Scandinavia: 3. Bergen- Serenity and the guitar player

     The journey from Stockholm to Bergen was not so exciting. It was a routine flight, which took off at 8 in the morning. We arrived in Bergen at around 9:30 am. But we were quite hungry as we had missed our breakfast due to an early morning flight. Already informed by our tour manager about missing the breakfast, many of us were carrying dry snacks as a contingency measure. Some of us opted for a quick snack and black tea at the Stockholm airport itself.

     Our welcome in Bergen was quite interesting! As soon as we got out of the airport, a rocky mountain front with large and embossed letters ‘BERGEN?’ caught our attention. BERGEN was understood, but the following question mark puzzled us. It was learned that the weather in Bergen is very random. One just cannot forecast whether it would be sunny or rainy. Generally, the entire Europe is known for its unstable climate, but Bergen seemed quite peculiar in terms of unpredictable weather conditions. As our puzzle of the question mark got resolved, the sun had already started playing hide and seek through the white clouds which were lazily strolling in the blue sky. Surrounded by mountains, Bergen is called the city of seven mountains. It is the second-largest city in Norway. Bergen is the busiest port in Norway in terms of both freight and passengers. Gradually growing over a period, today, Bergen is an international centre for aquaculture, shipping and petroleum industry. We spent some time near the market in the centre of the city. It was similar to the fish market we visited in Helsinki. I could hear someone playing a Hawaiian guitar. My feet just could not resist and took me to the spot. I made a request to play me a song of his choice. To my pleasant surprise, he played ‘Lambada’ for me. It was lovely to sit at leisure and enjoy a vintage classic. As a token of appreciation, I paid him humbly. He thanked me and continued playing. He played a few more popular numbers. His general getup made me believe that he was struggling to make two ends meet. I was lost in thoughts, as I did not expect such a scenario in one of the wealthiest and happiest countries in the world. Incidentally, I noticed a couple of beggars in Stockholm also. The resilience of the guitar player to survive in affluent surroundings was laudable.

     We had lunch in an Indian restaurant. Post lunch, we boarded our coach again to have a short orientation tour on our way to the funicular ride. Our guide for the day told us that almost 80 percent of Bergen was destroyed in a massive fire in 1702, and what we saw that day was a rebuilt Bergen. The buildings built after the fire used bricks and paint instead of traditional tar or wood. The hard work put in and the patience of the country was palpable as we moved through the city. Although we saw some high-rise buildings, the old set-up was generally preserved. Although provided with all the modern amenities, sincere efforts were made to maintain the vintage look, which eventually made the set-up look classy. All of us were excited as we reached the entry gate of the funicular ride. It was a short ride taking us to Floyen, the top of Bergen, which was like a plateau. Though many people explored the food outlets and shops, most of the visitors preferred to sit and relax on a platform that was actually a set-up of long stairs. The panoramic view of Bergen was soothing. Even from a great height and distance, Bergen looked calm and serene, nestled in the lap of nature. The fjords narrated the tranquillity, which was an identity of not only Bergen, but the entire Scandinavian region. I could have sat there for any length of time, hungrily taking in the beauty and the peace. But time was a harsh constraint that forced us to move on to our next destination.

     Overwhelmed by the prettiness of Bergen, we proceeded to Wharf, which is a unique feature of Scandinavia. Wharf in Bryggen is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which was a centre of Hanseatic commercial activities during mediaeval times. Today it houses museums, shops, restaurants etc. Again, Bryggen we see today is a rebuilt version of the older form that was destroyed in fire. Typically coloured in pastel, Wharves looked charming, fascinating and unmistakably took us into history. We spent some time near the waterfront also. The almost still waters were comforting. Generally, every European country has made great efforts to preserve the vintage settings and traditions in spite of widespread devastation during world wars or by nature’s fury. Europe has certainly made amazing progress, but has successfully preserved the historical settings as well. The efforts are not only praiseworthy and inspiring, but worth replicating too.

