So we are in Norway. I never really thought I would end up in Norway of all places. We sailed through the fyords yesterday and even though I’m ashamed to say I slept through most of it, what I did see was beautiful, it looks somewhat like home to be honest…or Alaska.
Except the architecture in Norway is far more impressive; this port is called the Art Nouveau capital Norway, as it was rebuilt in that style after it burned completely to the ground (something that led to no wooden buildings being constructed inside of town); it looks like something out of an old fashioned photograph, or off of the top of a chocolate box. I had never seen anything quite like it.
However, the phrase that best describe Norway as a whole, particularly on days like today, is “pretty cold”…or perhaps “beautifully cold”. It is free definitely both of those things. Particularly when one is coming from a brief stint in Spain, where the sun seems to melt you with each step.
But the cold is worth it, because it is so beautiful. That cool, crisp kind of beauty that never fail to remind me of home. I’m sure that if I were brave enough to dip a fingertip in the chill grey water it would have feel like home as well.
I was a bit of a loss as to what to do with my day at first, I’m still not used to having so much time in between shifts; but eventually I returned to the terminal where the little tour-train was parked awaiting passengers. The ticket seller gave me a small discount for being crew; though I think it was partially because she felt sorry for me as I must have looked about ten when standing in front of the very high ticket booth (seriously, I felt like a kid buying penny candy from and old-style drug store). The train was only two cars long, and the last card was mostly empty; only myself and two other couples. It reminded me of the Casey Jr train in California, only with tires instead of tracks. As we started to wind our way through the chilly streets, I settled back to listen to the narration (which, thankfully, did not require headphones this time).
There are statues all over town and hearing the stories behind them is always interesting. I think my favourite (and one of the only ones I’ll confess that I looked out the right side of the tram for), was “Towards the Sea”, one single woman shading her eyes towards the water. Apparently it was built as a tribute to a fishing accident long ago, but I thought she looked oddly hopeful rather than sorrowful.
Moving along from the waterside, we trundled down what had once been the main street of the city. It now sits quiet and residential with very little sign of what it once was. Apparently years ago, there were countless shops lining the streets, and if you wanted to meet with someone you would ways “take a promenade” there. The main street shifted to a new, wider thoroughfare in the eighties when traffic congestion became a major issue ,but I like the feeling of the old street better.
Moving on again we started our way up the mountain that overlooks the town. Apparently it was once completely without forest, and all the trees that stand there now were planted by school children and volunteers. You would never know to look at it now that the forest had not been there forever.
The train reminded me of the little engine that could as it made it’s careful way up the winding mountain road; but the view from the top was well worth it. It’s a small city, and looking at it from above it seems like a brightly coloured children’s playset spilled carelessly across the blue-green landscape.
The train’s tiny clanging bell rings after ten minutes to gather everyone back onboard, but the driver patiently waited for the stragglers, not wanting to leave any of his small number of passengers behind. Once everyone was safely loaded back into the cars, we headed back down the mountain.
On a side note: the couple sitting in front of me in the train was from Guernsey, England; their accent made me a whole different kind of homesick. It seems no matter how far I travel, England still manages to stay with me…even on top of a mountain in Norway…