The Prettiest Place in the World

During the night we had the Changing of - no, not the guards (although this springs to mind immediately as most of our guests are British) - Fjord.

Although Hardangerfjord is huge, it is clearly beaten by the Sognefjord, the second largest in the world. No less than 204 kilometers it cuts into the land, through very hard rock. Gives you a fairly good idea about the power of ice.

Not only it is the longest, it has also some of the prettiest branches of them all. Several times this area has been declared the most attractive travel destination of the planet by the National Geographic Magazine. They should know.

Today is dedicated to two of them. The morning finds us hovering in front of Undredal, the “lower dale”. Funnily enough the word could also be translated into the “valley of miracles” (undre = to wonder). And in fact, something marvelous happened here, when a French lady married her Norwegian husband, moved to this place and applied all the knowledge of her country into the production of goat cheese, which already was a local speciality. So now the best of two worlds meet here in this tiny village; it is probably the best cheese money can buy in Norway.

Undredal is also the departure point for one of the most spectacular train rides in the world, the Flåmbana.

Who would think of building a train station at the very end of a deep, steep fjord…?! Well, it worked out so far, assuming you are able to make your track climb by nearly 900 meters over a mere 20 kilometers, resulting in a slope 1:18.

The construction was a smart move, as the very important Sognefjord region got connected with the Oslo-Bergen railway that stops at the top station of the Flåm rail, Myrdal. So today we let the valleys glide by the big windows, take some good images at Kjøsfossen, the waterfall that will be strong and mighty as soon as the enormous amounts of snow have melted, and wonder about the contrast between the thick snow cover up in Myrdal and the blossoming flowers down in Flåm.

While the train riders are firing their cameras non-stop, FRAM takes a gentle left turn into probably the most scenic fjord of Norway, the Nærøyfjord. 1600 meters of looming rock walls on either side, sometimes as narrow as 250 only, this is a breathtaking sight.

Although totally remote and beautifully forlorn, this place played an important role in the past, when Norwegian mail was a thing of hand-to-hand delivery, horses, carriages, and a lot of patience.

Along the southern shore of the fjord lay the Royal Post Road, a system which involved the local farmers and finally brought the mail all the way to Bergen. Not many people could read or write, and the fee was very expensive, so there was not overly much mail to be transported, but as the fjord was one of the rare ice-free spots beyond the farm of Styvi it was of grand importance.

A group of hikers is getting dropped right there at this farm, in order to take the six kilometer long walk on the Royal Road. No postcards are delivered, but a lot of sighs are heaved at the overwhelming beauty of the hike. There’s even a little surprise, as we come around the corner towards the end of it: Our chef Eirik has prepared a little campfire for us and is frying hot dogs for everyone. Good man!

Later on we all meet in Gudvangen, swap stories and images, buy souvenirs, and suddenly notice how hungry we are. And here comes the best part: In this overwhelming scenario we have a BBQ on deck, right under the waterfalls of the Nærøyfjord. Mindboggling! What’s left of the day we spend relaxing in the panorama lounge with the gentle music of our pianist Bjorn.

Another day in paradise.

A stroll in the Valley Of Roses

We visited the village of Rosendal yesterday, in the company of our good friend: the sun. Our guests were shuttled ashore with the help of our polar circle boats.

Once on the pier, everyone noticed the tranquillity of this place. There was a very peaceful vibe and many flowers in the fields and gardens around us. Rosendal is located on the southern shore of the Hardangerfjorden and has 768 inhabitants. The economy relies on ship building, agriculture and of course, tourism. It is most known for the Barony of Rosendal, an estate and manor which history dates back to the 1650s.

From the pier, most of our guests took a right turn into the village to visit the information centre, do some souvenir shopping, sending their post cards and head up into the valley to have a look at the stone park. Rosendal was also the starting point of our Bondhus Lake and glacier arm excursion. From the pier, guests could join a bus ride that took them to Sunndal along a small part of the Maurangerfjord. On the way they went through several tunnels and saw a big waterfall that is very close to the road.

The walk took our guests through a troll-like landscape with big boulders covered in moss and streams with little waterfalls on every corner. The impressive and serene Bondhus Lake was their target at the end of the walk.

They then headed to Ola Løa where traditional Norwegian "Lefse" and "Melkekake" was served along with coffee and tea. 
The other excursion guests could join was the Rosendal Shipbuilding & History Tour. The local guide took us to the museum of the ship building and told us about the restoration work that is being carried out using traditional techniques and assisted by modern technology.

