"I'd like to see the fjords ..." I said to the employee of the municipal tourist center. "You see, I arrived in Bergen for two and a half days, and I heard a ringing about the fact that you have fjords here. But where they are, I really don't know."

"We have a tour - just what you want. Very popular - called "Norway in a Nutshell". Do you want me to reserve all the tickets for you right here?" So, for a mere trifle, somewhere around $160, I galloped through Norway.

// levik.livejournal.com

In general, to begin with, I confess: I understood very vaguely what a fjord is. I knew approximately that these are such bays, long and squiggly, with high banks, that they are in Norway and somewhere else. Here, in New Zealand, they call them "sounds". But since I went to look, I had to find out a little ...

// levik.livejournal.com

Fjords are formed by glaciers over thousands of years. The glacier constantly "slides" down from the mountains, and at the same time scrapes out the valleys already existing under it, aggravating their depth. The result is very deep winding gorges with steep walls, and when the glaciers melt and the sea level rises, these gorges turn into bays.

The longest fjord in the world is located in Greenland, but the second longest is the Sognefjord in Norway, just north of Bergen. If you look at the west coast of the country on the map, it is all cut up by these fjords, and Bergen itself is right in the middle, which is why it serves as the center of fjord tourism.

Tour Norway in a Nutshell, and it's hard to call it an excursion - it's just a set of tickets for different transport between very beautiful places. The main part of this is a boat that takes tourists along the Nærøyfjord (on the UNESCO World Heritage List) and a piece of Sognefjord (the one that is the second longest in the world).

In addition to the boat, tourists are transported by bus and various trains. It all takes about ten hours if you leave and return to Bergen. Options with Oslo are also possible (for example, I started in Oslo, finished in Bergen, and vice versa), but they take longer.

// levik.livejournal.com

Early in the morning sleepy I come to the station. The station in Bergen is not particularly impressive in size - this is not Shibuya for you. Before boarding the train, you should always approach the railway worker and ask which side it will be beautiful. I learn that when leaving Bergen, you must definitely sit on the left, there will be all the picturesque.

By the way, the train is not a tourist train, it just goes to Oslo. True, about half of the passengers on this morning flight are tourists who were sold the Norway in a Nutshell trip. Normal people don't like to go to Oslo this early.

// levik.livejournal.com

First we go along some fjord. Outside the window - the water surface, mountains, and greenery. We go through a tunnel every couple of minutes. Because of this, it is difficult to take pictures from the train: just aim, woosh! and darkness outside.

// levik.livejournal.com

On the shore at the water's edge come across neat Scandinavian houses. Imagine how inside probably all the furniture from Ikea. I think it's some cottages.

// levik.livejournal.com

We arrive in the town of Voss. Here half of the train is unloaded and transferred to buses. There can be several buses, depending on how many tickets are sold.

// levik.livejournal.com

// levik.livejournal.com

We pass a waterfall. The driver announces his name, which is impossible to remember. But the waterfall is beautiful.

// levik.livejournal.com

The bus gradually drives higher and higher until we find ourselves among very beautiful mountains. Their slopes are somehow caricatured steep.

// levik.livejournal.com

"Here in the valley is the village of Gudvangen, where we are going," announces the driver. I notice that a road has been laid along the valley between the mountains, next to the river.

// levik.livejournal.com

"There's an 18-degree slope," the driver says, indicating that it's a lot. "From September to April it is closed for the winter." The road twists a lot. We descend slowly, almost stopping at every turn. Around the beauty.

// levik.livejournal.com

Having descended, and having arrived at this same Gudvangen, they drop us off. Here the valley between the mountains goes under water - this is how the Nerøyfjord begins.

Tourists have forty minutes to take pictures of everything around and stock up at the local gift shop (not necessarily in that order). Many skillfully wield selfifiers, the rest (like me) turn to their comrades for help.

// levik.livejournal.com

In Gudvangen, a "boat" is waiting for us - a rather big ferry capable of transporting several buses.

// levik.livejournal.com

The captain of our schooner. You look at him, and it is immediately clear - an experienced sea wolf, whose veins instead of blood flow salt water.

// levik.livejournal.com

Let's start. The picturesque Gundvagen remains astern.

// levik.livejournal.com

There is a kind of glass greenhouse on the deck. At first, all tourists hide in it, afraid to go outside: it seems like it’s drizzling, and sometimes it’s completely replaced by hail.

July 29th, 2012

Friends, I wrote a post to the community en_travel .
I bring it to you here.

For those who plan to admire the fjords, eat plenty of fresh fish and seafood and get acquainted with European Scandinavian culture - from the Middle Ages to the futuristic design of today's cities, but do not take a car with them and prefer to travel on their own - this story of mine may be useful . During my travels, I did not meet many compatriots in Norway, and this fact seemed to me an unfortunate omission, because the fjords are undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and environmentally friendly places on the planet.

For an independent trip, you will need a minimum knowledge of spoken English, because almost all Norwegians speak good English, are polite and friendly. In addition, the country does a lot to make travelers feel comfortable there: tourist information points exist everywhere, public transport is very convenient, understandable and punctual, on schedule.

1. We plan a travel route

I suggest you start with travel planning for two reasons: firstly, planning your vacation in detail is a pleasant experience, and secondly, and most importantly, a detailed travel plan will help you get the Norwegian Schengen.

For a week and a half, I managed to live in a village, surrounded by fjords and waterfalls, visit the ancient city of Bergen and see the sights of the Norwegian capital Oslo. I will tell you about my experience, and you can design a more detailed plan of your own, with fishing in the fjord, or kayaking, biking or hiking, or maybe you would prefer a trip to a mountain farm with goat cheese, or a short trip on a real sailboat.

I had the following main waypoints:

Oslo - because the capital of Norway and many cultural sites;

Bergen - because the capital of the fjords, a charming city, a famous fish market, a fortress-castle; Bergen is closer to the country's Atlantic coast, while Oslo is closer to Norway's eastern border.

Dragsvik (a suburb of Balestrand) - because it is a village in the middle of mountains with waterfalls and fjords, on the most beautiful, as it seemed to me, fjord - Sognefjord. (If desired, from Balestrand you can take a ferry or ship to Flam, from there - take a tour by rail (the tour takes a couple of hours) to the waterfall). Around Balestrand and Dragsvik there are nature trails of different categories: yellow, red, blue - for hiking enthusiasts, they are all marked in the forest with markings of their color (yellow are the easiest).

