It has occurred to me that before I head off on my big summer adventure to Alaska I really ought to post some pictures of the other corner of the north I explored, the fjords of Norway. So let’s go on a little adventure, shall we?
As I said in earlier, I based myself in Bergen for the few days I was in Norway, but one of those days was doing a tour of the fjords “in a nutshell,” meaning a long-ish day including a train ride, a bus ride, and a public ferry ride in and out of the fjords. The first was the Nærøyfjord- a UNESCO protected site that is the narrowest of the fjords, and in fact the inspiration for the location of Arendelle in Disney’s Frozen–
Here is the thing about the fjords in Norway- they are massive, and majestic, and no amount of pictures you attempt to take to capture the grandeur of what you’re seeing actually capture it. The tiny-looking boat in the above picture is actually another large, two-story ferryboat, yet looks like a child’s toy in a bathtub.
It’s incredible. Eventually this narrow fjord gives way to another fjord, still wide but still impressive, with waterfalls perched all over the cliffs and little towns here and there the ferry visits…
Eventually you get off at one of the little villages, as the railway meets up with it to eventually head back to Bergen. The sort of little town built for tourists where you feel like you ought to walk around and see it for a change… or you can find a sunny spot to sit with your lunch, enjoy the sun on your back, and drink in the view. Because everyone can travel, but half the trick in learning to travel well is knowing at what moments to stay still and enjoy what you have.
I could have sat on that sunny bank for a much longer time, but the railway back to Bergen was a great consolation prize. You go so high up the passes still had an impressive amount of snow in the beginnings of summer!
Norway was an incredible corner of the world, and let’s just say Alaska has a lot to live up to. I will give more details about that adventure soon!
Where is Yvette? 