norwegian fjords

We set aside an entire day to explore the fjords.  If we knew the weather was going to be so perfect while we were there, we would have loved to plan a longer trip and camp, but instead we chose to do the scenic Flåmsbana train journey and then a ferry tour through Sognefjord.

We headed out of our flat around around 6:00 am to walk to the Bergen train station, backpack and baby in tow.  As we settled in on a bench in the train station, I spotted and cafe and Marco reluctantly agreed to go grab us some lattes.  "Rebecca, they are going to be like $10 apiece."  "Just go check please, I said" knowing full well he wasn't going to say no to a sleep deprived Mama.  He walked back with a grin on his face and two cups in hand.  They were only a fiver.

We boarded the train with all the backpackers fashioned in the latest gear and boots.  I was envious.  It would have been cool to be setting off on a multiple day fjords adventure, but I looked down at my sweet and fussy eight month old and was just as happy to be setting out on the full day we had planned - despite being up all night with her.

Our journey started with a train journey from Bergen, through the countryside to Myrdal.  In Myrdal we changed trains.  We boarded what looked like a Wes Anderson film set.  The Flåmsbana, an old fashioned yet mint looking train has a British racing green exterior. "One of the World's most beautiful train journeys" was painted down the side.  The interior was wood paneled with brass fixtures and huge windows.

The train took us through mountains and small towns, stopping at waterfalls, to the base of Sognefjord - the village of Flåm.

Flåm is the setting off point for many different fjord excursions. Ferries, speedboats, kayaks, cruise liners.  We had a few beers at the brewery and then enjoyed a picnic.  I decided to focus on the unreal natural surroundings and ignore my urge to hit the shops to purchase matching Norwegian sweaters for the family.

We boarded the ferry and took a spot on the sunny side of the deck.  We cracked some of our grocery bought Beavertown neck oil beers and basked in the sun.  Simone finally passed out on me and slowly but surely everyone around mestarted moving to explore different vantage points from the ferry.  Marco periodically checked back with me, camera in hand, "Babe! The views on the other side are insane!"  I felt a bit cheated having to stay put but was happy to enjoy my one-side-of-the-boat views as long as the rascal was finally sleeping. (We were vindicated on our journey home that day when I discovered that her first, razor sharp, tooth cut through.)

We were able to enjoy the views as a family once Simone awoke from her slumber.  The Sognefjord ferry tour was about 3 hours.  Again, while we were envious of the kayakers and hikers we saw along the way, I think the ferry was more our speed at that time.

We debarked in Gudvangen and enjoyed the viking boats for a few before boarding a bus that was about to take us on a death defying road journey through steep mountains full of cliffs and switchbacks.  Marco did not mention nor prepare me for such a ride. Passed out teething baby on my lap, I tried to laugh it off as I shot him, "Are you kidding me with this?" glares.

A long day, but well worth it for the epic scenery.  I try to do it justice with the photos below. Norway is an incredible part of the world.

bergen, norway

We spent a long weekend in Norway, using Bergen as a home base, and taking the train from there to explore the Norwegian fjords.

Bergen! Known as the Seattle / Pacific Northwest of Scandinavia. (← A sentence I just made up.) This was our first time to Norway or any Scandinavian country.  I have been a fan of the culture + design for quite a while.

We bused it from the airport and strolled our not-even-crawling-yet Simone (the good ol' days) to our Airbnb apartment. The strikingly handsome owner of the apartment was packing up for a water skiing weekend at the cabin with his brahs.  (It was going to be in the 70-80's F and sunny for the next several days, a rarity, so the locals were acting like it was Christmas morning.  We bonded with him over his American rock vinyl collection and pointed out a Wilco playbill on the wall - Wolftrap, Vienna, Virginia.  "Omg, were you at that show?!" "Uhhh, no, I like Wilco and bought it on the internet." We explained to him that we were at that very show, and are in fact from Virginia.  Handsome Norwegian was not as impressed with this coincidence as I was. He proceeded to tell us how to work the washing machine and to eat anything in the fridge while I was still obsessing over ... Wilco! Wolftrap! Huh ... what a small world.

That evening we wandered down to the port and then took the funicular up to see the vista views over the city and hang out before dinner.

Norway is a notoriously expensive country to visit.  For meals, we often picnicked with grocery store items and beer. Bergen has an amazing fish market - fresh smoked salmon, salmon rolls, fish soup, crab legs, clams. Everything we sampled was amazing.  We loved to grab take-away food from the market and head to a park with our grocery store brews in tow.

The first night there we decided to ($$$ against our original plan $$$) plant ourselves at a microbrew bar in the old town and enjoy multiple drinks while we people watched and watch the sun set.  We started noticing an abnormally high amount of metal t-shirts on almost every person around the old town. Come to find out Metallica were in town that night, playing an outdoor venue in the fort ruins, just several hundred yards down the hill from our flat.  We fell asleep to the sweet calming drums of Lars Ulrich that night.

Below is a round up of the few lazy days we spent in Bergen.  Overload of Simone photos, so little! Fjords post / photos up next.