Little Update: EXAMS ARE FINALLY OVER and I can officially say, "HELLO SUMMER!!"
Im heading to a couple of eastern/central european cities next week and I'm definitely excited about the warm weather and getting to explore again. But, I have yet to share all of my spring travel trips with you guys (oops!)
I blame the one month of exam preparation! Being on a year abroad and travelling as much as I did meant that I had a TON of catching up to do for finals. So, for the last month, I did nothing else but study. Well, study and watching an occasional YouTube-video for a break.
Anyway, it's all over and I'm back to blogging with probably my final post on my spring solo Scandinavian trip.
Whilst I was in Bergen on my solo-trip a month ago, I went up Mount Fløyen for a panoramic view of Bergen and part of the Nordic Sea.
Bergen is surrounded by 7 different mountains, and there are so many options when it comes to hiking and getting an amazing view. Unfortunately, I'm not much of a mountain-climber/hiker, nor am I a person who is great with directions (leave me to hike up a mountain alone, and I probably wouldn't make it down).
Even though I imagine myself to be as cool as the main character in Into the Wild, I am not. My mum was adamant that I should not be hiking alone.
Thus, the most convenient way for me get a panoramic view of Bergen and to imagine I'm exploring a mountain was to head up the most touristy mountain in Bergen - Mount Fløyen.
As I was navigating my way around, I realise I was upwards at every turn. Turns out, once again, I failed at map reading and was heading up towards Mount Fløyen instead of the Fløibanen (the funicular that takes you up). I had half a mind to just wing it and head up on foot, when I chickened out upon realising that I had no wifi, and my maps might not work since there aren't any hotspots up on a mountain. So I headed back down and took the funicular.
Better safe than lost on a mountain, they say (by they I mean my brain cells haha!)
The funicular went up to the viewing point in a couple of minutes, which was rather surprising. I expected it to take a lot longer.
Upon arriving at the viewing gallery, everyone rushed out to the edge whilst marvelling at the wonderful view.
Thankfully, I went up early in the morning which meant fewer tourists, and more photo opportunities!
The viewing area is so wide that walking from one end to another, you get a great 360 view of Bergen and even parts of the Nordic Sea (?) It was brilliant!
Being a moderately chilly spring morning, the clouds were thick and low such that they float by occasionally engulfing the view, leaving the little peaks of mountains and tiny houses below, behind the trees.
Eventually the clouds got so thick I felt like I was swallowed in the middle of one huge cloud cover. As the wind blew them towards me, I could feel myself walking straight into it.
It was a pretty odd feeling; similar to walking in smoke, except not quite.
It was sort of smokey and misty without the crappy burning smell I would say. Well, basically, I liked the feeling of walking into clouds.
After admiring the view to my hearts content, I decided to take a little walk into the woods and mountain pathways marked out on Mount Fløyen. Most people who go up on Mount Fløyen do it solely for the view, and rarely venture past the viewing deck. So heading into the "woods", I was completely alone with no one in sight.
Everytime I see something resembling the woods, Out of the Woods by Taylor Swift pops into my head, and I start humming to myself.
Are we out of the woods yet, are we out of the woods, are we in the clear yet are we in clear yet good ~
I walked past tall evergreen trees and snow covered ground making squishing noises with my boots and leaving deep indented footprints on the snow covered pathways.
As I was wandering, I manage to spot quite a few families having their morning hike. Little children playing, running around, and tugging on each other, whilst parents sit at a corner sipping tea or strolling leisurely behind them.
Going down another path, I stumbled upon the weirdest looking statues and the most interesting signboards with sayings like "Don't scare the baby dinosaurs" or "Beware of Witches". When I first saw the dinosaur notice, I ACTUALLY THOUGHT IT WAS REAL.
I know. Silly. Because they're extinct.
In my defence, I thought they meant some sort of a wild animal that looks like a dinosaur, you know, one of those flying bird like dinosaurs in Jurassic Park. Yeah. So I was a little apprehensive strolling around all alone.
I told Jerald about it, and of course he had a good laugh at me.
Regardless, it was a lovely morning spent up on Mount Fløyen. I just wish I lived in Bergen or grew up in Bergen. That way I could go on family walks in the mountain, have campfires up here (there was leftover campfire wood all around!), and pretend to find dinosaurs or meet witches on brooms.
With my over active imaginations, I'm pretty sure a 5 year old carina would love to spend her saturday mornings up on Mount Fløyen!
If you're ever traveling around Scandinavia alone, and want to spend sometimes among tall trees, whilst admiring a picturesque view, head up Mount Fløyen! If you're a tad bit more adventurous, you could choose to walk up, or if you're one of those ala Reese Witherspoon in Wild kind of people, you could consider hiking up one of the other mountains. I'm pretty sure the view is just as incredible :) Who knows, maybe up on another mountain, you could attempt to look for hobbits, and talking rabbits instead of witches and dinosaurs?
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