An overnight trip of Smithsonian Journeys travelers from Copenhagen on a DFDS ferry brought us to a rainy Oslo at 9:30 am. The slow moving mass of passengers wove its way down and around the the gangway into the mid-morning rain of Norway's capital. Find the suitcases. Get them stashed on the bus and head west. A solemn quiet envelopes the bus as we pass Utøya and remember the terrible events of July 22. Fresh flowers cover the large stone at the edge of the water. Each to their own thoughts, unshared, but understood, and the bus continues west through Hallingdal. A stop in Gol to stretch the legs, buy a paper and take a picture, before continuing on to Hardanger.
The majestic waterfall, Vøringsfossen, drops over 300 meters to the canyon below.
Then on to Ullensvang Hotel in Lofthus. In his day, Edvard Grieg listened to the music of Norway's nature here. Perhaps the echoes can still be heard.
Ullensvang Hotel in Hardanger
