Wandering Publicist

Norway was never on my list of places to visit until I saw the beautiful fjords. I was sold. From Iceland, we flew into Bergen, which is the second largest city after Oslo. Bergen is known as the gateway to the fjords. Boats and ferries retrieve you at the beautiful Wharf area that boasts restaurants, coffee shops,and lovely boutiques.

We spent one night in Bergen before departing for the Fjords. We booked with Norway in a Nutshell, part of Fjord Tours. We chose the Sognefjord in a Nutshell package. You can choose a day trip option or overnight with two or more days. We did overnight, staying a total of two nights. We chose to do a round trip as we wanted to spend more time in Bergen afterward. The site is very easy to use, and extremely customizable. You can book hotels through them as well, which we did.

The Sognefjord (pronounced sonjafeeord,) is the longest and deepest, extending more than 200km inland. It is also considered one of the most beautiful travel destinations in the WORLD.  Once on the boat, I couldn’t contain my excitement!

Balestrand was our first stop, where we would spend a glorious night. Stepping off the boat, my lungs inhaled the crisp, fresh mountain air, instantly reviving my tired body.

We headed to our hotel, Midtnes, which is located a 5-minute walk from the dock. Upon arrival we noticed a stunning church. We later learned this was the inspiration for the church in the movie Frozen!

We were greeted by a charming older man, who owned the property with his wife. This is a classic mom and pop establishment, with the welcoming environment reminiscent of grandma’s home.

You know that moment right as you open the hotel room door for the first time, each person silently praying it lives up to the expectations? The first thing we saw when we opened our door was an incredible view of the water and fjords.We both erupted into an ecstatic squeal. I then ran out to the balcony to take it all in. Yes, the photo below is the exact view from our room. How unbelievable is this?!

With time not on our side, we quickly started exploring. Right across from the hotel there was a little dock area with benches, where you could sit and take in the view up close.

Before long, we needed to refuel. We stopped into a cute restaurant called Vikingertreff. We ordered the Baleburger Cod and the Fish and Chips. Both were excellent! The fish was extremely fresh as it was caught by nearby fishermen offshore. The fish and chips were beer battered and fried to perfection.

Satisfied and energized, we headed out for a hike (yes, with a beer in our system :P). There is one main hiking path that has different trails based on intensity. You can ask anyone for directions, and there are signs posted pointing in the direction of the trails. For reference, they start behind the school.

 

We did the Orrabenken trail, which is moderate/difficult. It takes a while to reach the first view, but so worth it. However, the best view is closer to the top. My jaw dropped when we turned the bend to see this.

 

We were the only ones at this high level. I reveled in the calm and quiet. I would have stayed up here for hours, but it was starting to rain, so alas, we had to begin our descent.

On our way back to the hotel, we stopped in the shopping center. We saw a few girls sitting at a table selling pancakes. We, of course, bought a few and gobbled them up in 5 seconds! They were so cute, I had to take their photo.

For dinner, we went to a restaurant called Gekkens. DO NOT GO HERE. They served us frozen food heated up. We should have known something was up when we walked in and didn’t smell anything cooking. It was the one disappointing culinary experience in Norway. There is an art gallery right next door that has much better food, all made from scratch.

On a happier note, the homes in Balestrand are so quaint. I adored all the red ones, so bright and lively.

The next morning, we enjoyed a delicious breakfast at our hotel. I am a cheese fanatic and they serve the most amazing brown cheese and biscuits, which is a Norway classic. There are two types of brown cheese; one is from cow and one is from goat. Another Norway classic is fresh Herring and other fresh seafood, including lox.

We were told by a local check out the aquarium cafe. While waiting for our boat to take us to Flam, we enjoyed the sun with coffee and a pastry with cream cheese and fresh blueberry topped with powdered sugar.

As we sat, I noticed a group of school children coming in from a kayaking excursion. I couldn’t help but think how lucky they are to be living in such a place, where they are constantly surrounded by nature and can go kayaking in the middle of the day. So simple, yet such a luxury.

Norway was never on my list of places to visit, but now, I can’t wait to go back.

Stay tuned for the next blog on Flam!

XO,

Sarah