“Yes” I nodded, glancing up from the camera’s viewfinder. It must be easy to hike to the top with his long legs, I thought.

My travel companions and I had driven over five hours to get to Jostedalsbreen, Europe’s largest glacier, situated north of the famous Sognefjord. It was my first time in Norway and my friends insisted that my trip would not be complete without a visit to the glacier. Of course, merely seeing the glacier was not enough. If I wanted to have an authentic Norwegian experience, I would have to hike to the top.

More than ten thousand years ago, the ice age left Norway covered in a large sheet of ice. As the climate grew warmer, the glacier eventually began to melt away, leaving behind what is Jostedalsbreen today. At over 480 square kilometers, the glacier covers the mountain plateau northwest of Jostedalen. For centuries, scientists have come here to study the post-glacial development of landscape and vegetation in the area. These scientists determined that Jostedalsbreen is at least 5,000 years.



Now I stood at the lake in front of Nigardsbreen, one of the most popular outlets of the Jostedalsbreen, waiting patiently to be fitted for my crampons. These traction devices would not only improve my mobility on the ice, they could also save my life.

From the parking lot at the base of Nigardsbreen, the tongue of the glacier is still a ten-minute boat trip and a 20-minute walk away. On the boat ride, I lost my thoughts in the glacier-blue water of the lake. When I looked up again we were already surrounded by steep snow-covered hills, with nowhere to go but up the large sheet of ice in front of me.

Although Jostedalsbreen is a beautiful blue sprinkled with spots of black minerals, it is a difficult three-hour hike to the top. We zigged and zagged, relying on the expertise of our guide to avoid dangerous thin ice. A few times we stopped to look at beautiful tunnels that had formed in the ice where the glacier had melted away. By the time winter arrives, some of these tunnels will have melted to a size big enough for people to walk through them. When we reached our halfway point, I noticed another group of fellow hikers. From across the glacier, they looked like black dots against the enormous backdrop of white and grey.

The last hour before we reached our final point was the hardest and steepest. The vertical incline was so great that we could no longer see the lake below us. When we finally reached the top, I was surrounded by snow-filled hilltops. As I gazed out at the pristine sight in front of me, I stood amazed at the beauty and power of nature. I had climbed Europe’s largest glacier – a piece of history that had been formed thousands of years before me, and will remain thousands of years after.

In June 2012, I set out on to explore Scandinavia: 5 countries, 8 cities, and a countless numbers of boat rides and road trips. I ate strange foods, hiked mountains and glaciers, and met up with friends old and new. This post is from part of that trip. You can read more of my trip through the Nordic here. 

I’m leaving Bergen tonight and want to share these photos before I take-off. I will continue the rest of my Scandinavian trip in Copenhagen. Norway has been a feast for my eyes and my stomach; Bergen is no exception. I can’t wait to see what the rest of Scandinavia has to offer.

In June 2012, I set out on to explore Scandinavia: 5 countries, 8 cities, and a countless numbers of boat rides and road trips. I ate strange foods, hiked mountains and glaciers, and met up with friends old and new. This post is from part of that trip. 

Bergen is a little city with a big, warm personality. In my three days here, I have met such friendly locals, from the front-desk staff at my hotel, to street vendors, to strangers on the street. People here also have an active and outdoor lifestyle that’s hard to miss. Walking around town, I encountered hikers and runners at every turn.

With mild coast weather, welcoming people, an active lifestyle, and an abundance of seafood, it’s hard to leave this comfortable town.

In June 2012, I set out on to explore Scandinavia: 5 countries, 8 cities, and a countless numbers of boat rides and road trips. I ate strange foods, hiked mountains and glaciers, and met up with friends old and new. 

After an afternoon of train rides through Norway’s fjords, I arrived in Bergen to find the sun glistening on the water. Bergen, a small town on the west coast of Norway, is a fish lover’s dream. Salmon, halibut, and king crabs are all local to this part of Norway. For my first meal in town, I splurged at a local restaurant where I had delicious sushi. In Scandinavia, there is a tradition of eating sweet sauces with the meat. Even with sushi, my halibut was paired with raspberries.

In June 2012, I set out on to explore Scandinavia: 5 countries, 8 cities, and a countless numbers of boat rides and road trips. I ate strange foods, hiked mountains and glaciers, and met up with friends old and new. You can read more of my trip through the Nordic here. 

There is a great Norway trip - Norway in a Nutshell - that is handy for visitors travelling between Oslo and Bergen. The trip combines Norway's scenic countryside with its largest fjords to provide visitors an authentic Norwegian experience. Recently, I found myself among those travellers and decided to join the Nutshell trip. My friends L and G, who live in Oslo did part of the trip with me, road tripping through 4 hours of scenic Norwegian inlands.

They say that you have not seen the real Norway until you have been to the fjords. The Norway Sognefjord, the second largest fjord in the world, is a beautiful sight. I spent two nights there, sleeping in little towns along the way. In these towns, I felt the warm hospitality of local Norwegians. After hearing that my friends and I have never had Smalahove, a traditional western Norwegian dish made from sheep's head, the lady working at our hotel actually made two sheep heads for us to try. Eating half a sheep's head myself, and washing it down with Norwegian beer and traditional spirits, is a meal I will never forget.

In June 2012, I set out on to explore Scandinavia: 5 countries, 8 cities, and a countless numbers of boat rides and road trips. I ate strange foods, hiked mountains and glaciers, and met up with friends old and new. 

My recent road trip in Norway was probably the most scenic road trip I have ever been on. Oslo and Bergen were both sleek and beautiful, but I can't say I felt anything for Norway until the drive through Norway's inlands. Every time I look at these photos, I can still hear the cool breeze of that summer day whispering my name.