Norge: Round I, Part III

Solvang is a cute town, and is home to the oldest hotel in Norway, called The Walaker. I feel I need to inform everyone that this is also the first place in the entire world, that I have received fish in a restaurant and enjoyed it. Truly, this is a magical place.

Another place I could certainly live.

A garden hut. Adorable.

On our way to Geiranger, after our overnight in Solvang, we we had to take a ferry. It was quite a long ferry ride, with quite an unforgiving schedule. So to kill some time before our ferry, we went to the Jostedalsbreen Museum. Breen is Norwegian for 'the glacier', and Jostedalsbreen is the largest glacier in continental Europe. Although we caught many a glimpse of the glacier, we unfortunately didn't get close enough to walk on it, or even poke it. Such a shame.

Jostedalsbreen, creeping slowly but surely into a valley. 
Very ominous.

Geirangerfjord is another fjord so majestic it made its way onto the UNESCO list. The amount of UNESCO sites in this relatively small area of Norway is quite astounding, so if you're into bagging World Heritage sites, I highly recommend you add it to your list.And judging from our very gray and cloudy ferry ride, Geirangerfjord is worth the hype. Steep sided and dotted with now abandoned farmhouses, it is quite a mysterious and beautiful place.

Complete with a picturesque cloud.

Notice the bottle in the waterfall. This falls, The
Suitor, is directly across the fjord from the famous Seven Sisters waterfall. Legend has it that after his suits to the sisters were rejected, he turned to drink, hence the bottle.

Norwegian majesty.

The tiny village of Geiranger at the very end of the fjord, is another very popular tourist destination. We arrived after the cruise ship season had come to a close, but that didn't slow the bus tours down one jot. German tourists were particularly multitudinous, and we were delighted and amused to frequently be mistaken for fellow Deutschers. It should be noted that one of the bus drivers wore Lederhosen. The entire time. I never thought of those as particularly comfortable attire, but if they're good enough for a long-haul bus driver, perhaps I should rethink my customary road-tripping wardrobe.
As this was the only place we spent more than one night, we had time the second day to go for a hike. By happy chance, Geiranger is home to Storeseterfossen, a waterfall that you can walk behind. The weather didn't exactly cooperate, but we did get some lovely views of sheep and clouds. So that's something. 

Such regal beasts.

I don't know what it is, but all huts in Norway, no matter how
dilapidated, are somehow beautiful.

Behind the foss.

Things took a turn for the better as we descended the mountain, and the clouds lifted, giving us a couple good vistas, which was a very welcome surprise.

Not half bad.

As it would have been a shame to waste such a happy accident, we decided to go to a drive. It should come as a surprise to no one who has been reading along that we found ourselves one yet another high plateau. 

This one even had a small glacier.

The cloud cover over Geirangerfjord.