Category Archives: 4) DESTINATIONS — not in U.S.

Playing post-vacation catch-up…

I’m at  Gatwick Airport in London, days after our drive to the Oslo airport, which turned out to be longer and more scenic than expected from Solvern. Most of it was on two lane roads past fjords, mountains, bucolic countryside. It took about six hours, in part due to traffic (This is prime vacation time for Norwegians.) and some bad road marking nearer to the airport, which led to a few wrong turns. About midway, we stopped at a gas station (in Hemsedal?) and discovered a surprisingly hygge cafe across the street where we had a great coffee and pastry and chatted with a Norwegian guy (he had three dogs in tow.) Found out we were in a popular ski area. He went to the U of Utah on a skiing scholarship and met his American wife there. They lived in the states for awhile. Now raising their kids in Norway.

Snow Road overlook at Stegastein scenic overlook

Unexpected art along the snow road

We tiptoed into the far more touristed area of the fjords than where we are — the area around Flam. I can see why it draws so many people – the scenery is more dramatic than Solvorn, with higher, tighter mountains lining the fjords. There also are lots of tourist amenities including the “Norway in a nutshell” train, buses and cruise ships. But I never found a place I wanted to stay more than pretty and relatively placid Solvorn, so that was good.

Cruising the Nærøyfjord

We did see some great scenery by taking the ferry cruise from Kaupanger to Gudvagen, a slow moving boat that glided along the sognefyord, the grand daddy of fjords here, and the Nærøyfjord, the particularly narrow and scenic fjord around Flam. We showed up at 8:30 a.m for the 9 am ferry, without a reservation and easily got on the ferry. Good to know, although I am told with later ferries its wise to book ahead. After the ferry, we drove to the remote village of Undredal, which was as lovely and unspoiled as we’d heard. Situated in a dramatic spot along the Nærøyfjord, the little village has a handful of businesses including one shop selling its famous goat cheese and goat sausage, which we ate for lunch at one of several handy picknic spots by the fjord and the one place to stay in

We passed quickly through Flam and Aurland, lots of people and tour buses. next stop, the spectacular Snow Road from Aurland to Lærdal, the highest road in Norway, we’re told, and not for the faint of heart. WE drove up and around and around the mountains, with one astonishing fjord view after another, and fortunately not too much oncoming traffic, since the road is basically one lane with some wide spots for passing. I was also relieved that there were guardrails. We stopped at the stegastein platform that stretches out over the mountain, which was packed with selfie-stick clad tourists but most of them did not continue on as we did to the really high and barren stretch of the Snow Road, which felt very lunar with occasional pools of ice water and stretches of deep snow. We stopped at one overlook and walked into a strange cave -looking entrance that we thought might be a toilet.Turned out to be an art installation — a fake bear sleeping atop a pile of random stuff. That was a surprise.

After shopping at the bigger grocery store in the bigger town of Sogndal,  we happily returned to our sweet little village, took another swim in the frigid fjord and made dinner (grilled cheese for dirck, smoked salmon, snofisk cream cheese and crackers for me…the other guests at Eplet make far

We keep it quick and simple.with fresh strawberries or raspberries at every meal.) Right now, at almost 10 p.m. (and broad daylight) I am writing this from a cozy Danish modern chair in the Eplet common room. An American mother and daughter are sitting nearby and a Scandinavian couple. A French couple with a little girl have moved on. Another couple is drinking beer and quietly playing scrabble. Some American and French kids are playing croquet on the lawn beside the sprinklers shooting water on the garden. New age and Jazz is playing softly. I look up and out the window: Tree covered mountains sloping down to the blue water. Sunshine and shades on the slopes.

Picnic in urdendral

Top of the world in rainy (not) Bergen

The weather is astonishingly gorgeous, considering that it rains most of the days in this lovely city by the sea. We walked ourselves silly today, often uphill on brick streets lined with old pristine white wooden houses. After coffee and a pastry at a little coffee house (that was the name), we took the funicular although with many other tourists as well as young members of a school band, toting their instruments, to the top of Floyet, a wooded mountain top with spectacular views looking out onto the harbor. After the band played a rousing number ( one of our favorites) by The group Portugal The Man, we walked about a mile down and around the mountain, through the sun- dappled woods, with moss-covered tree stumps and then into town.

This afternoon we walked out to another gorgeous neighborhood Nordes and a pretty park. It’s very hilly, with rough brick pavements, and unfortunately my knees and heel are giving me some trouble. But even Dirck was hobbling on the way back.

Tonight was our last splurge “new-Nordic” dinner (neo-fjords really) at Lysverket, in the Kords museum area. The food was outstanding and great service and atmosphere. Not as “out there” as Relae in Copenhagen and larger portions. We had a delicious seafood broth served beside a bowl with two shrimp dumplings, well prepared white fish (which restored my faith in fish after last night’s bad stuff) that was crispy on outside and moist inside, full of flavor and accompanied by various unrecognizable but flavorful things. Dirck had some delicious broccolini with spring onions and egg yolks and some sort of delicious pork dish. We really loved this city and our Airbnb in the attic of an old old white wooden house in Bryggen, the historic area, was perfect.