FjordCruise #2 May 9

An early start, as we said last night - to be at the bus station by 07:25 means being away from our attic by 06:45 (that still sounds painful and we're back now). The dip in temperature doesn't help but we are on our way. 

Eric is raring to go. 

Do you notice something - Eric is in bus shelter in the bus station, which is actually undercover anyway! We do wonder why they felt the need.

On the bus, in the pound seats at the front with the driver, and we pull off 5 seconds ahead of schedule, but we are happy with that. Almost as soon as we hit the outskirts of town it's straight into a tunnel that seems to go on forever (actually it's 3.8Km which, at about 2.5 miles in real distance, makes the Brynglas tunnels on the M4 at Newport even more pathetic). 

Our destination is Norheimsund, which is on the Hardanger fjord. We have to go over a high part of the Bergen hinterland, and consequently it also passes through a lot more tunnels (I could provide the lengths of all these too but will resist - boring I hear you scream). As we are able to see the driver's dashboard we spot the temperature is dropping from the balmy 7 degrees at the bus station to just 2 degrees as we pass the plateaux. It's very obviously cold, as through the trees we see a lake and on second glance we note is actually just a sheet of ice. Doesn't quite look thick enough to skate on though, or at least we wouldn't like to try.

From here we quickly drop down to sea level and are soon aboard the boat. The weather has brightened and we are in cold sunshine again. 

Eric has a quick check of the harbour before ensuring the captain knows where he is going

As is generally the case on these Norway Nutshell tours, we are using the regular fjord transport and so it has a number of ports of call. 

First up is Herand and then to Utne below.

Another  check on the directions and we are into the Sjorforden arm of the fjord heading for Lofthus. 

Along the shore here are the apple and cherry orchards that this area is known for (not by me, but I'm sure other people may have paid more attention to the marketing department). It's pretty amazing that they can grow anything other than sheep on these steep slopes, and are even using tractors to spray the crop. I bet the health and safety guys haven't been told about this practice. 

At Lofthus

 we stop at the regular quay to collect a few stragglers and then next it's to a swanky looking hotel that has it's own dock where we pick up a party of about 60 travellers of fairly advanced age. We think it's going to get crowded at the waterfall viewpoint but discover they are not going that far as they have to have lunch at a restaurant opposite the Hardangerdidda visitor centre, which is where we are due to stop first when we eventually disembark from the boat and jump on a sightseeing bus at Eidfjord.

Back momentarily to the watery bit; as we motor along the villages on the shore all look very smart in the sunshine - this one is Kinsarvik.

Further on we have a view of a new suspension bridge, which we are reliably informed (and with great pride) is longer than the Golden Gate Bridge.  As interesting as that fact is, there seems to be a bit of an issue, the bridge appears to have no roads accessing it, it just stands between the two sides of the steep-sided fjord. As we approach we can see that the roads emerge straight from their respective tunnels out of the cliff onto the bridge. Doubly interesting is that on the northern side we are told there is a roundabout inside the mountain where 2 roads meet. Useless fact  - one arm of this tunnel is 7.5km long. 

As we head on to Ulvik and then the final port of Eidfjord we pass some splendid views that I doubt our pictures do justice to. 

The boat docks and we once again bag the front seats on the first leg of the sightseeing tour to the nature centre.  

Passing some very grand scenery along the way, at the visitor centre a guide welcomes us in and we are directed to a cinema to watch a twenty minute film about the area.   It's on a wrap-around wide screen in several sections, and it is as if you are on the helicopter flying over the landscape, all set to some stirring music.  The 'flight' makes our stomachs drop away at times as they fly over the cliff edge following a waterfall and other such jolly japes. Good job we hadn't had our lunch yet.  We are then herded through three exhibition halls with some interesting bits and pieces (but generally too many people for the amount of space). 

There was a room full of fish tanks, some of which were very pretty.

Eric photo bombs our first reindeer picture but we manage to exclude him from the next. Eric says he just wanted to say hello to the local wildlife even though we did inform him that they are in fact, stuffed. 

We finally manage to escape through a gap in the people and head outside. Unlike the people from the posh hotel, who are going to the restaurant, we have to slum it outside with our picnic.  Really we think this is preferable as it is not raining and the sun is still making a breakthrough, but we are glad that we put four layers of clothing on for just such an event.

Back on the bus it's up to the Voringsfossen waterfall at the Fossi hotel. They are making some serious alterations to improve access to, and visibility of, the waterfall, as it is supposedly one of Norway's premiere attractions. To be fair it is pretty spectacular even though the water is rather a dirty brown colour where it's coming off the top of the plateau.

It starts snowing! A quick retreat to the warmth of the bus and a return journey to Eidfjord then the boat to Ulvick, where we get off this time. 

A view of our fjord boat from the bus.

We are told our bus will arrive shortly, which it does.  However, about ten minutes into what was billed as being a fifty five minute ride, the driver informed us that we would have to change buses in a place called Granvin, and that would be in about ten minutes.  This was a bit of a surprise to all the 'nutshellers' on the bus, and especially to the American family who had all their luggage with them (and boy did they have some luggage!).  Not only that, but the snow had turned to rain. Consequently we arrived at Voss, where we were to pick up the train back to Bergen, a little later than expected.  Given their tight scheduling we thought we might miss the connection, but as usual, needn't have worried.  

