Saturday, July 29, 2006

FROM OSLO TO FLAM - JUNE 1981

AN AMAZING RAILWAY TRIP

After a regular trip from Oslo to the mountain station at Myrdal, an incredible train journey awaits you down to Flåm station, at the innermost corner of the Aurlandfjord: the Flåm Railway!
The 20 km-long train ride, in one of the worlds steepest railway lines on normal gauge (55/1000 on almost 80% of the line), provides you with a wild and magnificent scenery: snow-capped mountains, rivers, waterfalls, valleys...



"TRAIN OSLO-MYRDAL - During the stay in Oslo, the temperature was +17º centigrade. Next morning, when we took the train, it was -2º. The result could be seen from the window of the train!"


"MYRDAL STATION - It was windy and freezing, namely for a young Portuguese used to the June weather in Lisbon... The train is the 1981 version of the famous Flåm Railway!"



"FLAM VALLEY - When you start the descent from Myrdal to Flåm, you get a glimpse of the beautiful Flåm Valley"



"KJOSFOSSEN - At Kjosfossen, the train stops and you take your photos. There is no other place where a train stops and you see an impressive waterfall coming downhill to the platform. The water starts cascading up in the mountains and roars on its way down"


"FLAM - Then you get to Flåm, which is situated in the innermost part of the Aurlandsfjord, a tributary of the 204 kilometres long and up to 1308 metres deep Sognefjord"


"HARBOUR - Small cruise ships and ferries used to squeeze through narrow fjord arms to arrive at Flåm. In 1981 it looked the way you see in the picture. Now, Flåm Port is one of Norway's most popular ports of call for cruise ships. As from May 1999 Flåm have improved the berthing facilities to enable the largest cruise ship to berth alongside. The harbour basin has all the facilities for using tender boats on days when several cruise ships are in the harbour at the same time... UGH!"


"FLAM 1981 - Main rule: Enjoy..."

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