A Fresh Start : My Norwegian Holiday Thumbnails

Show photos from June 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th, 29th, 30th, July 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th

Photo 1: My luggage, ready to go outside Norwich International Airport. That's Photo 2: My first view of Norway, from the plane (well, duh). Looks pretty, doesn't it? Photo 3: The view from my hotel room window - at eleven thirty at night! These short nights are going to take some getting used to. Photo 4: Day One, then, and I start with a trip up the Fløibanen to Mount Fløyen. This, 320 metres below me, is the Mediterranean beauty of Bergen. Well, it's how it looks, anyway. Photo 5: Ooh look - that's my hotel! It's handy having that great Big Wheel outside my window ... Photo 6: I'd bought a single, deciding to walk back down to the city. On the way I met this curious character. Photo 7: Ah. What you can't see (because it was so bright and sunny) is that both signs said Photo 8: Another view of Bergen, from slightly lower down the mountain. Let's say ... um ... 280 metres up. Photo 9: Ah, a mountain stream. I've got a fascination with running water, fountains and the like (in case you hadn't already noticed). Photo 10: I have no idea who Ole Irgens was or why his bust was about halfway down (or up) Mount Fløyen. I should have googled him before writing this, shouldn't I? Photo 11: Bliss - a cold, cold drinking fountain. This was most welcome, I can assure you. Photo 12: See - I made it all the way back down. This is the bottom of the funicular. Photo 13: Time for a wander around the city, then. In the park near Haakonshallen I found someone who, in my opinion, was a little optimistic about the temperature (although it turned out that she was right, judging by my sunburn). No, I didn't get any closer - what do you take me for?! Photo 14: Some of the ships in the harbour have obviously travelled a fair way ... Photo 15: This sailing ship is a beauty ... Photo 16: ... although I'd rather not have his job, doing something or other to the prow thingy. Photo 17: Bryggen - the old wharf area - is delightful if a little on the touristy side (as should be expected). Buildings were a little tightly packed, weren't they? Photo 18: That moose must have been going at quite a speed ... Photo 19: Excellent - my most exciting find of Day One: Viva Las Vegis, the Elvis-themed vegetarian restaurant I'd be frequenting a fair bit. Rather ironic, isn't it, theming a veggie place after Elvis even if they do sell cracking burgers? Photo 20: Back in the city centre I happened across a group of young ladies practicing what I took to be cheerleading routines of some sort. The lady being hoist aloft was certainly keen, given the treatment she was getting ... Photo 21: ... and I had less confidence than she in her friends' chances of catching her! Photo 22: Back in Bryggen there's restoration work ongoing - and they'll be at it for a while, too. They're using traditional methods, down to the hewing of treetrunks into planking using just a broadaxe or two. Sooner him than me. Photo 23: Yes, it's that sailing ship again, this time from the Fish Market ... Photo 24: ... where the fishwives(?) are certainly more attractive than I'd expected ... Photo 25: ... and the seafood was certainly colourful. And smelly. Photo 26: More running water, this time on the Ole Bull statue you'll see again later. Photo 27: I had a bit of a birdwatching afternoon in the park. First chap to come and say hello was this rather friendly magpie ... Photo 28: ... but then I spotted the terns, doing their acrobatics just above the surface. I soon realised they were fishing. Photo 29: Photo 30: Photo 31: *gulp* Photo 32: This is how close I managed to get myself to the terns - it was fortunate for me that they always seemed to return to this spot after a successful catch. Photo 33: Bergen harbour from the Fishmarket (i.e. right outside my hotel). Photo 34: No need to get crabby :-) I don't know whether the vivid colour was coming mostly from the crustaceans or from the red awnings over the stall, but assume the latter. Photo 35: A nice church I passed en route to my meeting with Photo 36: Still en route, this charming alley leads down to the quayside (although in Bergen this Photo 37: Mother and baby - the chick is less than a month old. Be thankful I've spared you the sight of the chick feeding ... or defacating, for that matter. Photo 38: Two of the seals - half the aquarium's population - are learning tricks in return for morsels of fish. Photo 39: Meanwhile the remaining two seals just bobbed about in their pool - apparently (and understandably) bored stupid. Not much of a life, is it? Photo 40: You can't tell, but beneath