norway's fjords

our trusty fjord cruiser

laurel having a sonja henie moment

emil having an eddie the eagle moment 

a real viking ship

the boat the norwegians used to capture the south pole

one of the many waterfalls in fjord country

what $15 gets you in norway

our cabin in flam

hiking the fjords

laurel says:

norway is crazy beautiful.  while oslo has some interesting sites to see- including the iceberg inspired opera house, polar exploration museum, viking ship museum and the holmekellen ski jump- it is mother nature that is the real draw.  the fjords are simply stunning.  only problem is, few can a-fjord to see them.  norway is the most expensive country in the world and definitely takes the cake for priciest stop on our trip.  we did the classic 'norway in a nutshell' trip that takes you by scenic train from oslo to the tiny town of fram (population 450) where we stayed for 2 nights in a cabin overlooking the gorgeous fjords.  glamping in our one room cabin, hiking along the fjords and whipping up gourmet meals in our tiny kitchen made it one of the most memorable parts of the trip.  a stunning boat ride thru the world heritage listed fjords was another highlight.  it is difficult to describe just how beautiful the fjords are- crystal blue waters lap up against sheer rock faces that jut thousands of feet into the sky all surrounded by piercing green forrest and dozens of waterfalls.  our final destination was the adoreable fjord and hill studded town of bergen.  we spent our last couple of days in norway enjoying bergen's charming harbour, hiking thru the beautifully forrested hills, taking in stunning fjord views and attempting to find the only affordable dining options in town- in this case the fishmarket and subway (alas i don't think $15 footlongs would make for a catchy jingle).  no doubt norway is painfully expensive but along with antarctica and switzerland it is one of the most beautiful places we have visited all year.

overlooking flam

viking pointing the way

cruising the fjords

hungry and broke in norway

befriending the local wildlife

emil says:

the physical beauty of norway is rivaled only by antarctica and the alps of switzerland. the capital, oslo, is decent. more going for it than helsinki but a lot less going for it than stockholm. but i am learning that scandinavia is much less about it's cities and more about it's rugged nature. the biggest knock on scandinavia as a whole is the outrageous cost structure but nowhere is it more painful than in norway. $17 beers, $30 frozen pizzas and a $15 cold cheese sandwich wrapped in cellophane is just a peek.  at some price point it just makes a place a lot less fun.  my buddy truls pointed us to the rural fjord town of flam.  what a genius spot. situated on a pristine fjord (a long, narrow inlet with steep cliffs, created in a valley carved by glacial activity) where all one can do is rent a cabin, head for a hike to the nearest of a mere thousand waterfalls, boil some pasta and smile from ear to ear. i feel good. the fjords of norway, where vikings did roam, are omnipresent and serene.  this may just be the best kept natural secret we have seen and amongst the most beautiful landscapes we have set eyes upon.

norwegian parenting?

overlooking bergen

canoeing in bergen

going for canoeing gold

bergen's harbor