Nordic Meanderings

Today as we stood at the scenic overlook at the top of the Aurland Fjords we knew we were in the real Norway. All those pictures of blue sky, clouds, snow covered peaks, massive green slopes that slide into dark blue seas were right in front of us. A tiny ferry skimmed across the water far below us and the clear cold and very clean air brushed past us. We had driven 20 minutes up a switchback road lined with farmland and implements, birch trees just touched with green and tiny white and black lambs that frolicked in the sunshine. We wanted to continue on the road the travelled over the mountains to Laerdal, but the road doesn't open until June 1...snow of course!
After the view, we returned to Aurland and reluctantly took the longest tunnel in the world...24.5 kilometres ... to Aurland. I suppose that should be considered an adventure in itself! Every 6 kilometres they break up the boredom with coloured lights that illuminate the ceiling and walls and mark the passage of the journey. Today they were washing the tunnel and used a pilot car to guide us around the huge machines doing the spring cleaning.
South of Laerdal we visited a Stave Church...one of the oldest ones in Norway...built in the 1100's from specially grown pine trees. These churches with their Christian crosses and Viking dragons on the roof are a national treasure. Just a few remain and are a testament to the wood working skills of the Norse that were honed by the sea as they built boats like the ones that went to Newfoundland.
Tonight we stay at a Pension in the historic area of Laerdal. The wooden house we are in, is beautifully but simply decorated with collectibles and great art pieces. We leave tomorrow to catch a car ferry and travel down the Narrow Fjord, a UNESCO World Heritage site..and more wonderful Norwegian scenery.