Day 9 - Down Into The Valley In Search Of Trolls

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Today is our second day in Geiranger, and we always like it better when we spend two nights in the same location. This morning we are in a race. After breakfast, we looked out in the fjord and there were two cruise ships anchored offshore. According to Maja, the cruise ship excursions tend to start after 10:00AM, so she wanted to be on the road by 8:00 to beat the other busses coming to pick up the evil cruise ship passengers. Sure enough, as we were heading out of Geiranger, we could see the busses lining up to take the cruise ship passengers to mostly see the Geiranger Skywalk we went to yesterday, and the Trollstigen or Troll Road which is our destination today.

As we left Geiranger behind, there was a fog and some drizzle filling the fjord valley. Still, there were moments when the rain stopped and the fog would clear, so there was some visibility as we snaked our way out of the valley, with some spectacular views of the sides of the fjord and the many waterfalls along the way.

While some of the pictures through the bus windows were clouded by rain, there were a couple of times where we would stop and get out of the bus for a photo opportunity. The problem with having a series of fjords for a coastline is that the only way to build roads is to follow each fjord in and out along the coastline. Bridges across the fjord are not really feasible as the fjords are very deep, and it would be very difficult and expensive to place bridge pylons on the ocean floor below.

So the best solution is the same one that has been used for centuries: ferries. So we made it up out of our fjord and down to the next one where Arpi drove the bus onto a ferry for the ten minute ride to the opposite shore. This ferry runs back and forth across the fjord every 20 minutes continuously. The ferry also contained cars, trucks, and motorcycles along with passengers who just wanted to get across. Normally everyone just stays in their vehicle, but us, being the curious travelers, go out and wandered about the ferry. While there were rest rooms and a little cafeteria, there was no observation area above deck to take pictures of the crossing, so we eventually just returned to the bus.

Then minutes later we were on the opposite shore, and Arpi was heading back up and out of the second fjord on his way to Valldal, and in particular to the nature center at Valldal where there were rest rooms and a little cafeteria on the shores of some rapids. The was a series of foot bridges and observation platforms where we could get some great views of the water passing below. After taking some great pictures of the rapids, we got back on the bus to head for Trollstigen. The valley between Valldal and Trollstigen is well known for its berries, most notably its strawberries. Norwegians evidently eat a lot of strawberries, most of which are grown here. We passed field after field of strawberries, some being worked, and some being picked.

Before we knew it we were at the Trollstigen Welcome Center. Actually, the real Welcome Center is closed due to some damage by avalanche last winter, so most of the facilities were moved to the local shops and cafeteria. But in the race to beat the other tour busses, we bypassed the Welcome Center and decided to stop there on the way back up after we complete our drive of the troll road.

Evidently the Norwegians have a lot of stories about trolls and the things they do to humans. Other than their strange appearance, they typically have four fingers on each hand and 4 toes on each foot, and while the front view of a troll can sometimes appear very human, including some beautiful young troll girls that could fall in love with a human, in all cases from the back they have a tail.

The Trollstigen is a very steep road that crisscrosses the side of the mountain to the floor of the valley below. Originally built in the 1930’s, it has been a popular tourist destination for years. There are a couple of observation posts on the way down, and some observation platforms at the top near the Welcome Center. There are multiple waterfalls on both sides of the mountains and the views are spectacular.

There is one particular observation stop on the way down that only has room for two cars or a single bus. Today was our lucky day, as we came up to the observation stop, there was no one there so Arpi was able to pull the bus in and we could get out and take some great pictures! By the time we reached the bottom, there was still some drizzle and fog, but the visibility was good enough to get some great pictures. There is also a beware of trolls sign at the bottom where it is traditional to take pictures next to the sign, so of course Jody and I had our picture taken there.

As we headed back up, the rain began to pick up a little, so by the time we made it to the Welcome Center, we were ready to do a little shopping out of the rain. Of course, we picked up a couple of t-shirts and a magnet, and we had just enough time to make it to the observation platforms and get some final shots. By now the Welcome Center was getting crowded from all the cruise excursion busses and we figured it was time to head back to Geiranger.

So back along a more direct routs, and back on the ferry across the fjord – this time we were too cose to the adjacent vehicle to get off the bus – and soon we were back in Geiranger. By now it was 2:00 and the plan was to wander around town and grab some lunch and maybe a little souvenir shopping. It turns out there is a little series of shops in Geiranger that we did not notice yesterday, though likely since it was Sunday and no cruise ships were present, most of the shops would have been closed.

By the time we returned, two additional cruise ships had docked, so the little downtown shopping district was crowded with cruise ship passengers. Fortunately, cruise ship passengers eat for free on the boat, so they are unlikely to eat in the cafes. So while the souvenir shops were packed, we easily found a seat in a nice little café and had a nice lunch of fish and chips which turned out to be delicious!

After lunch, we braved our way through the souvenir shops, picked up a couple of t-shirts, a magnet and Jody picked up a few little things for her friends back home. At 3:30, the bus came back to take us back to the hotel to have a little rest for the afternoon. So we hung around=d the room for a little while jus relaxing, with a little trip to the basement of the hotel where they had a little collection of antique cars used in the area back in the 1920’s and 1930’s. It was only about a dozen cars, but it was a pleasant diversion.

Maja invited everyone to a little thank-you gathering for drinks at 6:30. I think is was supposed to be for past guests, but everyone was invited and a lot of people had been on previous Insight Vacation tours. Many had been on 1 or 2 like us, but Cindy & Jeff had been on 7 previous tours and Bob, who is single had been on 11. We’ll have to talk to him and ask him for some recommendations for our next trip.

Dinner tonight was the same buffet as last night, but Jody and I decided to try to eat a little healthier and cut back on the desserts. So we both had salads, a reasonable main course, and just a couple of desserts. We still ate a little bit too much! After dinner, we had some delightful conversation with Gyles and Carol, and order couple who have been married 57 years from Minnesota. Gyles is a retired professor of Soil Science from the University of Minnesota and had lots of great stories.

Tomorrow, we leave for another ferry ride, this one more touristy than todays as it is supposed to be narrated. We also get to sleep late tomorrow, as we don’t leave until 10:00AM!

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