Skip to content
Free Shipping on orders $150+
Free Returns
Free Shipping on orders $150+
Free Returns
Free Shipping on orders $150+
Free Returns
Login
0

Norway in May

  Over the last year, my family has been working towards a family reunion that would unite us from across the world. All descendants from a man named Soren Moe,...

 

Over the last year, my family has been working towards a family reunion that would unite us from across the world. All descendants from a man named Soren Moe, who would have been my Great, Great, Great Grandfather! The idea took us to the family's hometown, in Hokksund. There, my Great Grandmother Olga's school house, her grandparents graves, and an old building used to store goods for their bakery, were all still present. 

Surrounding that trip my husband and I decided to incorporate a little exploring of our own, by staying in Bergen for a few days, then crossing the country via train to Oslo where we planned to commute to Drammen by train during the family functions. After celebrating National Norwegian Constitution Day on the 17th of May with family, we parted ways and headed north to Aalesund for a two nights. Following Norway, we made a quick stopover to Iceland before routing across the Arctic back to Alaska.

In total we spent 2 and a half weeks indulging in Norwegian culture. In a lot of ways, it's like peering into Alaska's future. The difference? They have been working towards the future of their civilization for over a 1000 years, and it shows! Imagine a tamed Alaska, with cobblestone streets, a slower than normal pace, and infrastructure to last more than a lifetime. 

 

Bergen

Filled with shops, restaurants, hiking trails, and the jumping point for fjord trips and tours, we spent five days exploring city streets, coffee shops, and catching up on sleep! With the time difference, we were awake by 5am and ready to rock. But Bergen, like most of west coast Norway, doesn't wake up until 10am! A beautiful dilemma. On one hand we literally had the streets to ourselves. Walking up and down cobblestone alleys and learning the city, there were almost NO coffee shops that opened before 9am. This is struggle city when you're an American who relies on their coffee by 7am!

In addition to 400 year old buildings, I was able to spend some time shopping for the store! One of my favorite brands had a shop in the city center. I spent two days bartering, trying things on, and negotiating my bulk order to bring back to Alaska. I was able to get some great basic jeans, some tops and sweaters, and hair accessories that are worn by every other Norwegian woman!

To end our time in Bergen, Seattle's Sister City, we took the train across the country into Oslo. A 7hr ride that makes various 3 minute stops along the way. Departing at sea level, heading along the fjords into the highlands and snow-capped mountains, then dropping down into farmland and straight into the Capital City. A gorgeous train ride!

Bergen Norway 
Bergen, Norway
Bergen, Norway
Bergen, Norway
Bergen, Norway
Bergen, Norway 
 
Train from Bergen to Oslo, Norway
Train from Bergen to Oslo, Norway
Train from Bergen to Oslo, Norway
Train from Bergen to Oslo, Norway
Train from Bergen to Oslo, Norway
Train from Bergen to Oslo, Norway
Train from Bergen to Oslo, Norway
Train from Bergen to Oslo, Norway
Train from Bergen to Oslo, Norway
Train from Bergen to Oslo, Norway

Hokksund/Drammen

My hope was to meet some long lost cousins my age, instead it was their parents and grandparents who actually came to the reunion. The younger descendants had to work and couldn't make the trip into Drammen to meet everyone. It turned out just fine, older people always have good stories and tend to care less when they want to get something done.

The first family outing took us to a graveyard to see the stones of Anna and Soren Moe. When we arrived (six cars deep), we wandered the graveyard before realizing the headstones were no longer there! As it turns out, in Norway, you have to lease the land where the body is laid! The first 25 years are a courtesy, then after that the family must pay to keep the plot, and also maintain it to high standards. The closest current family member lived over an hour away and after 50+ years of dedication he let the responsibility go. So what happens to the bodies?! Not entirely too sure, the general conclusion is that they must be cremated because that plot of land eventually becomes available to new tenants... I guess you do what you have to do when you live in a country that has had people for hundreds and hundreds of years!