 
Our Expedition Guide Ralf went on a little Kayak Adventure with a small group during the morning which allowed them to explore the area from a unique perspective.
The afternoon started with a cruise through the scenic Hardangerfjord. Those who were standing outside on the decks enjoyed the scenery passing by and captured nice photos. Our lecture program informed passengers about the formation of fjords, the ice & environment changes and the upcoming days and the excursions that they might join.

In the evening, we got very close to Bergen and sailed under the famous Askøy suspension bridge. Many of us where standing outside to catch a glimpse of Norway´s second-most populous city. 
We finished the day with a traditional evening in the Observation lounge where Expedition Team member Olav taught us a few Norwegian Folkdances. Many of the guests joined us and we had an amazing time together!

How to get rich with a waterfall

This voyage is named “Spring Adventure”, the latter word conveying a bit of the element of surprise in everything we do.

That certainly holds true for the weather, which really spoilt us yesterday. Today things have changed a bit, the sun hides behind a layer of grey clouds that moves visibly with the strong winds this morning. These changes are not surprising: During the night we have entered the large Hardangerfjord System, which reaches far into the high rocks of western Norway. These deep cuts in the landscape have a significant impact on the meteorological conditions, especially when they are surrounded by glaciers. In other words: Fjords can make their own weather.

Knowing this, we just put on another sweater as we go to pier in Eidfjord this morning.

This cosy village is nestled into the flatlands that come down at the head of the namesake Fjord, at the conjunction with Osafjord.

This place was so favorable for living, fishing and hunting that it has been lived in ever since there were people around.

The morning hike with Arne and Katja is a roundhouse kick in history, starting at the stout little church in town, which is connected to a strange woman:

Rike Ragna was a woman of today’s Eidfjord community who - according to the folk tales - left her husband on a small, flat island at low tide and went about other business. When the tide came back, the man drowned (seems like the tides have been much higher in the olden days…) and she was accused, well, if not of murder then at least of something nasty. Her punishment was to go on the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, which she quite dreaded. Instead she offered to erect the church in Eidfjord and dedicate it to St. James. Apparently the deals was made, and today there is a drawing on her tombstone inside, where she hands over a model of the church to Saint James.

After that it is time to “go wild”, meaning taking the path along the river towards the glacier lake further up. The first flowers are out, the white bossoms of sorral, the occasional violet and clover.

The road climbs up to a high plateau, connecting Eidfjord and Osafjord.

 The valley, although over a hundred meters above the fjord level, is filled with river sand, which seems to be a bit of a riddle. But the dynamics of Earth can explain everything: After the heavy, heavy load of the last Ice Age was taken from Scandinavia’s shoulder, it experienced  a considerable uplift by simple buoyancy; still the western shores rise by about 2 mm a year.

Scattered across this platform there are a number of piles of very round boulders. We learn that these are indeed Viking graves. The Vikings were able to travel narrow rivers, as their boats could go forward and backward at the same speed, an enormous advantage not only for warfare, but trade. Often forgotten is that these proud people were not only fierce warriors but successful merchants. And some of them found their last rest right here. Who knows who was buried underneath these rocks…? Many of these graves have never been opened, so we are free to speculate.

Eidfjord is what the Norwegians call a “kraft kommune”, a power community. Believe it or not: They rent out their waterfalls to producers of hydroelectric energy, for hefty sums and under the condition that - at least during high season - the waterfalls have to be pretty and strong enough for the tourists.

So the money in these parts is literally flowing in…

Smiling at that, we carry on over lunchtime through the scenic Fjord until we reach our afternoon destinations. Yes, plural. Those who are interested to learn about ancient living styles get a boat ride to the open-air museum of Agatunet, a picturesque settlement, the houses of which have been kept resp. Restored the old way. This place breathes Norway’s past like hardly any other.

Jut on the opposite side of the fjord is Ullensvang, one of the apple-and-berry centers of the Eidfjord community. The orchards are surprisingly big, trees are squeezed in the most improbable corner.

The beauty of the place invites for a walk, and in the evening everybody returns fairly hungry.

The later evening holds a welcome surprise, a rare discussion, taking place in the panorama lounge: Guest Professor Julian Dowdeswell and our “own” Olav Orheim stage a debate about Roald Amundsen and Robert Falcon Scott, taking up the very old controversy that shook the world in the early 20th century. Tonight a public figure and polar expert from Amundsen’s country meets the director of the Scott Polar Institute. One is tempted to introduce them “and in the right corner…”

But of course, we have to gentlemen sitting here, so it is turns out to be an intellectual challenge on a high level. Glad we could witness!

Our first day in Norway!

Yesterday morning, Fram arrived at the first stop of this trip: the city of Stavanger. It is considered today to be the centre of Norway´s oil industry.

