A Weekend in Scandinavia

Hans Christian Anderson's Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen
see all photos »

After our quick exploration of Malmö, Sweden, we took a 30 minute train to Copenhagen, Denmark.  We spent 24 hours there, staying in a really nice hostel, exploring the city, drinking coffee, and eating McDonalds (food is expensive in Scandinavia).  My personal highlight was an art exhibit at the cathedral.  The week we were there was the 200th anniversary of the English bombing of Copenhagen.  It´s a complicated story involving Napoleon, the Danish fleet, and inaccurate British intelligence.  But the gist is that England bombed Copenhagen and took the Danish fleet in order to keep it out of Napoleon´s hands.  This effectively destroyed Denmark as a European power and greatly influenced it´s history.  So, in commemoration of this event, two artists put video projectors all over the inside of the cathedral which covered the church in flames!  It was amazing.  At one point, the flames went out, then burst out of the giant crucifix in a circular pattern that looked like a lion.  I remembered the quote from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe that said, "Remember, He is not a tame lion."  It is amazing how God can use anything to remind me of His glory.

Our cabin in Oslo
see all photos »

The next morning, after a brisk walking tour of the city (those with me accused me of trying to kill them with the pace I set, but hey, we had a train to catch!), we caught a 9 hour train to Oslo, Norway, through some of the most beautiful country on earth.  I have officially added Norway to my "Someday List."  It is phenominal!  We stayed in cabins in a campground outside the city and enjoyed scrambled eggs for breakfast in our own kitchen.  I never realized how much I would miss scrambled eggs!  We spent the day visiting the Viking Ship Museum, where the only three remaining authentic Viking ships are on dispay.  They were all built in around 900 AD and were preserved because they were buried in the burial mounds of Viking nobles.  It was really fascinating.  I was bummed that we did not have time to visit the Nobel Peace Prize Center, but it is officially on my list for the next time I visit.

We spent a night on a train, in a hostel, in a campground, and on a ferry.

The Viking Ship Museum
see all photos »

Our trip was capped off by a 16 hour ferry ride from Oslo back to Copenhagen on a ship that more resembled a cruise ship than a ferry.  It had many restaurants, a cinema, a pool with a spa and a sauna, shops, night clubs, and a piano bar! Plus, I had a room to myself and got a great night sleep.  Finally, we boarded a train in Copenhagen and headed back "home" to Berlin.  Overall, we spent a night on a train, a night in a hostel, a night in a campground, and a night on a ferry.  We spent 46 hours actually exploring Scandinavian cities and 40 hours traveling!  It was a weekend to remember.