Morning light in Flåm, Norway, looking off the balcony of our hotel room. (above) Morning is my favorite time of day and this particular morning we did not have to rush off to catch a train or a ferry or a bus so we could enjoy a a few leisurely hours in the village before our next adventure.
to get to a long tunnel to Gudvangen
where we had dinner the night before
of the Flåmstova Restaurant
While we were eating breakfast by a picture window, enjoying the view of garden, fjord and mountain, a cruise ship very slowly pulled into port! Then we could barely see the mountain over the top of it! Cruise ships are amazingly large – Flåm was such a tiny port I am sure it couldn’t possibly accommodate more than one of them at a time.
and winter in the mountains
hugging the side of the mountain
but the zoom lens came in handy to capture this scene
We boarded a small bus to take us through the mountains to Gudvangen. This is the entrance to Flenja Tunnel (above) which is 5,053m long. (16,578′). We came out of it for only 500m (1,640′) before entering Gudvanga Tunnel, which is 11,428m (7.1 mi) long, Norway’s second longest road tunnel.
Next stop: Ferry ride on Nærøyfjord from Gudvangen back to Flåm.
How beautiful all of this is ! You have some great photographs! Glad to see them,
Thank you, Jeff! I have to say Norway is the most beautiful place I have ever been… (Granted, I have not been to that many places!)
I understand. It is your place… know it, love it fully!
🙂
Gorgeous photos. Thank you for helping me ‘see’ Norway.
Thank you, Pam! So pleased to help you “see’ Norway. 🙂
oh what wonderful adventures you had. are you tempted to go back … and stay ?
Oh Sybil, I’d love to move to Norway, although I’m not sure what it would be like in winter when the daylight is in short supply. And I’m miss being close to my family – it’s a much shorter flight from Connecticut to North Carolina or Georgia than it would be from Norway. But you never know…
How beautiful landscapes throughout! I also loved the carvings and the natural materials that seem to have been used in the hotel. That stone wall and wood ceiling were spectacular!
Thank you, Tiny! There was evidence everywhere we went that Norwegians are quintessential lovers of nature and light. My brain has been spinning with decorating ideas ever since…
Every image is breathtaking .What an adventure!
Thank you, Island Traveler! We certainly had the time of our lives…
Beautiful photos, Barbara. It looks like a great adventure. I’m fascinated with the way they use wood and stone. Your photo of the cruise ship really puts it in perspective with the mountain almost completely hidden in the background. I didn’t realize how BIG those ships are!
Thanks, Robin! I have a collection of illustrated Scandinavian interior design books and have always been drawn to their use of natural elements inside the home, which I try to imitate. It was inspiring seeing some nature themed interiors while I was in Norway. Yes, the size of cruise ships these days IS startling!
Apart from the magnificence of the scenery, it appears that everywhere you visited there were sleepy villages, almost as if time has stopped. So relaxing. And the last tree carving looks like Grandmother Willow from the Pocahontas movie. 🙂
Now that you mention it, Joanne, that carving DOES look a lot like Grandmother Willow. 🙂 Funny you should mention it as I’ve been thinking lately that I haven’t visited Grandmother Elm in ages… Sometimes I wish time would stop around here, or at least slow down a bit…
I remember Grandmother Elm. She must be covered in greenery right now. I hope you have time to visit her again soon. 🙂
Me, too. Too many things going on around here…
Have been scrolling through the pictures on many different blog posts. Lovely! The wood is gorgeous. I especially liked the picture of Tim. I know you’ve showed him to us before, but this is a nice photo.
Thank you, Kathy! It was nice seeing my workaholic husband relaxing and having a good time and I was thrilled that he fell in love with Norway, too. Now that he has had surgery for cataracts AND astigmatism (the worst case our optometrist has ever had in his practice) he no longer needs glasses. Must get some new pictures without the spectacles…