Snap Shot Norway

Visit to Norway
23rd July to 5th August 2010

I loved Norway, what else is there to say? The chance to camp, fish and hike in such a beautiful country was the perfect antidote to life in Hong Kong.
After leaving Bergen I took a train north to UNESCO, World Heritage listed Røros. This tiny, former mining town's buildings are made entirely of wood and I kept expecting to see Hobbits. Røros' mining heritage has been preserved; I enjoyed a ramble over the mullock heaps. From the Lofotens I caught the Hurtigruten Coastal Ferry MS Nordkapp north to the Arctic city of Tromsø.
Tromsø itself is a fun and relaxed city, with interesting museums, good food and (like much of Norway) spectacular views.
Tromsø's spectacular Arctic Cathedral glistening in the sunlight.
I arrived in Oslo in the evening with just enough time for a stroll down to the Royal Palace.
A short ferry ride from central Oslo is the Bygdøy Peninsula, a suburban area that just happens to be packed with awesome museums. Seeing Thor Heyerdahl's original raft at the Kon-Tiki Museum was a highlight as was a visit to the enthralling Viking Ship Museum.
The view downtown from Akershus Fortress; Oslo still very much a maritime city.