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The travel publication Lonely Planet, in its introduction to Norway, states that “Norway is a once-in-a-lifetime destination and the essence of its appeal is remarkably simple: this is one of the most beautiful countries on earth.” Indeed, it is not difficult to find virtues to extoll about this far-north country -- magnificent landscapes filled with snow-capped mountains, towering waterfalls cascading from high mountain slopes, rugged gorges, crystal-clear lakes, majestic glaciers, snow-covered passes, meandering mountain roads, villages tucked between mountain slopes, lavish greenery, and hundreds of coastal islands stretched along a coastline longer than that of the United States. Norway is a paradise for active travelers, with thousands of challenging hiking trails that reward tired bodies with magnificent views and the therapeutic sounds of rushing water flowing from the melting snowfields above.

The fjords are often called the soul of Norway. The fjords were formed as giant glacier tongues made their way toward the sea through several ice ages; they carved deep, narrow passages through the mountains, leaving elongated undersea valleys with steep sides. Norway has two of the three longest fjords in the world, with one of them (Sognefjord) reaching inland over 200 km. Sharing an origin with the words “fare” (travel), the fjords were the superhighways of Norway until recent times, used as a way to transport goods and people around Norway and beyond. The Vikings who settled on Iceland and Greenland, and who made several trips to North America, used the fjords of Western Norway as their starting point.

We had an opportunity to travel in the fjord region of Norway for three weeks during summer 2015. Our trip started and ended in Bergen, which is appropriately called the Gateway to the Fjords. We traveled along the beautiful Hardangerfjord to reach Aurland, where we hiked the famous Aurlandsdalen Valley and visited the narrow Naeroyfjord, which is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Next we stayed a week on the Lusterfjord, hiking trails in Jotunheimen National Park, walking to the face of the Nigardsbreen glacier in Jostedalsbreen National Park, and visiting Urnes Stave Church, another UNESCO World Heritage site. From Luster we drove over the highest mountain pass in Northern Europe, the National Tourist Route Sognefjellet, to Lom and then between Breheimen and Reingeimen National Parks to Geiranger and the spectacular Geirangerfjord, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. We drove over the Eagle Road and onward to the Troll’s Ladder to Andalsnes and to Isfjorden. From Isfjorden we made a long day trip to Alesund, where we found the “Tall Ships” in harbor. Upon leaving Isfjorden we drove via Stranda and Hellesylt to Volda, our home for the next few days. While in Volda, we made day trips to take a ferry on the Geirangerfjord, to the cliff-nesting island of Runde, and to the historically important island of Selje, where the first Christian missionaries entered Norway. Our final day took us from Volda along the Nordfjord back to Bergen airport, where we were treated with a colorful sunset to mark the end point of our summer 2015 Norwegian travels.

Our short stay in Norway introduced us not only to the beauty of the country but also to some wonderful people. We were hosted during our stay in Aurland by Tone and Bjorn at the Riverside Lodge, a peaceful and welcoming place just outside Aurland. In Lusterfjord, we stayed at Tone and Bjorn's cabin, which has some of the best views we could ever ask for, looking over the fjord and nestled among the small fruit and sheep farms of the area. I was in touch with Tone in the early planning stages of our trip to Norway, and our itinerary was significantly shaped by her suggestions. While in Luster we met the well-known Norwegian artist Marianne Heske and her friend Hedvig. We shared some wonderful conversations with the two of them, talking about life, art, and (un)reality. We saw some of her video paintings at Turtagro, and we kept seeing her books at various museums and tourist shops throughout Norway. In Isfjorden we stayed at Petra House, hosted by Ann-Marie, faculty in art and design at Telemark University Notodden. While staying at Petra House, Ann-Mari invited us to join her on a walk to her summer cabin in the mountains and also to her house for an evening with her wonderful family. We were treated to Norwegian pancakes, with homemade jam, cream, and local strawberries. These special people and all the Norwegians we encountered along the way left a strong impression with us, making us feel very welcomed. We could have easily stayed several more days at each location, and all of these people and places will be high on our list during our next visit to Norway.

Hopefully, the description of Norway as a once-in-a-lifetime trip will not hold true for us. We are eager to go again, in this lifetime, both to explore other parts of Norway and to return for more experiences along the same route we took in 2015. Perhaps the galleries below will give a sense of why we want to visit again.