     As the itinerary of the day came to an end, I was lost in thoughts once again. The day was relaxed. The calming vibes of Bergen perfectly complimented the relaxed pace of our itinerary of the day. Bergen had fascinated me just like Helsinki and Stockholm. I sincerely wish India could follow at least a few steps taken by Europe in an honest attempt to make itself a calm, restful and peaceful place. The struggle of the guitar player to survive amid highly prosperous surroundings narrated the bitter truth of hard life once again. As I said earlier, I noticed beggars in Stockholm also. Although the situation was not as harsh as we see in India, it still pinched me to a substantial extent. The coexistence of contrasting facets of society is indeed disturbing, but seems a universal and inevitable phenomenon.

(Bergen)

(14 July, 2025)

(cont.)

*****

Scandinavia: 2. Stockholm- Nobel, Vasa and the Royal grandeur

     The weather remained kind to us the entire night. The sea was calm, and the ride was smooth, except for occasional mild vibrations which were supposedly expected on any cruise. We had an early breakfast and reached the top deck. Though not clear, the morning sky looked quite bright. It was not windy as it was the previous night and the light breeze was soothing, giving us an opportunity to enjoy a stroll on the top deck. We were steadily sailing, getting close to the shores of Stockholm. Nestled in small rocky hills, the beautiful houses at the shoreline were enjoying private and comfy moments. Occasional water scooters stirred the quiet ripples of the blue waters, painting them white for a while. The seagulls were catching the attention of one and all with their peculiar screech, grunt and squawk sounds. As our cruise anchored at the Stockholm shores, the sky was almost clear.

     After disembarking from the cruise, we boarded our coach for a city tour of Stockholm, which seemed a busy place, with a sizeable crowd. Besides the political and economic centre, it is the largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Being a cultural centre of Sweden, Stockholm is known for housing many ceremonial halls, and we were going to visit one of them, the Stockholm city hall. The construction is of red bricks, which were traditionally used in monasteries and churches. Influenced by Venetian Gothic architecture, the hall has many wooden masts and statues, golden artwork and decorated balconies. The Blue Hall is special. It is the dining hall where banquets are held after the annual Nobel Prize award ceremony. After the banquet, a ball is held in the Golden Hall, which lies above the Blue Hall. The Golden Hall is made of nearly 18 million mosaic tiles, which make use of motifs from Swedish history. The northern wall shows a large seated queen of Lake Malar. I was wondering how overwhelming it might be for any Nobel Laureate to attend such an event.

     As we passed by the War Collegium and Swedish Radio office, we could feel the buzz of the city. The city has an extensive public transport system. The tram line, light rail and the bus services are very efficient and widely used by all. The traditional buildings took us into past as our tour guide for the day told us the history of Sweden in short. “We will walk down from here up to the museum”, our guide told us as we got down from our coach. We walked down a short distance and reached a building which resembled a ship’s hull. The wooden panels with masts were perfectly designed to make one curious about the interiors. The Vasa Museum is a maritime museum in Stockholm. The museum displays a salvaged 64-gun 17th century ship called ‘Vasa’ that sank on her maiden voyage in 1628 after sailing less than two kilometres. The salvaged ship was treated with polyethylene glycol. Certain missing parts were replaced. The original parts have been darkened due to prolonged contact with water. The replacement parts are not treated or painted and can be distinctly made out of the original parts. The roof of the museum is made of copper. We saw the ship from six levels, from the keel to the very top of the captain’s cabin. Along with the ship in the centre, the main hall has various exhibits related to the archaeological findings of the ships of the 17th century. The Vasa is probably the only 17th century ship that has been salvaged and preserved almost fully intact. Although the ship sank after sailing for less than two kilometres, the skill of the artisans and the mathematical knowledge of the designers are amazing considering the non-digital era. It was fascinating to learn how sailors scaled the boundless seas in unpredictable weather conditions in the olden days with very limited navigation techniques. The hard work and continual search for excellence in the field of shipmaking and sailing was evident in the exhibits in the main hall.

