has the same population as Pittsburgh, but also welcomes 2.7 million visitors a year

without ever feeling crowded, noisy or dirty. Within 24 hours of leaving home we had met people from five continents.

St. Mary’s Church is the oldest existing building in Bergen. It was built between 1120 and 1170. Fire destroyed eight warehouses directly below the church in 1955, revealing artifacts dating back to the 12th century. The archeological site is now encapsulated in the Bryggens Museum. The glass wall at the back of the museum allows visitors to see the church, just as they would have 900 years ago from the buildings on the site at that time.

We learned that online language courses don’t really prepare you for asking directions, having a conversation or making reservations on an automated system, but go a long way in letting others know you at least made an effort. It sounds cliche, but the world really did become smaller as we experienced how very large it is.

We met a Polish maitre’d at an Indian restaurant, a retired symphony trombonist who grew up in State College now working part-time at a nonprofit that loans musical instruments to young people and a Florida family originally from Houston, Pa., as we waited at a rainy bus stop on the side of the road in Gudvangen. The ease with which nearly everyone we met moved seamlessly between their native languages and English was impressive and is spurring us to continue to improve our language skills and keep our brains active as we prepare for our

next adventure, wherever it may be.

Christine Haines is a retired reporter and

Bryggen is the old market district of Bergen, once a center of international commerce. The former warehouses are now restaurants and shops popular with tourists.

a culinary enthusiast who writes a biweekly food column for the Mon Valley Independent.