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
We managed to put the flood aside and enjoy yet another spectacular day of weather –it was almost too hot. My few warm weather clothes are getting a workout while I have yet to use my down jacket, rain coat or umbrella.
As our hostel operators suggested, we drove from Bergen to Voss to Vik and then took the ferry to Helle and then drove through Sogndal, a bigger town, to this tiny village of Solvorn. En route, we stopped for lunch on the side of a two lane road running though a green valley with a road zigzagging up a mountain beside water crashing down some falls. Wow. In Vik, we stopped at a lovely old Stave church circa 1140, made of carved wood, with painted murals inside a rounded entrance.
Eplet Bed &Apple is a charming homey place. Our room is small but cheerful and has a spectacular view. There are mostly young people here , some from France, but also a Jewish family from central Pennsylvania. Two strange coincidences: we met a couple yesterday in Bergen from the Pennsylvania family’s town. Turns out it’s their dentist. And the mom of this family went to Grinnell for college.
We went down to the one business in town, a small cafe and store where they served surprisingly good Thai food, cooked by a Thai woman who usually cooks at a restaurant in Oslo. She is summering here. Another pleasant surprise: we can swim in the fjord. There are two little beaches and the water is not frigid. As dirck says, it kind of feels like we are in summer camp or Ithaca on vacation by the lake.
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.
At the glorious Louisiana Museum, a contemporary art museum about a 45 minute train ride north of Copenhagen, we chanced upon a huge exhibit of work by Gabrielle Munter, a German painter we didn’t think we knew. Except the portrait used for the brochure cover and the main poster looked familiar. Turns out it was on loan from the Des Moines Art Center! That was strange.
Loved everything about the museum – the setting (on an estate with lovely grounds high above the North Sea), the architecture (a lovely old country house with modern almost Japanese-style additions that wind here and there), the grounds (sweeping lawns, gardens, paths through the woods) and of course the contemporary art and sculpture. The cafe was lovely too. Good food and we sat outside at a table overlooking the water. We have had the most amazing weather.
Tonight we splurged at Relae, a restaurant run by one of the many Noma-trained chefs in this city. We sat at one of three tables overlooking the kitchen which was fascinating, with all the chefs and servers moving around in sync with each other. It felt like we were watching a culinary ballet. The food was one of a kind. All super fresh and locally sourced and unusual. We got the “Relae menu” which was a handful of small exquisite courses.
Our maiden flight on Norwegian air went well. Nice clean not to bare bones a plane for an economy carrier. No pillows or blankets but not sure we need anyway. Very young chipper English-sounding flight attendants. Not sure we needed the food either although it came when we paid extra for a seat assignment and checked luggage.
Too exhausted to write more. Dirck has already conked out on our bed in our high ceilinged room with the glorious view at Sortedam Dossering #27.
TakeBetsywithyou 