As we continued to cruise north along the Norwegian coast towards Flåm the days got longer until it was never dark outside. The sun did dip just below the horizon for a few hours in the middle of the night, but it remained dusk. For a moment I wished that we had an interior cabin so we could have darkness overnight. However, I quickly got over it as I stared at the stunning coastline taking us to Flam.
Flåm is considered one of the most beautiful spots in the world, and now we know why. On our way, we had a full day at sea and woke up on the third morning to exquisite views out the cabin window. It wasn’t until we went out on deck that the massive beauty took my breath away.
We typically do our own thing in cruise ports. Not today, not in Flam. There is too much to see, too little time, and an excursion that goes exactly where we want to go. Our excursion included a coach trip up the fjords with a stop at Tvindefossen waterfall (the fountain of youth) and two trains down, including the world famous Flam railroad. Interesting local guides joined us along the way, and they were all great – the crew from the MSC Opera are another story.
Our group was allocated a train car, and to our surprise the crew from our ship hoped on first, grabbing the best window seats for themselves. By the time we boarded, one of the crew members, who was sitting with his mate actually told my girls they had to sit with strangers as there were no more seats together. Makes you roll your eyes and wonder if MSC offers any customer service training to its staff.
Don’t worry, you know we got it fixed, and it didn’t spoil our day. Here are a few of my photos of this magnificent area of Norway that they call Flåm, none do this place justice:
Our first view of the Fjords, from the deck of the cruise ship.
Flåm, Norway and the Ride to Voss
In port at Flam, also shot from the ship.
This is one of the 13 hairpin turns on the road through Norway’s Stalheim Valley. We were on a bus tour from Flam to Voss.
From the bus window
Another shot from the bus
The Fountain of Youth
The fountain of youth – myth or reality? According to folklore and our extremely youthful looking Norwegian guide, Tvindefossen Falls is it. Located somewhere between Flam and Voss in Norway, we stopped, climbed and drank, using our hands to cup the water. Did it work? Maybe yes, maybe it’s just silly, but either way, it was one impressive waterfall.
A better-known legend regarding the fountain of youth gained popularity in the 16th century. It is said that the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León, first Governor of Puerto Rico, was searching in 1513 (in the area that is now Florida) for a fountain that could restore youth to anyone. Is this another myth, or reality? Either way, he never found it. Maybe that’s because he should have been looking in Norway.
Is Tvindefossen waterfall the fountain of youth?
Our girls stop their climb for the photo.
Voss Norway and the Flamsbana Train back to Flam
A church in Voss.
A snowy landscape, seen from the train as we passed.
As we got lower in altitude, the lush green landscape returned.
The girls in front of the Famous Flam Railroad which climbs steeply up from sea level to 867 meters high over a distance of just 20 km.
The Myth of Huldra
Can you see the “Huldra” in orange on the lower ledge – she is a mythical creature that attacks men to either kill them or make them do work. You can identify her as she has a cow’s tail under her dress.
Kjosfossen Waterfall stop on the Flamsbana train from Voss back to Flaam.
Practical Information on Flam Norway:
- Flam was our first of three ports in the Norweigan fjords. It was the northernmost fjord we visited, followed by Bergen and Stavanger.
- Our cruise on MSC originated in Southampton, England. While I am not a big fan of MSC, I believe cruising in the best way to see the fjords.
- We cruised here in 2012. This article is part of a throwback series inspired by rediscovering my photos after moving 40k images to Lightroom.
- Norway is expensive. If you are planning to stay overnight, check Booking.com for the best prices.
Cruising is the best way to see the fjords. Before you go check out:
25 Tips for Cruising that Everyone Should Know
What do you think of Flam? Do you think we really found the fountain of youth?
Seven ridiculously simple tips that WILL improve your photos
Whether you shoot with a phone or a DSLR, let me share my secrets.
