travelogue: flåm, norway (part 2 of 3)

oslo to bergen involved three trains, a ferry, a bus and one overnight in flåm. 

trains from oslo to flåm

the second train to flåm is described as one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world and it certainly didn't disappoint. its picturesque views included rivers cutting through ravines, waterfalls down the sides of mountains and small villages on hillsides. 

it's a 20 km train ride but takes a couple of hours due to the terrain; one of the steepest railway lines in the world, taking you to the summit of myrdal mountain. we also learned this railway track is a feat of engineering because most of the work had to be done by hand! and we passed through 20 tunnels! that's pretty amazing.

overnight in flåm

we stayed at flåmsbrygga, a local craft beer restaurant/hotel located in the marina. we couldn't not stay here... a brewery and hotel in one! it's located in the cruise port of the tiny village of flåm where only about 300 people live.

we whiled away our afternoon walking and exploring, taking in the view of the fjords, and drinking beer... i was just as surprised as stefan that i was drinking beer on this vacay! the brewery restaurant uses their ægir beer in preparing their menu items, going into marinades and sauces. beer and food were top notch. 

while we didn't expect to be staying in a cruise port, it was definitely a beautiful one, sitting on norway's sognefjord.

* a note about scandinavian breakfasts ... they serve one of the most amazing spreads i've ever seen (yasuragi in sweden was similar): salmon, herring, shrimp, fish mousses and pâtés, varieties of cheese, ham, salami, cereals, yogurts, beets, tomatoes, eggs with caviar! i didn't know where to start and worse, i didn't know when to stop!  

ferry from flåm to gudvagen (the fjord!)

in the morning, we boarded an electric mini ship admiring the view without the sound of a diesel engine, it was smooth gliding... and freezing but we wouldn't budge from our front row seat to mother nature's art.

what a staggering part of the world... steep peaks rising up from the sea, still blue lakes, towering cliffs from both sides, waterfalls and small hamlets spread throughout. 

as we weaved through the fjords, aurlandsfjord to nærøyfjord, both part of the sognefjord, we couldn't help but be in awe of the place and the people living in those small villages... secluded, quiet and majestic. 

at 204 kilometers long and 1038 kilometers deep, the sognefjord, is the longest and deepest of all norway. its nærøyfjord arm is the narrowest of fjords, 250 metres wide at its narrowest, more than 1 km at its widest, and unesco has included it on its world heritage list.

it was pretty cool to see this picturesque, stunning, dramatic symbol of norway with our own eyes.

bus from gudvagen to voss + train from voss to bergen

at the end of the fjord cruise, we arrived in gudvangen, a small village from which we continued on with a bus trip, travelling down steep hairpin bends to voss. from voss, we boarded our final train ride.

this was the only pic i captured :)

next, our final destination, bergen... take a peek here!
before, our first stop, oslo... take a peek here!