Well, I’d best get this trip finished as the next one starts in a few days! We’ve been home now for a couple of days and the time needed to de-trip and then ramp up for the next one has been time consuming and I’m afraid that writing and photo processing has taken a back seat, but at least it’s a window seat!
Our last two Ports were Geiranger and Bergen.
Let me stop here for a moment and comment…… one of my goals with this Travel Blog is to give you access to quick snippets of descriptions and photos of destinations around the world in the hopes that maybe some of them jump out and snag you to go and visit for yourselves!
I’m here to tell you that the coast of Norway and its little villages are sooooo impressive that this trip has shot into the Top Five of destinations we’ve been to!
The scenery is as impressive as anything we’ve witnessed, and the peeps could not be more welcoming if they tried. English is the Second Language and if that’s not enough, the Norwegian Krone is about a 10 factor when converting to dollars….
Want that gorgeous Dale of Norway woolen sweater? Yikes! It’s 18,000 Krone!!! Oops! No worries, it’s really only $180.00!
I’m going to condense the last two Ports and for the most part let the photos do the explaining…..
Interesting tidbit, Geiranger has a population of about 250 people depending on when the Hansen’s move out and Baby Ingrid shows up. But when a Cruise Ship pulls into port (which several a day do) Geiranger becomes Norway’s Third Largest Port! Only Oslo and Bergen beat it out for the number of passengers disgorged!
Why Geiranger?
That’s easy once you’ve experienced sailing into its fjord or driven down the crazy switchback roads that bring you from the top of the mountains down to sea level. Now, hold onto those seat belts cuz the mountains that surround that fjord range from 5200’ to 5500’ above the level that your ship is sailing! (or your careening bus is descending!)
It really is a cute little town and the fjord a UNESCO World Heritage Site so that alone should tell you something!
Now for the Photos!
two busses could pass each other on these crazy roads, just not on the switchbacks!
It is over 600′ deep!
They used to house dairy farmers in the summer when they drove their herds up into the mountains to graze on the lush hillsides.
They are preserved now as they are no longer in use.
Our last port and Port of Disembarkation was Bergen.
I could move there!
Or maybe just come back for a visit!
We met any number of folks that had just flown in for a few days and Bergen was their destination. A great combination of really old buildings, great shopping district (the good stuff, not just souvenirs), too many great restaurants, a ton of cool boats, and scenery that knocks your socks off! Throw in those friendly peeps and you’ve got a great place to spend a few days exploring the city and the surrounding countryside.
Before we get to the pics, just a word about Viking. This is our second Viking adventure, the first being that Rhine River Cruise last year. You all know that our Line of Choice is Princess for many different reasons, and it’s very hard to compare these two entities as they are very different…… the commonality between them is they both float some boats. After that, you get what you pay for, and I mean that in the best way possible! Viking’s attention to detail is legendary and it is apparent whilst on board. Princess is considered an Upper-Tier large cruise line, and I believe that it is placed there correctly. I’ve been on Carnival (great if you want to party all the time), Celebrity (which we really liked) , Holland-America, (great traditions and spotless boats), and Cunard (talk about traditions!) and I would go between these lines with no problem (except maybe Carnival as that’s not our preference). Viking is cut above on all levels from the size of the ship (930) to the food, and to the staterooms, but……here’s the kicker, we had our 51-Day cruise around South America for the same amount that we spent for this 15-Day cruise around Iceland, Svalbard, and Norway.
No Complaints!
Both are great at what they do…..
Just remember, (I’ll say this again)
You get what you pay for, and that is NOT a negative!
Now onto some photos from around Bergen!
Note that the ONLY sign in color is the one to Kiev, Ukraine.
This is just one of the small gestures made by European countries that show solidarity with Ukraine.
Tee shirts and sweatshirts are adorned with their facades.
