Norway with my mom and dad

I can’t say Norway has been on my travel list. There isn’t a place on this earth that I’m not interested in visiting, but Norway was not in the top three. or five. Or twenty places that I cant wait to see. But when I had a work trip from Koh Phangan to Hamburg, at the same time my parents were in Bergen for work; I knew I have to take this opportunity to spend time with them. And boy, was that a brilliant decision. This trip’s soundtrack was running water, and the views, a million shades of blue and green. But the time I spent alone with my parents was what made this weekend a dream come true. Especially after this year, when hopping on a flight seems like a memory from a different lifetime, and I miss my parents more than ever.

Did I mention it was 20 degrees colder than Koh Phangan???

My dad is a professor of social work and statistics, traveling all over the globe, promoting research and changes to better our world. The University of Bergen invited him for a conference on school climate and how to improve kids’ experience in schools. He has dedicated a significant part of his work to. I was traveling halfway across the world for a job in Hamburg, landing only two hours flight from Bergen, so I knew this is a chance I don’t want to miss.

My sweet dad always finds some fruit to pick along the road.

My mom is also a social worker, still practicing in her private clinic, but other than that, retired. And if there is one thing my mom is good at, it is traveling and making the most of my dad’s conferences. They have been all over the world, usually attending a conference for a day or two and traveling for the rest of the month. They hike, camp, drive, socialize, and enjoy every aspect of every country as if it is their first trip together. My dad likes to complain about my mom’s extensive schedules, but they are an outstanding balance.

My mom doesn’t realize how pretty she is and refuses to take pictures

I arrived in Bergen and spent the day walking around with my mom. We walked the entire tiny city of Bergen, visiting the pier and the old town and walking up to the mountain viewpoint and the church, which was right next to our apartment. We finished our eating nice vegan food at the Daily Pot, a tiny rustic restaurant. Bergen is considered by UNESCO, a city of gastronomy, but don’t expect too much. I mean, the fish and seafood are what it is famous for, so maybe I’m not the best judge, but my parents didn’t find the food too remarkable either.

Plenty of very old buildings but still there is a lot of green and forests within walking distance.
This was probably one of the nicest brightest views in a city that rains 200 days a year, including every day we were there.

I found Bergen relatively unimpressive but lovely and old school. The main part of our trip was yet ahead of us, and I was very excited for that! We took a car from Bergen to the Fjords. We drove many hours in green and blue sceneries, freezing even in the car, but enjoying every moment.

Everywhere we stopped was another lake, another waterfall, and endless forests and meadows.

We slept at a small cabin surrounded by endless patches of green overlooking the Fjords, cooked dinner together, watched a movie, and fell asleep altogether on the coach. Despite the weekend being insanely cold, being together kept us warm and happy.

The sounds of music background.

We finished our journey by taking a ferry with our car across the water. We drove by to Bergen, and my parents waited with me at the airport for my flight back to work in Hamburg. My mom and dad have always found time to spend with me. Every day of my life, I knew that no matter how busy they are, they are never too busy to be with me if I need or simply want some company. But being the fourth child and already having eight nieces and nephews, being able to spend three days, all day, with my parents alone, was truly unique.

A very basic recap of a memorable weekend spent with my wonderful parents.