THE BEZEAR'S TRAVELBLOGUE: THE CRUISE

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

THE CRUISE - Olden

Day Ten - Monday, 27th June

Today we will be in Olden, which is another town in a fjord, but this fjord is nearly sixty miles long. We think we werte supposed to enter the fjord about 3.00am, and of course were asleep. The pilot had boarded at Alesund and will stay with us for a couple of days, and so obviously is needed to get in and out of these places.

Lee was up at about 6.30am and said it was just beautiful, with snow-capped mountains and streaks of snow and ice. Also some waterfalls coming down the mountains and settlements down near the water level, and later, patchwork of cultivated fields.

The morning was overcast coming into Olden, but very still, and it is an absolutely beautiful place. The cruise line wasn't running any shuttles as we were within walking distance to the town centre, which itself wasn't very big, but quite flat at this level. Everything else, (as you can see), is UP!.

We did notice some of those little sight-seeing trains standing near the wharf, and after breakfast we went ashore and talked to the man standing near one of them. He said his tour would go through the town and around a small lake and back to the town, where we could hop off and have a look around. It took a little while to fill all the seats, because there was no information supplied by the ship and we all had to work out for ourselves that these tours were local and available. After all the seats were filled, we set off, and they did a very helpful commentary in English, that gave us some of the history of the area.

Tales of the farmer's wife who had to trek up into the hills and tend the herd, and milk the cattle, and so there were little houses dotted all up the slopes.

We also saw a 400 year old stone bridge, which was the only connection between the two sides of the river. It has since been replaced but is still standing. The torrent of water through here was tremendous, and so strong and loud, and this was Spring, so you could imagine what it might be like in heavy rain periods!

We stopped by the lake and there were trout (?) jumping, and then on to another spot by the raging river, where we all took photos, and then Lee and I got off in town near the lovely white wooden church. Really quite interesting if for no other reason in that on only one side of the church, some of the pews had what looked like antlers sticking up from them. I think they might have been used as hat/coat racks, but can't be sure.

Stopped in town for coffee and a browse through some tourist shops and actually found some nice things, but so much other stuff seems to be centered on Trolls and Elks/Moose and is a bit tacky. We got a really nice runner for the coffee table in a Scandinavian design.

Then a walk across to another side of the fjord, where you can look back on the town and the ship. There were many passengers walking back, and all those we spoke to or heard from, said the local tour was just wonderful, and how much they had enjoyed it.
Take note P & O!!!!

Having had a very pleasant day in Olden, it had started to rain as we left the town, but we found a spot on the Planet Deck (?), and had a good view of the different side of the fjord as we left.
Later we found a spot on the Terrace Bar, which is across from the Trattoria, and had equally lovely outlook as we progressed down and out of the fjord.

As you leave, and depending on the tide, the ship has to pass under several sets of power cables crossing the fjord, and these are marked at their lowest point with coloured (orange) balls shaped things, and even tho the captain knows what he is doing, (aided by the pilot), it seems quite scary as you pass under them! The captain had said that about five years ago, another ship's captain had actually hit them and blacked out half of Norway, and was hit with a hefty fine.