Eidfjord, Vøringfossen and Kjeåsen

Eidfjord is in the innermost part of the Hardangerfjord. There is a nature center there which has a very impressive scale model of the region, as well as exhibits about the lifestyle and culture of the inhabitants, the reindeer herds and the trout fishing operations.

Yes, this is a goat on the roof of a shop, that's how they keep the grass on the roof trimmed.

Children's Hardanger Bunad (regional rural garments of Norway)

Norwegian sweaters for sale!

Herd of stuffed reindeer in the exhibits

Dramatic scenario exhibit!!!

Statue of Viking huntsman in the exhibits

Next on the agenda was an overlook to see Vøringfossen, a magnificent waterfall with a 182 meter vertical drop. They have a nifty hotel built by the overlook and there are some very nice walking areas. The landscape is very interesting and since its is so close to the tree-line, there are remarkable types of vegetation that is only seen higher above sea level.

Bare birch trees speckle this landscape since autumn has already seemingly come and gone.

View walking up to the overlook.

Lingonberries grow wild around here, as do crowberries, blueberries and the sweetest raspberries I've ever had.

Bare birch trees

Vøringfossen

After the waterfall, I went to Kjeåsen, a mountain-plateau farm which is at least 400 years old and lies close to the treeline, 530 meters above the fjord. It has been called the world's most "inaccessible" farm and up until the 1970s the only way to reach the farm was a step vertical climb of bare rock-face up the side of the mountain. There has been at least one book written about the family who lived up here and the stories are fascinating. Apparently, if someone was old, they would decide when to descend the mountain so as not to put their loved-ones through the inconvenience of removing their body from the farm if they were to die up there. For some more information the wiki page is: http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=Kjeåsen&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8. Hit the first "result" and "translate", can't seem to get the link to work directly.

View from the farm

Old farm buildings dating back to the 1600s.

More to come, I'm sure, when I'm not working and if money allows.  =)

Excursion within the Øystese-region

Went for a drive in the region surrounding the town of Øystese this Sunday afternoon and took the dog. Above he is seen terrorizing some poor sheep. Below are three more videos, the first being a view from a nice vantage point overlooking the fjord and the second and third are "driving" shots. Again SORRY, the video quality is awful! Thanks to my gimp-camera.

Next are some photos. Please forgive the volume of animal-photography. There are animals everywhere, you see. And they tend to be more photogenic than I am, so I rather have them in the pictures "for perspective" than my awkward form.

Non-native ape species and non-native dog species

This is an electrical company, actually.

Hillside dotted with mixture of rocks and sheep

Curly-horned "wild"-type rams

The Norwegian Fjord horse...and in my opinion, the most adorable creature ever.

Cleaning the card

Wiping my card, so here are some random Norheimsund pictures  and photos of the woods and fjord. So, not a "real" post by any means. Enjoy. 

Farm with apple trees

Norheimsund

Cabin I want to own.

1,000 year old oak tree. Now...this makes me understand the Druids.

Hollow of the oak

Tree covered in mushrooms

Snorri, Egon and Whale Meat---Velkommen å Bergen.

First up, what I am currently working my way through...I strongly recommend Hauge, wonderful Norwegian poet

Went back into the city today and was able to explore a bit more than I had been able to during my last visit. Mostly I ventured around the historic Bryggen area (old port/docking area and fish market).

Statue of Snorri Sturluson, the author of Eddas and Norse Mythology

Read more about Snorri: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snorri_Sturluson

View of the Bryggen, some of the buildings dating as far back as 1702

Odin and Thor, they are damn near everywhere. =P

View of the narrow alley ways in the Bryggen, note the wooden streets

Pelt and fur shop

Reindeer pelts for sale

Everything is crooked!

Restaurant sign in Bergen...Damn, Chicago follows me everywhere....

MORE TROLLS!

Lovely little coffee shop

Finally had a beer. A Carlsberg...for a whopping k33! Beer is cheaper in America.

Pigeon I wooed with the aid of some peanuts

 And just as I was settling into the differences of a European city and enjoying the sheer "Norwegian-ness" of the place--------I saw it....horror of horrors!!!!!!!!!

Just when I though I had found the ORIGINAL McDonalds...I  realized that only the building was what dated back to 1710 (note plaque at top). BOO!

 Damn you, America... Damn. You.

Had to go to an actual Norwegian restaurant chain now to combat the sheer evil that is American fast food...in other words one of the several Bergen "Egon's". This restaurant chain is named after a Norwegian "hero"---a fictional thief and the mastermind leader of "The Olsen Gang" from the popular and almost cult-classic films all about the criminal gang's misadventures.

Norwegians give their children great role-models...

Interior use to be an old meat market

I'm told that the fish market is THE place to be on the Bryggen...so, I have some pictures. Unfortunately, I got there as it was closing (yeah, like 3:30 in Norway, btw), so I didn't see too much. Almost everything closes at literally 4pm.

Stand

Stand selling sausages...whale, moose and reindeer. I bought some whale sausage.

 OH, and disclaimer! The whale meat sold here is not from endangered species and its harvested with ecological consideration, so NO, I'm not going to feel bad for buying it. Its not like I'm buying Japanese whale meat, for pete's sake.

I also had a very nice salesman give me a free whale steak cooked right there on the grill... because I was a cute American girl who had never had it before.

Win!

Odd way to flirt with someone though...looking back on it..."here's some whale meat on me".

I didn't mind. It was delicious. And kind of a weird mix of fish and steak taste...if that makes any sense to you.

Note tubes of "Kaviar", yes TUBES. I've had it...its salty and pink and alright I guess.

Square by the wharf, note the way the buildings go up the mountainsides,  the statue is of Ludvig Holberg.

And if you don't know who Holberg is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludvig_Holberg

Alright, thats enough for now...going to go eat some more whale meat (in sausage form and on flat bread) because it tastes good. So sue me.

=P