Geirangerfjord

This morning we awakened in Geirangerfjord! It wasn’t that long ago that the thought of ever viewing a fjord in Norway was little more than a pipe dream for either of us but it was an absolutely incredible experience this morning to stand on the deck of Jewel of the Seas and everywhere we looked we saw rising above the pristine waters amazingly steep cliffs, lots of green forests, and more waterfalls than we could possibly imagine. Waterfalls absolutely everywhere. Dotted along the coast were tiny little communities accessible only by sea. Once we were moored, the two of us used Apple Maps to plan a walking route that took us up the road, past the cemetery and a positively gorgeous viewpoint to the UNESCO Norsk Fjordsenter, a World Heritage Visitor Center. There we immersed ourselves in the geologic and cultural history of this landscape. Once a flat landscape, Norway’s fjords were created by perhaps thirty ice ages over more than two million years. Until quite recently the human population here was dependent upon the sea for transportation. Until the advent of the automobile and completion of the Trollstigen Tourist Road in 1955 the economy here was strictly agricultural. We finished our visit to center by sharing a delicious waffle at the cafe before heading out on a hike up the mountain. It was a glorious hike but we never made it to the viewpoint much less to the waterfall at the top but instead decided to turn around while everyone was still having fun. At the fjordsenter we took the alternate route down the Waterfall Walk stairway and were rewarded with intimate proximity to the Storfossen waterfall and a look at the remains of Geirganger’s first hydroelectric power station.  As we were returning to the ship we were plotting ways to return for a longer stay in the caravan park. Knowing that traditional cruise ships will be banned from this and some other fjords by 2026 as well as knowing that we’d not want to drive the treacherous hairpin turns on the road into the valley, we’ll have to find a way to arrive by electric ferry and rent a caravan already here. That’d be quite another wonderful adventure! Continuing on our way the we had a fabulous treat after dinner, at one point near the Seven Sisters & Bridal Veil Waterfalls the Captain pivoted the ship so all of us got fabulous views of these iconic falls on either side of the fjord. This is an amazing adventure!