Cruise - Spring Falls & Norwegian Fjords
We boarded our luxurious cruise liner The Balmoral which was 218 meters long, with 11 decks, 7 bars and 2 swimming pools. We couldn't wait to set sail and explore all that Norway has to offer.
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How wonderful it was to be able to relax in the warm, bubbling hot tub whilst marvelling at the incredible views out to sea.
We docked into Haugesund, the birthplace of Norway. It dates back to the
Viking era where it is said that the first king of Norway, Harold Fairhair who
we had learned about yesterday is buried. There were lots of quaint shops lining his street Heraldsgaten or
Harolds Street and we all managed to buy some souvenirs such as t-shirts,
fridge magnets and even the famous Norwegian troll.
The most glorious sunsets were seen from top deck and we couldn't resist a photo shoot.
What a place to wake up in, with the scenic backdrop of Hardangerfjord and mountains engraved with rivers and
waterfalls. This meandered
through the woodland and mountains of the Mabodalen valley. On the bus and after a 20-minute ride climbing narrow roads
with dramatic rock faces, we had reached Voringfossen. This is part of a huge
glacial river and at its high-altitude head has a waterfall 182 meters high. Viewing
platforms have been constructed to allow visitors to witness the huge volumes
of water tumbling from the Hardangervidda Plateau to the valley below and we
were blown away by the views. Snow was still present on the mountain tops and
the noise as we walked along the metal platforms was awe inspiring. Looking out
it was like middle earth with dark foreboding skies above. No wonder that
Tolkien was inspired to write the Lord of the Rings books after visiting
Norway.
To our utter joy we entered a photography competition and we were crowned winners! We were so happy!
One morning we sat inside the cinema and watched an amazing widescreen film with no spoken words just dramatic classical style music. The film was shot using drone footage and showed us the majesty of the mountain’s rivers and waterfalls. The screen was huge like an IMAX and we felt as though we were flying as the footage led us from a stream of melting snow to the torrent of a waterfall, we also saw eagles fishing for salmon, reindeer and arctic foxes. A fun part was the hunting simulator where a rifle with red dot scope allowed us to fire and shoot deer on a simulated screen. We all took turns, but it was Mark J and Gordon who seemed to be the snipers amongst us. There were lots of other interactive displays and we found the aquarium fascinating.
We alighted the ship in Alesund. Built on three islands it is the largest town on the
North West coast of Norway with a backdrop of mountains. The town was destroyed
by fire in 1904 and rebuilt in an Art Nouveau style to what it is today. We were guided to the Bruvik, a vintage hospital ship built in
1949 and now a passenger pleasure craft. We boarded and took our seats on the
lower deck where the windows appeared to be at sea level and we set off from
the quayside for a leisurely cruise around Hjorundfjord where we admired
spectacular views of the mountains, fishermen and more waterfalls as the guide
explained about the region the houses, communities and industry.
The evening entertainment did not disappoint! From live shows full of energy and perfect dance routines to being serenaded by pianists in the cocktail lounge.
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