Kalli and I left Bergen, known in 1070 as “the city of rain” in full sun with violets blooming and trees leafing out along the tracks. We soon climbed to snow above timberline. Destination: Oslo, where the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded, in seven hours. Neither of us pulled out a book for the journey, opting for watching the scenery. An old Norse saying came to mind…”Merely book makes none wise.”
A large distillery (Aquavit?) caught my eye, quite different from my son’s brewery on Mare Island, CA. I was told that alcohol was expensive here with a monopoly on wine and beer, also having had prohibition before the 1900s when Norway and Greece were among the world’s poorest countries. The Norwegian Krone equals .12 U S dollar now. Agriculture and fishing has been replaced by offshore oil and gas as sources of income to make the country rich.
We kept climbing alongside the fjord, hearing Norway’s divorce rate (50% earlier) had decreased to 46%; the people seemed increasingly happier in making choices. Since 1536, 85% of Norwegians claim to be Lutherans, but most are not active attenders. The Viking attendant gave us lunch vouchers, and some of us said “Takk for maten” or “Tusen takk” (thanks for the food).
A large glacier looked much like we’d seen on the big-screen at Hardanger Nature Center. We pondered how they had to leash children on slopes at 4,000′ as we crossed the Hardangervidda plateau. Rock walls seemed to stay in place. We started descending past summer houses, simply built with pitched roofs to withstand snow and ice. City people go to them anytime there is opportunity, and the upcoming Children’s Day (May 17) to celebrate Norway’s independence (given them by Sweden without a revolt–they simply drew up a constitution) was expected to be a mass exodus toward the mountains or neighboring countries for holiday. However, the Oslo streets would be filled with 60,000 children parading by a waving king and queen. Kids knew they could have as many ice creams as they desired on this important holiday honoring them. What a hopeful way to celebrate “Independence Day”!
We exited the train and quickly felt revitalized. Set in a splendid bay, Oslo is both historical and vibrant, surrounded by fjords and hills. Founded by King Harald II, it grew around the Akershus Fortress, gave us Edvard Munch’s “The Scream”, and Gustav Vigeland’s 200-or-so sculptures in a walkable garden. We celebrated life–childhood-to-old age friendships as we walked among the sculptures.
The little boy throwing a temper tantrum in the middle of a bridge amused us especially.
I found these two my personal favorites of all Viegland’s extensive works. We boarded the tour bus, dropped those who were too tired to continue at the hotel, and continued with Frieda’s commentary. She wore the bunad displayed in many shop windows, the national dress of her region. We heard more about how the Napoleonic Wars, 1814, saw Denmark giving Norway to Sweden and how 120 men met and speedily wrote the constitution that peaceably gained their freedom on May 17, also how in 1905 they sought a prime minister and parliament, then how the Nazis occupied their land in 1945. All these histories swirling in our heads while we looked down on happy folks in red and blue dresses.
Next stop was the Viking Museum with graveships from 820Â and 834 A D., found in 1867 and 1903. The graceful arch outside signified a bridge between past and present.
A spiraling climb by bus took us to the Olympics site. I remembered seeing the ski jump on TV during the 1952 Winter Games.
Sliding into bed was welcome at the close of May 16, especially when a young Viking representative in a sparkling black Mercedes would pick me up at 4:30 a.m. for departure for (eventual) Honolulu. He seemed to like hearing that my Midwestern grandfather also had a handlebar moustache like his, took it in stride when we had to take an alternate route because a tunnel was closed, and deposited me at American Airlines on time at the modern airport that had replaced one Norway had “outgrown”. I found myself wishing I could stay another day among these happy people.
Finally home on my island, it was with great relief that I got a message from Kalli’s son saying she was safely back in Tucson on a later flight. Thank you Viking, and thank you Delta!
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