Vestlandet: Picturesque landscapes

This part of Norway is mesmerisingly picturesque! So this travelogue  is just a picture log! I don't want to engage into words for the hypnotising landscapes. Here goes:

On the way to Bergen: in the Bergensbana

Fjords on the way to Bergen

Stave church: One of the very old viking era churches made out of wood. The symmetric structures with curly ends if unique to these churches.

A short hike to Floyen hill

Floyentoppen shows an amazing view of the quaint city Bergen

Cobbled street in Bergen.

Bergen from top!

The Skomakerdiket lake landscape at the top of fløyen hill.

Bryggen: The old business hub from the german era. Just in front of the sea.

Bryggen: Just few minutes apart. The over-shade came sooner!

Bergenhus Fortress, The fort which only fought one battle as the king of Bergen has been a peace loving governor!

Typical Bergen houses from the fortress

Catholic church, Bergen: Johanneskirken

A few landscapes from the Gudvangen-Flåm cruise tour:

Still waters, tiny towns, plenty of waterfalls, onset of colourful autumn and enchanting experience.

Flåm: from the cruise



Flåmsbana

From Flåm to Myrdal by Flåmsbana! Flåmsbana is the world heritage rail line between remote hilly towns which are just 20km apart, with unbelievable natural beauty!

Lysevegen: The famous zigzag road of Norway with 22 turns!


Kjosfossen: The hidden gem on the way from Flåm to myrdal.
Blue-green waters sprinkling the  freshness in the air!


On the way back home.. From Myrdal to Oslo.

Coming back home with heart charged up with nature!

Bonus video of fjords while approaching to Flåm!

Budapest: A perfect summer weekend getaway

 This past year has been a very difficult time for people with travellers souls. Two friends and I were planning to go for a weekend getaway for a while and were discouraged to go anywhere outside the country for obvious reasons. And boom! One fine Monday, authorities decided that people need change for summer and opened borders for several countries. Then started the excitement. We were discussing whether to go to Gdansk, Warsaw, Tallinn, Helsinki, Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Venice, or Budapest! Yes! Budapest! It was decided! Based on 3 factors, 1. none of us visited there before, 2. it is not too hot or too cold or god forbid, raining, at this point of time, and, 3. A direct flight goes there because we didn't want to waste time in transit! So we decided to start our trip on Thursday and get back by Sunday as the authorities change regulations and status of countries on each Monday! The tickets were booked and the AirBnB was finalised and hence the excitement increased!!

Budapest as seen from the top of St. Stephan's Basilica

We planned all the places we wanted to visit, read about the history, and the museums that interest us individually, and planned our outfits, decided which restaurants to go, watched travelogues and were in general very thrilled by the idea of going on the trip! We had our vaccine shots. We got our covid tests and were packed and ready to go to Budapest!

St.Stephan's Basilica

On Thursday, we woke up early morning (read, late-night) and left our homes at 3AM. Went to the airport, stood in the anaconda zigzag line and cleared covid restrictions and reached the gate! After a short flight, we were in this fascinating twin-blended city of Buda and Pesht. The first impression was that it is very warm, people are surprisingly helpful and the architecture is stunningly beautiful! We went to our Airbnb, had lunch, freshened up and went on our first day of exploration.

The building hosting the House of Terror!

The first place visited was the St. Stephan's Basilica. It is a nice blend of Gothic and Russian architecture. It has round ceilings and very intricate designs, and robust structures simultaneously. Saint Stephan was the first king of Hungary and this Basilica is his living memory. We went to the top of the tower and had the most mesmerising view of the city. The Danube river which joins the city via the chain bridge looks very calm from up there. The hilly, medieval side of Buda and the flat, modern side of Pest make a perfect blend for a traveller!

In front of the Hero's square

After a refreshing lemonade, we went to the House of Terror! The pieces of evidence of atrocities carried out in the ghettos around Hungary were preserved in this very museum. It was unsettling to see how one human being was capable of treating another with such inhumanity. The different ways of torture and stripping the self of the person were very upsetting for me. The horrific events described and showcased in these historical places are presented in a very crude and brave manner, I wonder if everyone could take up the events the way they are shown! There are interviews and video memoirs of survivors and relatives of the victims. This set the mood for the evening. We had Goulash but couldn't eat much. And after taking a break from these upsetting thoughts, we went to our next sight: the hero's square.