the reclining penguin there's another chick, hatched that very morning. Photo 41: He's under there somewhere, I promise. Photo 42: Along with half the tourists in Bergen, I'd rushed out of my hotel when, at eleven o'clock, the sky suddenly turned red. I'm not suggesting that half the tourists were in my hotel, you understand ... Photo 43: Deliever me from tour parties - they're everywhere! Mind you, if my guide next week is this attractive ... Photo 44: He's still at it, a day later. Still on the same log, too, I think. This will take a while! Photo 45: Photo 46: Just a nice knocker on a sidedoor to the Mariakirken. Photo 47: Bryggen's beginning to fill up with its shoals of tour parties, fresh from the boats. Photo 48: One of the two stone buildings built at the back of Bryggen. Photo 49: ... and one of its darker passageways. Photo 50: Halfway down the dark passage was this rather nice door. Photo 51: Inside the Domkirke, named after its dome (I'm clearly getting the hang of Norwegian). Photo 52: Another shot inside the Domkirke. It was welcomingly cool inside. Photo 53: Just a backstreet of Bergen Photo 54: Ah. I seem to be going in circles - that's the Domkirke again. Photo 55: This is a slightly unusual view of a sculpture I think is meant to represent the carcass of a whale. They're really into their sealife in Bergen. Well, really into killing and eating it, anyway. Photo 56: Now this got me a little excited - tramlines! No sign of the trams, I fear, but still. Photo 57: Oh dear. I've started to go a little 'arty'. This isn't a good sign. Photo 58: More bicycles - considering how hilly Bergen is the owners must be darned fit. What I liked, though, was the Photo 59: USF? What could USF stand for? Can't quite make out that script from here ... Photo 60: Of course. Photo 61: By now I was rather disorientated. As I climbed what I hoped was the headland between me and my hotel I took this snap of the more commercial area of the massive harbour. Photo 62: Bathing? Nah. It may have been a hot day but I'd the feeling that the sea would be a little too cold for me. Photo 63: More bicycles. By now I was back on track. Remember that alley I showed you earlier, heading down to the quayside? It's to the left from here. Photo 64: In case you doubted my word, here's the next alley over, with a cruise ship in the background. Photo 65: Having walked a little further than I'd expected, I decided to take a water taxi back to the Fishmarket. This snap was taken while I was waiting for it. Photo 66: Back near the market it was another glorious day with just the teasing suggestion of a cooler spell in the sky. It didn't come (not on that day, anyway). Photo 67: Talking of markets, considering the temperature I did think this chap was going over and beyond by wearing one of the woolly hats he was trying to sell. Photo 68: In fact, it was just too warm for me down in the city - time for another trip up the mountain. Photo 69: Why is it I can't find Welsh flags flying this well when I want to photograph them? Photo 70: Ah, a cooling woodland stream. I was very tempted to paddle, I can assure you. Photo 71: A large shieldy sculpture thing, looking out over the city. Unfortunately it's been rather defaced by hooligans. Photo 72: A good sign - two of the cruise ships leaving port, taking some of the shoals of visitors with them. Photo 73: Looking, I think, south towards Stavanger - just mountains, trees and water. Photo 74: Can you guess what it is? Cog wheels on the left, grooves on the right? Yes, it's a winding wheel from the funicular. Photo 75: Here's another view of the winding wheel - this time from the side. Photo 76: Now that those ships had left, I decided it was safe to head back down the mountain to the harbour. Photo 77: Bryggen buildings (deliberately cutting off the touristy shops at street level). Photo 78: Another shot of the harbour - are you bored of these yet? Photo 79: Well, given the sunniness I could hardly go without a Photo 80: His stance amused me - childish, I know. Hang on - isn't that Brian Cant?! Photo 81: Looking back across the harbour through a forest of masts. Photo 82: That building way up at the top of the mountain is the terminus of the funicular. Photo 83: This, meanwhile, is the view from my hotel's roof. Don't worry - there's a sun terrace. It's not as if I went climbing across the tiles. Photo 84: The first part of the ziggy-zaggy path up Mount Fløyen. Photo 85: Another view from the roof, this time looking out to sea. Photo 86: Almost done here - this is the rather nice clock on the next building ... Photo 87: ... while this, once again, is the Dom of the Domkirke. Photo 88: It's thirsty work is this traveloguing. I deserved this. Photo 89: