Harms' Norway/Denmark Vacation 2013 Part 2

The next Norwegian city that we visited was Stavanger, but instead of going into the city (which is known as the oil capitol of Norway, and who's Petroleum museum is considered a must see) we instead did an excursion on a boat to see the beautiful fjords that are nearby. 

The boat trip ended with a stop to get some Norwegian waffles. Random and yummy.

Our next city was Alesund, Norway, which is known for its beautiful Art Nouveau architecture. At one point, a fire had destroyed the entire city, and it was being rebuilt during the time that style of architecture was popular. The city has since been dubbed the most beautiful city in Norway.

While my mom and dad decided to go to the aquarium and the art nouveau museum, my husband, my sister, her husband, and I all decided it would be a great idea to climb to the top of a hill which is said to be the best view of the city. It was 400 very steep steps. Ugh. I guess my sister and I had it easier than the boys though. They were also carrying the girls on their backs.

Despite the painful hike to the top (and the horrible realization that there are plenty of buses that also take you to the top), the views really were breathtaking.

The next day took us to Grainger, a city with a population of about 240 people that gets about 5,000 tourists a day from cruises. The fjords are huge, and the area is gorgeous. My husband, brother in law, and I took an excursion where we were going to be bused to the top of one of the tallest fjords, and then we would bike down. The fjord was so tall, in fact, that even though it was August there was still snow at the top.

I'll admit, I almost had a panic attack on the way up. The roads were narrow and the drops were very steep. There was also the fact that I hadn't ridden a bike in about a decade, and that they kept mentioning how we would have to look out for cars and buses. Once we started, however, the trip got a lot less scary (the roads look a little bigger when you're on a bike vs. a huge bus) and was actually very fun. I would have to say it was the highlight of the trip. The views were amazing too.

My brother in law kept making fun of me for worrying about the welfare of my husband. I admit, every time we stopped I couldn't relax until I saw him (he often stopped to take pictures). However, you would be worried too if your husband kept disappearing and then would all of a sudden zoom past you at what I could only assume was 100 miles per hour (that may be an exaggeration, but it felt like it was that fast). Goodness gracious.

Our last stop in Norway was Bergen, which I had heard many good things about. After taking a hop on, hop off bus around the city, we all stopped at the Bergen fish market, where we had lunch.

Largest crabs I've ever seen

We all shared a feast of fish soup, seafood rolls, crab, and whale (yes, whale. In case you are wondering, it tastes like steak).

My sister and I also did some oyster shooters. Because they were huge. And why not.

We also tried some reindeer jerky, moose jerky, and whale jerky. A little bit more gamey than beef jerky, but not too different.

The next day we were at sea all day, and then back in Copenhagen to head home. While it is nice to be home, I am so happy that I finally got to see Norway. It really is a gorgeous country, and, of course, the motherland.

Now, again, I'll leave you with some cute pictures of my nieces: