The hotel had a wonderful breakfast buffet. I found it very interesting and very nice that in most of the Scandinavian countries breakfast always included wonderful yogurt with toppings including flaxseeds, raisins, walnuts or hazelnuts and fruit. Smoked salmon, cucumbers, tomatoes, cold meats and cheese, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, sometimes pancakes and some other local breakfast items.
The bread and rolls ( sweet and not) were delicious and sometimes there was a toaster available but very often not. Of course there was always juice and coffee ( not decaffeinated for sure)!
We saw our friends from Malaysia and exchanged greetings and realized we were both going to be in Bergan and taking the Fjord Ferry, etc.
We checked out, grabbed our bags and headed to the train station which required climbing a number of steps to get into the station. Believe me we searched for an elevator but were unsuccessful in our efforts. I think there had to be one but we gave up to soon. After all we only had our one bag to carry.
We got situated on the train and began our journey to Flam. We were sitting across from some High School Seniors that were taking a field trip to one of the towns located along the line. One of the young men had been a foreign exchange student to Nova Scotia and although they all spoke English his was flawless and often the boys would defer to him if we asked a question. Before they departed I has to ask them if they used Uff Da and if so could they spell it for me. They most certainly do - and it is two words, spelled as I have done. I explained to them that I used to use the term all the time while growing up in North Dakota and had seen it spelled any number of ways. They told me that basically it means "oh no". So now I know what it means and I learned another word in Norwegian Takk -- thank you.
By the way, we hadn't seen the Malaysian ladies at any time on the train. We had been in the lunching car quite often and of course to the toilet :-). We were concerned that perhaps with all their suitcases they didn't make it up to the train station. It was a lot of steps and they had a lot of bags!!! They were probably smarter than we were and found the elevator. But we were concerned and hoping we would see them in Bergen.
The trip was beautiful - nothing more to say - just look at the countryside through the windows of the train.
The landscape starts to change just a little.
Pretty soon a little snow and Sharon asked if there was a glacier and no sooner had the words escaped her mouth - 
The students got off at Finse
and the terrain changed yet again.
We arrived in Myrdal and had a short stop before catching the train to Flam.
Waiting for the train. 
Flamsbana is a special train journey that offers a panaoramic view of some of the wildest and most magificent nature in the Norwegian fjord landscape. It is on the steepest trainlines in the world on normal tracks which almost 80% of the journey has a gradient of 5.5%. You hear those brakes a screeching as you ride along. I believe they said it took 22 years to build the railroad going through the rocks and mountains. There are 20 tunnels - in a single hour, the train takes you from the ocean level at the Sognefjord in Flam, to the mountaintop at Myrdal mountain station on Hardangervidda, 863 meters or 2,906 feet over the ocean. National Geographic Traveler Magazine has named the Flam Railway as one of the top 10 train journeys in Europe and Lonely Planet rnamed it the best train journey in the world in 2014.
The inside of the train was very interesting as well. Lovely wood and upholstered seats. Of course Sharon and I were so caught up in getting a seat - the train was crowded - and getting settled andjust looking out the windows we forgot to take a picture of the interior. I did go on line and found this one.
You can actually see what it looks like better than with all the people and the all the bags around.
We started the journey. Again pictures say it all.
There was Enya like music playing as you got out to look at the falls and just as we were getting back to the train I noticed that there was a dancer on the ledge by the falls. Unfortunately by the time I saw her it was almost finished and she disappeared as the music faded. I have a very short video which I'm going to put on facebook and you can hear the music, unfortuatnely the dancer cannot be seen and the video is way too short. Just wasn't thinking - what's new there!
We arrived in Flam and had some time before catching the fjord cruise to Bergan.
Big cruise ships come in here and unfortunatrly spoil the beautiful setting and obstruct the views of many of the hotel rooms. It's a cute area to roam around and there are places to eat and the train museum is there which unfortuately we didn't get to.
Notice how sharp we are in our black travel garb. I think I should mention here that I am wearing my pants of steel. 
Many years ago ,probably 12
Many years ago ,probably 12I bought these pants at Chico's. One time when I was meeting JoAnne and Ginger in Willliamsburg for a few days I forgot my slacks for the trip on the hook of the closet so I ended up having to wear the pants for the duration of the trip. Anyway, they got named the pants of steel because they never bag at the knee and they really look nice and wear well - obviously. At the last minute I threw them into my suitcase for this adventure and I have worn them and worn them and worn them. They still are good as new. Amazing. They wash up, they dry quickly and they require no ironing. I have someties worn them 4,5 days in a row. Throw them in a suitcase for a few days and take them out and wear them some more. I do want to point out that everytime you see me in black pants, they are not necessarily my pants of steel. I have other black pants as well but nothing like these.
And here's our ship which will take us to Bergen.
We met a nice couple from Canada and sat and talked to them for a while. They were going on the boat with us an than were staying in Bergan a few days and catching another boat that delivers mail and packages to comunities along the coast.
Next - a trip on the Fjord Express.
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