To introduce everyone to the facts about this industry and the role it plays in this area, our guests could attend a lecture called “Norway as a Petroleum Nation” in the morning. This lecture was followed by a Kayak briefing for those who would like to join our Kayak Adventures in the Norwegian Fjords.

Fram arrived in Stavanger at noon.

We were greeted by locals standing along the shore, some even  waving the Norwegian flag! In combination with the great weather, this made us feel very welcome in this beautiful city. As soon as the gangway was down, people went exploring the city, it's picture-perfect Gamle Stanvanger (Old Stavanger), and the peaceful Breiavatnet lake in the city centre. Even though it was Sunday, some shops were open which allowed us to do some first souvenir shopping.

Our excursions started soon after arrival and guests had the chance to choose between two tours. The Stavanger Panorama Tour took us by bus from the pier to the outskirts of the city. Stops included Hafrsfjord, where a historical sea battle was fought and the Ullandhaug Tower from where we had a bird's eye view over the city, its surrounding area and the Ryfylke Fjord. The weather was a lot better than during our last trip here so we were blessed with clear views! On the way back, the bus dropped us of in the old part of Stavanger, so we could see the more than 150 well preserved wooden houses built at the end of the 17^th century.

From there we went to the impressive Stavanger Cathedral which was built out of stone in the 12^th century by Bishop Reginald from Winchester, England.

The second tour, the Walk in the Old Quarters also took us from the pier to the old Stavanger but by foot. This allowed us to learn more details about the city itself and historical buildings on the way. Our local guide Bernt even showed us some very interesting things that barely anyone notices when walking through this city. We for example got to see a staircase exclusively built for ducks to be able to come out of the water during spring when they have chicks, who would otherwise not be able to climb on shore. Bernt also told us that when the police isn't too busy, they come to this place to escort the ducks safely across the streets! One of the stops on this walk was Stanvanger's Canning Museum where we were able to see how (for example) fish was canned and exported to over 40 countries in 1920. We even had a little tasting session at the end of our tour, which was very nice.

 The good weather and the friendly locals made this Sunday a big success. Everyone got back on board with a big smile and ready for our Dinner Buffet in IMAQ Restaurant.

Our evening consisted of sailing back and forth in the scenic 42 km long Lysefjorden. The weather was clear enough to see the two top attraction of this fjord that are also amongst the most visited tourist attractions in Norway. One is called Preikestolen.

It consists of a steep cliff which rises 604 metres (1982 feet) above the fjord with an almost flat top of approximately 25 by 25 metres (82 by 82 feet).

The other one is a boulder located in the Kjerag mountain and called Kjeragbolten. The rock itself is a 5 m³ glacial deposit wedged in the mountain's crevasse. It is a very famous photo spot for tourists.

We were all standing outside on the decks to admire the scenery with perfectly clear views and almost ideal lighting for pictures. It was a great ending to our first day in Norway and we are very much looking forward to the next ones!

What you see at sea

“Doesn't it seem to you, that the mind moves more freely in the presence of that boundless expanse, that the sight of it elevates the soul and gives rise to thoughts of the infinite and the ideal?”

These words were put in the mouth of Madame Bovary, key character in Gustave Flaubert’s novel of the same name.

It beautifully sums up what happens to your mind when you stand on the outside deck, a tea in hand, and let your gaze wander in the distance. There is no other place like the ocean.

Here, on the stretch between England and Norway, the vast expanse is punctuated quite a bit by modern time architecture of the technical kind. The North Sea is not very deep, which made her the ideal testing ground for seismic exploration in the past. And those who searched, found. A lot. So there is an astounding amount of oil rigs all around us, serviced by a large fleet of strange-looking ships, clearly built for practical purposes and not for a beauty contest for vessels. So there is a lot to see at sea.

But not only that, a fully-fletched lecture program is presented all throughout the day, and we are especially happy to welcome Prof. Julian Dowdeswell as a guest lecturer.

Have a look what you can learn in only one day:

Professor Julian Dowdeswell is the director of the renowned Scott Polar Institute in Oxford, which houses also the most comprehensive polar library on the planet. He is an expert on ice and climate and luckily has agreed to give a cycle of three presentations during this voyage, shedding a light on changes to our environment.

Olav Orheim is a well-known figure in Norway, scientifically and beyond that. Hardly any museum founded he wasn’t on the board of, he holds two titles equaling knighthood, and his knowledge about ice and exploration history is nigh unfathomable. Today he is talking about the incredible voyages of the historic ship FRAM, used by the three most sophisticated explorers of their time -  Fritjof Nansen, Otto Sverdrup, and Roald Amundsen

Katja Kern, our art historian, is specialized in the field of medieval architecture and culture, so her knowledge about Vikings and post-Viking culture and buildings are just in the right spot. Today she shares all there is to know about stave churches.