Yes, it's the harbour again, with the Rosenkrantz tower in the background. Photo 90: Heading into town there's this interesting statue. Photo 91: ... and another bunch of strange characters on this side. Photo 92: More statuatory further inland. Has he no shame? Photo 93: And again. This is of Ole Bull, the famous violinist. Photo 94: While this is Edvard Grieg (with a seagull on his head). Photo 95: A word of warning - this is what happens if you take too much bread to the lake. Photo 96: Fed up of statues yet? Photo 97: Yes, it's snack time for the terns again. Photo 98: I watched them for hours, quite literally hours. Photo 99: Back up the mountain (third time this week!), here's a view of that winding wheel in full. Photo 100: Plenty of trees up here to give welcome shade. Photo 101: And plenty of paths, leading to ... Photo 102: ... a delightful and quite unexpected mountain lake. Photo 103: Another view of the lake, which was to become one of my favourite spots. Photo 104: Lots of pretty wildlife, too. Photo 105: I found a shady spot beneath the trees and relaxed. Photo 106: Another tracks leads off to who knows where. Photo 107: That flag's still fluttering nicely. Photo 108: Oh look - I'm back down at the harbour. What a surprise. Photo 109: And another view of Mount Fløyen, but just look at those clouds. Photo 110: More thirsty work - I was developing a taste for this ... a shame as it's £7 a glass! Photo 111: Much, much later - almost a quarter to one in the morning, in fact, here's a different view of the harbour. Photo 112: Friday morning and I decided to take a fjord tour. Photo 113: As you can tell it was, once again, a beautiful day. I don't know where Bergen gets this reputation for being a wet place! Photo 114: While the Photo 115: Another jetty snapped on the cruise. Photo 116: Full steam ahead, deeper into the fjord. Photo 117: A compact and bijou lighthouse (I think). Photo 118: Yes, more fjord to see. And blue, blue sky of course. Photo 119: That looks like the life - commuting by rowboat and an orchard in the garden. Wonder what it's like in winter, though. Photo 120: This waterfall's probably a torrent in winter, wetter months. Photo 121: At this time of year, though, Norwegian fjord life looks very tempting. Photo 122: Yep. I'll live here. Photo 123: I'm rather pleased with this shot. Photo 124: More blue EVERYWHERE. Photo 125: Ah, a lumber barge, ready for its trip to Bergen, I suspect. Photo 126: Returning to Bergen, this old warehouse has seen better days. Photo 127: These flats, though, look like a nice place to live. I'll get one as a pied à terre. Photo 128: Big Wheel keeps on turning (although not when this shot was taken). Photo 129: This is a rather basic hoist next to - yes, you guessed it - the harbour. Photo 130: Although vandalism is obviously bad, it amused me that the scribing seemed to have been done in runes. Photo 131: This is the Hanseatic Museum. Photo 132: Another stone building at the back of the Bryggen. Photo 133: What seem to be rebuilding marks on one of the buildings. A little more complicated than Photo 134: A german inscription, a legacy of the Hanseatic League. Photo 135: Another view of the stone buildings. Photo 136: While there's a wooden one next door. Photo 137: Is it me or has someone tried to get in - or out! - of this metal grave?! Photo 138: Can you see the pussy cat, lazing in the shade? Photo 139: Ok, I'm back at the lake ... and have a new friend. Photo 140: Well, wouldn't you go back with views like this ... Photo 141: ... and this ... Photo 142: ... and this ... Photo 143: ... and there are safety measures in case I fall in. Photo 144: More pretty wildlife. I don't think I want to know what they're doing. Photo 145: And one more shot of the lake. Photo 146: Ok, two. Photo 147: Photo 148: Bergen's clearly busy today. Photo 149: Ooh - here comes the funicular! Photo 150: I swear I was looking out of the window ... unlike the chap next to her. Photo 151: Bryggen again. Quite possibly the same alley, in fact. Photo 152: And I think I've snapped this building before too. Photo 153: Shnaffn-rashn-tour parties Photo 154: One last(?) shot of the harbour before I move on? Photo 155: This, then, is my new hotel (for tonight and next Saturday night at least). I walked past it on the day I found the sardine factory! Photo 156: And this is one of the larger churches in Bergen - Johanneskirken. As it was Sunday (and up a hill) I decided not to visit. Photo 157: Remember that statue with the strange figures? Here's side three ... Photo 158: ... and four. Photo 159: You were bound to be missing the harbour by now. Photo 160: Due to popular demand, here are fishwives at their trade. Photo 161: Doors in Bryggen. I