The Viking village
Saturday, August 13th: Bergen, Norway > Aurland, Norway
We scored free food at the community kitchen left over by other campers. Our pride told us to leave it there, but our wallets and bellies convinced us to take it. We nabbed a pack of crackers that had a sweet hint to them and an almost full bag of wheat flatbreads.
After packing up and leaving the campground, we made our way to Gudvangen and Flam - two cute Norwegian towns tucked into the fjords that we visited on our Norway in a Nutshell tour. Along the way, we stopped at a cascading waterfall and stumbled upon tiny wild strawberries that tasted a tad like bubblegum.
We arrived to Gudvangen and reminisced about the Go Pro accessories and equipment we left there years ago. We should have checked their lost & found for the possibility of being reunited again. We went into the small Joker grocery attached to the Shell gas station to pick up burgers for dinner. As soon as we walked in, we could smell the freshly baked buns and couldn’t resist. We started with a savory roll, covered in cheese and stuffed with a meaty sauce that tasted like something between spaghetti sauce and Mexican burrito filling. Then we went back for the sweets and bought a three pack of vanilla and chocolate custard buns.
We walked around the shoreline and along the river, browsed the Viking village gift shop and decided to pay the $25 per person for the tour. We started on a self guided path around the village, checking out each of the replica buildings - houses, workshops, etc. We brought out our inner child and took turns at the axe throwing and archery stations. We tried on the helmets and realized we didn’t quite look as intimidating as the Vikings must have. We participated in the guided tour and learned a lot about the ways of the Vikings: how they made sails and clothing out of sheeps wool (including the dyes made from natural elements), weaponry and battle formations, mythology about of the gods, type and size of Viking ships, etc.
We left Gudvangen and drove 20 minutes to Flam. The sun was out and we walked around a bit sluggishly through the small town of souvenir shops and places to eat. We walked around the marina docks that had only enough slips for a handful of boats and marveled at the Wajer - a 55-foot, $2M sleek blue boat.
On our way back to the car, we found the mother load of raspberries along the Flam railway tracks and ate our fair share.
We drove to Aurland and we’re stopped by volunteers directing traffic while the triathlon was underway. The road to Stegastein was jammed up, so we decided to stay in Aurland overnight, set up camp at Lunde Camping along the river and visit the viewpoint around sunset. After dinner, we drove up the steep, winding road to Stegastein and took in the view as the sun sank behind the mountain. While waiting for the crowds to die down, we met Josie - an 11-year-old yellow lab that was as sweet as could be. Oslo and Josie would have been instant friends if he were here with us.
We continued driving up the mountain - the route we would have gone if we were heading to Laerdal. Sheep we’re wandering around the roads and didn’t care if they were in your way. It must have been post-dinner playtime because the young sheep were very playful and butting heads with their siblings.
Campground: Lunde Camping