To begin with, I made a detailed schedule-table with dates, names of cities and hotels, flight numbers and times of departure and arrival of ships. Such a schedule must be submitted when applying for a Schengen visa to Norway. By the way, if you live in Moscow, then you can use the services of the Norwegian visa center on Suschevsky Val, just fill out the online form on the website and schedule the date of submission of documents. There is also a visa center in St. Petersburg, and in some other cities of Russia, detailed information can be seen on their website here: http://www.norwayvisa-russia.com/. There were no queues at the visa center, and there was no pre-appointment when I applied. Attach copies of hotel reservations, tickets, insurance, etc. to the application. A visa is given for the duration of the trip, in any case, that's how they issued me.

So my route was like this:

1. Flight Moscow-Oslo-Bergen (connection between flights SU 2230 (Aeroflot) and SK-267 (SAS) about two hours - convenient even in case of a slight flight delay).
2. 3 days stay in Bergen, trip to Sognefjord on the 4th day
3. 4 days accommodation in Dragsvik, a suburb of Balestrand, on the Sognefjord
4. 5th day - return to Bergen, one night in Bergen
5. Flight Bergen-Oslo SK-284 (SAS)
6. 2 days in Oslo
7. Flight Oslo-Moscow

This route allowed me to feel quite relaxed during the trip and avoid long tiring journeys. Still, it's a vacation.

You may also want to visit the northern fjords. Then you are in Alesund (spelled Alesund), where there are glaciers, and it is more convenient to get there, in my opinion, from Bergen. Or by plane from Oslo.

1. Tickets

I booked Moscow-Oslo-Moscow flights in advance, on the Aeroflot website aeroflot.ru.

I booked Oslo-Bergen-Oslo flights with Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) through the trip.ru website, the flight is only 45 minutes and without lunch, and therefore it is quite inexpensive.

I booked tickets for the ship Bergen-Balestrand (Sognefjord) -Bergen on the Norled website, www.norled.no (Bergen Strandkaiterminal-Balestrand kai route), two weeks before the trip, and took an electronic printout of this ticket with me (this is important , check the availability of paper tickets on the ship before boarding or during the voyage).

Scandinavian Airlines on the Oslo-Bergen-Oslo route allow hand luggage up to 8.8 kg, if you are carrying an iPad - put it on top of the bag during security screening, all liquids up to 100 ml must be packed in transparent bags in advance.

If you have a SAS ticket, then when you arrive at the airport, you check in for the flight yourself using electronic terminals (they look like blue ATMs with the inscription SAS), select the menu in English (if you, like me, do not know Norwegian) and enter Reservation number. Everything! The boarding pass is printed out for you and you go with it either - to check in your luggage, or immediately - to security control. Of course, if possible, with many transfers it is more convenient to take with you the minimum number of things, only the most necessary, so you will save time waiting for luggage.

1. How to get from the airport to the city.

Of course, you can also take a taxi from the airport to the city (in Bergen it will cost you about half an hour and 400 NOK, and in Oslo - an hour, if there are no traffic jams and 900 NOK. To understand the approximate value of the price in rubles, multiply by a factor of 5.3). It is clear that taxi prices are very approximate, whoever is lucky with the driver and traffic jams. In my opinion, it is better to take a bus (from Bergen airport to the center about NOK 33, from Oslo airport to the final destination in the city center - NOK 135, or NOK 250 round trip). Buses are comfortable, with a compartment for luggage, stop right at the exit of the airport, buy tickets from the driver.

Tell the driver the name of your hotel - he will tell you the nearest stop.

The Oslo map can be obtained free of charge at the airport at the tourist information desk, and the Bergen map can be obtained free of charge at your hotel.

In Bergen, the pier with boats (rockets, ships to the fjords) is located in the city center, getting there is elementary, this is the street - the Strandkaien embankment, boarding the ship - 20 minutes before departure. Traveling by water from Bergen to Balestrand on the Sognefjord will take 4 hours 50 minutes, during which time you can admire the most beautiful views of the mountains and villages around, inside there are comfortable seats, a compartment for families with small children (there is a TV with cartoons and toys), toilets, buffet. The cost of the trip cost me NOK 515 one way.

1. Weather in Norway in summer

I can recommend visiting Norway in the summer, because nature and the urban landscape look very beautiful at this time: forest blueberry fields along the banks of the fjords and in the forest (the forests there are dense, mixed, similar to those near Moscow. Full of all living creatures, the fauna is trusting to people.), numerous field and forest flowers, bright city flower beds, well-groomed gardens, fountains in park areas.

Especially on the fjords, during the day the weather can change up to 10-12 times: from rain to bright burning sun. From plus 13 to plus 25. Therefore, when leaving the hotel, always put on very summer clothes, but also be sure to take windbreakers with hoods: tourists are usually too lazy to walk with an umbrella. You should dress warmer when traveling on water, in the fjords, in Oslo the weather is warmer.

1. Where to settle?

Everyone knows that Norway is a rather expensive country. Therefore, I would recommend that you choose a decent three stars in Bergen (there are a lot of them there) in the city center, after reading the reviews on booking.com, tripadvisor.com. Some three-star hotels offer their guests not only breakfast, but also free tea and coffee (and sometimes tea biscuits) throughout the day. If you are planning, like me, a trip by water to the fjords, it would be logical to choose a hotel near the pier.

In Oslo, the prices are more tourist friendly, so you can afford a slightly better hotel there, but it is important to choose a hotel in the city center: this way you will save on transport, all the sights in Oslo are located in the city center quite compactly.

In Balestrand, the choice of hotels is not huge, but there you can rent clean apartments from NOK 375 per day, or you can stay in a three-star hotel at a more expensive price.

6. Where to eat?

Although the prices of everything are quite high, you always have a choice between an expensive restaurant in the most touristy place, or a pizzeria in the quarters more remote from the tourist trail, or a fast food chain restaurant, or even just a bite of cafeteria pie or yogurt from a supermarket. Although, I repeat, you should look for a hotel with additional free options for food and hot drinks.

7. Attractions.

There are a lot of museums in Norway, for different tastes. There are many other attractions - art objects among the natural landscape, for example. If you have a minimum of time for stops in each city, I would advise you to visit the main sights, for my taste.

1. Oslo: National Gallery, Royal Palace, Akershus Slott Fort and Fort,

famous sculpture park - Vigelandsparken. Locals still highly recommend visiting the Kon-Tiki Museum (there are artifacts from Thor Heyerdahl, if you remember, he crossed the Pacific Ocean in 1947 on a sailing boat designed according to ancient drawings - Ra).

