Another World Heritage Area

The last full day of sightseeing on our trip consisted of taking a 2.5 hour car ferry from Kaupanger to Gudvangen through the Sogne, Aurlands, and Naeroydalen(narrow and steep and World Heritage sight) fjords.  At this point we had seen a lot of impressive landscapes through our first 5 days and we were all fairly tired after no naps for Juliet and sleeping in the same room together.  It was still impressive. The Sognefjorden is the most famous and visited of the Norway fjords, and is also the longest and deepest in parts of it or its out-shoots.  The 9am morning lighting and a boat that wasn't designed terribly well for taking pictures made us feel like our pictures didn't capture it completely, but we are still glad we included it.

 Stave church in Kaupanger while waiting for the ferry

 View from Kaupanger before ferry

 We got plenty of sun this day, which made for shadows on this morning ferry because of how narrow the fjord was at points, how tall the mountains are, and the arc of the sun.  The guidebook pictures must be from a helicopter in overhead sun.

 Elizabeth was the first person on the boat to spot some dolphins swimming alongside. 

 This was a highlight for Sydney and Evelyn.  Joshua and Juliet were in the bathroom.

 Some of the cracks and twists in the mountains were incredible, plenty of chances to talk about water erosion and glacial movements with the girls.

 A small lighthouse in the fjord where the land was not vertical

 Approaching Naeroydal fjord

 It was hard to pick out which waterfalls were cooler

 Narrowing of the fjord on the left

 It felt like the boat was snaking through a maze at this point.

 Still hanging in there. 2.5 hours is a long time for the 8 and under crowd to be looking at scenery on a boat with folding chairs

 View behind the boat

 View through the narrowest part and then we turned to the left around where the shadow sticks out

 Another cascading one

 Some of these little towns are pretty remote

 And we're ready to get off the boat (most of everyone else on the boat was as well)

 View back at the narrower part of the passage

Approaching Gudvangen