Flåm-tastic

Yesterday we took the train from Bergen to Fläm. The train line goes all the way to Oslo but we got off in Myrdal and took the spur north to the picturesque village of Fläm which is nestled at the end of a fjord.

scenes along the way

the booming metropolis of Myrdal

The train makes a 5-minute stop along the way just so tourists can take pictures here. 

This is the hostel where we are staying. 

Today we spent the afternoon on bikes peddling around on a spectacular sunny day.

the Old Flåm Church build in 1670

"Where do you live?"
"In the red house below the waterfall."

Fjord-tastic, Part II

Today was a spectacular day in Bergen, a great day to be on the water. We boarded our sight-seeing boat at 10am and cruised through the Osterfjord. Jen and I didn't think we could like a Norwegian city more than Stavanger — until we got to Bergen.

So you know that thing of when you go on a trip and it turns out that someone you know is also in that far-flung place? Like last summer when I went to Berlin and it just so happened that my friend Wendy was there too - so we met for coffee... in Germany. Or many years ago when I went to London for the first time and it turned out that my friend David was also in London - we met at the National Gallery then went to a pub for a pint of Guinness. I remember David was going from London to Paris, he was going to meet up with a girl from back home in Sacramento whom he was dating; fun fact: they've been married now for over 20 years. So I have some experience with this, but it was still really fun to meet up with my pal Kirstin who lives in San Diego, since she also just happened to be in Bergen, Norway.

international coinci-friend

appropriate drink for today

Beautiful Bergen

This is the building we're staying in. 

Fjord-tastic

Well, we decided that the weather yesterday was too miserable to venture out on a fjord, but it wasn't any better today (until we finished the tour and then of course the sun came out), but this was our last chance to get out on the water in Stavanger so we went for it and joined a fjord adventure on a inflatable jet boat. I did kind of make a promise to myself after the spine-jarring New Zealand jet boat adventure that I wasn't ever getting on another one of those bone crushers, but we sat in the very back (much less bouncy) and despite the sometimes pelting rain, which we didn't really feel in our survival suits, it was a really fun trip.

They only had size XL suits!

Pretty little fjord-side villages

Pulpit Rock, almost 2,000 feet up.

A Day of Wonder

Some days, no matter what far flung place in the world I'm in, I find myself doing something quintessentially American. Jen and I had a tentative plan to cruise on a fjord today, but it was intermittently raining cats and dogs so we decided to bag the boat, hope for better weather tomorrow, and go to a movie. Wonder Woman was playing in the next town over (it was also playing in Stavanger, but we decided we wanted to see some place new) so we hopped on a bus, traveled south for about 30 minutes to the town of Sandnes, and got off the bus right in front of the theater. The movie was fantastic -- action, adventure, Amazons. After the movie, we took the bus back to Stavanger and had burgers and fries for dinner in a restaurant where Johnny Cash music was playing the entire time we were there. Sometimes America seems very close, no matter where you are in the world.

when it looks like this...

...all you need is this.

Wish Upon a Michelin Star

First time in Norway, first time dining at Michelin starred restaurant. The event of the day was lunch at Tango, one of three Michelin starred restaurants in Stavanger; expectations were high, and we were not disappointed.

Steamed mussels in curry, grilled bread, lime, and coriander.
I ate the broth like it was soup. 

Lightly smoked mackerel cream with lettuce, cress, deep fried bread crumbs, and horseradish.
Fishy, creamy goodness - this was spectacular. 

Spareribs "sweet n sour" with spicy mayo.
Mmmmm... mayo. 

Lemon cream with strawberries, cream, nuts, and chervil.
This was exceptional. Sweet lemon cream topped with the deepest red strawberries and lightly whipped cream. 

Walking around Stavanger after lunch... 

I picked Stanvanger for our destination from Oslo simply because it was a good spot on the map between Oslo and Bergen, but we love it here.