Arne Kertelhein is a passionate historian who not only has worked in many museums but feels mostly at home on expedition ships, especially in the polar areas. Today you learn about “Fjords, Trolls, and Cloudberries”, a comprehensive account of Norwegian tradition and history.

Steffen Biersack, as the geologist, probably has to deal with the longest time periods on the team. Today he gives an account on the History of planet Earth, so no less than 4.600 Million years.

So, after a wonderful day of contemplation and education, the sun sets warmly in the western skies.

A day at sea..

Off To a Great Start!

The sun greeted us upon arrival in Dover yesterday afternoon. The weather and the impressive sight of the famous white cliffs made us feel more than welcome.

We docked the harbour in the afternoon and opened the boarding gate soon afterwards for passengers to come on the ship. In the meantime, a big crane lifted the panels with the passenger´s suitcases on deck 7 from where they were distributed to the cabins by our crew.

Passengers soon joined their luggage at their cabins to begin with some organizing before heading to our Nunami bistro for a cup of tea. Then it was time for our usual mandatory safety drill outside on both sides of the ship. It was nice for our guests and crew to go back inside as it was very windy, especially on starboard side. During the drill we started sailing out of the harbour towards open sea. 

In the evening, the captain invited everybody to the Observation Lounge for a welcome toast. This was a nice way for our guests to get familiar with the staff and have an introduction to the trip. We are all very much looking forward to arriving in Norway tomorrow. 

The Ghost of Voyage Past

Bremerhaven, just after sunrise: Fram arrives at the Columbus Cruise Centre, and almost casually we make fast. At this hour people tend to talk a little less and rather hold on to their coffee mug. As many of our travellers have arranged for an early connection, the bus transfer to the train station leaves relatively soon.

And then - the trip is over. FRAM, without further ado, casts the lines and heads for the open sea, destination Dover, England.

And this is a rare thing: A ship without guests. For full 28 hours crew and staff are among themselves.

The dancefloor, full of life and laughter only a day ago, is now deserted, our only company are the cargo ships that pass by the windows on both sides of the ship.

Oh, good for you! the esteemed follower of the blog may think, a day of leisure, well-deserved. Far from it...

There are many things that need to be done but have to wait while we are running our "normal" business. Equipment needs to be counted, store-rooms need to be arranged and cleared, floors to be shampooed, excursion descriptions to be updated, and, and, and. Honestly, there is not much of a difference in terms of workload. The rhythm, however, is a gentle one, as there is no fixed schedule. As long as things will be done, they can be done at any time.

So, as a bit of a reward after job well done, there is even a staff movie night - with pizza and popcorn.

As I said - a rare thing.

Reminiscence at sea

After six days of discovering the beauty of Norway it is finally time now to turn the ship towards the south and cross the North Sea back to where we came from.

This is a time of packing, sorting pictures, exchanging eMail addresses, getting the last souvenirs and heave a sigh when standing on the outer decks and letting the gaze wander toward the horizon, still digesting the memories that have accumulated during this voyage.

But of course, this is not the only thing to do today; there is still a variety of lectures to be heard, be it about Vikings, navigation, sea level rise, herrings and the historical FRAM voyages. Fortunately the sea is calm, nobody is bothered by motion sickness, and so the lecture halls are full, full, full.

Just before lunch everybody gathers on the forward deck for a group shot, taken by our photographer, who later on shows his works in a slideshow about the whole trip.

Interesting - and nice! - to hear from many on board that this was rather supposed to be a teaser journey, and that soon the decision will be taken which itinerary is going to be next. Those who are still in doubt can take a sneak peak in Tessa’s presentation about a year’s cycle on FRAM. The modern one, this time…

Under the sinking sun we plough our way onward, taking a fine last dinner after having a Captain’s Farewell cocktail.

Bedtime comes too early, but then again tomorrow we will be arriving just after sunrise.

So, Fare Thee Well, Fram!

And certainly this is the right moment to say goodbye to our most unusual passenger - Fred. Fred is a globetrotter of the finest kind, he has been sent around the world by his team six years ago and has seen much of the world since, from the Pacific ocean to Russia, from Singapore, Arabia to Australia. Now he has joined us on FRAM to go to Norway. He is a restless fellow, so much to our dismay he couldn't stay and left us in the morning to go to another adventure. Good luck, Fred!