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No one. Not a single person. Here and there a straying car, its anonymous passengers hidden behind reflective windshields. Thick curtains, empty porches, houses that look as if they were trying to hide something, keeping distance to the world around them. Driving through Norway can be a lonely adventure. Five million people scattered across a country bigger than Germany, more than a third living in the metropolitan area of Oslo. Villages are small, a few houses placed in the countryside. A countryside that is gorgeous in every way: Vast plains, rough rock formations, calm mountain lakes – it feels as if Norway is the culmination of everything Scandinavia is known and loved for.
The G63 AMG felt like an alien. Here: the peaceful wilderness. There: an archaic giant. A luxurious haven. The sound: bestial. The appearance: sensational. Not politically correct, but captivating, exciting. The black paint did not help. You cannot blend in, you are always present. Present in way that must be frightening to people living in a country that boasts the highest density of electric cars – worldwide. And yet: it was different. The car is an icebreaker – in every sense of the word: Suddenly there were people. People who wanted to know more about the car, its engine, its story. People who loved it. Who loved that it is different. Different from all the Teslas and Leafs. Different from all the generic e-Golfs that populate the streets. Curiosity is what makes Norway unique – what helped make the country one of the most advanced in the world. Its people embrace the new – without forgetting about automobile milestones that lasts for centuries. The G63 AMG is one of them.
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Ålesund was the place I was most excited about. And it did not fail to impress. Known for its concentration of Art Nouveau architecture the seaport’s cityscape boasts an amazing diversity when it comes to both residential structures and public spaces. Sure, there is a very touristy downtown area which mainly exists to make hordes of tourists from Central Europe, the US and Asia happy. Walk a few blocks west though and one will find himself in a neighborhood that feels authentic in its very own way. Empty streets, rundown sidewalks, ramshackle buildings – but still: the variety of textures, shades and geometric patterns is magnificent. It is as if someone wanted this area to be a time capsule, a place to inspire – not a place to create. Ålesund seduces with its captivating beauty – a beauty that is not exclusive to a picturesque city centre but rather comes alive in the outskirts, the side roads – the areas that may look dull at first, but shine in their details.
Ålesund – Bergen
Our final destination. Rain. All day. And all night.
Bergen – Hirtshals – Frankfurt: 20 hours on a ferry, 10 hours on the Danish and German autobahn. And a short stop in one of Germany’s finest cities: Hamburg.
© 2026 Alexander Schlosser