Hungarian Parliament at night

Hero's square is a tribute to the heroes of the country. The leaders who shaped the country are all commemorated at this place. Next, we went to the other side of the river to see the Parliament at the night. To watch the sun soothingly sets over the river was the perfect end to day one!

Hungarian hot chocolate

On the second day, we started our day with a lavish breakfast at the most recommended New York Cafe. It is a splendidly decorated richer's cafe with no connection to the history or to the local people, but we had the best "Hungarian hot chocolate", palinka infused hot chocolate with a dash of paprika! We had a heavy brunch and an experience for a lifetime! With that, we went to the Buda side of the city. 

Fisherman's Bastian

St. Stephan's Statue

Fisherman's bastion is the part of the Buda Castle walls which was protected by fishermen in the middle ages. It has beautiful rustic medieval architecture and it is astonishingly picturesque. We lingered around the walls, the statue of St. Stephan and then we went inside the Mathias church. It is like any other church, except the roof of the church has mesmerising colours, the motifs inside are of Hungarian style and all the pillars and the walls inside are painted with Hungarian embroidery like motifs.

Mathias Church

We walked to the next destination through the royal park walks. We saw the funicular going up and down the hill and reached the Buda Castle. Buda Castle is the house for Hungarian history and art. We went there and first had a refreshing lemonade and started our journey of exploring the art. The rich and diverse collection of medieval, classical, neoclassical and eventually modern art is inspiring. On the top of the castle, there is an open gallery which shows us the view of the city from the other side!

The House of Houdini

Next, we split up, my friends went to the central market and I went to the House of Houdini. Harry Houdini was a Hungarian-born American escape artist, illusionist, stunt performer and mysteriarch, noted for his escape acts. The museum hosts the life story of this astonishing performer and then a debunker of the spiritualist. It is very fascinating to witness the transformation from a struggling performer to a well-recognised artist, standing up against the exploiters, yet grounded persona: a life well-lived.

The liberty statue

The cave church

Later that day, after reuniting with my friends, I went to the pest side again to see the Saint Ivans cave or the cave church. It has amazing acoustics because it is a closed connected cave system. I was lucky to attend the evening mass and experience the mesmerising acoustics. Next, I went to see the Liberty statue and the astounding view of the city in the night from the top. The temperature was very apt, the breeze was not too warm, not too cold and I could just sit there and watch the sunset over the Danube river and the lights started to pop one by one and in no time it was the night view of the city!

The liberty bridge joining Buda and Pesht

On our last day, we started with a filling breakfast at the Gerbeaud Cafe. It is a typical Hungarian historic cafe that opened in 1858 and still going strong. With that experience, we went to the  Vajdahunyad Castle near the city park. It is a replica of the Hunyad Castle in Romania. It is a marvellous blend of Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque architectural styles. It is very soothing to roam around the central park area.

In front of the castle

The famous baths are very near fro this site, but we skipped it and went to see the Shoes on the Danube bank. It is a memorial for the victims shot at the river during the communist era in Hungary. Recently, in 2005, these metallic shoes were placed in their memory. The whole city reflects the horrid past in one way or another, and this manifestation is one of those inherently sad memories.

We went near the Basilica again to get flower-shaped ice cream and came back to the Parliament for an insider's tour. The parliament is built in 1904 and it is welcoming to all Hungarians. It has the coronation crown and orb, and it also has the pillars in the atrium which depict the citizens from all professions, from farmers, butchers, to scientists and philosophers. This wonderfully designed palace-like building is in working and they arrange the tours every day with passionate tour guides who take us, tourists, through the centuries of history of this country.

Shoes on the Danube bank

Next, we went to the Hungarian national museum where the robe of the coronating king is stored. But to our surprise, we saw that and much more! The religious history of the country is quite more fascinating! Politics and religion mix and mingle with each other throughout history to make it rich and more intense. The jewellery and the furniture have so much Arabic influence because of the Mughal invasions in the 10th-11th century. The Russian influence on the motifs and designs is rather recent. But all this cultural intermingling makes the historical artefacts much more meaningful and astonishingly beautiful.

Inside the Hungarian parliament

The intricate ceiling of the senate hall

The ruin bar

Then we had Korean dinner and went to Gellert hill, we came back as we went because it was quite cloudy. In the night I went to one of the recent attractions: The ruin bar! It is the youth rebel that uses the places in district VII abandoned since world war II and converts it into an underground hippy, artsy, funky place which will make you feel comfortable. I went to the first of its kind ruin bar, Szimpla Kert, which looked like any building house from the outside, but this old abandoned factory was filled with people, colours and the stench of alcohol.  Budapest may sell itself on history and thermal baths, but the ruin bars are by far the most unique thing about this city. Meeting with local youth here, finding topics to connect with them was one of the most enriching experiences of this trip!