Fans of the artist Edvard Munch can also recommend Munch-Museet. Well, there are many other interesting museums, if you have time, you can look there.

Description and addresses of each museum are available in any hotel and at the reception of any museum - free of charge.

1. Bergen: Briggen - the old quarter and the Bryggen Museum, the fish market, the ancient church Domkirken (cathedral of the 12th-13th centuries), Korskirken (17th century), the Rosenkrantztarnet fortress, rise above the city by funicular to the observation platform. If you have time, you can take a walk in the Botanical Garden of the University, see the Bergen Aquarium, listen to a concert in the current church of Johannes Kirken.

1. Balestrand. If you come to Balestrand, it means that the main thing there is nature and fjords. As an attraction, there is the Kvikne’s Hotel, where monarchical persons stayed, and everyone can come in and admire its ancient interiors. Another attraction is the wooden Anglican church built in 1897, administered by the Bishops of Gibraltar.

From Balestrand (a tourist center right next to the pier) you can book any excursion - from a trip to a cheese farm to a visit to Urnes Stave Church (the oldest church in the country, built in 1132, UNESCO heritage). But it’s more logical in these places to just go hiking, fishing, and boating.

1. And further.

It should be remembered that on Saturday-Sunday, the transport schedule in Norway (with the exception of the connection to the airport) is very thin, many shops are closed, and the Oslo-pass ticket does not apply to private museums or the Royal Palace.

By the way, the cost of the Oslo-pass (“single” for tourists, for traveling by any public transport and free admission to museums in Oslo) varies greatly depending on whether you buy it at the reception of an expensive hotel, or in a tourist center (cheaper).

Photos of Oslo, Bergen, Balestrand, Dragsvik you can find on my page in the magazine here:

How do you spell:

Balestrand - Balestrand

Bergen - Bergen

Dragsvik - Dragsvik

Sognefjord - Sognefjord

Well, that is, it is written as it is heard :)

Where to change rubles to Norwegian kroner? In fact, almost everywhere they accept cards, only you will have to enter your PIN code with each payment. But if you need some cash, it seemed to me that the exchange rate for buying Norwegian kroner for rubles is better in Russia.

Mobile connection. In Norwegian supermarkets such as Seven-Eleven (yellow-green emblem 7-11) and some others, as well as at gas stations, you can purchase special LEBARA mobile SIM cards for 99 NOK (supermarket commission on sale is about 50 kroons or 260 rubles, and 49 crowns - the residual balance), and talk at a cheap rate with Russia. The tariff is very captivating, but there are disadvantages to such a purchase: 1) when buying, you fill out a questionnaire (even in Russian), indicate the details of your passport, and whether the supermarket is responsible for their safe storage - I don’t know 2) the manager / director of the trade activates the card dots (and this may take several hours - until he gets his hands on your problem) 3) if you inserted the card into the telephone, it is valid only for this telephone and you can remove and use this card next time.

In general, I wish you to visit Norway - with or without a car, on your own or with a travel agency, in any case - new positive impressions are guaranteed to you

The report on the trip to Bergen contains all the necessary information about the former capital of Norway: what sights of Bergen you need to visit, is it worth going to the aquarium, is it necessary to climb Mount Fluen, what else can you see in Bergen except for the Bryggen quarter

I admit, going to bed right after arriving in Bergen was not the best idea, but it should be remembered that I had a chance to spend the night on the train, then thoroughly freeze all day in the Norwegian frost and, in addition, experience severe disappointment from the failed fjord cruise. It, of course, the most beautiful views of Flåm cheered me up, and yet, in the warm express car from Oslo, I was simply carried away. So I considered it good to quickly get to the hotel and sleep off before tomorrow's busy day, when I had to see the sights of Bergen. Focusing on a pre-printed map, I quickly lay down on the desired course and ten minutes later I entered the lobby of the ordered Thon Bergen Brygge hotel - it seems to be away from the center, but in fact almost next to it, between the ancient city fortress and the main pearl , what can be seen in Bergen, Bryggen waterfront.

The formalities did not take even five minutes, the room I got could not be better: without much chic, and everything was with him. I had at my disposal a huge bed, a TV, a table, a beautiful view from the window and, most importantly, an individual heating system. Immediately unscrewing the thermostat knob to failure, I had a bite to eat and went to wash, and when I got out of the shower, the room had already warmed up properly ...

I slept like a well-fed baby and in the morning I did not want to open my eyes at all; only the realization that the sights of Bergen were waiting for me made me rise. And even then I lay in bed for an extra half an hour, enjoying the warmth and watching the news channels. It doesn't take me long to put myself in order, and about eight o'clock I already went out into the hall, hoping to be one of the first at breakfast and, therefore, skim off all the cream. It turned out that I'm not the only one so smart, the clink of cutlery is heard from afar, and, therefore, the feast is in full swing. Naturally, it was impossible to stay away from the feast of the belly, and I spent the next hour in gastronomic research. I can’t list all the dishes, but I can vouch for the fact that the hotel serves delicious meatballs, sausages, a lot of salads, different types of sausages and half a dozen varieties of cheese. Everywhere would be so fed!

It's time to choose which Bergen attractions to visit first, which ones to postpone until later. The Norway Travel Guide lists at least two dozen things to see in Bergen, and most of the list is really worth a visit. Of course, I wanted more of everything, and to get into the local aquarium, and visit museums, and climb to observation platforms, and, perhaps, somehow get to the house-museum of Edvard Grieg, but naturally, there was not enough time for everything . To tell the truth, when preparing a trip to Norway, it is difficult to properly plan how many days you need to see Bergen because of the weather: it is very unstable, and it is problematic to make trips out of town and into nature in the rain. It is reasonable to take at least 3 days to the city and its immediate surroundings, it is optimal to add another day to the fjords and have a day in reserve.

