Telegram. & Postadr.: Flaam
Fretheim i Sogn
July 21
Honey dear:-
I have no idea where I sent off your last letter. Life is rather speedy though really we get on remarkably well. Our unpacking is very limited and our packing therefore speedy. And our luggage compares very favorably for quantity with that of our neighbors. Anne's suitcase is truly microscopic and my big one merely an underling.
I'll begin with the Geiranger, which we went up from Sjöholt to Merok - only Sjöholt is farther out. The Geiranger was the most spectacular fjord we've seen from the water, though not more so than the Romsdal valley above the fjord proper. I hope you saw the Geiranger, with its narrow walls, all so steep, with the saeters perched upon them in impossible places, with goats here and there, so tiny and high up, with many waterfalls, far more than we see in Sogne, and especially the lovely Seven Sisters, with the wind blowing the shimmering water. we landed at Merok at the steep end of the gorge, a little place with a big hotel and with waterfalls thundering down every where. There were crowds of folks, for the Corinthia, 20,000 ton Cunarder, was in and the Irma came next morning. 8 of the Stockholm crowd were on it, of whom we saw two - not the Camerons from Albany whom we knew so well and should have been glad to see. There were many motors waiting to take these folks on the Grotli round, a thing we didn't do, especially exciting. The hotel had a most wonderful array for supper & breakfast, and all with such wonderful views down the valley.
Next morning, Sunday namely, July 18, we went back down the Geiranger and enjoyed again the steep slopes and the waterfalls and the goats. At Hellesylt we took a motor - and a poor one - for Vestner. (got mixed - by reason of conversation with English tourists from the "Meteor", anchored out in the fjord until 3 a.m. tomorrow) boat motor for Olden. It was less interesting than some trips, partly because of clouds, partly because the fjord was lower in its mountains but we crossed a nice pass, and picked up some women in "Sunday blacks." Olden is charmingly located at the outlet of a valley, and it seemed less affected by tourists than most places. We stayed in the "Annex", really the old hotel right down in the little hamlet by the bridge over the rushing pale blue river. There was a church in the church-yard just across from us, and under my window a turf roof on a shed of some sort on which dwelt a white rabbit!
We took a lovely walk up the valley, by rather well-built little houses, if new, and many turf-roofed ones. There was a big boat being rolled up on rollers, and presently we came to a beautiful fall, with a ruined mill and many little turfed huts. I hope my little snapshot comes out all right, but the light certainly has been most uncertain! Above the fall was a beautiful long lake, with mountains reflected in it, quite rare colors. There is a fine glacier up beyond still another long lake, but there was not time to go. Many little carts bobbed along, for it's not an auto road, and the fat little horses are irresistable - just like the pictures. I found a few new flowers, too. Blue-bells are every where, and big foxgloves are in the more luxuriant woods. There are big black and white (or grey) birds which I suspect maybe magpies, but don't know. Water wagtails and titmice I'm practically sure of.
At dinner we fell in with a Miss Hopkinson from Cambridge. Very Bostonian! She's going to Stockholm at the time of the Congress to which a nephew goes. He's in the group at Boston City Hospital. I've not met him - but I've seen his name - Dr. Fremont-Smith. Note the hyphen. I'm sure it's important. "I never shave in the morning. I generally shave at about half after eleven in the evening" - this is what I hear with my off ear - an Englishman talking with a lady friend. People - including us - do talk about such stupid things! They built a fire in the bath-room stove on which there was a small hot water tank, very bright copper - most amusing. I wish I could describe the stoves, not tall white tile as in Sweden, but black iron monuments. The three little fancy iron doors open out and reveal little platforms in which are holes - you could put in three little dishes of assorted viantds. The heat evidently goes across from one upright to the other. The whole edifice may be higher than one's head.
Early Monday we rode to the wharf behind a little fat horse, in a vehicle with a covered back seat, but it seemed so little and old-fashioned.
