Day 17 - Baltic Jewels & the Midnight Sun: Eidfjord, Norway

 Eidfjord, Norway – Monday, July 11

Once again, I turn to Wikipedia for a bit of information about Eidfjord, today's port.  Eidfjord is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway.  The administrative center of the municipality is the village of Eidfjord, where the majority of the municipal population lives. The other major population center in the municipality is the village of Øvre Eidfjord.  Eidfjord is situated at the end of the Eid Fjord, an inner branch of the large Hardangerfjorden. The village of Eidfjord is a major cruise ship port of call. Eidfjord has several tourist sites, like the Sima Power Plant, which is built into the mountain itself, the Måbødalen valley, and the Vøringsfossen waterfall, which has a free fall of 597 feet. Large parts of the Hardangervidda (Europe's largest mountain plateau) are located in Eidfjord. 

 Eidfjord is the 341st most populous municipality in Norway, with a population of 906, most of whom live in the Village of Eidfjord. 

Sailing in early in the morning

Early Morning Arrival

Village of Eidfjord

Today's excursion takes us to the village of Flåm for a ride on the Flåm Scenic Railway.  Here's how Viking describes it:

"Marvel at Norway’s stunning beauty during a full-day excursion to Flåm, one of its most scenic coastal villages. You will find the countryside as breathtaking as your destination as you ride by motor coach from the pristine shores of Hardangerfjord to Sognefjord, crossing scenic mountain passes and driving through manmade tunnels along the way. Enjoy traveling through picturesque woodland to the spectacular Tvinde Waterfall cascading down the steep cliffside. After a short stroll in the fresh air to get close to the waterfall, we will continue our drive to Flåm. Then, board the Flåm Railway for a thrilling experience as you climb nearly 3,000 feet through 20 tunnels and over numerous bridges. Change trains at Myrdal and continue through more spectacular vistas, alighting in Voss, set amid snowcapped mountains, forests, lakes and rivers. Stop for a delicious lunch at its famous hotel before returning to your ship through more beautiful scenery via motor coach."

The village of Flåm has been a tourist destination since the late 19th century, receiving almost 450,000 visitors a year. Most ride the 12.6 mile Flåm Line between Flåm and Myrdal, one of the steepest railway tracks in the world. 

A branch line of the Bergen Line, the Flåm Line runs through the valley of Flåmsdalen and connects the mainline with Sognefjord. The line's elevation difference is 2,841 feet.  It has ten stations, twenty tunnels and one bridge. The maximum gradient is 5.5 percent (1:18). Because of its steep gradient and picturesque nature, the Flåm Line is now almost exclusively a tourist service and has become the third-most visited tourist attraction in Norway.

Construction of the line started in 1924, with the line opening in 1940. At first El 9 locomotives were used, and from 1982, El 11. Until 1991, the train connected with a ferry service from Flåm to Gudvangen. In 1992, freight services were terminated, and due to low ticket prices and high operating costs, the line was nearly closed.  We were delighted to be able to ride this gem.

Norbert, Our Guide for the Day

Norbert was a fascinating man and a truly great guide.  He told us he was from Belgium originally, but he has lived in Norway for 49 years.  "My feet are in Belgium, but my head and my heart are in Norway."  When asked why he chose Norway, he told us he came "for the wages" which are much higher in Norway.  He was a physical therapist and is mostly retired now, doing the guiding and taking on a few patients here and there.

Hardanger Bridge

Closer View of the Hardanger Bridge

Leaving Eidfjord, we had to cross the Hardanger Bridge.  You enter and exit the bridge through long tunnels on either side of the fjord.  The Hardanger Bridge is Norway's longest suspension bridge, with a length of more than 4500 feet. The Vallavik and Bu Tunnels are just under five and over 1 mile long, respectively.

Mountainside Farms

Tvindefossen (Twin Waterfall)

Tvindefossen is a waterfall in Voss, where we stopped for photos and just a break from the long bus ride to Flåm.  The many-stranded waterfall is 381 feet high and is formed by a small Kroelvi stream, tumbling over a receding cliff.  It is famous for its beauty.  