So, the sights of Bergen deserve the closest study, like the city itself. After all, this is one of the most ancient and well-deserved settlements in Norway, founded at the end of the 11th century by order of King Olaf III, who considered it necessary to create a reliable stronghold in Western Norway. Thanks to a good choice of location, the ice-free harbor of Bergen almost immediately became the largest port of the entire coast. In addition to commercial importance, the city soon gained political weight: in 1217 it was proclaimed the new capital of the country. Then, however, the royal court preferred a more pleasant climate and left Bergen, where, according to weather forecasters, it rains 300 days a year. But the enterprising merchants were not embarrassed by the bad weather, and when the main trading hub of the western coast of Scandinavia expressed a desire to join the Hanseatic League, he was received there with open arms. Having become one of the most prosperous cities, Bergen received income not only from commerce, but also from fishing, which is still well developed. Only in the first half of the 19th century did the new capital, Oslo, manage to overtake the old capital in terms of population and income. But unlike this upstart, Bergen managed to retain a fair amount of the medieval spirit, and is now famous throughout the world for its unique atmosphere of the past…

One of the most important cultural heritage sites is Bergen Castle, which was within walking distance from my hotel. However, I postponed the visit to the citadel and the Rosenkranz tower until later, as I hoped that I would not have to pay for visiting most of the interesting places. The trick was to get a “Bergen Card”, a very useful thing that allows you to save a lot on entrance tickets. You can get free admission to museums and other Bergen attractions, use funiculars and travel by local transport, including taking a bus to the Grieg Museum. And since the Bergen card operates on a daily basis, it made sense to start using it closer to noon, so that tomorrow you could go to museums without restriction. So, I started the day with a walk around the city center, since the first sights of Bergen could be visited for free. Of course, we are talking about the historical quarters of wooden houses and the famous Fish Market.

The city embankment, known as Bryggen, was formed in the 14th-15th centuries and then bore the nickname German: almost all the buildings of that time served as the offices of the Hanseatic merchants. A significant part of the buildings burned down in a fire in 1702, but the multi-colored wooden houses were carefully restored, and now it is difficult to understand which of this picturesque mosaic is authentic and which was built recently. In general, people who want to get to Bergen expect to see beautiful landscapes and it is not very important for them when exactly this or that quarter was erected. As long as a walk through Bryggen immerses one in the atmosphere of a clean Middle Ages, this area will always be very popular with tourists.

Looking at the line of houses that lined the bay, I took appropriate photographs and decided to go deeper into the labyrinth of wooden buildings, which, in my opinion, most people who came in groups do not do. In any case, when I went back to the embankment through a narrow opening between the houses, the Japanese, who were photographed against the backdrop of the landscape, were genuinely amazed and began to look into the alley I had left, and the most courageous even decided to take a couple of steps along it ... In a word, if not it fell out to get to Bergen on your own, you should not obediently follow the guide, a step to the right and a step to the left can bring a lot of impressions, especially when the Bryggen quarter is nearby.

Peculiar, also very picturesque pictures were waiting for me a little further, when I went to Torget Square, where the fish market is located in Bergen. Fishmongers have chosen the shores of the bay since time immemorial and are busy daily from early morning. Fisketorget, as the name of this Bergen attraction sounds in Norwegian, tourists visit mainly for the sake of bright, juicy photographs of various marine life, mainly locals hunt for fresh seafood. Prices bite, and buying the same salmon in the supermarket is much cheaper. But here all the food is, as they say, from the heat, from the heat, and this is in the literal sense - if the guest has a desire, the Bergen Fish Market is ready to cook for him even shrimp, even crabs. Such a meal will not be cheap, but the quality is guaranteed ...

Fisketorget is adjacent to the tourist office where you can buy a Bergen Card, which I did. The 24-hour version was sold to me for a fair price of 170 crowns, with the warning that the appropriate fields should be filled in with the date and time before use, which I did later. In addition to the card, I also got hold of a whole bunch of booklets with useful information about where to eat in Bergen, where to go shopping and what are the best hotels to choose for an overnight stay. I didn’t want to carry around with a pile of papers, and I decided to bring the “loot” to the hotel, at the same time combing the chain of trays with magnets, mugs and other small things that bordered the shores of the bay along the way. The prices there turned out to be surprisingly sane, despite the fact that usually in areas where tourists are concentrated, merchants overestimate the cost of goods. There was nothing like this here, and I bought everything I wanted. In general, if you are tormented by the question of where it is better to buy souvenirs in Bergen, I recommend just walking along the Bryggen embankment and everything will certainly work out ...

After dragging my purchases and booklets into my room, I quickly went down to the lobby to start sightseeing in Bergen. But I didn’t manage to get down to business right away, I had to linger a little near the coffee machine, which gives water to the guests for free. It is especially pleasant to sit near him in the evening, when the staff lights the fireplace in the lobby, and a cup of hot coffee in such surroundings becomes especially pleasant. But even during the day, the noble drink seemed very tasty to me - that’s what “freebie” means ...

The first place I visited with the Bergen Card was Hakon's House. It is part of the citadel built after Bergen became the capital of Norway. By that time, the city was already covered by some fortifications, but the status of the capital required more reliable protection. Along with towers and walls, peaceful buildings were also erected, including Ha kons Hall. In fact, it was the Royal Palace, but Versailles or at least the Portuguese Kelush complex does not at all resemble. However, in the Middle Ages, the squat House of Hakon, with its spacious central hall, was perfect for solemn events such as weddings, receiving ambassadors and coronations. It is believed that the residence got its name in honor of King Haakon Haakonsen, who actively used it between 1247 and 1261, at least the guide to Bergen presents it that way. It’s a pity that the noisy room is almost empty, in my opinion, if scenes of, say, a royal feast were recreated inside it, or at least knightly armor was hung up, then tourists would have more pleasant memories of visiting Hakon’s House.

The ancient tower of Rosencrantz standing right there was closed, as it turned out, the access of visitors to its bowels is allowed in the winter only on Sundays. So I was forced to postpone my acquaintance with one of the oldest buildings of the former Norwegian capital until tomorrow. By the way, even more than seven hundred years of history is still not enough for the tower to break into the most ancient sights of Bergen: the palm here belongs to the Church of St. Mary. And all because in the Middle Ages, when wooden houses burned like matches, Mariakirken, founded in the last quarter of the 12th century, was built of stone, and therefore remained unharmed. So she calmly survived the entire Middle Ages, reminding with her stern appearance of the most difficult period in the life of Norway: when evil Vikings are operating around, there is no time for beauty and it is better for the townspeople to have a reliable stronghold at their disposal. The strongest contrast is made with the appearance of the temple by its interior decoration, including a beautiful altar.

Another church, Korskirken, can boast of a long history of existence, standing one block east of Bergen Bay. True, there is no need to talk about the historical appearance here: for more than eight hundred years of existence, the building has undergone so many alterations and additions that even the best historians are not able to list them all. Either the temple burned down in the flames of another conflagration, then it was expanded, then it was modified, and the result of all the upheavals was the fact that most tourists believe that the Church of the Holy Cross got its name because of the shape - two wings attached to the main building, indeed make the section of the building look like a cross. But this theory is fundamentally wrong, since Korskirken was consecrated in time immemorial, while the side wings appeared only in the 17th century.

