Greetings from Norway, one of my favorite countries I visited during my first Europe-trip as an adult!
I’ve been traveling with my parents and siblings, or with my ballet family, my whole life. But up until this trip, I always had an adult in charge, I didn’t need to worry about anything, only to enjoy myself.
For the first time, I went on a trip as an adult in charge of my itinerary, means of transportation, meals, and places to stay. I wasn’t traveling alone; I backpacked through Europe for three weeks with a friend. During this time we visited nine cities in six countries. We learned to navigate through foreign places, spent hours walking, riding buses, trains, boats, and planes. We visited museums, famous landmarks, and off-the-tourist-track towns. To better interact with the locals, we learned a few words in French, Italian, German.
I’m hooked. Independent travel is harder than following your parents, but the adventure is worth every second. The “postcards” highlight my favorite places from Norway.
The Oslo Fjords and the Ballet Opera House
We took the overnight ferry/cruise ship from Copenhagen to Oslo and had abeautiful view of the water as the sun slowly set. The next morning, as we arrived in Oslo, I saw the port, a little island off the land. It was so green and full of color. I recognized the Ballet Opera House in the distance since it is a unique building. Right by the water, people stand by it to dip their feet in, while also being able to walk on the roof of the building to enjoy a nice view of the fjords and Oslo.
The Viking Ship Museum
One of my favorite places in Oslo, the Viking Ship Museum is located on an island right off the city, calledBygdøy. About 10 minutes off the mainland, this is a more upscale neighborhood setting.
Inside the museum, we saw three large Viking ships. The first one was a burial ship for two women. When they found it around the 1800s, it was still 95% intact. This massive ship was made of sturdy dark-colored wood, with the typical Viking ship serpent, with the head in the front, and the curled tail in the back.
Walking up close, I could see all of the intricate designs still on the ship.
It blew my mind how even being the part of the boat that was in the water, it was still a clean design. The two other ships weren’t in as good shape but still looked amazing. In the back of the museum, we had a chance to watch a few videos. We also enjoyed looking at the exhibits of smaller objects found on the ships, kept behind glass. Most of the wood carvings were still well-preserved, and there were some black and white photos of how the ships were discovered in Oslo farming land. The exhibit included pieces of clothing with embroidery, tools, and even some wooden carts.
The Cobalt Mine and Glass Manufacturer
While in Drammen, I had the opportunity to visit Blaafarveværket, a cobalt mine about 40 minutes outside the town. The company is located in Amot, in Buskerud, Norway. Founded by King Christian VII in 1776, it was important for Norwegian trade with Denmark and the Netherlands. Starting in 1968, they turned it into a museum and opened to the public, adding an art gallery to it. We didn’t go to the actual mines, but we did walk up the hill, where we saw a beautiful waterfall and a crystal-clear lake.
Then we visited the shop, were they sold glass made with the cobalt. I was in awe when I walked inside. The deepest of blue filled my eyes with colors.
Cups, vases and all kinds of glass sat there in the most beautiful shades of blue. Most of the glass was a very deep dark shade, my favorite. A few had some white mixed in, making it lighter, more interesting. I personally loved the dark blue. It was so beautiful thing, I knew I had to buy something there.
Drammen
A beautiful, underrated small town about 40 minutes outside of Oslo, Drammen is a place I liked spending time in.
Walking through town, I enjoyed the stunning views of the fjords and the neighborhoods along the mountains. We took a few nature hikes through vivid green forest areas and great views of the surroundings.