Jeff made a video of the waterfall

In addition, in the late 1990s, the water at Tvindefossen acquired a reputation for being a fountain of youth.  Norbert says, "I don't believe it.  I tried it, and it did nothing for me."

It was a beautiful sight, and my feeble photographs don't do it justice.  I also was enamored with the lupine and daisies that were growing wild near the stream.

Linda, the photographer

Back aboard the bus, we traveled on to our luncheon stop at a hotel in Stalheim.  Lunch was served buffet style, and I doubt that anyone was overly impressed by the food, and I know that folks were not happy with the beverages.  We sat at tables where a collection of bottles had been placed (not even a whole bottle of anything per person).  Each table had a single bottle of beer along with a couple of variety of sodas, and a bottle of sparkling water.  I heard one of the "loud mouthed" guys (there have been a few on this trip) say loudly to a waitress, "So we just have to fight over the beer?"  What a boorish thing to say!  

Anyway, Jeff and I had a bit to eat and then went outside to wander the grounds - which were quite beautiful.  I was immediately drawn to the flowers in the courtyard.

I mentioned the earthen roofs before - we saw them in Tromso - but I had a hard time photographing them.  There was a structure here at the hotel that had an earthen roof, giving me an opportunity to get an up close look.

An example of a torvtak (turf top)

This style of roof can last over 30 years!  A sod roof, or turf roof, is a traditional Scandinavian type of green roof covered with sod on top of several layers of birch bark on gently sloping wooden roof boards. Our guides have indicated that sod is a reasonably efficient insulator in a cold climate, and the layers of birch bark underneath ensure that the roof will be waterproof. The primary purpose of the sod is to hold the birch bark in place.  The materials for a sod or turf roof are readily available and cost nothing, but creating such a roof is very labor-intensive.  Scandinavians generally invite neighbors to participate in a roofing party - similar to barn raising in the US.  

Scenic overlook at the hotel in Stalheim

After about an hour or so at the hotel, we all boarded our bus for the ride to Flåm for the "main event" - the ride on the scenic Flåmsbana.  The Flåm Line (Norwegian: Flåmsbana) is a 12.6-mile-long railway line between Myrdal and Flåm in Norway. A branch line of the Bergen Line, it runs through the valley of Flåmsdalen and connects the mainline with Sognefjord. The line's elevation difference is 2,841 feet; it has ten stations, twenty tunnels and one bridge. The maximum gradient is 5.5 percent (1:18). Because of its steep gradient and picturesque nature, the Flåm Line is now almost exclusively a tourist service and has become the third-most visited tourist attraction in Norway.

The views were - once again - spectacular (or Flåmtastic, as somebody on our train quipped)!  Again, it is difficult to capture the scale and scope of the steep cliffs with cascading waterfalls, one right after the other, punctuated by verdant valleys.  Although Norway is experiencing a third year of drought, you wouldn't know it.  Norbert told us that snowfall has been light - by Norwegian standards - for the past three years.  It has been felt mostly by the increased electric prices due to lower production from Norway's hydroelectric power plants.  A British woman that I spoke with over lunch told me that one of her friends, who lives in Stalheim has seen her bills increase 800 percent!  

When we arrived in Myrdal, we had about a twenty-minute wait for a second train - a commuter train - that would take us back to Vos, where our bus awaited to whisk us back to our ship in Eidfjord.  

Our train crew wait along with us

Our train - Vossebanen

At last, we boarded our train back to Vos, an uneventful and not very scenic journey.  Once back in Vos, we boarded the motorcoach for the ride back to Eidfjord and the Viking Mars.  Of course, there was one more waterfall along the way.

Back through the tunnels, where Jeff snapped several pictures, and over the bridge between.

Inside the tunnel

Over the Hardanger Bridge

Back into Eidfjord

We weren't back in our stateroom for more than 10 minutes when we glanced out the veranda sliders and saw a seaplane landing.

Seaplane landing just outside our veranda

What a wonderful day!  We topped things off with a delicious dinner in the main restaurant and then a nightcap and guitar music in the explorer's lounge.  We walked back to the Aquavit Terrace to capture a spectacular sunset.

Good night from Eidfjord!

Tomorrow takes us to Stavanger, Norway