Different angles

Although the Nordfjord is wearing a rather chilly name, it is neither very nordic, compared to the rest of the Viking map, nor is it particularly chilly. Just the opposite: The first impression when you get to Olden, our destination for the day, is that of a mild, lush, fertile place.

And indeed, the whole province on Stryn is very frugal in Norwegian standards, forest culture, agriculture and livestock breeding are big here.

It only takes a closer look at the landscape to understand why that is: It is the lack of steepness, the gentle angle of the slopes that prevail, so no avalanche can ruin the crop, destroy the houses and kill the cattle. Moreover, the ground can retain the soil, accumulate and thrive. All that is missing in steep places like Geiranger where you have a hard time finding enough footing for a goat. It's all about the angle.

A totally different angle is offered for the participants of the exclusive helicopter glacier adventure. Flight conditions are just fine, so the lucky bunch takes off just after lunchtime and is rewarded with stunning and incomparable views of the Fjordlands below. For many it is the first time in a helicopter, so it's quite a breathtaking endeavor.

More down to Earth is the Olden Panorama Tour that leads high above the valleys for a gorgeous look-down on a small ship and tiny people.

Even closer to things at hand is a stroll in town. For some it is a welcome shopping opportunity after the 1st of May, but a walk in the even, gentle valley brings you back to a quieter pace after the excitements of yesterday. Especially the two churches are pretty, both entirely made of wood. The older one features paintings from the 14th century that look as if they just have been left behind, just like the indicator panel for the psalms. The feel of abandon seems to tell us about time and the momentariness of life. 

Time on a different scale is the subject of the Briksdal Glacier Hike. The bus ride leads along the emerald-green Olden Lake and up the valley to Briksdal, departure point for the walk. But whereas the glacier at Bondhus was positively receding and displayed a one-way process of nature, we see here wooden signs indicating the glacier front over the centuries. And to our surprise we see, that the movement of the glacier is quite heterogeneous, it has moved back and forth. Clearly, it is receding at the moment, fractured like a set of giant ice cubes, but after what we've learned here we do expect it to regrow again. When? Who knows...Time flows on many different scales - it's just a question of angle.

The last new angle of today is certainly the one from inside the water...while FRAM is at the pier, our safety officer trains the seamen in how to salvage persons who went over board. The specially equipped MOB-boats are fast, do not have a blade propulsion and are extremely maneuverable. So the recovery of the "victim" is a fast thing. Still, seeing the ship from inside the fjord, imagining a real emergency situation, makes you think. And suddenly the many, many exercises, which the crew absolves regularly, make perfect sense.

Sometimes it just takes a fresh angle...

Big Fish

No one steps into the same river twice. This old saying by Heraclitus holds especially true for waters that are as cold as in Hardangerfjord, which is so deep it never gets warmer. Actually, you don't even want to step in it only once. Keeping that in mind, the participants of the Eidfjord Kayaking Tour pay extra attention to the guide's explanations on how to get in the boat with dry feet, how NOT to fall into the Fjord, and how to turn in the desired direction without slamming into each other.

And then it's time to take to the Kayaks, solid but shaky constructions that can teach your hips how to samba, if you are not handling your paddle right. Fortunately, the conditions could not be better: A bright blue sky delivers the perfect backdrop for the snow-covered mountains, the dark rocky walls underneath deliver a dramatic contrast to both of them. A little insecure but full of motivation, everybody tries the first strokes, gasping (secretly, of course) when a sudden jerk of the boat challenges the balance.

However, after a couple of minutes of practice we are ready to attack the Fjord. Gliding and splashing at first, gliding and a little splashing only later. In loose formation we move along the breathtaking scenery, feeling very small, but good. Our guide tells us exciting things about whales that have been prowling the Fjord only two days ago. Now, that would be something! Paddling among the blows of those big fellas, watching them in the clear, dark green water, wow!