My friends and I at the end of this covid trip

The next morning, we had our flight, back home! With so much on our minds and goodies and souvenirs for our loved ones, we came back from this dreamy, charismatic jaunt. Obviously, we had to wait nearly 6 hours to get our covid tests and get to our homes from the airport! But that's #NewNormal!

The story of unforgettable solo trip to Tromsø

 This year, the new year’s weekend had 5 days. The borders were (and still are) closed. I could go visit someplace else, but then I would have to quarantine after coming back! I wanted to travel and visit someplace beautiful. Also, the sun is getting out of the quiet phase, so there would be a chance to see the northern lights! Decided! I was going to Tromsø. My first fully solo trip! For hunting the northern lights! 

The most spectacular experience of watching aurorae dance on our heads!

There’s a short side story, that I forgot to carry my passport! I realised it after reaching Oslo Airport and I thought that I would just go and see what happens! What else could have I done! The journey started without the passport and a little disappointed voice scolding me constantly in the back of the mind! But she will get around! You will see.

Tromsø: the island city, seen from Fjellheisen

After taking the bus from the airport to the city centre I kept my bag in my cosy Airbnb. The first impression of this small city was that it is pretty laid back and the hosts are amazing. So this day is for the other island. A little info: Norway has over 220 islands. Tromsø city is a collection of islands.

Arctic Catherdral or Ishavskatedralen

The Tromsø bridge connects the two main islands. I walked on that bridge to get to the Arctic cathedral. It is a triangular church built in the late 20th century, looks like the fjords in the area. Fjords are basically long, narrow inlets of the sea with steep sides or cliffs, created by glaciers. The church has beautiful tinted glasses and a  very simple interior. The next destination was Fjellheisen: one of the highest point in Tromsø. They take us there by a cable car and it has an amazing view of the city. This was it for the first day. I had a big day ahead!

The Midday Full Moon shining on the Fjords seen from the cruise 

31st December, this was one of the most memorable days! I started early. Our cruise left the city at 8AM. We were headed to the outer fjords of the Norwegian Sea. This cruise was semi-electric. So it had a diesel engine as well as the electric engine, which does not create much turbulence and pollution.  After going for 2 hours steadily and 10-15 minutes on turbulent waters between the mountains, we reached the open waters where the humpback whales and Orcas would be seen. Obviously, the scenes were stunning. I could not take my eyes off the fjords and cute towns on the islands. We crossed one town with a total population of 7. Yes! 7! Yeah, I should mention. Tromsø is (kind of) second capital of Norway. And the total population of this city, including suburbs, is just 78 thousand.

The first sight of the precious humpback whales was quite surreal. These deep black animals are seen near the crusts of the waves. They come up for breathing and in that process, they make small fountains each time. Their jumps in the water are magnificent. Also, we saw Orcas. These are the wolves in the sea world. The sea birds and sea eagles circle around orcas in order to get food. There are many mythological stories intervened around these animals and sea gods. Being lucky enough to get to experience these amazing phenomena under the full moon was an enchanting experience.

I met a geophysics professor from the University of Bergen during this cruise trip. She has seen these creatures many times and she was guiding us, newbies, to watch these whales. We talked a lot on our way back. She was Australian. She was full of life and she lent some words of advice for an early career researcher like me. She gave me hope. And I think that that was one of the best parts of this trip.

So! I was supposed to go on northern lights trail on the next day. But since the weather conditions and solar activity was better, Northern Soul Adventures asked me if I could shift one day before. So, we left Tromsø centrum at 5:30 in the evening heading to one of the Arctic beaches. The first place we went was very windy and chilly. So we had to go someplace else. But first, we all wore those snowsuit onesies!

Below the dancing Aurorae!

After reaching the less windy beach in the snowclad mountains, where we settled down. Our trip organisers lit a cosy bonfire, took out foldable stools and we faced north awaiting for the lights to show up. It was a full moon night. I spotted some stars and ISS (International Space Station) and some major planets. The organisers gave us some warm soup and the wait continued. At around 8:30, while clicking photos in front of that soothing background, we saw a little tinge of green in long exposure shot. And just like that, everyone got excited! We were very uncertain whether or not would we see any colours. For the past many new year’s eves, they could not see any lights. But I saw the whales and orcas and their dance in the water and I was feeling lucky!

