June 20
Flam
Continuing our train trip through the Norwegian highlands . . .
[We’ve left Finse, enjoying the arctic scenery . . . ]
[Hallingskeid Station (Hallingskeid stasjon) is a train station on the Bergn Line in the municipality of Ulvik in Hordaland. Located at an elevation of 1,110 meters (3,640 ft) above mean sea level, the station is situated inside a snow tunnel. It opened along with the central section of the line on 10 June 1908 and remained as a staffed station until 1982. It is located on the Hardangervidda plateau in an area without population or road access. The station therefore serves trekkers and mountaineers. Only some of the Northern State Railways (NSB) trains stop at the station (Wikipedia).]
[Myrdal Station (Myrdal stasjon) is a mountain railway station and junction, located on the Bergen Line regional mainline. The railway station is also the upper terminal of the Flam Line local railway, which ascends from the valley floor of the Sognefjord to the mountain-top junction, providing a vital public transport link, but deriving a majority of its passengers through tourism. Most passengers using Myrdal station are changing trains between the two lines (Wikipedia).]
[Yup, here’s where we change trains for Flam . . . ]
[Coming soon . . . ]
[All aboard a classic rail car to Flam . . . ]
[Ole’s diggin’ it . . . ]
[The poop, the whole poop, and nothing but the poop . . . ]
[Vatnahalsen Station (Vatnahalsen holdeplass) is a railway station on the Flam Line in Aurland. It is 1.13 kilometers (0.70 mi) from Myrdal Stattion, 336.93 kilometers (209.36 mi) from Oslo Central Station and 811.3 meters (2,662 ft) above mean sea level. The station opened on 1 August 1940 (Wikipedia).]
[A Super/Ole train ride series . . . ]
[Going down . . . ]
[What’s this?]
[A big waterfall . . . ]
[So big we’re making a stop and deplaning . . . ]
[Ole and the Super are getting a little damp . . . ]
[What fun!]
[OK, I’ll admit this caught me totally by surprise . . . ]
[See it live in the following video . . . ]
[This video was borrowed off YouTube, as is the following description: The magnificent Kjosfossen Waterfall was one of the highlights of our Flamsbana train ride from Flam to Myrdal (we went in reverse order). What was surprising and cool was when a hulder maiden in red came out and started to dance & gyrate while dramatic singing and music played! Another on-loan description: Students from the Norwegian Ballet School in Oslo have been portraying the “Huldra”, the forest siren, every summer since 1999.]
[Back on board, more scenery on the way down to Flam . . . ]
[Waterfalls and water are everywhere – a reminder of the importance of hydropower here . . . ]
[Idyllic]
[Our train . . . ]
[The other train going back up the hill . . . ]
[Waterfall . . . ]
[Waterfall . . . ]
[Waterfall . . . ]
[Waterfall . . . ]
[And waterfall . . . ]
[River, likely the result of all the waterfalls . . . ]
[Flam! We are here!]
[Flåm is a village in Flamsdalen, at the inner end of the Aurlandsfjorden – a branch of Sognefjorden. The village is located in the municipality of Aurland. In 2014 its inhabitants numbered 350. The village of Flåm has since the late 19th century been a tourist destination. It currently receives almost 450,000 visitors a year. Most ride the 20-kilometre (12 mi) Flam Line between Flåm and Myrdal, one of the steepest railway tracks at 1 in 18 (not counting rack railways) in the world. There are also a few spirals. A former rail station building in Flåm now houses a museum dedicated to the Flåm railway. The harbour of Flåm receives some 160 cruise ships per year (Wilipedia).]
[Not our ship . . . ]
[The town appears to consist of a train station, a visitors center, a museum, a hotel, and a pier . . . ]
[And scenery!]
[After a long day, Ole was ready to hit the hay . . . ]
[The Super searches for dining attire . . . ]
[Should we eat in the hotel dining room?]
[Of course . . . ]
[Nice setting . . . ]
[And now, fine dining . . . ]
[And my entree – cauliflower . . . ]
[Mmmm, dessert . . . ]
[Why not – fine dining came with a view . . . ]
[After dining, I left my camera under my chair and didn’t realize it till morning. Then we had breakfast the next morning, and I misplaced my room key under my chair. It’s a sign. And then we were a bit “boggled” when we got the bill for the wine at check out the next morning.]
[A final dining view . . . ]
[The view from the lobby . . . ]
[A bit of a stroll to walk off dinner . . . ]
[Good-night . . . ]
The majority is always wrong; the minority is rarely right. ~ Henrik Ibsen
Up Next: Off to Bergen . . .
alexandriacardinals2.wordpress.com 