Flam

Thursday 17^th May

 

After breakfast we walked 4km to the village of Hareina where the Flam church is located, arriving just as the bell started pealing to announce the service to celebrate Norway’s National Day.  We joined the congregation in the tiny church and although we didn’t understand Norwegian we were familiar with the pattern of the service.

After the service we joined the locals, many dressed in national costume, the style varying from district to district, so people know where the person wearing the dress originates.  The local brass band was assembled by a large stone monument and after the playing of the National Anthem two small girls laid a wreath.  Then there were some speeches by children and everyone lined up behind the band, led by a man in national costume carrying the Norwegian flag and marched to the local school. 

 

In the school gymnasium table and chairs were set up and food was available for purchase, we purchased a bowl each, of what was described as Norwegian porridge but it is closer to a custard served with melted butter, sugar and cinnamon and accompanied with ham and small slices of a salami style sausage, together with a piece of flat bread and a glass of red cordial, not cheap, 75 kroner each, equivalent to a total of $30.  The locals were very friendly and provided information about their dress as we ate.

 

After lunch we strolled back towards Flam, stopping to look at a tiny water powered mill with log walls and a sod roof.  The rest of the day we spent wandering around the station and port area where a cruise liner was moored right against the bank, we saw a larger one leave while we were having coffee at the youth hostel.  The Queen Mary 2 is due in on Saturday, unfortunately the day after we leave but it too will moor against the bank, giving some idea of the depth of the fjord.  We wondered what would be the distance from the bottom of the fjord to the top of the mountain at the edge of the village.