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Some of these fjords are pretty long! Sognefjord is no exception. Flåm is located a convenient 180 km (112 miles) from open water. This fjord is actually Norway’s longest at 203 km, ahead of Hardanger Fjord (179 km). There is only one longer fjord in the world and that’s Greenland’s Scoresby Sund – measuring in at a sparky 350 km!
Apparently, Norway has over 1700 named fjords dotted along the 57,000 km-long coastline. It also has 239,057 counted islands – second only to Sweden according to World Atlas – but the question is when is a rock counted as an island? Whatever! Norway has a lot of them!
So, here we are moored at Flåm …
… ready to take a ride on the Flåm Railway …
This railway has been described as one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world and is one of the leading tourist attractions in Norway.
The train runs from the end of Aurlandsfjord, a tributary of the Sognefjord, up to the high mountains at Myrdal station, 867m above sea level. On the way, we had a five-minute photo stop at the Kjosfossen waterfall.
Back aboard for the final leg …
… to our “waffle-stop” at the Vatnahalsen Hotell. From here the view back down the valley is stunning!
If you look closely you can see the Flåm zip-line (see the orange markers). This will fly you down 305 m of descent at speeds reaching 100 kph. The total length of the wire is 1381 m, the longest zipwire in Norway. There are a number of conditions that would prevent a person taking the ride (for example pregnancy) and just one that is essential – insanity!
On various trips our guides have been talking about the Norwegian flag. Apparently there are very strict rules governing when it can be flown. While these regulations cover all official properties, almost everyone complies.
From March to October the flag should be hoisted from 08.00. From November to February it should be hoisted from 09.00. The flag is lowered at sunset, although no later than 21.00, even if sunset is later than that. In the northern counties of Nordland and Troms the flag is flown between 10.00 and 15.00 from November to February. The complications of living in such a long country that extends so far north!
The flag must be flown on designated “Flagg Dags” of which there are 17 a year.
There also exist written rules for the proper folding of the flag, for not letting it touch the ground, and in addition the unwritten rule that it should not be worn on the body below the waist.
Anyway, the reason I got Wikipedia to tell you all of that is that most Norwegians can’t be faffed with all the time changes. Instead they choose to fly an unofficial flag – a Pennant style flag with the same colours …
These can fly anywhere, any day, any time! So no 9 o’clock alarms needed. Result!
So, back on the train, another photostop at the falls, back on board and off we go. Leaving Flåm for Stavanger.
We finally made the Silver Note restaurant this evening. Slightly weird food but with excellent jazz accompaniment.
Note my rocket-like dessert in it’s own volcano-like dish. Like I say a bit weird! But Jakob’s violin playing was again magic. And in the morning, breakfast on the aft deck in Stavanger.
We are looking forward to two days here … and so can you!