Europe 2012: Oslo to Flam

We were excited to board the 8:11 this morning in Oslo Central Station, bound for Myrdal and Flam. We were 5 hours getting to Myrdal, with another one hour to Flam. The countryside was really scenic, with lots of mountains and small farms with red barns. And tunnels! I guess we were in a tunnel for a good 4-5 percent of the trip. Really! The Norwegians know something about tunneling through a mountain.

Self-photography I

When we got to a certain point we really began to see a lot of snow, not just a patch or two here or there. Turns out that the highest point on the Oslo to Bergen railroad (Finse, at 1222 meters or 4000 feet) is a popular ski area, and at that point the train filled up with skiers leaving to go home to Bergen after a weekend of skiing. We knew before we came that we were going to miss springtime in Norway (too early). We didn't know we were going to get to see so much of winter in Norway! Check the images below.

The dot in the middle is a house.

A big part of the attraction of this excursion was the famous Flam Railway, which descends steeply from Myrdal to Flam through some of the most wild and beautiful scenery imaginable. It was as advertised. Again, check the images below of the "Flamsbana" (Flam Railway).

Self-photography II at frozen waterfall

Mountain biker road

The little village of Flam is gorgeously situated at the tip of one of Norway's deepest and narrowest fjords. It's claim to fame is its spectacular beauty, which has been enjoyed for generations. The Fretheim Hotel (below) where we are posting from tonight was built in 1870 and has enjoyed a steady stream of sightseers ever since. We walked about five miles (round trip) along the village road enjoying the colorful homes, pastoral scenes, and always the grandeur of the silent mountains.