Subscribe to Albom Adventure's Travel Tips newsletter and download our free ebook: Take Better Travel Photos By Rhonda Albom
Wow, it’s beautiful indeed. I’d love to visit there someday and we probably will too.
Have a terrific day. 🙂
Oh, I hope you do. It really is so much more spectacular than these pictures can depict.
That is some beautiful country side.
It was amazing. Plus to get to Flam, which is deep in a fjord, the ship traveled for seven hours where we had spectacular views. It was mostly overnight, but this time of year in that part of Norway, it is never dark. Gotta love midnight sun.
Your right it is beautiful there the name of that train FLAMSBANA always makes me laugh 🙂
LOL – me too 🙂 (Laughing at the train name)
Wow. I want to go. Photos never really do landscapes justice, so I’m sure it’s even more beautiful in real life. Looks gorgeous all the same.
I hope you get there some day. It was so lovely.
Stunning! Just beautiful
It is even better in person. Hope you get there some day.
Wow, what an experience. The fjords are breathtakingly beautiful.
Happy travels.
Have you been here Jenny? It is so spectacular, there are not words for it.
Wow this looks amazing, I would love to go there one day. Be sure to give a thorough rating of MSC and their crew, I am sure you will. Having spent all that money passengers deserve better.
LOL – the comment form left only three small lines for comments and I had to write about the safety issues we had at the beginning. It was all a shocker, but it was really cheap – I guess you get what you pay for 🙂 As for the excursion, the staff was shamed into getting up and giving the girls the seats, so in the end it all worked out ok.
You are lucky you saw the fiords during sunshine!! All we saw was drizzle. Yes, they sure are beautiful.
I’ll bet they were still beautiful 🙂
Your photos of the Fjords are beautiful.
I agree, Norway is lovely. Cheers for sharing with us your web page.
Thanks Donald, and welcome to my blog.
Wow, those are some impressive falls!
If your kids never grow up, you’ll know it worked.
I wonder if this is where Peter Pan started?
Probably :). Awesome pictures mum!
Now that is what I call a waterfall!!!!! Woweeeeeee!
It was even more spectacular to see. We just stood for a bit in awe.
That’s gorgeous. I would want to drink from it just because it sounds like it would be cool to drink from a waterfall.
And it was crystal clear waters. Thinking back, it’s unusual I would drink for nature without purifying the water first.
All this time I thought the Fountain of Youth was in Florida! I would have enjoyed seeing the falls, but don’t know if I would have made that climb. It’s beautiful, but knowing me I would have slipped and broken my neck.
LOL – My mother-in-law lives in Florida. We have been many times, I can’t believe I didn’t know they claim to have the Fountain of Youth. I will have to drink from there too. Just in case it’s the correct one 🙂
I’m going there! I need a little youthful elixir!
LOL – don’t we all!
Impressive waterfalls. Let me know if it works and I’ll be buying a ticket to Norway.
Erica
Brisbane Australia
It’s far from Brisbane, I know because Brisbane was our first stop on the way. Of course we went the long way, taking about 3 months before we got to Norway.
More amazing pictures! I’m so jealous that you went to Norway. I’ve never been, but my best friend and in-laws have (for very different reasons). Drinking from the Fountain of Youth is something that I’d probably scoff at from home, like “I’m not going to climb a mountain just to drink a handful of water.” But then I’d get there and see everyone else doing it and think ‘I’m sooo going up there!” When in Rome, ya know? 🙂
LOL – I knew I was drinking, just in case it works. 🙂
Aaaaaa – Rhonda – you made my day today !! Taking me back home to my motherland:-) Of course I loved every single word of your post and the pictures are so great (see u were lucky with the weather too, thats awesome..:-) See you have a post on my hometown Bergen too – will pop over to that one…
PS: The fountain of youth – OF COURSE it works – Of course!!:-) 🙂 He he
http://expatliv.blogspot.in/
What a beautiful homeland. Have you been to these falls? So expensive though, like New Zealand where I am now. It’s hard to come home after traveling for less money than living at home.