tried to use the straighten tool in Picasa but couldn't choose which line to use as a base! Photo 162: And another (with the same problem). Photo 163: I call this Photo 164: What lovely manhole covers they have here, don't you think? Photo 165: Now this figure's definitely an angel (unlike stick-man earlier). Photo 166: A hard night on the tiles. Geddit? Oh, never mind. Photo 167: I want that URL. Bob! No!!! Photo 168: Ah, the Rosenkrantz tower. More from inside here later. Photo 169: That <del>moose</del> man must have been going at a fair speed ... Photo 170: Aha! A secret dungeon near Haakonshalle! Photo 171: Talking of Haakons, here's the seventh king of that name. Photo 172: ... and the halle I just mentioned. Photo 173: We're deep in the gloom of the Rosenkrantz tower now. Photo 174: All these shots are handheld, you know. I hope you're impressed. Photo 175: He doesn't seem overly impressed but I'd like to see him hold a camera steady for 1/4 second without wobble ... with no arms. Photo 176: Nice codpiece, mate. Photo 177: 'Um. Yes. Very nice, dear. Now go and show your mother.' Photo 178: Fresh air! I'd found my way to the top at last - it's a maze in there. Photo 179: One of the locals was keeping a beady eye on me, though, in case I was a ne'er-do-well. Photo 180: The thirteenth century inhabitants will have had a fine view of the cruise ships arriving. Photo 181: Distinctive, isn't it? Photo 182: I wonder whether there was ever a B.C. version. Photo 183: I was gleefully playing with this gun and didn't realise there was a guide behind me. She wasn't amused. Photo 184: An interesting angle on the tower, I think you'll agree. Photo 185: All that climbing around made me thirsty. Now *that* is what I call a large Coke. Photo 186: Time to watch some more soothing water (Ole Bull's fountain again, in case you were wondering). Photo 187: Doesn't Bergen have lovely backstreets? Photo 188: I think this means Photo 189: The organised part of my holiday began with a sightseeing trip around Bergen (visiting bits I'd deliberately avoided in the first week). Here's the group outside a house in the Old Bergen museum. Photo 190: There are a series of old houses here, transplanted from their former locations. Photo 191: Another of the houses. Photo 192: Guess. Go on. Photo 193: Ah - not a house. Still at Old Bergen, though. Photo 194: Ok, it's the houses again. The track in the middle of the street had bricks on their edges to assist horses. Photo 195: One last shot from Old Bergen. This, I'm sure, is a church. Yep, I'm positive. Photo 196: From O.B. we moved on to Edvard Grieg's former house, now a museum. Photo 197: This isn't his house, just a small shed outside it. He wasn't *that*small. Photo 198: See - this was his house. Only used in the summer, though, as he'd be off conducting around Europe in the winter. Photo 199: Here he is, life size (i.e. 5 feet tall). Photo 200: And this is the hut in which he did his composing. Photo 201: Which means that this must be his composing desk. Nice (inspiring) view. Photo 202: You can't really see from the last photo so this is the actual view he'd have had from his desk, taken by cunningly standing at the window. Photo 203: Just a woodpile (not Edvard Grieg's). Photo 204: When you see what a strangely shaped bloke Ibsen was his literary works begin to make sense ... Photo 205: Right. We're off on the ferry to Skei having caught it by the skin of our teeth (and only because it waited for us). Photo 206: Charis rings to thank the hotel for persuading the ferry to wait for us. Photo 207: The last time I saw this ship she was in Sydney harbour. It'll have been about five years ago. Photo 208: This ferry's certainly shifting - probably because it's the mail boat. Photo 209: Look - snow! Photo 210: More fjordside scenes. Unfortunately the weather was beginning to close in. Photo 211: You can tell how quick we were going my the mess it was making of this young lady's hair! Photo 212: Onwards, ever onwards ... Photo 213: And these folk are some of the others who're on the Splendours of Norway tour this week (Charis is the guide/rep, in case you hadn't realised). Photo 214: This was obviously a deeply complentative moment. There are only nine of us on the tour which means I should hopefully be able to remember peoples' named by the end of the week! Photo 215: See - I told you it was blustery! Photo 216: Another fjordside view. Following this the rain arrived, precluding any more snaps. Lucky you. Photo 217: The last shot of the day, then, is the view from my hotel room in Skei (pronounced Photo 218: Ah, morning, and the cloud's come down to say hello. Darn. This is the Skei Hotel, our base for the next five nights. Photo 219: Let's have