Bergen - Artic Circle - Mandal

Young Polish girl on the ferry

The sleek Fjord1 ferry

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Me at the Arctic Circle

The stupendous and magical waterfall at Odda

Karina's home in Mandal

Leaving Bergen with freshly laundered clothes, I headed north for more of the famous Norwegian mountains and fjords and was not disappointed. I quit taking photos of both because I have already taken so many and none of them fit into the camera. They are just too magnificent and grand, especially the waterfalls which always find that special spot in my heart and mind.

I took a long ferry boat ride out of town as the guide book said that it was better than most of the guided tour boats going through the fjords. And it was, with waterfalls from way up high and snaking down the walls to the water. I spoke at length to a young Polish girl traveling with a group of 45 other Poles, mainly teachers, one her mother, in a bus that they had ridden from Poland. She was eager to practice her English and to get away from all of the 'old folks,' and she promised to stay in touch.

I checked into a nice hotel in Molde, overlooking the waterfront with the coming and going of ferries and tour boats. I love the look of the ferry boats gliding through the water. The hull is sailboat shaped, but the main platform and upper carriage is sitting atop this hull and the platform seems to just glide over the water with a bare ripple of a wake. I returned to this hotel after riding around the island that Molde is on and took in the Atlantic Highway and a Sculpture Symposium. The Highway was overrated in my opinion as well as the opinions of a father/daughter riding team from Washington DC that I met the next day. I think that the government built it and hyped it to replace the lost cod fishing industry.

Then on to the Artic Circle. I'm not sure why I needed to go, but there I was. I thought the cairn fields were quite interesting and wondered how that got started.

I had debated which way to head back south, further inland in Norway, down the middle of Sweden, or down the east coast of Sweden and into Stockholm. The Couchsurfer that had agreed to host me in Stockholm had canceled out a couple of weeks ago as he had the opportunity to go to Africa. Can't blame him. I had heard good and bad things about all three, rain and boring roads being the main reasons give. So I decided on Sweden because everything there is about half of what it is in Norway and headed east out of Molde on E 12. A great choice! It went high into a surreal lake/mountain/snow/fog condition that was very enjoyable. Very little traffic and cabins stuck in the woods everywhere. The Norwegians do like their winter sports and their cabins in the outback. About half way to the turning south point, I crossed in to Sweden. Then down E45 to Ostersund where I planned to spend the night. But a big football game changed my plans, everything in town being booked up. Since it wasn't dark yet, only 10:30!, I kept going until I stumbled on a restaurant/bar that advertised a hytter (cabin). The new owner said the cabin had not been cleaned yet from the night before, so I chilled with a fish and chips and a couple of beers. A bit of adventure finding it by taking the path along the creek and over the bridge, etc., but I did, and returned by the road to retrieve the motorcycle.

I rode with a couple of Finns and their girlfriends for a bit and then parted after we got off of the ferry. I met the Washington DC father/daughter riding a rented Harley when I stopped for a coffee. She was attending architecture classes in Oslo and he came to visit for a week. We compared notes on what we had seen and done. They were envious of my Fish Festival experience.

I outsmarted myself in Geilo. I stopped for the evening at a decent looking highrise hotel and the clerk quoted me 970 krona. I replied that it was Saturday and that 700 would be better. She accepted and I went to my room. Later, I went out for dinner and as I was returning there was a large banner high up on the hotel that advertised a special rate of 595. Stupid Americans!!

Route 7 going west across Norway again took me high into the mountains with snow and even one lake still having some ice floating on it. There are these marvelous Swiss looking Alpine lodges with large front porches overlooking the valleys that just make me want to pull over and check in and order a glass of wine to go with dinner. But the thought of riding out in the chill of the morning makes me keep on riding to lower elevations. Then left onto Route 13 along the fjord and its narrow road clinging to the side of the mountain. Lots of tunnels and even more waterfalls. One just south of Odda was the most impressive one I have seen in a long time. Such power! And so close that I can reach out and touch it. The only other one that I got this sense from was the one in New Zealand and the third highest in the world.

I arrived late in Mandel and managed to find Karina's house with only one bit of advice from a pedestrian. Speaking of advice, there is no 'c' in the Norse language, and I go through the senter of town. Her brother, Pol, is there also. He has Downs Syndrome and is normally in a care facility in Bergen, but was down visiting her. So for several days, we rode bikes, went for coffee, and cleaned up one of her workshops. I did some bachelor style cooking for them, real American food! I find it interesting just seeing what people do with their trash.



After leaving Mandal yesterday afternoon and taking the ferry out of Kristiansand to Denmark, I spent the night in another lovely town and hotel. They are all just so! So neat, so well kept, so well signed and laid out, so quiet and well mannered, so easy just to be in. Today, I took in the galleries of Herning in Bilk Central. Two different galleries with sculpture gardens, landscaping and extra large sculptures. Check out Kronhammer's Elia and Abyss sculptures, and The Gate, which was my favorite.

I found Christian's place here in Westerland, Sylt, Germany by stumbling around a bit and then coming across his street. The key was under the door mat, so I let myself in and then went out and bought some beer to stock the empty refrigerator. He lives in Hanover, but keeps this apartment up here in the tourist area. He and a friend of his should be up later on this evening.



The Norwegian cairn field at the Arctic Circle