Geiranger

7/2012 Update:  a series of blog entries from a Norway cruise I was fortunate enough to take in the Summer of 2008. Although it feels funny to have relayed trip updates via a blog, it was a pre-Facebook way of telling friends/family about my travels.

Another morning, another beautiful Fjord.  This time, we've sailed into the Geirangerfjord, one of the narrowest and most scenic.  One of the great things about this cruise has been waking up in one of these places.  This fjord also as tons of waterfalls, including the "Seven Sisters" one.  We got a really good look at it on the way out tonight.

The weather today was really nice.  It sounds like we got lucky, weather-wise, and had a day that was mostly free of rain.  Our tour bus took us past the town of Geiranger, which is apparently here for the tourist trade, and up the steep mountains to the top of Mt. Dalsnibba, which is 5,000 feet above the valley below, which is barely above sea level.  While the snow has melted below, once near the top, the lakes are still frozen and there is snow everywhere. The road was only opened for the season a few weeks ago.  The top of the mountain, which has a wicked twisting road, has a spectacular view, with a wind to match. 

There's nothing quite like getting your face whipped by blowing snow in June!

On the way down the mountain, we stopped at the Geiranger Fjordsenter.  It's a nice general visitor center for the area and had some interesting exhibits on what life was like here for the area's first inhabitants.  They also served some very good coffee!  They had an actual slide show, with real slides!  It actually looked quite good.  I know some professors at the U who would be proud...

And now, we're back out at sea on our way to tomorrow's destination.