a panorama of the lake, shall we? Start at the left ... Photo 220: ... pan slowly to the right ... Photo 221: ... keep going ... Photo 222: ... and here we are at the far, um, near side. Photo 223: A rowing boat beside the lake. Photo 224: Ooh - a roadsign graveyard. Photo 225: One of the lakeside boathouses (plus boat). Photo 226: Another of the lakeside boathouses. Photo 227: Mundal Village, the Norwegian version of Hay-on-Wye, and an image I'm sure will make the 2007 calendar! Photo 228: This is the entire tour party, enjoying their packed lunch. Photo 229: A young pied wagtail was enjoying the location too. Photo 230: More buildings from Mundal - a barn ... Photo 231: ... and the church. Photo 232: It was certainly a popular spot with the children for their fishing. We didn't see any catches, though, in our brief time there. Photo 233: From Mundal we moved just a couple of kilometres along the valley to the Norwegian Glacier Museum. Photo 234: This is the building, designed by a reknowned architect. It's won awards. Photo 235: And here are some of the views from the museum. Photo 236: Breathtaking, aren't they? Photo 237: I know it's a W.C. but I want one for my garden. Photo 238: One last view from the musum towards the Josterdals glacier. Photo 239: We moved on to get closer to the Photo 240: This huge lake has formed at the foot of the glacier. The water's rather chilled. Photo 241: Another glacial stream, racing to join the lake. Photo 242: Another view of the stream ... Photo 243: ... and of the glacier. Photo 244: Pearl and Flo, the other young, free and single members of the party. Photo 245: Water really was plummeting down the cliff-faces. Photo 246: I spotted this work of art on our way back to the bus. Photo 247: This is glacial melt, shot from a rather wobbly footbridge. Photo 248: Our final stop was for a photo-op at Lundebotn. Photo 249: Charis, Pearl and Flo share a joke about how Pearl always manages to avoid being photographed. Photo 250: Lundebotn is at one end of the Fjaerlands tunnel - 6.39km long! Photo 251: Charis pointed out to me the fingers of the glacier just poking over the ridgeline, far above us. Photo 252: That evening there was a folk dancing demonstration by local youngsters. Photo 253: They'd turned up in various national dress to entertain the tourists (and did so very well). Photo 254: Hopefully this photo captures the whirl of the dance. Photo 255: I made myself scarce when they started pulling in Photo 256: Wandering outside for some fresh air I found a beautiful evening - a bit of a contrast to this morning! Photo 257: Even the moon was putting in an appearance - the first time I'd seen it for ten days or so. Photo 258: I wandered back in to find the Crystalites putting on a show of their own, putting the other groups to shame :-) Photo 259: And now an experiment in low light photography - 1.6 seconds of handheld fun! Photo 260: There's not enough traffic here around midnight to make lots of pretty patterns. Photo 261: Up with the lark this morning (possibly before the lark) and it appears that it's going to be another scorcher. Photo 262: Look at the sky over the hotel! I had to let myself out as I was the first one about. I hope I didn't set off any alarms. Photo 263: Our first stop today was this view over the Nordfjord. Photo 264: Our second stop (for vaffle and coffee) had these curious characters in the hotel garden. Photo 265: The hotel in question is beside ... well, you can read the sign for yourselves. Photo 266: One last shot from the deepest lake in Europe before we move on ... Photo 267: ... to the Marriage Bridge at Horndøla. Weddings would be held in the middle of the bridge ... Photo 268: ... but first the prospective bride would have to go through the ring to prove she wasn't pregnant! Photo 269: Another view of the bridge before we hurry off to catch another ferry. Photo 270: Look how fast the ferry was moving! Photo 271: It was taking us up Geiranger Fjord from Hellesylt to Geiranger. Pretty, isn't it? Photo 272: We had constant companions along the hour's trip ... Photo 273: ... because idiots like this persisted in feeding them. Photo 274: There was a Scooby-Doo like haze above Geiranger as we arrived (something to do with thermals, I imagine - Velma explained it to me). Photo 275: Fifteen minutes after driving away from Geiranger and here we were at Flydalsjuvet, looking down on the village from 260 metres up. If you think that's a long way down ... Photo 276: ... twenty minutes later we were at Mount Dalsnibba ... Photo 277: ... that over 150 metres higher than Ben Nevis, folks, and we drove there! It's the highest point you can drive to in Norway. Photo 278: If you thought the penguins were cute, how