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Greetings from Bergen, Norway!
Since last writing we have made some serious distance into Scandinavia. Some of the highlights included:
-Crossing the OresundBridge from Copenhagen, Denmark to Malmo, Sweden. The 7km bridge connects mainland Europe to Scandinavia, so no need for a ferry! I was crazily snapping photos of the huge suspension bridge while Gabe was trying to concentrate on driving and look around at the same time.
-Lakeside campsite in Amal, Sweden after a long day on the road.Couldn't ask for a better view!
- Although very very very very rainy during our visit, Oslo is an amazing city.It definitely deserves a second look when our spirits (and the weather) are better.It reminded me of a more laid back version of Sydney.Lots of boats, gardens, shopping.While we were there we visited the Viking ship museum where they have three original 9th century ships intact! It was pretty amazing how nautically advanced people were back in the day.They definitely stayed true to nautical noon ;).
-The drive from Oslo to Stavanger.What started out as a 5 ½ hour drive ended up being an 8 ½ hour drive, purely based on the fact that Gabe and I got out of the car so many freaking times to take photos.We may have just been better off walking, seriously, that's how much we were out of the car! No but honestly, it is a gorgeously scenic and fun drive.The mini was loving all the hairpin turns and back roads.
-Stavanger. After our late arrival into town, we made the most of the midnight sun and walked into the oil capital of Norway (which funnily enough used to be the sardine capital of the universe until the stocks dried up). Wow, this is not your average port town! The money that flows through the newer built shopping district is quite evident, but the old town is the highlight.Quaint whitewashed wooden houses, all with beautiful flower window boxes and old streetlamps.
-Pulpit Rock (25 km outside of Stavanger). Yesterday we took the ferry from Stavanger to Tau and drove up to Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock) centre which marked the start of a 2 hour hike (each way, so 4 hours total).At Pulpit Rock, a flat topped square rock outcrop, were glorious views of the Lysefjord from 640 meters straight up (ohhhhhhh talk about vertigo) and mountains for as far as the eye could see. I didn't get too close to the edge and definitely made sure that Gabe didn't.There were some crazy people sitting with their legs dangling off the edge, even kids (where are these people's parents?!?).I nearly had a heart attack.But Gabe reminded me I can't be a mother to everyone. However, I got a bit daring at the end and stood over a crack in the rocks that dropped 640 straight down to a watery grave (not to be dramatic or anything) just to get my photo taken. Mom, I promise, I was super careful and there was no wind.I bet you wish you could be there with the leash like at the Grand Canyon.
-…and finally, Bergen.Bloody oh my goodness, this is one expensive city to drive to! Ferries and tolls all up probably cost us nearly 100 GBP!Yikes.The city itself is beautifully picturesque.Part of it is World Heritage listed because it has some original 18th century timber housing.Pretty cool. To top it all off, its right on the harbour and there was a big fricking yacht (it had to be someone famous, this thing was gianormous) parked right in the middle of everything! We couldn't help but sing a little Andy Samburg and T-pain whilst walking around it…I'm on a boat…
Apology to our Danish friends for not spending more time in Denmark.Renee, I'm so sorry I didn't get you stuff from Christiana as requested, but we actually didn't make it there!
From here its off to JostedalsbreenNational Park for some blue glacier hiking! We are (finally) updating our travel itinerary for reference as we are finally starting to figure out where we are going.
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