Jeg vil gjerne besøke ditt land igjen!

This is what i said when i first visited Norway.

And it is still true!

But first a few words about this Blog. 

I decided to write this blog in English because of all the fantastic people we met on our trip. So each of them may have the opportunity to read it.

I will try to update it as often as possible.

I know my English is far from perfect - but i will do my very best ;-)

If you like it - just comment at the bottom!

And if you want to see how the Lofoten look like in Mai with the midnight sun...have a look at my other blogpost!

For the readers interested in photography.

By far most of the images are shot using a Fuji X-T1 and a Fuji X-A1.

Lenses used are XC 16-50, XC 50-230, XF 18, XF 56, XF 10-24.

Some are Jpeg OOC and some are developed in Lightroom.

Only a few are shot with a Panasonic GM1 and the 12-32 lens.

12. September 2014

So here we are again!

This time we will stay 3 weeks in Norway.

We will be traveling from Oslo to Bergen, from Bergen to Stamsund on the Hurtigruten, stay minimum 7 nights at Anne Gerd's Lofoten Guesthouse and travel back to Oslo in the remaining 9 days.

Well - going to Kiel from Bonn is always a long trip. But this time the traffic is really dramatic and we arrive at 5:10 pm at Kiel. 

Only 5 KM to our Hotel - but at 5 pm they closed one of the main roads in Kiel - so this took us another 1,5 hours. But finally we made it!

We have a good night at our Hotel Atlantic in Kiel.

The check in on the ferry is at 12:00 am the next day.  So there is still some time to have a walk in Kiel.

13. September

Finally and after a very calm cruise we arrive in Oslo.

We will drive to Eidfjord today. This will be our first stop and hopefully the weather stays like it is  - sunny and warm.

There is no traffic - so we quickly approach Eidfjord.

There seems to be only one thing to stop us...

Finally we arrive in Eidfjord.

The hotel is very nice and stylish.

We get a warm welcome and some advice where to go for a short hike before dinner.

The view and the sunset are incredible.

The next day we leave Eidfjord and we are on our way to Bergen to fetch the Hurtigruten to Stamsund.

The weather is fine and we have enough time to have some breaks.

It's funny - just when you think everything works and you are good in time something happens...

Another Cafe in the sun!

Bergen.

Something is wrong here.

Ah - i know!

It's NOT raining ;-)

After a little bit of sightseeing we finally have to check in on the Hurtigruten.

Natasha enters our ship "Kong Harald" while i have to wait in the car.

Where are my sea belts???

For the next 3 1/2 days we will be on our way to Stamsund.

The time we had when going to Kirkenes with Hurtigruten in February was quite different. 

The ship was only half booked in February and we got in contact with so many nice people. This may be due to the fact that in wintertime there seem to be no big groups traveling with Hurtigruten. 

This time it's a different story. Many groups - no contact.

Except Edurardo and his wife. They come from Chile, live in Stockholm and Portugal and invited us to visit them.

Maybe we will!

Also the crew is somehow stressed and we both agree that in winter it has been just fabulous!

But there are also some highlights like the ship construction (Bankskoyta 2015), downtown Urke, the breathtaking landscape and all these waffles...

Alesund

Urke downtown

Hurtigruten doesn't go into the Geiranger Fjord in September anymore. 

But they decided to have a stop in the Hjornudfjord - at the little village called Urke.

What a landscape and what a warm welcome.

Only around 60 people live here - and some of them are sitting in the little cafe at the harbor to welcome the tourists.

We do get in contact with them - very interesting and nice people!

By the way...they also sell waffles and coffee!

Alesund

We just do a short roundtrip in Alesund. 

Mostly when going by Hurtigruten there is just not enought time to explore these beautiful little cities.

Trondheim 

This is our 3rd visit to Trondheim. 

And we already know where these little cosy Cafe's are...like Anna's Cafe - a German who now lives and works in Norway.

So we go on and on...the sea is mostly calm and the weather changes from perfect to "interesting" to perfect etc.

Our last stop before reaching our destination is Bodo.

As alway we leave the ship for a short walk into the city. After walking around for some time we find another Cafe (what else...).

There is a man inside - with a hat - who smiles in our direction while on his way to our table.

First we think he may be the driver of this wonderful car we saw a few minutes ago.

But - he is just a nice guy asking where we come from.

He then tells us: "Wait - i have something for you".

Wow...that's strange...normally (where we live) that means he wants to sell you something.

But - he is a local musician called Torgils Gundersen - and he just wants to give us his brand new CD "Livsdans" as a present.

Thank you, Torgils!

And he leaves us with "Bon voyage"...

Finally we get closer and closer!

When you see mountains over mountains in the Ocean...you are finally there!

Lofoten

18. - 27. September

I am so happy to be back on the Lofoten. I had to show them to Natascha - the time i spent here in May has been just fantastic.

We arrive in the evening at Anne Gerd's B&B.

What a warm welcome - it is like coming home.

I only can recommend to stay here. It is just the best!

Imagine living like this - a view like this every day...

Up side down - and the kitchen.

The next 9 days we are going to have a lot of fun with all the nice people we met last time and meet this time...Anne-Gerd, Marie-Mette, Svein-Tore, Tomas, Petr, Andre, Enrique, Monica and Katrin - just to name a few.

We had such a great time and so much fun!

Several hikes, beach walks, northern lights and Cafe-hopping - we did it all ;-)

The first day the sky is clouded.