about these wild reindeer who happened to be visiting Mt Dalsnibba? Photo 279: From Dalsnibba we headed downhill, passing more lakes and waterfalls, for our next appointment. Photo 280: We had a date with cakes and coffee at the Hjelle Hotel where a former Crystal tour guide has married the owner. Photo 281: The hotel lies beside Lake Stryn ... Photo 282: ... which is a beautiful spot too - where isn't in Norway? Photo 283: I don't know whether you can pick out the postboxes on the ground floor being mirrored by the nestboxes on the first floor? Photo 284: Let's finish on a pretty abstract pattern (leaves shadowed on the side of the barn in the last pic). Photo 285: Here are a couple of shots from this morning taken on the Ixus (I'd forgotten about these). As you can see, there was nary a ripple in Lake Jølster at 4:30am. Photo 286: ... and the rowing boats still sat there, waiting for fisherfolk or fitness freaks. Photo 287: This last shot is from this evening, though. What a lovely sky, eh? Photo 288: If it's Thursday we must be on our way to the Briksdal glacier. It is, and we are. Photo 289: These first shots are of Olden Lake and the Melkevoll glacier in the background (Briksdal is just around the corner to the left). Photo 290: There were pretty flowers at our photo-op ... Photo 291: ... as well as a stream which we thought was impressive at the time. How little we knew! Photo 292: Now THIS is an impressive waterfall! See that bridge across the fall? We got soaked, I can tell you. On a hot day it was great. Photo 293: Such a pity there are no leprechauns in Norway or we'd have been rich, I tell you, rich! Photo 294: There's the Briksdal Glacier in the distance. Photo 295: Getting closer - Mick, Jackie and I were getting rather tired by now after climbing for almost an hour. Photo 296: Soon enough, though, it was time to put on the bondage gear and prepare for another hour's walking, this time on the glacier itself! Photo 297: Ha ha - doesn't this other group look silly? Hang on, we probably look the same to them. Except without pink helmets. Photo 298: Jackie, Mick and Charis (from r to l) listen intently to Larss's instructions. I just took snaps, confident in my icewalking ability. Photo 299: Ooh. Don't you get an odd effect when you use zoom when you've got a wide angle adaptor fitted? Photo 300: Larss explained how the dirt on the ice has come from atmospheric pollution - hard to believe when you're somewhere so clean and fresh as Norway. Photo 301: One last shot of the glacier, rolling over the top - it's just one arm of a 500km² glacier (the largest in Europe, of course). Photo 302: And a final shot to prove I got off the ice in one piece. Fell over as soon as I got back onto dry land, of course, but didn't break anything. Photo 303: Our luck was bound to run out and the fine (magnificent, indeed) weather was nowhere to be seen today. Photo 304: As these shots from the coach show, though, Norway's still worth a look in the rain. Photo 305: Our first stops today were in Sandane. Photo 306: First next to the fjord (next to an old boat which just didn't photograph well) ... Photo 307: ... and then at the Nordfjord Folk Museum. Photo 308: We were given a tour of the museum by this young lady, who started by taking us back to school. Photo 309: Buildings have been gathered at the museum from across the Nordfjord region. Photo 310: This bergsetbua or storehouse for food was built in the 17th century and came to the museum from Fjelli near Stryn. Photo 311: Our guide (Katrin) dates from slightly later, I think. Photo 312: I seem to be slipping back from tourist mode to Photo 313: Do you know the story of the three goats and the troll bridge? Photo 314: Back to arty mode. Photo 315: This item was out of place in the bakehouse where it currently stands. Do you know what it is? Photo 316: Yes, it's a man-powered lathe. Well done - award yourself 5 points. Photo 317: The Crystalites listen agog to Katrin's explanation of something or other. Photo 318: I try to get a bit clever with some indoor detail shots now. Photo 319: Don't worry - there's only one more of these. Photo 320: ... and I think this is my favourite of the three. Photo 321: There's a small amphitheatresque area at the museum (although we didn't use it because of the rain). Photo 322: As others ate their lunches, I wandered further and shot a couple more snaps. Photo 323: Now this is the old Gimmestad church, home to ... Photo 324: ... a weather-forecasting cod. No, really, it is. I'll tell you all about it at a later date if nobody can work out how it tells the weather. Photo 325: Farmers bought their own pews in the church. Photo 326: And there's some really old graffiti in the entrance hallway. Photo 