White Christmas in the Nordics- Oslo, Bergen

Yea! We've arrived at the 2nd leg of our Arctic grandeur: Norway!

Itinerary at a Glance

1. Oslo

2. Flam, Aurland (the fjords are so pretty that they deserve a separate post!)

3. Bergen

With a population slightly over 5 million, and petroleum export as one of its main industry, it is no wonder that this nation ranks Top 10 in terms of GDP per capita and is one of the richest country in the world. They rejected joining the EU, hence the currency used is NOK (Norwegian Krones). 

I've always heard how expensive Scandinavian was, but little did I expect that expensive means S$17 for a Mc Fillet?! And don't even go near the liquor. You can buy a beer fountain in Munich! At times like this, the brain processed the maths exceptionally fast and shopping was surprisingly rational. The cheapest cafe we found: a 6-inch sandwich with a bottled mineral water, S$22. 

Tighten that wallet & Welcome to Norway! ;)

Heartbeat of Oslo

Oslo, the capital is certainly a vibrant city. Throngs of foreigners and tourists. Lively it may seems, but I did not quite enjoy. It is like walking along Orchard Road and squeezing with the crowd. There is the obvious unspoken discrimination by locals and foreigners working in Oslo. They'll give you a nasty eye-down followed by bad customer service. I don't blame them though. Similar to Singapore's situation, the huge influx of migrants and asylum seekers could possibly lead to the local's xenophobia. However, as a tourist, this ostracise certainly taste bad and l'm glad I'd stayed for only 1 night. 

But oh! Their Santa Claus was one friendly dude!  

Akershus medieval Fortress built to protect Oslo. This was once used as a prison too. Crows were abundant in this guarded premise. 

Circling overhead and cawing with the skies grey and gloomy, a witch or vampire will complete this magnified eerie atmosphere.  

Christmas market selling their wares. The sky-high prices deterred my innate ability to shop.
Who says women are irrational? ;)
 

An NSB train from Oslo brought us to Flam & Aurland (separate post), followed by a bus and a train to finally arrive at the 2nd largest city of Norway: Bergen! 

Bergen is a colourful seaside town and the gateway to the majestic Fjords. The city is small and almost all attractions can be done on foot. 

My favourite is the Bryggen UNESCO heritage site, the oldest part in Bergen. 

Rows of vibrant wooden houses which were once ravaged by fire are now reconstructed and they slant towards one another. With its winding cobbled lanes and colourful houses, Bergen is irresistibly charming!

Bryggen. (Means wharf in Norwegian).

Pretty wharf area, and the Floibanen funicular station to go up Mt Floyen for a bird's eye view of Bergen.  

Don't you wish your office or home is one of these pretty wood? :)
These are the houses built at the base of Mount Floyen.

Norwegian salmon! Sashimi at its best. To me, the freshness and sweetness you get from Japan's sashimi is unparalleled! Nonetheless, the Fisk Torget (located near Bryggen) sells fresh crustacean, albeit the high price. When it comes to seafood, my belly controls the drooling nervous system.

Trekking Mt. Floyen with an amazing view! 

Alright! Stay tune for the amazing Fjords scenery in the next post!