More than once or twice, the cathedral that adorns Domkirkeplassen has been altered, which is easy to reach in five minutes from the previous Bergen landmark along Kong Oscarsgate street. The main temple of the city, first built at the end of the 12th century, was damaged beyond recognition four times by fires, and yet the local community diligently restored it, regardless of the costs. Alas, the capabilities of the Bergeners did not always coincide with their desires, and the latest version of the cathedral looks a little awkward: the huge bell tower implies the corresponding dimensions of the nave, and they are far from impressive. A guide to Bergen claims that one of the walls of D omkirke has a core left over from the naval battle of the Anglo-Dutch War of 1665, but I personally did not see it.

Continuing my independent tour of Bergen, I went to the shore of the lake, where I enjoyed the beautiful views. At the same time, the collection of impressions was replenished with the landscapes of the city park and the promenade ascending the hillside, ending with an imposing building - this is a theater, also known as the National Stage. The purpose of this stage of my walk was the museum of the history of the city, which consists of two parts. The first exposition told about the local flora and fauna, in its showcases stones, drawings of rock cuts, and stuffed animals were abundantly presented. Most of all I remember the attraction, which allowed me to understand how people feel during an earthquake. I climbed onto the platform, grabbed the handrails more securely and pressed the red button, after which, under the terrible roar from the speakers, the floor under my feet shook like a seizure patient. It’s good that after a couple of minutes of turbulence, the amplitude of the oscillations began to decline, as well as the noise of the rockfall, so that I was able to get out of the earthquake zone alive and unharmed ...

Enriched with new sensations, I moved to the building that occupies the Museum of Cultural History. I liked it more, since ethnography has always attracted me and folk costumes, household items, carved platbands, I can admire for hours. The three-story building turned out to be packed to capacity with wooden furniture and traditional clothing that Norwegians have been wearing for centuries, so I could only leave the complex closer to half past three, getting into time trouble: the timetable I got for the Bergen aquarium claimed that it starts famous show of penguins and fur seals. The western tip of the Nordnes peninsula, where the Bergen Aquarium is located, can be easily reached by bus, but despite the lack of time, I chose to walk at a brisk pace, at the same time seeing two more objects from those that can be seen in Bergen. First I came across the stunning Church of St. Johan. It is most similar to a rocket ready for launch. Johanneskirken acquired such an unusual look thanks to the architect Herman Backer, who developed the project in the early 1890s. The architect successfully closed a long street with his brainchild of the neo-Gothic style and thereby additionally emphasized its dimensions: with its seventy meters in height, the church is the main dominant of the city.

The new church is not so big, but it also deserves flattering words. It bears its name as if in jest, because the building, built four centuries ago, can only be considered new by the standards of medieval Bergen. Over the many years of its existence, Nykirken suffered significant damage several times, but if the foundation and walls are preserved, then all subsequent versions can be considered alterations of the original building. The current version of the temple acquired a finished appearance in 1956, when the restoration of the damage caused by the explosion of a German ammunition ship bombed by the British in Bergen Bay was completed. The church was rewarded for the damage with a graceful new spire, which gave it additional charm.

I managed to get to the Bergen Aquarium exactly at the right time: when I passed through the turnstile, there were still five minutes left before the show with trained penguins began. By the way, it should be noted that you can go to Akvariet i Bergen for free with the Bergen Card only in winter, in other months the Bergen card gives only a 25 percent discount on the ticket price.

So, I managed to get on the attraction praised by the guidebooks, but I didn’t experience much pleasure: as it turned out, the glass in the pool occupied by fur seals burst, and all its inhabitants were temporarily transferred to the penguins; the announcement stated that due to this unfortunate incident, the show would be shortened. Then I could not stand it and cursed: oh, these announcements for me - as if the paper that disrupted the cruise through the fjords was not enough for me, so here's a new misfortune ...

The tricks performed by the cats did not inspire me much, I liked the antics of the penguins much more. These harmless creatures are usually perceived by people as goofs, because we see them mainly on land, where they roam about their business. The Bergen Aquarium gave me the first glimpse of how supposedly clumsy penguins behave in their familiar environment, and, I must say, the inhabitants of the sixth continent rush underwater like rockets, performing dexterous maneuvers and periodically jumping to the surface like your dolphins. I was naturally taken aback by their speed and resourcefulness.

When the show of trained penguins ended, I went to explore the rest of the complex and quickly found out that the tropical section was the most interesting, with brightly colored fish and corals; the northern seas, filled with countless schools of herring, did not please me very much. And most of all I remember the session in the local stereo cinema, for which I had to pay 20 crowns for special glasses. But for the spectacle that appeared before my eyes, it would not be a pity for a larger sum: thanks to the stereo effect, it seemed as if hundreds of hammerhead sharks were swimming at arm's length, and when, in another plot, a monkey launched an orange into the camera, I, like everyone in the cinema, involuntarily tilted his head ...

I left the Bergen Aquarium just before its closing, having practically completed the program for the day - all I had to do was admire the sunset. And with this point of the program, trouble came out: if in the morning the sun shone with might and main, then in the afternoon clouds began to gather over the city. They say that in Bergen it rains 300 days a year, and although at first it seemed to me that fate had reserved one of the remaining 65 days for me, the evening proved the opposite. Fog tightly covered the bay, drizzle poured from the sky. Under such conditions, there was no need to dream of a sunset, except to cherish the hope of getting to the hotel without getting too wet. It's good that you can get to the Bergen Aquarium from the center by bus number 11 - boarding the flight in the opposite direction, I very quickly found myself almost at home. By the way, with the "Bergen Card" I didn't have to pay the fare, I just had to insert a plastic rectangle into the ticket machine with the arrow pointing down. Having burst into the room, I began to dry and warm myself intensely, just like a day ago ...

