I took a ferry ride on two of Norway’s main fjords last weekend: the Sognefjord, the King of the Fjords, and the Hardangerfjord, the Queen of the Fjords. As I transited to western Norway, I took two trains through some spectacular countryside.
After my Uber fiasco Saturday morning, I took a train from Oslo to Myrdal, which was about 5 hours. It went through some stunning landscape, including up into the mountains. When I saw snow, I wanted to get out and play! In Myrdal, I transferred to the Flamsbana, or Flam Railway, which is a train ride between Myrdal and Flam (21 km). It takes about an hour and is supposed to offer some of the most scenic views. Which it did, but half of the time it traveled through tunnels, so that was disappointing. At one spot, there was a massive waterfall and the train stops so we can all get out onto a platform to see it and take photos. The spray was pretty intense. During this time music started playing and a dancing woman in a red dress came into view up above the waterfall!
I then took a ferry from Flam to Bergen on the Sognefjord. That was also 5.5 hours. So on Saturday I traveled from 6:25am – 9:00pm! The Sognefjord is called the King of the Fjords because it is the largest and deepest fjord in Norway. At the outer ring, the surrounding cliffs are about 1600 feet above the sea, but in the inner area they are about 5200 feet! I wasn’t sure how different the fjords would feel, but this one definitely felt like “the King”!
After checking into my Airbnb (with a lovely host), I got something to eat and went to bed, but not before doing some online research for the day ahead. Knowing that the Hardanger region is known for its cider making (and the ENTIRE reason I was so intent on booking this ferry trip!), I wanted to see the cider farms opening hours, etc. My ferry ticket was to Ulvik, which is where one find the “Fruit and Cider route.” I intended to rent a bike, which you are supposed to be able to do, and bike to three cider farms. Awesome!
Except my ferry trip was on a Sunday. None of them, including the bike rental place were open on Sundays. It reminded me of what my Airbnb host said: not even grocery stores are open on Sundays. So I was regretting my second fjord tour, instead of time spent in Bergen. Because with my flight Monday morning, I was not going to be able to see the town at all. But I tried to keep a positive mindset until I got to Ulvik.
I got off the ferry (along with, I think one couple, and that’s it) and was looking for a place to have lunch. I saw not much. But there was a tourist shop that was open, so I asked in there. He seemed put out to have to do his job and gave me one word answers. Basically, nothing is open but one cafe will open at noon. Awesome. I had 5 hours to kill with absolutely nothing to do!
I walked around a little before deciding to spend time in the cemetery. It was a pretty lovely cemetery, actually, so that ate up some time so I was not knocking down the door of the cafe right at noon! I ordered lunch and sat on their deck, facing the fjord for most of the afternoon. I caught up on blogging, listened to music, and read on my Kindle. All in all, it could have been worse!
The Hardangerfjord is known for, obviously, the fruit trees, and waterfalls! The cliffs were not as steep, either. So it seemed like a more “delicate” fjord; more “queenly.” Sognefjord was more impressive like thunder, whereas Hardangerfjord was more beautiful.
Unfortunately, I never got ANY cider from Norway on this trip. I had tried to purchase some Hardanger cider in Oslo on my first night at the grocery store, but they stop selling at 8:00pm and it was 8:05pm. So she had to make sure I did not commit that capital offense. Then I never saw any in a restaurant and the fruit and cider route went bust. I even looked at the airport because while I have never bought something at duty free, if they had had it there, I absolutely would have!
On the ferry ride back from Ulvik, I also started contemplating changing my flight, so I could spend more time in Bergen – which I ultimately did. And I am glad I did. Not only because I got to see the city, but because my SAS flight out of Bergen was delayed 30 mins and with only a 65-min layover in Copenhagen, I am confident I would not have made that flight and would have sat at the airport until 6:30pm (from about noon). This way I had a direct flight and got to use my time well.
My Airbnb host graciously agreed to hang onto my bags while I checked out the town and then agreed to meet me at 2:45 before I had to catch the airport bus. When we met in the AM, he suggested I go up the mountain then (instead of at the end of the day, which was my plan) because he had just seen two cruise ships come in. So, as the good traveler I am, I took the local’s advice and went up the funicular straight away. It was a gorgeous view over the city. Just beautiful. When I came down, I saw that he wasn’t wrong. The line was down the block!
Then I walked to the other side of town to St. John’s church, which was supposed to be this great red, brick Gothic revival church, but when I got over there I saw that the entire church was covered in scaffolding. Ugh! So then I just wandered. Bergen has a lot of street art, which I photographed when I saw it, but I did not have time to research it online or follow a map or anything. I had lunch at the fish market at the harbor and had some of the best shrimp I think I have ever had!
Then I went to Bryggen – a historical district on the harbor. This was an entirely wooden neighborhood in Bergen – one of Europe’s oldest port cities. There was also an office of the Hanseatic League established here in 1350. (The Hanseatic League, according to Wikipedia…I did not have time for the museum…was a medieval commercial and defensive confederation of merchant guilds and market towns in Europe. It seems like an early Freemasons to me!). Anyway, Bryggen is now a UNESCO world heritage site. They are even still working on some of the buildings.
That concluded my sight-seeing because I needed to get a new bag. My checked luggage is overweight, and my carryon duffel cannot be checked. So I found a place online to get a new roller bag that I can check, if needed. I didn’t know this place was in a mall! But I hauled butt to the store, bought the bag, and met my Airbnb host to get my things, caught the bus, and my flight to the Faroes! Bergen was definitely my favorite part of Norway, but the competition was not stiff.
torrie's travels 