     Our tour guide of the day made us curious about the royal family while narrating the history of Sweden. Sweden is a constitutional monarchy where monarch exercises their authority in accordance with a constitution and is not alone in making decisions. Fascinating stories related to kings and kingdoms have always left me enquiring. The Royal Palace of Stockholm was not going to be an exception. It is erected in the same place as the mediaeval Tre Kronor Castle, which was destroyed in a fire in 1697. It took more than 50 years before the king and the queen moved into the palace, as the war-affected kingdom did not have enough funds to build the palace. The Royal Palace is the official residence and major royal palace of the Swedish monarch. The palace is made of brick and sandstone and the roofs are covered with copper. It has more than 1000 rooms, four facades named after the four cardinal directions and two courtyards. The exteriors are adorned with beautiful sculptures, medallions and reliefs. The Pink Drawing Room and the White Sea ballroom looked majestic. The Hall of State and the Bernadotte galleries were grand. The events unfolded in my mind like a movie as the tour guide narrated how the kingdom evolved to reach the present stage. Interestingly, similar to Finland, the Swedish king was also on summer holidays. Countries like Sweden are examples of how the old monarchy and new democratic setup can work together and still adjust to the modern times and progress exceptionally well without compromising on quality.

     We had lunch in an Indian restaurant and went to the Globe Arena to have a panoramic view of Stockholm city. Unfortunately, some of the members of our group got stuck at the top due to a technical glitch. They were rescued with great difficulty. The Globe ride was closed to all visitors after the incident. We also had a brief visit to the ‘Ice bar’, a place entirely made from ice. Even the glasses in which the drinks were served were made of ice. It was fun.

     Bestowed abundantly by nature, Sweden seemed tranquil. Keeping pace with fast-moving times, it has grown with great equilibrium as well as grace. In spite of wars and destruction due to fires and invasions, Sweden has left no stone unturned to preserve its historical establishments like the rest of Europe. The zeal for progress was evident. The work-life balance was palpable, making Sweden one of the happiest places in the world. Apart from gifting the world a jewel named Alfred Nobel, it has also given great recognition to the cause of invention in the form of the Nobel Prize, which is a continual inspiration for inventors all over. Sweden itself has achieved so much through its relentless pursuit of science and technology. But even with great achievements, Sweden looked calm and composed. The Royal palace showed its prosperity and majesty, but with modesty. The monarch looked grand indeed, but carried humility too. The world has so much to learn from such beautiful and humble civilisations.

(Stockholm)

(13 July, 2025)

(cont.)

*****

Scandinavia: 1. Helsinki- A cosy nest

 

     Our mobile phones were displaying the time as 9 pm when we reached our hotel, but the summer sky in Helsinki was still as bright as it would be in India at 4 o’clock in the evening, assuring every one of us that we had knocked at the right door. Being close to the North Pole, Scandinavian countries enjoy nearly six months of daylight. The sky never becomes dark. Even at midnight, the horizon remains soaked in twilight. We had to draw the curtains neatly as we wanted darkness to have a sound sleep after a long and tiring journey.

     As I pulled aside the curtains and peeped out, the morning greeted me with a bright sunshine that was again quite unusual for me at 5-30 am. The sky was clear, occasionally teased by a few silver clouds. The surroundings were wet as it had rained the previous night. I got ready a little early. The breakfast was sumptuous. Quiet surroundings took charge of me as I stepped out of the main entrance of the hotel. It was a delight to see House Sparrows chirping around, which are nowadays hard to find in India. A couple of joggers, some cyclists, and a few cars stirred the silence. The calmness was soothing for someone like me who was used to the noisy surroundings of the Indian cities. I could perceive the calmness more as our coach began to move through the city. Apart from the luxurious taxis, the trams caught my attention with their elegance and beauty. Painted in yellow-green or bright red, the trams are the main means of transport in the city centre. In some parts of the city, the tracks are separated from the road traffic; elsewhere they share road space with cars and buses. A single light rail line was also made operational a few years back, but it is separate from the city centre tram network. As we passed by the parliament building and the offices, our tour guide said that many of the members of the parliament were out of their offices as they were on summer holidays. The parliament building was sober, decent, and without any security cover or barricades. It was interesting to learn that even the Prime Minister was on summer holidays. Our tour guide informed us that it was mandatory for all to avail almost six weeks of holidays every year, which was, in my view, one of the factors that made Scandinavia one of the happiest places in the world. Helsinki is the capital and most populous city in Finland and has one of the highest standards of urban living in the world. We got down from our coach at a distance from our first place of visit. Like I noticed on my Italy-Swiss tour last year, Scandinavia also seemed concerned about emissions around important archaeological sites. Vehicles are usually restricted at such sites. As we walked down, again, the calmness could be perceived. ‘Rock Church’, our first place of visit, was located in a quiet place. Built directly out of solid rock, it’s a Lutheran Church which was opened in 1969 and is located in the heart of the city. The original character of the square is maintained, which is its fundamental concept. The inside of the church is bathed in natural light which enters through the skylight surrounding the central copper dome. The dome is uniquely designed, made of nearly 22 kilometres of copper strip. The copper dome along with rough and virtually unworked rock surfaces create excellent acoustics, making the church a favourite venue for various concerts. Interestingly, the church has a ‘Church organ’, but no bells. A recording of bells composed by a Finnish composer is played via loudspeakers on the outer wall. The church was a modest structure without any carvings or artistic creations. There was a corner where people could light wax lamps and keep them on a platform. Even though not being followers of Lutheranism, some of us put the lighted lamps and offered their reverence. Worship is a universal expression, free from the captivity of caste, creed, colour or religion.

