- Travel on the Rail -

Part 3

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I left the hotel without breakfast. It is 7:00, and the night is still here. But I am really expecting today's my visit to Norwegian essence.

The first train today is an express train "PERNILLE" (I have no idea about the meaning and the pronunciation) for Bergen. Taking the seat reserved for me, 7:35 am, it started as the time table. The sun is already in the blue sky, which is exciting me more and more.

My seat is #14 in the #466 car of NSB (Norwegian Railways) though the train does not have 466 cars, and is not in the compartment, different with the seats of my train to Oslo before yesterday. The width of the rails is 1,435mm, the same as Shinkansen in Japan, but only 4 people can sit for each row, different with Shinkansen that 5 people can sit. It is comfortable because of the big size and the pillow. Even so, why is it so crowded? A group with 4 girls (how pretty!), families, and so on are on the train.

Then, turning from the girls to the outside of the window, the snow that I could not find in Oslo covers all over the view. Norwegian forests, lakes, and tunnels..., such scenery has been repeated. The train is making smoke of the snow. It is just like "smoke", and it sometimes makes the view just white.

Passing through a long tunnel, at 12:09, we arrived at Myrdal station. Actually, this is the starting station of Flåm line that is one of the most important objects of this trip. Myrdal station is 746m above the sea level, and the terminal Flam station is in the same level of the water of the Aurland fiord, an arm of Sogne fiord, which is most same as the sea level. This is such a remarkable train as climbing it down with only 20km. The average of the slope 37.3/1000 is already over 35/1000, the steepest slope of JR (Japan Railways). Even only thinking about it excites me.

The train with an electric locomotive and a passenger car started after a delay of about 15 minutes, maybe because of the heavy snow. The snowstorm was already at Myrdal station when I arrived there. The train slowly went into a tunnel made of natural rocks. Go out of the tunnel! Yes, we did! Suddenly we are on the middle of the cliff! And into a tunnel again. They were repeated.

After the several tunnels, I could find a waterfall on the cliff over there. Icicles like dinosaur's teeth (though I have never seen) are just before the window of the train. Slow down! Stop the time! But against my hope, we went into another tunnel...

And after a while, we arrived at Flam station. It was thrilling and exciting 45 minutes.

Flam station	Looking up the cliff we just climbed down

I wanted to go through the fiord by boat from here, but I retuned by train because a staff of the information center in Tokyo had told me that the boat had been suspended during winter. However, a Japanese I met at Myrdal station back from Flam told me that the boat had actually run. I have decided not to believe the staff's suggestions.

He also told me that he stayed at the Youth Hostel in Voss last night. I would go to Bergen today, but I decided to stay at Voss Youth Hostel by his words.

Voss is located between Myrdal and Bergen, 50km from Myrdal. This town is a base of sightseeing of fiord, and tour busses start from here according to the guidebook. Through the snowstorm, losing my way, when I managed to get the Youth Hostel, a woman smiling with a gentle face at the reception welcomed me there. As opening the door of my room by the key she gave me, I found an unbelievable scene that a girl and a boy that seem teenagers were in the room. He, who was wearing only an underwear, said,
"This is the room just for her and me."
I am sure I am in the north Europe.

I left for Bergen by the train of 8:38 in the morning. It is a local train that has seats for 5 people for each row. Running along the fiord, I arrived in Bergen at 9:50. This is the second biggest city in Norway, and one of the biggest fishing ports is also here, but it does not feel so busy. Maybe because it is the morning in a weekday. A trolley bus that was not so crowded passed by me.

Bryggen

First, I went to the open-air market. The guidebook says there are a lot of stores, but I cannot find so many. I have decided not to believe the guidebook too. Just near the market, facing the port, there is a street named Bryggen. Restored German-style buildings are along this street. It is a rainy day, and it looks very nice with rain. I bought a woolen sweater and a cap there.

I climbed up Mt. Floybonen by cablecar. This cablecar, starting from the station like subway, stopping at 2 stations, and changing the opposite train, gets to the top of the mountain. That means the opposite train connected with the other stops at the places that are not stations twice. Snowstorm is on the top. It is a beautiful view from there, but it was too cold to stay there for a long time.

From Mt. Floybonen	Ticket of the cablecar

I almost went to the spots to see here, so got to the hotel soon. Today's hotel is "Kloster Pension", 220 NOK (about 4,400 yen) for one night with breakfast. I had solitary supper in the room today as well, but with Danish beer!

To be continued

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