The next stop took us to the site of the old bakery, where my Great Grandmother, who was raised by her grandparents, lived and worked. Of course the site was paved over into a parking lot since the actual building had been moved to an open air museum. 

By memory, my Grandmother Anita, who also came from Alaska for the trip, remembered her mother showing her the old school house she attended. She lead over 30 of us through the winding neighborhood to an old building that has since been converted into an apartment building. Amazing to see how many times over a building can be made of use!

The final stop took us to the open air museum where the city had moved select buildings from all over the area into one collective site. I was most looking forward to this part of the trip, the long awaited day to finally see this famous bakery my family has been talking about for years and years! And, what a let down haha! Turns out, the bakery no longer exists, BUT the storage building that was used by many over the years, including my family, was still standing. The storage building was used to store ingredients for the bakery! 

We all arrived with expectations to see some real historical sites and family graves, but sadly it wasn't as advertised haha. But like anything, it reminded us all that we were truly there to meet each other. So with plenty of wine, we all rendezvoused for dinner and learned each others trades, family lines and how they connected to ours, and laughed into the evening.

Old School House in Hokksund, Norway
Hokksund, Norway
 

Oslo

What a cool city! Totally blown away by its forwardness and innovation. There are even public use bicycles and scooters! They're left all over the city, and you just connect with an app and you can explore the entire city on two wheels!

Aside from the clean streets and friendly people, we were able to catch Norway's National Constitution Day, the 17th of May, in the capital! Aside from celebrating Norway's Independence, the entire country celebrates with a children's parade. To Norway, the children are the future, and when Norway gained independence, they did it for future generations and the hopeful growth and prosperity of them.

Bunads were also everywhere! Traditional dress, each bunad is custom made and can cost upwards of $4,000-8,000! My Norwegian family was in full attire that day! They explained how they each wore a different style from a different era, and how colors and floral design mattered.

 Oslo, Norway
Oslo, Norway
Oslo, Norway
Oslo, Norway
Oslo, Norway
Oslo, Norway

 Bunads and Traditional Dress for the 17th of May in NorwayOslo, Norway

 

 

 

Alesund

My favorite city! Nestled on inlands on the coast, the city limits are hard to define because it sprawls from coastline to coastline! Under sea tunnels and bridges connect them.

At the base of the city you can hike up 418 stairs leading you to the top of the town mountain. Gorgeous views in nearly all directions, I came up here three different times because I couldn't help myself! The weather was perfect, spring blossoms, mountains, and salty air were the perfect recipe for relaxing.

Aalesund, Norway 
Aalesund, Norway
Aalesund, Norway
Aalesund, Norway 
Aalesund, Norway
Aalesund, Norway
 Aalesund, Norway
Aalesund, Norway
 
 

Overall it was a beautiful trip, and if you ask me to go to Norway again, I will always say yes! 

 

Best,

Cordova

 

 

 

 

Shop the Look

 

 

255 comments on Norway in May
  • Leo Jack
    Leo JackJanuary 23, 2024

    WHAT DO I DO IF I GET SCAMMED ON CRYPTO – OMEGA CRYPTO RECOVERY SPECIALIST

    My name is Jack Leo
    From Nottingham, United KingdomI am a Professor and I work at the department of Biosciences 

    I want to let y’all know about a genuine and legit crypto assets recovery company. Crypto Assets is a decentralized asset that is not regulated by any government or financial institution. Therefore, once lost, it is challenging to retrieve it without expert assistance. OMEGA CRYPTO RECOVERY SPECIALIST has a team of experts who are skilled in tracing and recovering lost cryptos, making it easier for individuals and businesses to recover their lost assets.

