We're in the fjords?..Nor-Way!

Norway couldn’t have started off on a better foot or paddle I should say.  Our cruise stopped in four Norwegian ports; Gerainger, Olden, Flam and Bergen.  I was dead set on kayaking our first day in Gerainger.  Switching things up from our hikes.  It couldn’t have worked out more perfectly.  This was a tender port, which means that our ship can’t dock right at the port but rather sits in the middle of the water close by and tiny boats take passengers back and forth.  So crew of course are the last ones off of the ship, and when we got to the kayak rental place that we could see from the ship they were sold out.  This place was teeny tiny.  The main waterfront area had literally 5 stores and a campground.  I have no idea what people were doing on their shore excursions.  Imagine our boat with 3000 guests getting off and taking over the tiny village.  Anyways the kayak guys sent us down the road along the fjord to another rental spot.  We were in luck!!  Good thing that our guests on the ship are lazy because all it took was a 25 min walk to wind up in a kayak spot that was totally remote!  It was a great deal and we stayed out for a few hours on the water.  Waterfalls everywhere.  The water was pristine and it was just the most beautiful experience having the scenery all to ourselves.

Day 2: Sometimes when you want something done right you just have to do it yourself.  We hear there is a beautiful glacier in Olden but they want to charge us a lot of money to take the coach bus there.  Again a town so small I can’t believe they even have a public transit system- but they did and it took us right to the glacier!!!  Scandinavia is incredibly expensive so you have to be careful not to let it add up and go broke.  I was hoping for a more adventurous path/climb, or some side trails but unfortunately those did not exist and it was a short, mile walk up covered with tourists.  The glacier however was still beautiful.  And when you see the sign that says danger do not walk past sometimes you just have to ignore it and go touch the glacier. 

Good ol’ Flam!  Back to hiking!  We had a wonderful little group of 5 for the day.  We walked right off the boat, just down the road to the trailhead.  Lots of switchbacks and at one point the path stopped right a house that happened to have a goat farm.  So we had to walk up and asked permission to pass through.  Never have I even been so surrounded by a group of goats- it was a sight.   We didn’t get to finish the trail before we had to head back for the ship but it was gorgeous and on the way back, stopped at a house selling raspberries.  Fresh fruit, but also berries in particular are a serious find.  They are hard to get on the ship so I purchased a bushel and ate the entire thing to myself after my long day of hiking.  It was heaven.

Our very last day in Norway was in Bergen.  An actual city, and in fact one I would be very interested in returning to in the future.  It was a very short port for us and we were on a mission.  We had heard of this amazing antique shop that was a hoarders paradise and a clean freaks worst nightmare.  An absolute safety hazard to walk around in, but completely fascinating.  Ryan and I almost purchased a unique old cast iron waffle/pastry press to squish glass in but the prices were outrageous.  Like I’ve mentioned…Norway is not cheap.  There was a nice fisherman’s market along the water that had some amazing looking plates of food.  I was so disappointed that I didn’t have time to get a bite.  If I ever get back to Bergen, that will be on the list of things to do.  The seafood plates made your mouth water just looking at them.  We did stumble upon a neat little glass gallery.  It was some of the more tasteful blown glass I have seen in tourist areas.  Not sure if I have mentioned this before, but the word “probably” is used very frequently in Scandinavian advertising.  It can make for some of the most bizarre signage.  It’s all over billboards and business signs.  Probably the most passive advertisement I’ve ever seen.