Thanks Rhonda Albom! Love your photos & travel insiprations. I have been to Bergen once. Hopefully in the future, we will also travel to other parts of Norway, including Tvindefossen Fall – to drink the fountain of youth water, with our baby Ren. Do you have favorite destinations for traveling with toddlers / young children to recommend?
Best wishes
ServicefromHeart.blogspot.com
#AtoZChallenge 2014 participant
Bergen is a beautiful city. It’s been a long time since my girls were toddlers and I think they liked anywhere that allowed them to be kids. Before they reached the age of five I think we only traveled in North America, Caribbean, and the South Pacific. My favorites with Toddlers – city: Toronto; tourist destination: Legoland near San Diego; and resort Island: Fiji. We traveled and moved to New Zealand when they were 3 and 5 and they have always loved it here.
Hi Rhonda .. incredible waterfalls – especially the 2nd one with that mass of water pouring over .. I’d love to visit Scandinavia sometime .. you wouldn’t want to wait to drink from the Fountain of Youth would you .. sadly I think my youth as wandered off! Beautiful shots .. cheers Hilary
I agree Hilary, although I wouldn’t want to try and drink from the second one for fear of being pulled away by the water.
Beautiful pictures! There are so many places in Norway I haven’t seen yet, and I live here!!!!??? The best way of getting tips for your Norway holiday (even as a Norwegian) is to read what other tourists say, especially read what bloggers say. You get some great tips from travelling books but people who write about their travels see it in a different way 🙂 Thanks for sharing 🙂
It’s funny how we tour the world, but not our own country.
My answers are no, yes, no and yes! I wonder why I haven’t been to Norway yet? Must fix that before the next AtoZ Challenge 😀
Jemima
#TeamDamyanti
Blogging from Alpha to Zulu in April
Norway is stunning and expensive. It’s one of the most expensive places we have been (I think Moscow tops our personal list).
Beautiful pictures of Norway 🙂
I would like to visit the country some day…
Thanks Shine. Norway is an amazing place. I hope you get there someday 🙂
What a fabulous waterfall. I’d definitely be drinking gallons of water just in case it does work!
LOL – Our guide said we only needed a sip. Maybe that was my mistake, I should have had gallons. Next time I will travel with you. 🙂
Here through A-Z Traveling Suitcase
WOW…what a waterfall, sounds like it took some doing to get there. Perhaps you’re not old enough to know if the water worked, lol. Thanks for being a minjon
Believe me, I am old enough – LOL 🙂
Both falls are gorgeous. I would’ve been there for hours taking photos.
We only had about 15 minutes on the second one, as it was a train stop, just to see the falls and take photos.
Gorgeous photos! I’ve always wanted to see Norway. This makes me want to go even more. Thanks for sharing, Happy A-Z!
Norway is amazing, and it is daylight for so long in the summer.
And you could get so close, too. That last shot is incredible! Missed this in 2008 when visiting Norway.
Shells–Tales–Sails
Neither is easy to get to, the second is only accessible from the Flåm Railway (Flåmsbana).
That last photo is just stunning. So majestic! Wonderful capture of nature with a fantastic sense of scale.
The Immarcescible Word
Thanks. I debated whether to include it since it wasn’t really part of my “F” post, but it’s so “fabulous” I figured it would be ok.
Wow, those waterfalls are absolutely breathtaking. hmmmm…. maybe a trip to Norway is in order…. 😀
Norway is pretty spectacular, and really expensive. We were glad we cruised there.
Those are beautiful falls. I like how it just keeps splitting into smaller falls as it makes its way down. I think I’d drink from these falls but my hubby would be convinced he’d get some sort of illness from it. I would love to visit Norway sometime.
Funny thing is we never gave illness a thought. It turned out ok for us.
look at that waterfall!!1 it’s marvelous… the last capture is stunning
It’s even better live. The sound is so loud it really adds to the majesty.