The next morning it turned out that Western Norway was enjoying the sun again, and I, therefore, had to decide where it was best to view the panorama of Bergen. There were two options: the Fløyen hill with a platform at the mark of three hundred meters or the twice as large mountain Ulriken. I was hoping to climb one of them the night before to visit the other one in the morning and thus get a complete picture of how beautiful Bergen is from above. Now, due to the weather, I had to make a difficult choice, and I decided to focus on the object that is closer: from the city center you can easily get to the foot of Mount Ulriken by buses lines 2, 3 and 12, however, the place where the Fløibanen funicular departs from is located generally two blocks from the Bryggen waterfront. Bergen Card gives its owners the right to make one trip to Flöen Hill back and forth, while the cashier puts a special stamp on the card, which there is no way to erase, I personally checked it and almost damaged the protective layer. Actually, the ascent to the height of three hundred meters lasts less than 10 minutes, the trailers go smoothly and calmly, despite the fact that Floibanen will soon celebrate one hundred years from the date of commissioning. When the traveler finds himself at the upper station, he has at his disposal a long panoramic terrace, equipped with a detailed index of where which buildings are located. The rest of the hill has been turned into a huge park, through which hiking trails are laid and if you have extra time, you can take a fascinating walk, getting to know Norwegian nature better. Unfortunately, I had to postpone such a tempting voyage until better times, except that I got to know one of the huge trolls along the path. And then it was time to head back to the city center to visit the Bergen Maritime Museum.

For the sake of this, I had to go again to the southern quarters, where I had already been when I went to the Museum of History. Perhaps, it was necessary to plan the sightseeing program a little differently, but what happened, what happened. In any case, I liked Bergens Sjo fartsmuseum and plunged into the life of Norwegian sailors with pleasure. The exposition told about it in detail, covering the period from ancient times, when the Vikings inspired fear throughout Europe, to the battles of the Second World War. Interactive stands made it possible, for example, to choose one of the battles of the polar convoys and follow the course of the confrontation using video and photographic materials. Of all the items stored in the museum, I liked the two-meter range finder most of all, aimed through the window towards the bay. Looking through the eyepieces, I was able to see a tiny piece of land among the waves with some kind of sign, and when I tried to examine the object with my own eyes, I hardly even found the island itself, not to mention its details. That's what cool optics means!

Unfortunately, many interesting sights of Bergen, including Grieg's house-museum, remained out of my field of vision. I thought about how to get to it, but as a result I preferred those places that can be seen in the center of Bergen. The last touch to the acquaintance with this ancient city was added by the Rosencrantz Tower, where I looked at the last, just before leaving. No one can say exactly when the Bergen castle acquired such an impressive neighbor, it is only known that the hulk was erected somewhere at the end of the 13th century and King Eric Magnusson once lodged in it. And the name she received was not at all in honor of one of Shakespeare's heroes, she was so named because of the commandant of the citadel, who started a thorough restructuring of the building in 1560. Then the Rosenkranz tower was considered an important component of the city fortifications, now a museum of medieval life is located inside it, which I examined with great interest.

I set the final point of my visit to Bergen from the observation deck of the former royal residence, where visitors are generally not allowed to enter. However, I so wanted to capture the panorama of the sun-drenched bay that I carefully removed the locking hook from the door leading to the outside and, after waiting a bit to see if the alarm went off, went out into the fresh air. The shots really turned out to be what we needed, and I got unforgettable sensations.

Now I had to hurry to the Bergen ferry terminal to go to

Travel date: June 29 - July 6, 2013
Route: St. Petersburg - Turku - Stockholm - Oslo - Bergen - Geiranger - Trondheim - Kalix - St. Petersburg
Car: Nissan Juke, 1.6, 117 "horses"
Kilometers: about 4500 (excluding ferry crossing)

The decision to go to Norway was spontaneous. When, for one reason or another, all the planned recreation options fell off, a crazy thought arose: “Why not?” Six days left to prepare...

"Do we have a plan?"
We immediately realized that the trip would be introductory: it was impossible to see all of Norway as part of a week-long vacation. But what exactly is a must-visit? Combing numerous forums did not give a definite answer to this question, since all discussions boiled down to: “Why did you go there and not there?” “And what did you find in this place when you need to look at this?” “Yes, it’s nothing at all! You have to go there!”

As a result, we simply identified for ourselves three cities that we want to see (Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim), and several iconic places in between (Flåm, Gudvangen, Geiranger). There was a great temptation to include Stavanger and its environs in the route, but we did not manage to get there in time.

Tickets for the Viking Line on the Turku-Stockholm route were purchased at the ferry center. Booking hotels booked. Overnight stays in campsites would have been cheaper, of course, but we preferred to pay a little more for personal amenities (and the weather forecast for the coming week, as it were, hinted at).

Terve!
Saturday, June 29, was the last training camp. Since the euro from all the Scandinavian countries goes only in Finland, we stocked up with a certain amount of Swedish and Norwegian kroner. In the evening, around 21:00, they moved towards the border.

Before "Torfyanovka" refueled to a full tank. The border was crossed in just 20 minutes. The overnight trip to Turku also went faster than planned (especially pleased with the E18 autobahn). As a result, we were at the Viking Line pier 3 hours before the start of registration. We had a little nap in the car, wandered around the local castle.

We got on the ferry quickly and without problems. We had to wait with accommodation in the cabin: cleaning after a night flight is carried out simultaneously with the boarding of passengers. The cabin, although without a window, is very comfortable, with its own bathroom. We walked along the upper open deck, drank tea and went to bed.

Stockholm hospitality
20 minutes before arriving in Stockholm, we loaded into the car on the autodeck and turned on the navigator. Quite quickly, he brought us from the pier to Stockholm Inn Hotell in the very center of the city, on Drottningatan. In the description on the booking it was said that the hotel has parking in the surrounding area, but there was no parking nearby. The girl at the reception to the question "Where can I leave the car?" replied that “she doesn’t have her own car, so she has no idea.”

The cars parked on the next street had traditional European coupons from parking meters under the windshield. All of them, however, were for 2-3 hours. We had to park all night. As a result, parking cost 180 crowns (900 rubles). We learned a lesson for the future: if the hotel is inexpensive, but it does not have its own parking, then it is better to look for a more expensive one, but with free parking. The money will also come out, but no hemorrhoids.

However, staying at Stockholm Inn Hotell was definitely worth it! The rooms of this hotel are located in the basement and do not have windows. A claustrophobic haven, yes. We, among other things, got a closet with a bunk bed. Unforgettable feelings))

Evening Stockholm seemed majestically gloomy and extraordinarily beautiful. And when he wanted to have dinner, he was also defiantly inhospitable. Most of the establishments were already closed at 10 pm, while those that were open offered only drinks. At first it was amusing, then puzzled, and at some point (after another refusal of hot food) it just started to piss me off. In the end, luck smiled at us, but took a tidy sum for it: two goulash soups in small pots and two ciders of 0.3 each cost more than 300 crowns (over 1,500 rubles).

E18, refueling and a little courtesy
On the morning of July 1, after breakfast with sandwiches, we got into the car and asked the navigator to show us the way to Oslo. He offered two options - more than 500 km with toll roads and more than 600 if free. Estimating that a detour of 100 km at Norwegian prices for gasoline (for 1 liter of 95th almost 2 euros!) Could cost more, we opted for a paid route. Plus there will be more time to walk around the city.

