Norways city scenes are a must-see

One of the most pleasant surprises on Norwegian Coastal Voyages Fab Fjord itinerary is the opportunity to discover Norways cosmopolitan cities. Some city scenes follow:

Oslo

After an eventless flight from Newark to Copenhagen, our connection to Norways capital city got off to a rough start -make that no start at all. SAS workers and crew held an impromptu work stoppage (I believe they called it an informational meeting) that grounded all flights until matters were sorted out a few hours later. Power to the people, I thought, but not on my time, please.

Somewhat off schedule, we arrived in Oslo at 2 p.m., took the airport train to within a block of our hotel and shortly after were signed, sealed and delivered to our lodgings, the stately Hotel Continental.

Oslo, as befitting a capital city, is chock full of prizes -- great museums, excellent shopping, cuisine both haute and the other kind and historical landmarks that range from medieval churches to the Norwegian Resistance Museum.

For example, a 15-minute ferry ride took us from Pier 3 behind the Radhuset (City Hall) to five museums located on Bygdoy Island: Among them are the Norsk Folkenmuseum, an open-air expanse whose 150 original (and reassembled) struc- tures from 20 different areas of Norway include thatched-roof homes and a 12th century stave church.

Back on the main land, dont miss Vigeland Park, a 75-acre monument to the stunning sculptures of Gustav Vigeland, among them a 52-foot-high, granite monolith with 121 entwined human figures surrounded by 36 granite sculptures depicting a range of hu- man emotions and relationships.

Balestrand

On the banks of the largest and deepest of Norways fjords, the Sogneford, Balestrands greatest claim to fame appears to be Kviknes Hotel. The propertys main building (take a pass on the charmless addition) dates to 1913 and is an improbable mix of filigreed Swiss chalet-style architecture and traditional Norse dragon-style furniture. Many of the rooms have large balconies, entered through louvered wooden doors, that overlook the water. No elevators here, so be prepared to carry your luggage up two or three floors to your room.

We enjoyed a short stroll in the rain after we checked in, though there is not much to see but a small 19th-century church set on a hillock as well as some Viking burial mounds.

Bergen

Once Norways capital and its largest city, Bergen has evolved from being a major sea-trading port of the Hanseatic League in the Middle Ages to its present incarnation as a thriving cultural center and magnet for tourism.

It is no accident, after all, that images of Bergens Bryggen harborside area, with its slope-roofed timber buildings leaning elbow-to-elbow against one another in a united front as if to ward off collapse, has become the emblematic image of Old World Norway.

During our stay, we managed to squeeze in visits to the Hanseatic Museum, which is housed in a 16th century Bryggen structure that was home -- a rather circumscribed one at that -- to visiting merchants; the Bryggen Museum, whose basement exhibit showcases the actual 800-year-old foundation of the citys earliest settlement; and the Bergen Art Museum, in particular its vast collection of Norwegian art.

Other activities worth considering: a visit to the Mariakirken, a 12th-century Romanesque church that is counted as Bergens oldest structure, and a 1,050-foot funicular ride to the top of Mount Floyen for a spectacular view of the city and the harbor.

But Bergen is all about shopping, from the bustling woolen shops that line the wharf to back-alley galleries, leather works and furniture makers where true bargains are to be found.

Trondheim

The last stop in the three-day Fab Fjords voyage from Bergen on the Midnatsol, Trondheim is at once the countrys oldest city, its third-largest city and its former capital.

Ravaged by a fire in 1681, the city was rebuilt with wide, stately avenues separating homes standing no higher than two stories to lessen the chance of any future conflagration spreading out of control.

In fact, the tallest structure in Trondheim is the Nidaros Cathedral, Scandinavias largest medieval structure and erected on the burial site of a Viking king. Of particular interest to us was the cathedrals western wall, which is adorned with statues representing biblical figures.

A number of museums vie for a visitors attention, but one in particular -- the Ringve -- is the focus of an NCV land option and should not be missed.

Dedicated to the history of music, the Ringve complex of buildings houses a trove of antique musical instruments, scores, memorabilia and works of art that rival, we were assured, any similar collections in the world. Guided tours in English are conducted throughout the year (guests are not permitted to view the exhibits individually).

For more on NCV options, visit www.norwegiancoastalvoyage.us.

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For more details on this article, see "NCVs Fab Fjords shows off Norway, every way."

To contact Executive Editor Joe Rosen, send e-mail to[email protected].