The lights seen have a very fascinating origin! The electrons travelling from the sun as solar winds or coronal mass eruptions are trapped in the magnetic field of the earth and hence they travel to the magnetic poles, where due to saturation they change energy levels emitting light: Aurorae!

With an apparently angry bear

These started as a band like a rainbow and then they started to diversify. The band became thicker and became a sheet. The sheet started to move eventually and voila! We were very lucky to witness the northern lights dance. We clicked many pictures and were completely awestruck to see this rare and unique natural phenomenon. We shouted and jumped and danced and celebrated the last day of this unique year!

We went back to the city after two hours of this auroral dance. We were in time to see the new years fireworks in the city centre. Along with the usual sky flowers and different fireworks, there is this unique way of celebrations in Tromsø. The tradition is that, on the Fjellheisen hill, they would light 2020 in firework and at midnight the fireworks would be converted to 2021! We welcomed 2021 with a very fulfilled heart!

With a swimming seal!

On 1st January most of the places are closed. I find the concept fascinating that the first day of the year, also touted as new beginnings and whatnot, is the day people decide to take a leave. Anyhow, I visited the polar museum, which accounts many expeditions to the north pole and a few trips to the south pole in detail. In the 18th-19th century, bear hunting was a quite popular activity in the arctic and polar summers. So there were many stuffed animals: different kinds of seals, walrus, polar bears, grizzly bears and arctic fox, to name a few. 

Except for some local monuments, this was a rest day. I had a long day before and after!

Next day was a total museum day. First I visited Polaria, a polar aquarium. Where I got to witness seal feeding session. These are very unique animals, with small fins and big bodies. I saw sea urchins, starfish, huge crabs, some sea birds, and these amazing seals!

The sketches of Sami houses

Next destination was Tromsø university museum. There are four sections in this museum. Biology, where evolution is explained in simple illustrations. Also, there are these immigrant animals and how those change the diaspora of the local ecologies. Secondly, there is this geophysics section. The evolution of the earth from the accreting hot sphere is shown and there are some fossils and ores and oils from Norwegian wells with local differences. I saw a short movie about glaciology in that section and moved to the next. In the third section, they have working models to explain northern lights and some simulators for that. I believe that it is a very interactive way of learning. The next section about Sami culture and Viking archaeological findings, I felt at home. For maybe two reasons: firstly, their culture and ethnicity are uprooted from their own land by some external invasion, and more importantly, the basic structures and thought processes in all parts of the world seem to be the same, living near a water source, saving ourselves from external weather and carnivores, finding food and the evolution of arts in flourishing cultures seems a thread going through all olden civilisations!

Chat Noir by the Artiste

Then I visited Perspektive museum, a neoclassical art museum, which was under renovation. So, I could visit only one floor. That gallery was dedicated to a painter who went to Paris to learn the art and came back to Tromsø with her Swedish husband and son, but had a very hard time during WWII, took a journalist job for survival, but always felt that “ink and paper are very restricting medium as compared to her canvas.” Her passion for her work was very inspiring!

Art made of different fabrics and fibres

Next was the Nordnorsk Kunst museum. This is a modern art museum. The theme for presentations this time was 2020! Artists had used different media from fabric, clothes, metals, glass, leather, soil and what not! It was something very different! I tried to go to the WWII museum, which is just a barrack, but it was closed! So I had some food and went to the Tromsø catholic church to see how mass in this place happens. To my surprise, I found it very similar to Hindu rituals! They offered Him water and bread, and after some chanting, the offerings were distributed by the Father.  I called it a day!

Oslo Domkirke with fjords in the background 

On my last day, I first went to the Tromsø Domkirke. Luckily, I got to attend the mass. For the new year, the first mass was like a musical of His birth. I got to interact with some folks there and the Father. They told me that this church is the only church in Norway which is entirely made of wood! The last trip was to the lake called Presvannet. It was totally frozen and people from all age groups were skating on it. Some groups were also playing ice hockey matches on the lake. I walked around the lake and the forest for a while and went back to my Airbnb. 

The landlords were very friendly, I can surely say that my trip was a successful one and I have ticked two items on my bucket list! Solo trip, check! And northern lights, oh yes! Check!

One of the noon clicks of the port near Polaria with outstanding sky