TRAVEL. NORWAY
Bergen to Oslo via the Scenic Route
A ferry ride up the Sognefjord
My wife and I spent three weeks in Sweden and Norway. The last leg of the journey began with a short flight from Oslo to Bergen, a port city on the Atlantic coast of Norway. We spent a few days there exploring the town, enjoying the views and the local cuisine. A ridiculously steep tram took us to the top of Fløyen, where I took the photo above.
Norway has a very extensive and sophisticated ferry system. We said goodbye to Bergen and cruised North between several islands for about 75 km. It was stormy with rain squalls for the first hour, but the ferry had some tasty snacks and drinks to keep us occupied. We then headed east into the Sognefjord. The mouth to the fjord was wide and the hills were low and rounded. The rain magically abated, so we went out on the front observation deck:
As we traveled east the fjord got narrower. The mountains began to get steeper. We passed picturesque little towns along the way:
After a four-hour ride, we stopped at Balestrand, a little town where the fjord splits off in two directions. We spent two nights there at the Kviknes Hotel, enjoying an unexpected level of old-world service and hospitality.
We hired a guide to show us around in his inflatable boat. He made us wear these safety suits, in case my wife and I decided to jump in. I felt like the Michelin tire man, although they were actually quite comfortable.
In that northern climate, about the only crops that thrive are apples, pears and berries. We enjoyed several meals and cider tastings at the Ciderhuset, where they make their own cider and brandy.
From Balestrand we took a fairly short ferry ride down a tributary of the main fjord called Aurlandsfjord. The fjord got deeper and more narrow. The scenery continued to astound us:
We arrived in the little town of Flåm, disappointed to see a large cruise ship. It just seemed wrong. Fortunately, they were boarding and getting ready to leave. It’s hard to imagine how this village of about 350 people can accommodate a cruise ship.
We rode a shuttle van a little out of town up a twisting narrow switchback, to a place called Stegastein viewpoint. It is a viewing platform at 650 m (over 2000 feet) above the fjord.
Here we were on the last full day of our journey. The weather was perfect. We have always had good luck while traveling. But then this:
The next morning we boarded the Flåm Line, a train so steep it was a little bit scary. We got off at the Myrdal station, elevation 867 m (2800 ft).
We boarded the train for Oslo, a 4 1/2 hour ride, downhill all the way. It was a smooth and quiet ending to our adventure.
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