     As we moved on, the beautiful trams caught our attention with their sheer charm. The coach was parked in the parking area. We had to walk a short distance to reach the Sibelius monument, located in Sibelius Park. The Sibelius Monument by Eila Hiltunen is dedicated to the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. The design of the monument looks like organ pipes arranged in a wave-like pattern. Apart from the qualities and errors of the abstract art, it also sparked debate as the composer had created little music for organs. Hiltunen addressed her critics by adding the face of Sibelius which sits beside the main sculpture. Hiltunen's aim was to capture the essence of the music of Sibelius. There are a number of examples around the world, where, more than art, controversies have made monuments popular.

     We had lunch in an Indian restaurant, from where we were supposed to reach the cruise terminal. All of us were excited about an overnight cruise journey, which was maiden for many of us. Each setting was like that of any airport, except that we were going to board a cruise. Every one of us was curious to enjoy the sprawling decks, scenic surroundings and luxurious interiors. After due formalities of check-in and boarding, we moved to the top deck. All present cheered as the cruise blew horns, announcing the departure. Soon we were in the middle of the current. The blue water enchanted us with its shimmer. As the cruise sailed gracious and smooth, the water mesmerised us with its calmness. The only sounds which stirred the calmness were those of water scooters and seagulls. It was quite windy, and we had to wear jackets. We wanted to spend more time on the deck, but had to take refuge in the interiors, as we could no longer bear the cold winds. It was cosy inside, bustling with people. We bought ourselves coffee and some snacks, and began exploring various outlets. The shop line was extensive. Small cafeterias were elegant. We enjoyed a beautiful performance by a music band. All the performers sang beautifully and did not fail to impress us. The restaurant in which our dinner was arranged was roomy and filled with the unique aroma which began to tickle our taste buds at the entrance itself. Although the buffets were stacked with a variety of continental cuisines, it was a bit tough to decide what to pick for the platter, as several dishes were new to many of us. But, finally, every one of us could manage to fill our bellies sumptuously. After dinner, at around 10 at night, we reached the top deck once again to view the night sky. The sky was still glowing, but it was not as bright as the previous night in Helsinki because of clouds and rain. We wanted to watch the sunset, but we realised that it was not possible, as the sky was not going to be clear at least that night. We bid goodbye to the calm waters which had begun to hide behind the mist formed by the drizzle.

     It was indeed a tiring day, yet winning. The rocks of the Lutheran Church softened our stance, took us into history and once again taught us the lesson of oneness. The legacy of the music left behind by Jean Sibelius once again emerged as the winner in the conflict of art and ego. To conclude the chapter, the calm waters took us to an almost mystical state. Be it a spread-out sea, or an unbound desert, I often wonder about the secrets these entities probably nurture, which are unmistakably spellbinding.

(Silja Symphony Cruise, Helsinki)

(12 July, 2025)

(cont.)

*****