Day 3: Eidfjord, Norway (Flam Railway)

Wow... I'd been up the last two days for 48 hours. I was really, really tired, but just happy we "Travel Buddies" were all together and had a lot to look forward to.

We woke up at 5:45 and had breakfast together at The World Cafe. Our rooms were next to each other so that made it very convenient.

The first thing we had to do each morning was provide our spit to be tested for COVID. The vials of saliva were to be placed in the red bag and hung on the door for our cabin steward to pick up. 

Although there was a buffet set up at the different eating areas, when 21 people immediately tested positive and was quarantined in a different section of the ship, food was all served for you instead. Those infected during the voyage could not leave their staterooms and food was being delivered to them. Toward the end of the trip, I believe I heard 29 people had tested positive.

The friendly Viking representative who picked us up at the airport the day before said there were 600 passengers on the large ship which could actually hold 900. 

Before entering the eating area you were watched to make sure you washed your hands. Although some people chose not to wear masks, toward the end of the trip, only a handful went about without masks in the hallways. We wore N95s almost the entire time. (The really weird thing is we were almost the only ones masked at shows and lectures. Go figure.)

The selections were absolutely decadent! There were a cold cuts section with meat, fish, cheeses, cut fruits, whole fruits, pastries, and a hot section in The World Cafe. You could also order waffles and pancakes and I don't know what else. It just boggled your mind.

We had sailed to Eidfjord, Norway during the night. Eidfjord is the 2nd longest fjord in the world. Greenland has the longest fjord. Fjord in the Norse language means 'where you travel across.'

 

Our first excursion would be 7 hours which would include the “Scenic Flam Railway.”  I wasn't sure what to expect. 

Our tour guide's name was Alessio and he told us that Swedes and Norwegians once did not get along. This story was supposed to illustrate that.

"A Swedish family was constantly catching a lot of fish so the Norwegian father asked his son to go over  to the Swede's home and find out the secret. 

The boy returned home after a while and said, "You have to cut a hole in the ice before you try to catch fish." 😄

Our first stop was Tvindefossen (twin waterfalls). It's called that because it gets its water from two sources, river and lake. People long ago thought that if you drank water from the falls, you would achieve eternal youth. (Uuummm... Too late for us, but we're young at heart.😁)

Alessio told us that Norwegians discovered anorthosites in 1960 (used for toothpaste, road construction, etc.) which helped their economy. He also said Norway is now using hydroelectric power that provides 90% of their energy needs. That was darn impressive!

We enjoyed the Norwegian buffet lunch at the Stalheim Restaurant.

We then boarded the Flamsbana train. The Flåm Line is a 20.2 kilometer (12.6 mile) long railway line between Myrdal and Flåm in Aurland Municipality, in Vestland county.

We saw Kjosfossen Falls which was even more fun because you could see a woman in a pink dress dancing on a rock .  She must have been awfully cold.

The bus took us back to the ship where we visited The Restaurant and tried the crab legs and seafood. 

Funny thing is the crab legs were rather tasteless and dry. We weren't quite sure why.

Oops!

I didn't mean to put the gelato picture before the dinner picture. 

OK, but let's face it, that gelato station was the place we loved the most. The amazing thing is they make their own gelato and there was always one new flavor everyday.

Sigh...

I miss that gelato.

(Oh, the bottom dinner picture is Art's plates. I didn't take a photo of my dinner. I must have been preoccupied thinking about gelato.) 😏