The train from Oslo to Bergen.

I love train travel.

There’s something about seeing the landscape go by while being able to stretch one’s legs whenever one wants. And to be able to head to the bar car for snacks whenever one wants.

On the route between Oslo and Bergen there’s the added bonus of being able to pass along the southern boundary of the Hallingskarvet nasjonalpark, covering 450 square kilometres of the Hallingskarvet mountain range and hosting large stocks of wild reindeer.

I take an early train, eager to arrive in Bergen well in time for dinner. I’ve made reservations at Lysverket and want to make sure I arrive with well enough time to make it there.

Almost immediately, the views out the window are idyllic, becoming more so as we head further into the center of the country. It’s a treat being able to see the country by rail and occasionally I think of what it might be like to stop in one of the many towns and villages we pass.

There’s a large tour group on board and the guide flits from one carriage to another to inform them of the surroundings and offer anecdotes. Somehow, the group has been split. From what I can gather they’re on a cruise, having opted for this excursion, leaving the boat in Oslo to pick it back up again in Bergen.

Entering the park, the landscape changes. It’s been shaped by multiple ice ages and includes areas which are home to threatened or vulnerable species such as whitlow-grass and lance-leaf grapefern.

There is no road access to the southern part of the park and so Finse Station along the Bergen line is one of the few ways to access the area. The train stops to allow cyclists to load and unload their bicycles and most of the train takes the opportunity to step outside and breathe in the fresh air and gaze out over Finsevatnet, a large glacial lake against which the village is set.

Watching people cycle on the paths I make note of this as a place I’d love to return to to spend a few nights exploring the area. Looking up the hotels for the future I’m surprised to learn that the Hoth scenes in The Empire Strikes Back were shot here. Had I known earlier, I would have planned the stop, continuing a tour of Star Wars shooting locations after visiting Tattooine in Tunisia.

I arrive in Bergen just before quarter past one. I shoulder my bags and prepare to walk the twenty minutes or so to my AirBnb.

I walk the length of the main tourist areas on my walk, past the Festplassen where a summer fair has been erected on the square, and the Byparken town green before walking down the broad Torgallmenningen pedestrian mall to the fishmarket and then past the historic wooden boat houses along Bryggen street.

The apartment is up a small hill just past Bryggen, across from St. Mary's Church. My host meets me outside and shows me the apartment, a studio space with facing the church with views out to the harbor. It’s a fantastic location and I love the view.

I take a moment to situate myself. It’s a warm summer day and I take a shower to cool off and then take a few moments to relax in the apartment before heading out to dinner.

I choose to walk a different street back towards the center town, skirting the church and following Øvregaten back in the direction of the train station. It runs parallel to the wharf and I see the back of Bryggen as well as some of the slightly more contemporary buildings that line the street.

I walk once again past the Byparken and through Festplassen and Lille Lundgegardsvannet along the edge of the pond that dominates the park to the restaurant, housed in the Kode Art Museum.

Dinner is a multi-course affair with a seafood focus. I start with a glass of wine and contine on with the wine pairing. I’m there for a few hours and watch as the shifts slowly across the sky.

By the time I’m finished the sun has just about set. I leave the restaurant and step into the city at dusk, the skies all pinks and violets, the rides set up on the Festplassen glowing against the early evening skies.

By the time I reach Torgallmenningen the sun has set. The mall has quieted down, the shops closed. I peek into the windows of a few to see what they offer, making note of a bakery that I might want to revisit.

The fishmarket is closed as well, the wharf lit with the reflection of what remains of the day’s sunset

By the time I arrive at home the night sky has become that shade of blue you can almost feel pressing against your skin. It oozes around the steeples of St. Mary’s Church, threatening to turn them into silhouettes, kept at bay by the streetlights lighting the avenue. I open the window wide and get ready to sleep, opting for the deep sunken couch. My clothes are strewn all over the bed. 🇳🇴