As we had done this journey in the opposite direction on Fjord Cruise #1, we remembered to sit on the right-hand side for the journey back, and were rewarded with some of the views we'd missed last time.

Another long day. Dinner is a delicious omelette with tasty new potatoes.  Soon to retire to bed.

There's a Little Fishy in a Little Dishy When the Boat Comes In

As might be surmised from the blog title, there is a maritime feel to today's adventures.  Another fairly leisurely start to the day, including the usual muesli and fruit filled breakfast.  Opening the blinds revealed there was not a cloud in the sky. Opening the velux windows revealed there was a bitterly cold wind to go with that sunshine.  I think two layers of jumper may be needed. Sandwiches packed, more fruit in the bag and Eric can't wait for the off.

We have to take the light rail to the centre and then catch a bus to Sandvikstorget to reach our first destination, The Norwegian Fisheries Museum (free with the Bergen Card). There are four exhibition areas to peruse. The young lady on reception  suggested the two films were good to watch if we had the time, and we were glad that we did as they were presented in quite an unusual manner. The first was a story of a fishing community and how things had changed over the years, but it was presented across three adjoining screens and through conversations between three generations of a family, all of whom were fishermen.  It was like you were in the room with them.  This was interspersed with other footage - very informative with a personal touch.  The other film related to fur seal hunting and fur products, discussing the whole business based around it and how the decision was made to close the operation down in Bergen following the Greenpeace protests. This was again told in quite a personal way interspersed with additional related footage. 

Eric leads the way to the displays.

First, some video exhibits combined with the odd artefact and sea creatures that Eric enjoyed interacting with.

Then it's time to 'put your face in the sea creature', Eric chose a few different ones but decided that he liked being a squid Eric the best.

On the next floor there were some pretty cool interactive exhibits 

This one was a set of rather cute animated films that told the story behind each of three economically important fish, and the whale.  To start the animation you placed one of the stuffed animals on a weighing scales and then turned a wheel to progress the historical timeline.

Doh! You've put the fish on the scale before the whale animated film has finished 

That's better.

Now for the cod wars

View out from museum

Eric avoided the final exhibition spaces as they were telling the story of the stock fish warehouses in Bergen, and had some extremely smelly dried fish on display.

After visiting the museum shop and deciding that we wouldn't be able to get the giant halibut shaped cushion home we picked some smaller purchases and looked for a sheltered place to have lunch.  Outside the museum and down the dockside we find a picnic table conveniently situated behind a shed that is out of the wind.  Although there are several other benches around, this is the only one where we are sitting in sunshine and very little wind.  We had had to wend our way through what looked like a school group on some kind of training day, with some children busy pumping the chest of a resuscitation doll, others with life jackets on. Luckily they did not seem to be having their lunch there. Other people came out after us and we're enviously eyeing up our spot. 

Eric enjoying his lunch.

As we were eating a man popped up from behind a boat not far in front of the table. He was in the middle of renovating the small boat he had bought last week. After we had finished our lunch he mentioned that it was a good place to sit out of the wind - he had moved the picnic bench there the day before so he could have his lunch! We were ready to move on anyway, and he seemed very pleasant. 

The view from the end of the docks.

View back towards the Fisheries Museum from our (or the boatman' s) picnic spot.

Back on the bus into town, next stop - The Maritime Museum (also free with the Bergen Card). After alighting from the bus we have to climb back up the steps in front of St John's Church where we came down the other day.  Find that the Maritime Museum is half-price today, so we are not having such a big benefit from the Bergen Card as we thought we were, but Hey Ho, such is life.

This museum is very boat based, as you might expect.  There are replicas, or should I say scale models, of many different boats, from Viking times to modern day. 

The Viking ship models are very beautiful.

There are also some real bits of ships that you can step inside.

One of the so-called Tall Ships, or what they are calling a training ship, including a radio room.

The saloon of a steamship where Eric wonders if he can call home.

Plus a mock up of a deck area, with some great views (even without the telescope).

Just as we are leaving Eric finds a rocking boat to play on. Come on Eric the museum is just about to close.

What's next on the agenda we wonder, perhaps enough of the sea today and time for some retail therapy at the jewellery shop and bakery on the Bryggen.

Purchases made we decide that even though it's cold, the sunshine warrants another ride on the funicular to the top of Floyen (spelt differently really but no O with a line through it is immediately available so thought we'd be improper).  The views really are very good from up here,

 as is the cake we purchased earlier, partly eaten already!

Funnily enough we seem to be somewhat protected from the wind on the viewing platform and sit for a while, ruminating.  There's still time left for a few purchases from the souvenir shop (no we didn't buy any trolls), plus a walk along a different route to the lake we visited last time we were here.  There are no numbered runners here today and arriving at the lake we seem to have it mostly to ourselves.  

They provide the barbecues for you up here.

Throw me a burger and a match will you? 

Time to head off now, back to the ranch and prepare for the morrow. It's our second fjord Tour day, with a very early start - the bus leaves the bus station at 7:30 in the morning.