We decide to start with a gentle hike and a visit to Vikten and the Glashytta where i bought the Lofoten amulet for Natascha.

We are lucky as Anders just wants to close his shop when we dropp in. 

Natascha is able to have a look around and buy some presents for her family.

The hike to the lighthouse is just fabulous. A beautyfull landscape!

On one side the ocean, on the the other side that big mountain in Vikten.

On our way we always feel like someone is watching every step we take...

Natascha also has a chance to test her new rain poncho from the best outdoor shop we know: Walk on the wild side in Bonn.

Even if the weather was not that good - it has been a fantastic first day on the Lofoten. 

I really hope the weather will change so i am able to show Natascha all the beauty and color of this landscape.

Back home we have new guests at Anne Gerd's: Tomas and Petr from the Czech Republic. They hike around the Lofoten - take great photos -  and finally by luck found Anne Gerd's B&B.

We will have a lot of fun together - and we will be really sad the day they have to leave the Lofoten. 

It really was a pleasure to meet you guys - hopefully we will meet again!

The next day the weather is really bad...

So we just relax and visit the Viking Museum near Leknes.

Sorry Peppes Pizza...i already gave you all my money in Mai...and you are not less expensive now!

Then the evening we all are invited to join Svein-Tore and friends on a little "hike" to a cabin in the woods where we will have a barbecue. 

At home - nobody would leave the house for a walk in this pouring rain...but we are in Norway! 

What a great evening!

I am still impressed about the tools they use ;-)

The next day the weather changes and we get all that light.

Even northern lights - so beautifull and strange.

Instead of writing about every single day i will just let the images speak for themselves...

Going back that day the weather changed and changed - and so did the light.

And now...Kvalvika!

Yes - it's a steep way back - but at the end there is...

But wait!

We have to eat - and enjoy the hospitality of Anne Gerd.

So sad Tomas and Petr will leave tomorrow!

But my FJELLET BABY stays with us :-)

Tomas and Petr showed me some extraordinary northern light photos they took a few days before we met.

The day they leave the northern lights come back. Very shy at the beginning - but the next days they will get stronger and stronger.

You really can't write about it - you have to see it!

We will never forget these clear nights full of stars and northern lights.

The next days are filled with wonderful hikes, coffee and waffles and we enjoy every minute!

"So - will it be steep?" - Yes, my dear!

After that much hiking you have to eat!

We are on the Lofoten - right?

Fish might be a good idea.

And even if Norway is not a cheap country - you won't get fish any cheaper or fresher in Germany.

Wow...time passes so quick.

The last day we decide to visit Reine. The weather starts to change and the forecast is not really good.

That will make leaving a lot easier...perhapes...

It is a much longer way to Reine as i thought - and no petrol station. Well - we manage to find one - with only 1 liter of fuel left. 

Natascha really likes this sort of "adventure" ;-)

Reine and the surrounding is for sure worth a visit.

From here you may also take the little ferry to Bunes Beach as described in my Lofoten blog "Endless light".

Storm!

Well - normally we had to leave the Lofoten today. We decided to go by the Hurtigruten again - because they go at night and so we would gain another day here in Stamsund.

Just a few hours after we booked our cruise there is a storm warning. We still think it will not be that strong and drive to Honningsvaer.

There are some clouds and the wind is stiff - but it is not that bad.

It really is a scenic road and we enjoy the drive very much.

In Honningsvaer we find another really nice and cosy Cafe, the sun comes out and everything seems to be just fine.

They also sell candles in that Cafe!

On our way back the wind gets stronger and stronger - and finally we get into a real storm.

Our ship from Stamsund to Bodo is cancelled - and i am just happy about that. I have no intention at all to go into 10 Meter waves again like we did in the Barents sea!

The storm is getting stronger and all ferries are cancelled.

The next day it looks not better. Still all the ferrys to and from the Lofoten are cancelled. We even can't leave by car because one of the bridges is also closed.

We call Hurtigruten and get the information that the next ship might go, and if not the ship after that on Sunday evening.

Electricity is cut off twice, but not for long.

We drive around a little to have an overview - and the sea just looks frightening.

The wind still is so strong!

So right now we are sitting at Anne-Gerd's and waiting if the ship will stop in Stamsund and go to  Bodo. 

Should i take that with me?

Wow...what a trip. 

The Hurtigruten stops at Stamsund and we take the chance.

The forecast for the waves is 6.5 meters - but the next day it might be worse and around 10 to 15 meters. 

Entering our cabin the ship already starts "dancing" - i take 3 chewing gums against sea sickness and everything is fine.

Natascha only takes 2 - i loose!

The next day we safely reach our harbour.

It takes us two days by car to reach our last destination in Norway - Rondane National Park.

The weather gets better again - but it really is getting colder now.

We stay at Brekkeseter. A really lovely place - you can't do wrong in staying here!

You may stay in the Hotel - but we prefer the rustic norwegian huts - they are just so cosy.

And you have to book dinner - it really is delicious!

Shame ... the last days i get a cold and that makes hiking much harder. The wind is stiff and really cold. 

But you have to be outside!

We really enjoyed our stay at Brekkeseter!

That's it. The end.

It went all so quick. It has been an absolute fantastic trip. 

This overall experience will be hard to beat and will stay forever in our memories.

Going back home now is sad - but we will come back!

Being back in Bonn we ask ourselves ... Where have all theses stars gone?