We
have been docked overnight in Floro!
When we arrived at 8:30pm, we felt we were given shore leave and left
the ship to get an advance idea of what Floro would have to offer! Well, it didn’t take very long……everything
was closed for the night. We did find a few bars, but one felt much too local
and the other would have cost us the equivalent of £50 or $75 for 4 beers. With very little atmosphere, we felt that
money would be better spent on the ship and just came back. But we also felt tomorrow is another day and
are looking forward to discovering this darling village when it is awake!
One
very interesting about Floro is that it is the westernmost town in Norway and
there is nothing between it and the Americas!
So I will look West and give everyone in Canada a wave hello!
Yesterday
was one of those rare perfect days that will last a lifetime in our
memory. We docked at Olden, but once
again, had planned a trip so did not actually see Olden. It looked precious too, but such is life.
We
were the first group to be tendered off the ship so we could catch our bus for
our walk to Briksdal Glacier. We were informed that this is the largest glacier
in Europe. So that means I have visited both
the highest, in Switzerland and the largest in Norway! Maybe I should start bagging glaciers like people
in Scotland bag Munros!
When
we booked this trip, I knew it was a walk to the glacier, and I really worried
about how high it would go and how long it would take me. We only were allotted something around an
hour – that meant to leave time for cakes and coffee afterward. My uphill muscles and not that dependable and
when we first saw the glacier, my worries tripled!
First
view of the Briksdal Gladier
The
walk was not unpleasant though, and I spent the whole time in deep conversation
with the dance instructor! We had never
met before and by the time of reaching the top, we knew all about each other’s
families and many other things. So that
is my way of bragging that not only did I make it to the end of the walk, but I
was able to walk, talk and breath at the same time. And in all honesty, we only
went to the base, not the top. (Thank
goodness!)
Alan
and Pat at the Briksdal Glacier
The
lake at the base of the glacier was so cold it had bits of the glacier floating
about in it! One of our group decided to
suck an ice cube and she said it tasted like mineral water. I was not brave enough to do this!
Briksdal
Ice!
The
other thing, I don’t think the camera could catch, was the color of the
glacier. It was that lovely blue you see
in photos from Alaska. Here is the
picture, you might have to use your imagination to see the blue though.
On
the way up and the way down, we saw these beautiful goats. One had such amazing markings that made it
look more like a small deer than and goat.
But it never cooperated for me to get its good side!
For some reason, I can't access the picture of the goats to post, sorry! Will try another time.
AND
I made it down in time for cakes!
Alan and I walked
into Floro this morning and found a more
vibrant town than last night! The
buildings are really cute and the harbour has loads of private boats, plus the
most modern ferries I have ever seen.
But from what I understand, at least this part of Norway had very few
roads until recently. Everyone depended
upon ferries to get anywhere. Now there
are roads, although many look like single track roads, and loads of tunnels as
well. But there are still many, many
ferries too. As dependent as we are upon
our cars, I can’t imagine this way of life. But it must be more relaxed and pleasant
that what we are used to!
Floro also has a tourist information place with free wifi! Alan and I sat there for a while checking emails, etc on our tablets. But to do this blog, I need my laptop so am restricted to doing this on board the ship, on their internet service! Not ideal, but I like doing this blog, so worth the sacrifice of having to sit in the lounge or bar, having a drink to be polite! And catching up on the day.
“Nature does great things
without asking for reward”
Alexandri Herzen
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