The Swedish landscape along the E18 highway is no different from the average Karelian. It feels like you are driving through the Leningrad region, only the roads are better. By the way, what is interesting is that oncoming flows are separated by a bump stop even where there are only two lanes. No overtaking on the opposite side. To get ahead of the slow-moving, an additional lane appears periodically by 1-2 km. But, of course, this is not the case everywhere in Sweden…

When it was time to fill the tank, for the first time on our way we encountered automatic refueling. They are very common in Scandinavia, especially in the northern regions, where it is costly to keep workers on the payroll. But if I had not read in advance how to handle this beast, I could have lost serious money. You must first insert a card, enter a pin, select a column and type of fuel. The machine will spit out the card, and you can refuel. It would seem, voila! An no. After refueling, the card must be inserted a second time: then a check will come out, and funds will be debited from the account. If the card is not inserted a second time, much more money may be debited from the account than you owe for gasoline.

A curious episode characterizing the behavior of the Swedes on the road happened at the entrance to the Norwegian border. Due to repair work, two passing traffic lanes merged into one. In addition, a speed limit of 30 km/h has been set in the area of ​​the border checkpoint. As a result, a rather long traffic jam has accumulated. BUT!!! Everyone calmly followed each other in one right lane, no one climbed ahead of the left and then built in, and certainly no one even had the thought of moving along the side of the road. We still have to grow and grow.

Since Norway is a Schengen member, but not a member of the EU, two stern customs officers closely monitored the traffic flow at the border. Theoretically, such comrades can stop any car and conduct an inspection for the import of prohibited goods into the country. But this fate passed us, and we, having gained speed up to the maximum permitted 80 km / h, continued on our way towards Oslo.

Non-alternative AutoPASS
Signs with appropriate inscriptions warn about the approach of a paid section. However, we did not find any points for making payments - only video cameras that record the license plates of passing cars. This system is called AutoPASS.

I read about it before I left, and it was described as an alternative to conventional payment methods. Like, link your car number to your bank card number on the website www.autopass.no, choose a corridor with a video camera on paid sections and drive without stopping, and the money will be debited automatically. The downside of this system is that 300 Norkrons are deducted from you in advance and the amounts for paid sections are already deducted from them. The unspent balance is allegedly returned to the card.

We decided that if possible we would avoid toll roads, and if we had an urge to go, we would pay by card or cash. Therefore, they did not register on autopass. But neither at the entrances to Oslo, nor anywhere else, we did not get the opportunity to pay for the road in some other way. AutoPASS turned out to be completely uncontested. In theory, for those who have not registered on the site in advance, the bill should come by mail. But experts on the Internet say that Norwegian "letters of happiness" do not reach Russia. Well, let's wait and see...

Akershus near Frydenlund
The system of transport tunnels dug under Oslo came as a surprise to us. The navigator quickly lost the satellite signal, and we had to guess where and by which sign to turn. We left at random, but very successfully - 1.5 km remained to the Cochs Pensjonat hotel, on Parkveien. We were warned in advance that parking would be paid - 150 Norkron (slightly more than 800 rubles) per day. It is curious that the SMS about payment (paid by card) came to me only on August 21.

The hotel is nice, again, in the city center - close to the main attractions. Bearing in mind the Stockholm experience, we decided to eat right away, without waiting for the late evening. Well, how to eat - have a snack. In an open summer cafe, for one chicken toast and two Frydenlunds for 0.5 each, I had to pay 330 norcron (over 1,800 rubles). It became clear that it is expensive to eat in any establishments. From the next day onwards, the whole trip was bought in supermarkets for cold cuts, cheese, bread and juices.

Oslo appeared to us not as majestically gloomy as Stockholm, but also a very pretty Scandinavian city. We climbed in Akershus (local fortress), found a sentry there, who, in full dress with a rifle at the ready, chasing a step, trampled the cobblestone pavement.


In the evening, they tried to buy a couple of cans of Frydenlund, which they somehow immediately fell in love with, in the store, but it turned out that from 21:00 to 9:00 alcohol (including beer) is not sold in Oslo. It's a pity!

Land of tunnels and fjords
On the morning of July 2, we left the capital of Norway and headed towards Bergen. Knowing the obstinate nature of our navigator, I did not immediately ask him the end point, but offered to take us to Sundvollen. The first natural Norwegian beauty - Thurifjord! Although compared to real sea fjords, this is so, a forest lake :)

The next destination was Flam. The road before it abounded with repair work. We often encountered the organization of reverse traffic - through traffic lights or ordinary road workers with batons. Once we were waiting for half an hour.

But then our torment stopped: the entrance to the legendary Lerdal Tunnel appeared ahead! 24.5 km underground (or rather in the bowels of the rocks) - it's amazing!!! By the way, the longest road tunnel in the world. In general, there are a lot of different tunnels in Norway. It is understandable - with such a landscape it is impossible otherwise.

Flåm is a settlement on the banks of the Aurlandsfjord. It is known for its high-mountain railway, which in recent years has been performing the function of a tourist attraction. We had neither the time nor (considering the prices) the desire to ride. We took a few photos, admired the fjord and went on.

Very close to the next point of the route is Gudvangen, located at Nærøyfjord. Now this is the real Norway - the one for which they come here! No photographs will convey the sensations that arise when you are there, breathe this air, see this beauty alive. You fall in love with Norway gradually, but firmly and, I'm afraid, forever ...

Former capital
Less than 150 km remained to Bergen - along the route suggested by the navigator. But, looking at the map, we realized that we would not forgive ourselves if we did not pass along the coast of the Hardangerfjord. It's a 50km detour, but definitely worth the time and gas! Adding to the thrill was the road, which from Granvin to Norheimsund was 1.5 lanes wide, sometimes narrowing to 1 lane, with “pockets” for oncoming sidings and sharp “blind” turns. Despite this (or maybe just because of this), the road turned out to be toll, with the AutoPASS cameras already familiar to us.

Bergen met with a beautiful sunset. In open restaurants near the pier, locals dined with appetite and lively conversations, ordering more and more new dishes and drinks, and nearby, along the Bryggen embankment, foreign tourists who could not afford such luxury strolled, drooling. We did not become like either one or the other, but simply examined the beauty, took a few pictures and went to the place of spending the night.