327: There was a strange quality as we left the church and I'm not sure that I've captured it particularly well here. Photo 328: This native seemed friendly ... Photo 329: ... as did this one, although he kept his distance as we came out of the church. Photo 330: Time to move on again, this time to Eidsfossen, a 33 metre tall waterfall with a massive salmon ladded adjacent. This shot and the next are of the salmon ladder. Photo 331: It's too early in the year for there to be salmon for us to watch, of course. Photo 332: Our last stop was at the Fjordhorse centre (for a snack break, we didn't go in). Photo 333: The proper fjord horses have a mohican-style mane with a black line running its length. Photo 334: A pureblood horse's black line stretches the whole length of its body. Photo 335: Hopefully the mane's a little clearer in this shot. Photo 336: While I finished my snaps for today with this other horse at the centre - it was being ignored as it wasn't a fjord horse and I felt sorry for it. Photo 337: Two final views of Shei before we leave ... Photo 338: ... setting off, as we did, at the ungodly hour of 8:30. Photo 339: We passed more lakes (not surprisingly) ... Photo 340: ... and even more waterfalls ... Photo 341: ... and hairpin bends-a-plenty ... Photo 342: ... and not forgetting snow, of course ... Photo 343: ... en route to St Olaf's church in Balestrand. Photo 344: This was built in the style of a typical Norwegian stave church at the turn of the last century but is a Church of England building! Photo 345: It's in the Photo 346: Notice the dragons on the tower? That was all the rage at the turn of the 19th century, we were told. Photo 347: There were charming views over the Sognefjord from the church, ... Photo 348: ... although you can see that rain clouds were gathering. Photo 349: We were at Balestrand to catch the ferry to Flåm from which we spotted this Viking chieftain, some 13 metres tall. Photo 350: We passed numerous other ferries - Sognefjord is a busy place. Photo 351: ... and saw the high cliffs and dramatic light we'd come to expect. Photo 352: It rained for most of the voyage, I'm afraid, so I spent most of the trip here (in the far corner, in fact). Photo 353: En route we passed the narrowest fjord in the world - Nærøyfjord. Photo 354: We arrived in Flåm on time - here's our ferry - and you'll notice that the weather was far better at this end of the fjord. Photo 355: Bicycles again? I must be exploring a new theme. Photo 356: Maybe not - back to normal with this shot of the 13:30 train leaving. Photo 357: Then again, I may have typed too soon. Photo 358: Yep, it's definitely another recurring theme. I'll add it to the list. Photo 359: All this excitement was clearly too much for some. Photo 360: I was ok as long as I stayed away from those bicycles. Photo 361: The happy throng in full - from left to right: Ken, Lynne, myself, Jackie, Mick, Wendy, Flo, Pearl and Bob. Photo 362: The Flâmsbana rises at up to 1 in 18 and is the steepest non-funicular standard gauge railway in the world. Photo 363: So steep, in fact, that it needs motive power at each end of the train. Photo 364: There was this impressive waterfall half way up but by now if we saw another waterfall we'd scream :-) Photo 365: Thanks to the Flåmsbana train running a tad behind schedule we had to race across the platform in Myrdal to connect with our train back to Bergen. Photo 366: My last day, then, and the weather was more as I'd expected it - wet. Photo 367: Time for a brief wander (before it got too wet anyway) and for more BikeWatch pics. Photo 368: I wandered north from the hotel to an area of Photo 369: As you can tell, Bergen's rather hilly once you move away from the waterside. Photo 370: Tram tracks again! Photo 371: It's that church again. By now I was having to wave an umbrella carefully out of shot. Photo 372: Here's a slightly different shot, just for variety. Photo 373: There's a strong link between Norway and the Shetlands (well, they used to be Norwegian, I think). Photo 374: Another shot of the Photo 375: Back at the harbour I was limited to shooting from under cover. Photo 376: I like the patterns in this roof in Bryggen. Photo 377: Defeated by the rain, I headed back to the hotel, pausing only for one last statue. Photo 378: In that case, why are there loudspeakers? Photo 379: At Amsterdam all attention was on the World Cup final, of course. Photo 380: My first view of sunny Norfolk. Isn't it FLAT? Photo 381: In fact it was only 9:00 o'clock or so and it was actually getting dark! How novel. Congratulations - this is the last of the 381 photos. You deserve a drink if you sat through them in one go!

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