    Website:  omegarecoveryspecialist .co m

    Mailbox: omegaCryptos@consultant .co m

    Whatsap Line; +1 (701, 660 (04 75

  • Olivia Turner
    Olivia TurnerJanuary 23, 2024

    Get back you scammed crypto/money with Exner Pro Hacker

    Personally, I’d consider the process of cryptocurrency recovery a thing of sheer luck. Hear me out, the process of finding a good reliable hacker is what makes or breaks the deal. So, if possible, get that first step right as the rest will follow. Am quite the celebrity from the UK and so wish to hide my identity. Regardless, I wish to acknowledge the Exner Pro Hacker team. They retrieved $506,000 out of the overall $511,060. Am well satisfied as I got back more than I ever expected as most scammed money is almost irretraceable. Big up Exner Pro Hacker.

    Email: Exnerprohacker@protonmail.com

  • Brittany Harvey
    Brittany HarveyJanuary 22, 2024

    My sincere gratitude to FUNDS RECOVERY CHAMBERS for his professionalism, truly he is a real deal. I would not waste my time with any other hacker and wished I had known them sooner. I am writing this review to be of help to everyone out there, who in one or two ways has been scammed by online investment platforms. contact : fundsrecoverychambers at gmail dot com , After going through a lot to recover my bitcoin although many people told me it’s impossible. If you’ve lost your bitcoin as a result of investing in binary options, trading platforms, your account was hacked or other bitcoin related scams or lost money to scammers online in whichever ways then You’re not alone. (I lost over $120,950 to skyrockettrade). Being a scam victim myself, I tried several means to recover my funds all to no avail, until one day I came upon an article in the Local News about FUNDS RECOVERY CHAMBERS, they literally saved my life, all i lost to these fake investors skyrockettrade was recouped in just a few days (a total of 3.7721 BTC) was recovered, Kindly send a message to the contact below if you’ve been in such situations and you are seeking recovery. contact them via Email Address: fundsrecoverychambers@gmail.com Telegram : https://t.me/Fundsrecoverychambers_crypto

  • Mavis Wanczyk
    Mavis WanczykJanuary 20, 2024

    Being the winner of a multi-million dollar lottery certainly will be a life-changing event for almost every single lottery winner. My name is Mavis Wanczyk from Chicopee, Massachusetts, the famous PowerBall lottery winner of $758 million (£591m). I know many people would wonder how I had won the lottery. Would you believe me if I told you that I did it with spell casting? I met this famous spell caster known as Doctor Odunga and he was the one who did it for me. As shocking as it was to me, my famous comment to the press was “ I’m going to go and hide in my bed.” Never did I believe that Doctor Odunga made me wealthy overnight. If you want to have your chance of winning and becoming very wealthy just like me, contact Doctor Odunga at odungaspelltemple@gmail.com OR WHATS-APP HIM at +2348167159012 and you will be lucky. Thanks for reading and hope to see you at the top

    FIX THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS TO ALL ACROSS THE
    GLOBE ON:

    Get your ex back spell Lottery Spell Love/Reunion Spell Pregnancy Spell Protection Spell Freedom From Prison Spell Marriage spell Killing/Revenge spell Healing/Cure spell

    Contact him for any of these today at:
    EMAIL: odungaspelltemple@gmail.com OR Call and WHATS-APP HIM +2348167159012

  • Brenda Sabasty
    Brenda SabastyJanuary 19, 2024

    It can be quite bad to lose money. It can, to put it mildly, always lead to hopelessness and suffering, which is exactly what happened to me. Everything appeared genuine until I discovered, after putting $1,894,000 in cryptocurrencies in an online investment scam, that I had been conned. I had been depressed for days until I saw an article about Redeemed Hacker-Pro, a hacking and digital asset recovery agency, and how they help victims of fraud regain their lost money. After some hesitation, I chose to give them a shot. Working with Redeemed Hacker-Pro, I was able to recover my stolen money back after a few procedures in a matter of hours. Redeemed Hacker-Pro is also available to assist any further victims of scams. reach out to them now through their urgent line at’ Email:- redeemed.h.p@consultant.com or Website:- https://redeemedhackerpro.wixsite.com/redeem-hacker-pro

  • « Previous 1 7 8 9 10 11 51 Next »
Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published..

Cart

Your cart is currently empty.

Start Shopping

Select options