The fact is that there were no more or less cheap hotels in Bergen itself, and booking kindly offered options within a radius of 50 km. We liked the Manger Sommarhotell, located in a village called (as you might guess) Manger. The hotel operates only during the summer period, as this is a local boarding school where children live and study during the school year. Double rooms with private facilities, delicious breakfast. There was an irresistible desire to stay here at least for another day, wander around, ride a bike, go fishing. But a tough schedule called us to go!

At the crossing
On the morning of July 3, under a fine lingering rain, we headed for Geiranger. Here we had no disagreements with the navigator, so we completely and completely relied on his geographical erudition. As an intermediate attraction, a ferry across the Sognefjord was waiting for us in the Oppedal - Lavik area.

In general, ferries are an everyday part of Norwegian highways. Trails often run into crossings and again continue on the other side. No need to book tickets in advance or adjust to the approved schedule. You just drive up to the pier, get in line from the cars, a girl or a young man comes up to you and issues a ticket in exchange for your money.

We, as travelers, of course, were curious about this form of organization of transport communication. But in general, it takes a lot of time: where you could drive in 5 minutes, waiting for the ferry, loading and swimming took more than 40 minutes. For those who regularly dangle back and forth, probably unprofitable.

Child of UNESCO
After the crossing, we drove along E39 for a long time, and in the Byrkjelo area we turned onto road 60. Another picturesque “highway”, which also runs along Innvikfjord.



Behind Stryn, the path lay along highway 15 for some time, until the navigator suggested moving to road 63. We began to climb the mountain. The temperature outside (which was not too high before - 15-16 degrees) began to fall rapidly. There was snow on the sides. We have reached the so-called. "Roads of the Eagles".



In terms of the scale and twist of the serpentine, it can be confused with the Path (Ladder?) of the Trolls. But Trollstigen, of course, is much cooler. By the way, this time we did not reach it, although we were very close - we lingered on Geiranger.

Actually, it was because of what to linger. Geiranger Fjord was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2005 for a reason. And although after that it turned into a popular place of tourist pilgrimage, it has not lost its charm and grandeur. That same feeling when you drink the beauty around you with your eyes and cannot get drunk. And even cloudy weather does not spoil the impression.

With overnight stays in the Geiranger area, things were even worse than in Bergen - prices went off scale beyond any reasonable limits. Only in the tiny village of Bjørke, which is 120 km from the attraction, was it possible to book a room in a certain Fjordtell’e. Of all the overnight stays, this was the most expensive, although the “hotel” looked more like a long wooden trailer for shift work of geologists in the Far North.

Getting to Bjørke was also not easy: the navigator did not know that some kind of tricky tunnel had been dug there six months ago, and he led us along very narrow country paths among forests, lakes and mountain passes. And the village itself is located in such a Norwegian wilderness that even mobile communications here were a fickle phenomenon. In this connection, the inhabitants kept an old pay phone in working order.

final chord
On the morning of July 4, we said goodbye to the Norwegian village and slowly headed to Trondheim. Unlike previous days, we stopped more often in different picturesque places and took pictures of them as a keepsake.

As I mentioned earlier, the maximum speed limit in Norway is 80 km/h almost everywhere. Occasionally there are sections where you can go 90. 100 and above on our way did not meet. But much more often, even outside settlements, the speed is limited to around 60-70 - just for traffic safety. Of course, it is quite difficult to comply with such a regime.

And now, at the entrance to Trondheim, the oncoming traffic suddenly begins to blink distant. At first, I didn’t even immediately understand what was happening - I thought that something was wrong with my headlights. But after 1.5 km I found a real ambush, exactly like ours: hiding in the bushes, a policeman was sitting and “shooting” at cars from a radar on a tripod. At that moment, I thought that in some ways the Norwegians and I are not so far from each other))

Trondheim was the last point of our Norwegian voyage (there was only a transit overnight in a Swedish hostel ahead) and it coped with its task of “final chord” 100%. The weather was really warm: 22 degrees against 15-16, which accompanied us all the way. The City Living Schøller Hotel, on Dronningensgate, pleased not only with a spacious room with a refrigerator and a full bathroom instead of the usual shower, but also with parking right at the entrance, which is also free from 20:00 to 8:00!

Some kind of holiday was celebrated in the city, and on the main square we found a concert of local rock musicians, to whose accompaniment couples of enthusiasts were cheerfully dancing. At the end of the event, we went for a walk along the streets and embankments. And with the remaining cash, the Norcrons decided to throw a farewell dinner. Enough for 2 cream soups and one small pizza)

Home
On the first day of the return trip, we had to overcome more than 900 km, so on the morning of July 5 we left Trondheim at 6:45. They set a course for Östersund. Fog and light rain accompanied us all the way to the border with Sweden. Then the weather began to improve. The speed limit has also improved: signs 100 and 110 began to appear. After the Norwegian 70-80 - just some kind of holiday!

The overnight stay was planned in the small town of Kalix, at the very top of the Gulf of Bothnia, in Kalix Vandrarhem, a hostel at a local school. A feature of this institution is correspondence communication with the staff: you receive an e-mail with a code from the main entrance door, and when you get inside, in the mailbox (already real, not virtual) you find an envelope with your last name, where the keys to the room are and check. Money is withdrawn from the card in advance.

On the morning of July 6, we had a good night's sleep, left the last Swedish krona at a gas station in Haparanda and drove into Finland. The way to the checkpoint "Imatra - Svetogorsk" lay through Oulu and Kuopio. We saw such a number of radars on the tracks, perhaps, only in Poland on the E67. Nevertheless, they crossed the Suomi quite briskly. 100 km to the border, I realized that there might not be enough gasoline to get to the Russian gas station. But pouring a full tank would be, of course, stupidity. So we refueled for 10 euros. The cashier studied our banknote of 100 euros for a long time, with which she had to give change. I suspected that we were exchanging a fake.

The border, despite the Saturday evening, passed relatively quickly - they met within an hour. They also rushed through Scandinavia with a breeze (fortunately, there have never been any radars here, and there are more than enough “sponsors” who can be tailed). As a result, a little after midnight we were already drinking tea in the kitchen at home.

4,500 km were left behind (not counting the Turku-Stockholm ferry crossing). 22 thousand rubles were spent on gasoline (I didn’t count how many in liters). We spent about 16 thousand rubles on food. Plus another 5 thousand - for souvenirs to relatives and friends. Hotels and the ferry cost a total of 25 thousand rubles. Well, and all sorts of small expenses like parking lots, paid toilets, etc. Thus, a week-long Scandinavian voyage cost about 70 thousand rubles.