Month: February 2024

Oybin Castle and Monastery

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By Cheryl L. Hosman Dieter

I have been extremely fortunate to have had many ethereal experiences during my lifetime. The “best” ones arrive as a complete and utter surprise, a supreme blessing if you will. This is exactly what happened when Mark and I visited Oybin Castle and Monastery this past August. This stunning complex is located in the state of Saxony in Germany just a short distance from the boarder of the Czech Republic.

Mark straddling the border

The town of Oybin is charming and one of its claims to fame is that Napoleon stopped in the town.

The castle itself sits atop a huge sandstone cliff and was thought to have been established in the 13th century as a way station. It grew under the auspices of George of Lipe’ during the 14th century. Sometime in the middle of that century, Charles IV, King of Bohemia, expanded the castle and established the Celestine Monastery. The castle was struck by lightening in 1577 and fell into disarray until 1990 when the entire complex underwent extensive rennovation.

To get to the romantic ruin you can either take a high steep trail or a small pull along train that can be caught in the parking lots below the castle. It costs a few bucks for both the parking and the train. There is also a small entrance fee at when you reach the castle gate of 5-8 euros.

Views of the castle

The Gothic monastery is a few steps from the castle. It is a masterpiece with soaring “windows” which frame the “far-as-the-eye-can-see” vistas surrounding it. It is thought that a small number of very forward thinking monks lived in monastery at a time who installed under floor heating during the construction of their home.

View of the Monastery

While we were strolling through the back of the Monastery (as pictured above) we began to hear the soft and lovely strains of a violin. Upon climbing the stairs we were drawn deeper into the ruins and the beautiful acoustics that can only be heard in a building such as this. And so I leave you will a video of the magnificent surprise that greeted us that day and which we hold as a sacred memory in our hearts.

Video by Mark Boys

The Flåm Railway – Norway

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By Cheryl L Hosman Dieter

One of the day trips you will not want to miss while in Norway is a ride on the Flåm Railway. Trips can begin/end in Oslo or Bergen with train transfers.

Train on the way to Myrdal Station to catch the Flåmbana

Most tourists take the Flåmbana to reach the town of Aurlandsfjord where they will board a ferry for a trip down the Sognefjord, one of Norways most famous fjords. This is an easy trip from the main train station in Bergen, past rolling hills and lakes galore straight into the town of Voss. From there the train will climb high into the mountains until you reach the Myrdal Station. Here you will exit the train and take a short jaunt over to the Flåm Railway. Keep in mind that this is one of the world’s steepest standard gauge lines in the entire world and with that comes some of the most spectacular scenery you will ever witness.

Entering the train you will be transported back to the golden days of train travel consisting of fine wooden interiors and seats reminiscent of the 1940’s. As you journey towards Aurlandsfjord you will pass through pristine valleys, climb majestic mountaintops, spy quaint villages, pass through twenty tunnels and witness stunning waterfalls too numerous to count. The train makes a short stop at the Kjosfossen Waterfall so the passengers can experience the thundering falls and see the fairy dancer magically appear.

The Flamsbana stopped at Kjosfossen Waterfall. When viewing the waterfall do not leave your personal items aboard the train as there are those who will rifle through your belongings.

Kjosfossen Waterfall

After arriving in Arslandsfjord you will have a chance to visit the Flam Railway Museum. Full of fun facts about the line and those who built it; you can expect to spend about 20 minutes viewing the exhibits. From there you can amble through one of the small tourist shops or catch a bite to eat before either returning the way you came or boarding the ferry for your trip down the fjord.

Aurlandsfjord Train Station

Flam Railway Museum… where there is never an entrance fee

A typical Norwegian lunch at Aurslandfjord

Boat houses at the start of the fjord in Aurslandfjord

The inky waters of the fjord

The guidebooks all recommended the Flam Railway paired with the trip down Sognefjord and I would have to agree that this is one of the best day trips for this part of Norway. Plan to shell out quite a bit of bread on a self-guided combo tour, but hey, it’s a small price for being a tourist in one of the prettiest places in the world.