Norway Part One
Friday 14th September, 2007
Saturday 15th September, 2007
Sunday 16th September, 2007
Monday 17th September, 2007
Friday 14th September, 2007
In the Farmyard at Maihauger Open Air Museum
ell, wouldn't you know it? We awoke today to rain and more forecast for the weekend!
I was terribly disappointed, I have looked forward to the Norwegian fjords for forty years!
However, we got out, in our raincoats, and went to visit Maihauger Open Air Museum. Great choice! Unfortunately, no choice, it is part of the tour whatever the weather.
This was a museum of reconstructed buildings, of the ilk of Beamish or the Weald and Downland Museums with old buildings which have been collected to preserve them and demonstrate the former way of life.
We had a guide in National Costume and she was very good. She showed us through the old Stave Church, the school and a prosperous farm house and told us all about it. All very interesting and picturesque, better if it was not raining. (Grizzle)
Reflections of Norway
oving on from Maihauger we travelled on through some lovely country and the sun tried its best to break through, which it did for about half the day. We had a couple of photo stops, one by a lovely lake with reflections and one by a rushing stream in the afternoon.
Lovely Stave Church, Lom, Norway
e had lunch at Lom and photographed their lovely Stave Church (still in use) and the rushing river which runs through the town.
Timber Footbridge, Lom, Norway
here was a picturesque timber footbridge over the water which we photographed from the more stable road bridge. There was also a very interesting decorative fountain in the shopping centre which was made from wooden guttering which was formerly used to bring snow melt water down the mountain for irrigation of the farms.
Glacial River above Geiranger Fjord
uring the afternoon we started seeing patches of snow on the mountains, mostly glacial, judging by the colour of the river water but there were some large fields of fresh snow as we approached the hairraising hairpin bends of the road down to Geiranger Fjord.
Looking Down through the Mist to Geiranger Fjord
e stopped for the photo which appears on all the brochures and postcards but unfortunately ours will lack the lovely blues and greens as it was clouding over rapidly and had begun to rain by the time we reached Geiranger. So disappointing.
e had a cruise on the fjord for one and a half hours and tried to stay outside, but the wind was icy and it was still raining. It was good though, and comparisons to Milford Sound in NZ are not invidious. They are both lovely in their own ways.
View of Geiranger from our Window
ur hotel is really classy and our room has a picture window view of the fjord which is lovely. We had a great buffet dinner with all sorts of stuff, from seafood to chocolate truffles and back.
Mac is now snoring in consequence and we have another night here. Tomorrow we go up the Troll's Road which is supposedly even more hairraising than today's! Oh well, pray for fine weather!
Saturday 15th September, 2007
The Hairpin Bends of the Eagle's Road
he best laid plans went agley again as we headed up the Eagle's Road out of Geiranger. By the time we reached the little ferry across the next fjord Lene had received the news that the Troll's Road had been closed by heavy snow overnight. When we awoke the snow was down much further than yesterday, and it all looked rather grim, lovely but not the weather to gallivant around the mountains.
Early Winter Norway
o Lene and the driver devised a different route and we climbed up ever narrower and more twisty roads to a Hydro Lake, the Zachariasdamm, where there were great views.
Crossing the Nordfjord
e had a spectacular photo stop overlooking the gorge at Gulvrand....something,
then went back over the ferry to have lunch in a local café . Vegetable soup with sliced sausages (frankfurts) bread and a waffle. Simple and nice.
Seven Sisters Waterfall into Geiranger Fjord
hen back along the Eagle's Road where the snow had started piling up along the road but the view down into Geiranger was clearer than on the road out. We got some shots here.
We also got some of another fjord, Norrfjord earlier. It was a hugely scenic day despite everything and Lene paid for our lunch as a recompense for missing the Troll's Road.
t 1830 we gathered for complimentary drinks before dinner and were presented (along with several other couples) with a gift of appreciation for being previous Insight travellers. A double photo frame, a leather luggage label and a limited edition Insight badge.
Very nice.
Sunday 16th September, 2007
Stream Wearing Through the Rock, Norway
s Lene said this morning - "winter has arrived in Norway one month early"! The road into Geiranger is closed by snow, the Troll's Road is still closed, the only way out today was by ferry from Geiranger to Hellesylt, which was a very nice cruise, a lot longer than we went on our sightseeing cruise and, though raining, a much calmer sea and better views.
Glacier Between Hellesylt and Sognefjord
hen we arrived in Hellesylt we took a narrow road and drove through farms and woods and high mountains, rushing and bubbling with little streams and falls - lovely.
We had a sandwich lunch at Streyn and went on past even higher peaks, all newly snow covered, until we emerged from one of a honeycomb of swiss cheese like tunnels to stop for coffee at a view of a glacier with a little lake at its feet.
Glacier Lake
hrough more tunnels to the Sognefjord, where we took a ferry across the fjord to Laerdal, where we stay tonight. It was an interesting and very scenic day's touring in spite of the weather.
omorrow we have a three hour cruise, then a couple of hours on the Flam Railway - hope the weather is better.
Monday 17th September, 2007
Approaching the Naeroyfjord, Norway
ell, this has been a great day! The sun decided to shine and, while the wind blew strongly out on the deck and there was some cloud cover, our three hour trip down the Sogne and Naeroyfjords was great.
Ferry Dwarfed by the Fjord
he Naeroyfjord (Narrow fjord) especially was spectacular in the extreme. We took some photos but they could not do the scenery justice really, so we stopped and just enjoyed it.
It's Cold Out Here!
Engine of the Flam Train
fter we arrived at Gudbrand we met the bus and Wilfred again and travelled up to Flam, starting point of the very scenic Flam Railway. We had lunch and explored the souvenir shops and Mac visited the Railway Museum.
Waterfall on the Flam Railway
hen the highlight ride on the Flam Railway to Myrdal. This was extreme scenery!, especially the wonderful waterfall halfway up which has a free fall of 93 metres and is really big.
The train stops so you can get out to photograph it. It is wonderful.
Mac on the Flam Railway
hen we arrived at Myrdal we caught the Bergen/Oslo train to Voss, where Wilfred was waiting for us.
He whizzed us through umpteen road bridges (tunnels) into Bergen and our Hotel, the Radisson SAS Royal.
Tilting Medieval Warehouses, Bryggen, Bergen, Norway
ituated right on the historic Bryggen Hanseatic Waterfront, it is very convenient, except our room is rather remote.
e had a convivial dinner with Doug and Sharon and Wayne and Pat, two Canadian couples with whom we have really got on, especially Doug and Sharon, and enjoyed ourselves immensely.
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