So all heads are swiveling round and round, but no whale today. Only the odd sturgeon here and there, ogling us incredulously. Pretty small they are; considering the theory that fish grows bigger when you offer him a bigger bowl, these ones have a long way ahead of them. Never mind, even without the cetacean sensation this is a beautiful, if slightly exhausting way of passing the morning in the deepest Fjord of all!

In the meantime, another excursion rolls across the countryside to explore the lofty heights of Norway's most famous skiing area - the Hardangervidda. Before the bus brings the participants up the winding road, we thoroughly enjoy a visit in the Hardanger Nature Center, displaying the whole variety of the interaction of scenery and wildlife in a splendid manner.

After that, the ride into the white. With an average altitude of about 1.100 meters only, the peneplain of Hardanger is not particularly high. But the location and the exposure to the elements provide snow all year round. So we get the opportunity to leave footprints, nice touch.

On the way back we stop at Norway's best known waterfall, the Vøringsfossen. The immense masses of roaring water cascade 182 meters down into the ravine, dropping freely for more than 140 meters. Quite a sight, everybody agrees, slightly shivering in the chill. So the return to the bus is not entirely unwelcome, and so is lunch back on board.

We have to weigh anchor in good time, since we have a long way to steam, out of the Hardangerfjord and further on to our next destination, Flåm. Under the cloudless skies (and under the largest Norwegian bridge-to-be, the Hardangerbrua, where construction workers are attached in great heights), we make good speed until the night wraps everything up again.

The Place without Land

The day breaks with a gray light emerging directly from snakelike clouds that seem to follow us, here and there pierced by rays of sunlight. The sea is gently rocking our ship, and we make a good speed of more than 13 knots. Somewhere in the distance must be land, that's what the map says, Denmark to our starboard side, England and beyond to our port side.

A sea day. Most relaxing when you embrace it as the perfect opportunity to let the speed and bustle of every-day's life behind you, enjoy the slow movement and the omnipresent patience of the ocean. What about a good read in a quiet corner, what about writing a letter? Or what about - doing nothing...?

Choosing the more educative option, the lecture theaters are full of curious guests who want to learn about cloudberries and Trolls, stave churches, the very old past of Norway, UNESCO or our future destinations. We actually even have to enlarge the seating space, so many are coming!

A sea day, however, is also the time to wander around the ship and have a closer look here and there. Many of our returning friends on board notice the differences since the last time, before FRAM went to dry dock. Some of them are more visible, like the more streamlined shape around the observation lounge and the shiny new paint, others are not visible at all, like the renewed bow thrusters or the miles of cable and pipes that have been replaced as a routine.

Something for the dancers: the wooden panels in the Observation Lounge, wonderfully decorated with a pattern of symbolized driftwood, has been totally refurbished; it looks so nice you almost hesitate to step on it...

The dinner is seated, that means spending a good time of the evening in the nice restaurant over a three-course meal, chatting the time away and looking forward to our upcoming destinations.

Tomorrow, bright and early, we will enter the scenic Lysefjord around the time of sunrise. So, either listen to Bjørn playing in the Lounge, or getting a good nights sleep. Up to you, folks!

A Long and Winding River

To leave a place means to go to another one. So it is always a significant moment when we detach from a pier for the first day of a cruise. Thoughts are traveling ahead to some far-away destination, to other shores. 

This trip will bring us to the wild and romantic beauty of the Norwegian Fjords, unspoiled places framed by drastic scenery. And we will go where others don't, as we can make use of our small Polar Cirkel Boats. 

To do so requires a little training, though, the drill that is held while still at the pier in Hamburg. So the characteristic, church-loaded skyline witnesses a weird spectacle with a man in full-body red armor, all necessary and need-to-know.

And then it is time to leave. With the fading day we glide along the gently winding river Elbe, which sports many interesting buildings, quarters, ships and dockyards. Tomorrow we will be at sea, according to Captain Rune Andreassen conditions sound just fine, so we might even see America...just kidding!

Right now everybody is tired enough, was a long day for all of us.

So have a good night's sleep, tomorrow we'll be one day away from here, but also one closer to our destination...