This past weekend I traveled to Bergen, Norway ~solo~

I took the weekend to experience this new place by deleting social media and the meaningless scrolling that accompanies it and embrace the uncomfortableness that is being by yourself and making REAL human connection YEAH!

I did a lot of cool things, and saw everything I wanted to, but I wasn’t gone from sun up until sun down. This trip was all for me, just being with myself, and it was challenging at first. Choosing to eat at a restaurant alone is hard work believe it or not, but being comfortable enough and confident enough to do it is something I am really proud of. There is just no other time that i will be 20 years old that I can travel to Norway by myself and just have myself a time! Truly an unforgettable experience.

Friday, November 17th 

I boarded a small airplane in Copenhagen and landed in Norway, but was slightly confused since there is a giant sign saying ‘BERGEN?’ on the side of a mountain outside the airport. I figured I probably was in the right spot. I got a bus from the airport into Bergen where once again it pays to be a student because I got a roundtrip ticket for the price of a one way adult–wonder how long I can say I am a student for.

I walked through the town to where I was staying to see if  I could check in early, which I could, and so I was able to drop off my backpack. Another plus, I definitley only paid for a small single bed in the room but I was greeted by a double bed so excitement level was high.

From Citybox I went to the train station which was very close (5 min walk) and picked up my tickets for my tour on Saturday. I then decided to do the Kode Museum which consists of four different buildings (Kode 1, Kode 2, etc.). The Modern art was strange, but the string instillation was actually super impressive, it took her 14 days to make and was pretty awesome to stand in.

Since Norway really isn’t known for any artists, there were instead really rich collectors who had their home collections included. At one point, there were no banks in Norway so people traded with silver, which of course made the museum. A whole room filled with shiny crowns and plates! There also was a whole wall of wooden spoons that a guy carved a new type of spoon out of a different type of wood everyday for a whole year-impressive to say the least.

After I finished up at the museum I walked around the water and park area near there and decided to find a coffee shop to plan out the rest of my day. So, off I went and walked up this really big hill and could not find the coffee shop BUT found a beautiful area of what I expected Notting Hill to look like. It was so so pretty, and a school by there was just letting out too so I saw so many Norwegian children- which reminded me of the popular tv show over here called Skam (slightly obsessed with this show-everyone is so cool and dresses so darn cool).

I kept walking and went through a park where people were walking dogs or biking and ended near the water where all the ships are docked. This area was really cool because you look out and see these modern designed buildings and then behind it there were giant mountains with trees and then you had the water and a bridge with cars in the distance. Just such a conglomerate of things it felt fake to look at.

I continued around here for a bit and then decided to walk back to where I was staying. My feet needed a rest and I was ready for some food! I went to dinner at a place called Pingvinen where I enjoyed some warm and hearty stew, drank some cider, and people watched out the window! I returned back to my room, put on a face mask and called it a night!

Saturday, November 18th 

My day started early on Saturday where I went to the Bergen Rail Station to get my train. I was doing the Norway in a Nutshell tour which took you by train, bus, and boat in Norway so you could experience all there is to see!

So I went from this train to a bus in Voss which in my mind was driving so fast for the snow conditions, but obviously the people here are used to it! Once dropped off we had some time to walk around, went on a boat down the fjords for two hours which was a bit rainy at some points but absolutely stunning, and there really was just nothing like the fresh air. It was nice too because if you wanted to warm up quick you could just hope inside! Then from the boat we were dropped up in Flam where we had some time to walk around before the Flam Railway train left. This train ride was like the polar express, the view was insane and the inside was red and beautiful. We stopped for 5 minutes on the tracks to get out and see a huge waterfall and there was so much snow and everyone loved it and was playing in the snow and having so much fun. From this railway we switched back to the Bergen one where there was even MORE snow as we waited to board. This last leg was a bit long but the view the whole way home was so incredible you really can’t complain!

Once leaving the train I headed straight to town to find anywhere to grab food because I was so so hungry. Afterwards I headed back to my room, showered, checked into my flight back to Cope, and passed out. I really didn’t feel like I did much of anything all day but man was I exhausted.

Here’s just a ton of photos of it all, simply incredible: 

Sunday, November 19th 

On my last day in Norway I headed to the popular area of Bergen aka Bryggen (the pretty houses on the water). I walked around this area which was all cobblestone and quiet and just very quaint. I bought my ticket up the Funicular which was an awesome ride, there was a rainbow just starting to form as we rode up the side of the mountain. I walked around up here for a bit and it was perfect timing because the sun was just coming up and there were barely any people because it was early in the morning. There also were a lot of mountain goats just hanging around doing there thing which was a fun addition to the great view.

I decided to walk down the mountain instead of riding which may have been my favorite part of the trip which is hard to say because FJORDS!! The walk was just so nice and peaceful and beautiful weather. Everyone was running or hiking or walking their dogs and it was lovely.

I walked back to good ole Citybox to check out, had a time trying to find my bus, but successfully did, and headed back to Cope! Just your average weekend country hopping!

I think what I liked most about Norway is that there really isn’t anything that you MUST see like the colosseum with a ton of tourists snapping pictures and not even knowing what they are standing in front of. Instead, Norway just is its nature and landscape and beauty and everyone of course took some pictures, but a majority of the time is just looking and being in the midst of it all.

I met a lady originally from Mexico but has been living in Houston, Texas for the past three years. She decided to take a trip just to Norway which I thought was interesting. At one point she took a photo of me and said oh that is just beautiful and started tearing up. I definitley thought she was talking about me but then she looked around and said, ‘ohh this nature is just wow!’ then i realized though that she was talking about the landscape behind me, I would have to agree 🙂