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Nordic Magnificence: Denmark and Norway

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On July 17, a group of 25 Badgers and friends from across the country headed toward Copenhagen to join each other on a Scandinavian adventure. AHI’s Nordic Magnificence tour allowed us to spend three days together in Copenhagen and get a feel for what Denmark’s capital city is all about. We took a guided walking tour through the streets and saw what it was like for storyteller Hans Christian Andersen, who spent much of his life there. We explored Rosenborg Castle and cruised the waterways on a boat tour to see some of Copenhagen’s most renowned sites, including the Opera House, Amalienborg Palace, and the treasured landmark statue, The Little Mermaid.

Next, we were lucky to experience the overnight DFDS Seaways ferry to Oslo, Norway. We were all pleasantly surprised that the ferry was really a cruise ship, which sails daily between Copenhagen and Oslo. We got to relax on board and enjoy a seafood-buffet dinner together. Following breakfast the next morning, we disembarked and toured the city of Oslo by bus, taking in sites such as the Holmenkollen Ski Jump, and strolled through the grounds at Vigelandsparken, the city’s famous sculpture park. Other highlights of Oslo were visits to the Viking Ships Museum and the Kon-Tiki Museum.

We all had our cameras ready and looked forward to the next part of our journey as we boarded the Bergen Railway for one of the world’s most scenic routes: from Oslo to Bergen. It was very picturesque as the train edged along dramatic fjords, tumbling waterfalls, and green forests. The seven-hour train ride took us into Norway’s second-largest city, which is nestled beside a sheltered harbor and surrounded by seven mountains and seven fjords. We spent time as a group - and individually - admiring Bergen’s landmarks and its quaint Old Town.

The trip was not complete until we boarded another train for a panoramic journey along the eastern fjords to Myrdal and jumped on the famous Flam line to see some of Norway’s best scenery. We then took a fjord cruise through one of the most beautiful fjord areas in Norway - between Flam and Gudvangen- before enjoying a scenic drive back to Bergen.

Afterward, a farewell dinner offered us all one last chance to connect and reflect on the adventures we had experienced together during our 10-day journey. We were so fortunate to be led throughout our trip by AHI travel director Stephanie Johannesson who was passionate, friendly, and knowledgeable!

Photos by Paul and Ruth Guenther. We were privileged to be traveling with Paul and Ruth because they helped to document our journey and shared these photo memories.

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