Beyond Bergen

Yesterday I spent the day going beyond Bergen. I took various train/boat/bus combinations and did a big loop through the countryside, across one of the fjords and back to Bergen. It was really spectacular and totally fabulous! Although I quickly learnt that the Gulf Stream really does keep Bergen's temperatures above average for Norway because as soon as I started to head inland I began to see snow. Initially I will thrilled to see it scattered across the mountain tops, but the further I went, the lower it got until when I got off the first train at a place called Mrydal it was a complete whiteout, inches thick on the trees and the ground and actually snowing at the time! That is where this first photo is from. It was fabulous to hear it crunching under foot and feel it lying on my eyelashes. In this area I also saw the totally amazing Fjosgossen waterfall - a little different fom the tender trickle through greenery in an earlier post.

After winding our way down through gorgeous grey and white mountains and green river valleys, we arrived at the start of one of the fjords.

From the boat it was amazing to see how the cool mountain air combined with the warmer air off the water to form a crisp cloud division. Simply stunning. I kept having random moments of realisation where I would say to myself, I am cruising along a Norwegian fjord, and I just couldn't stop smiling. Hope the pics make you smile too. Kisses...