From Olden we came again on a grey day to Sandene, getting there about mid-day and having the whole afternoon to play. we went up to a stunning big waterfall, partly used for electric power, walking first through a spruce and pine wood, and then through real farms, by just paths. The spray of the fall rose way above the trees, a young Niagara. There was enough up and down so we got hot, it being a saturated atmosphere around us. The haymaking is most interesting for they hang the hay all up on fences - or racks much like them - to dry. It would never dry on the ground. At Sivartsen's Hotel there was an electric radiator in Anne's room over whose gentle heat we dried a few clothes. Also my silk waist is washed by a maid, for 50 öre! That's about 11-12 cents. Imagine Mrs. Thayer! Sandene is another unspoiled little down, not as sophisticated as Merok, for instance.
The Bennett accomodations are all very good - some of the best rooms we have had and so far not a hitch in the program. We have been expected by every hotel and motor. I've no idea how we have paid, compared to the independent tourist, but in a country where there are so many stages in one's journey it surely saves much trouble to go à la Bennett. The men who take our luggage are the only ones we have to fee, and we just tear off coupons for everything!
I now see the first mosquitoes in Norway. Why so, I know not. This seems the driest valley we've struck. Not many here.
From Sandene we departed by motor - a long drive to Vadheim. We wound up and up a zigzag at one place, Förde, where we had lunched with a woman from Colorado and seen two snobs from the Stockholm. We went by a lake on a road as exciting as the Axel-Strasse (sp?) but 'twas in clouds, alas. We went thro' a valley at about 10:30 where the sun had not risen. It chanced to be shining then for an hour or so, a rare event, so we knew where it was and wasn't. We came down to Vadheim with an Englishman from near Leeds sitting between us. We've seen him several times, a queer duck who has bolted around the world a lot. He talked on and on, and the only thing we're uncertain about is whether we both went to sleep at once! We tried to be polite, but it certainly was a purring motor and a smooth road and right after dinner!
At Vadheim we got on a little boat and came on to Balholm - The Riviera of the North". The biggest hotel we've seen, oodles of tourists of all kinds, but a heavenly situation in a most luxuriant valley. Strawberries, raspberries, cherries - and such loaded currant bushes, nearly ready to pick. Kvikne's Hotel is less cared for than most we've been in, but it has a grand site - you should have seen the view from our balcony! Ranges of mountains across the fjord, some with snow.
July 23. 8 a.m.
This is now Bergen and we are about to depart - having seen nothing of the town. We arrived last night about nine o'clock and saw just outlines and roof-frees, and it's a pity to see no more. But we came "for the ride" and to get our mail. The ride was successful yesterday, for the last part of the day was fine, but mail is queer. I've had just two real letters since landing, one from Beryl and one from you - no, three, one from Eleanor Mason. Anne had a lot at Trondhjem, but she has had no American mail here except one letter which came direct. It may be that Bennett in stockholm failed to forward, but it seemed a good office and they hit Trondhjem all right. Well, it probably is not lost. One likes new places very much, but one also likes to get letters after having been gone five or six weeks.
At Balholm, to go back there, we had a day of mixed weather, as usual. It would have been nice to have had one unqualifiedly good day, but of course a high rainfall means that there seldom come. We've had a few sunny hours and we've had only a few days when we missed all the tops. [?] I know little about the Nord fjord, but that isn't the best one, thanks be. At Balholm I went out beyond the town, which is much bigger than most, and up thro' the raspberry fields - wonderful vines, all loaded - and then through the hay fields where they work right along through the rain - no waiting for the dew to dry there. Then there were steep wooded pastures with a row of saeters along the fence - and a most beautiful view across the town and the fiords to the mountains, many with snow. The situation of the place is very good indeed. When I came down I bought you a present if you want it - a woven thing which can be rug or table cover or wall decoration. I hope the colors will be right. Balholm had an exhibition of local industries and the weaving was especially good. They take the patterns from old carpets, &c, and have looms in the houses. The attractive young woman where I got this had two looms, with a big rug just started on one. She chooses her own colors, and the work seemed to me good, though not as firm as some wonderful pieces at the hotel, which also cost a lot. It was more fun to buy it from the woman who made it. I have a smaller one which could be used as a table cover or a pillow cover or on the wall. Now I think I'll keep it myself, but I may change my mind. There was another little shop near the Kong Bele monument (which is very impressive, and I have no postcard) where the old man said the wood carving was done by crippled children. I have two funny little painted candlesticks, bright red, for Christmas candles. I've been watching for Xmas tree decorations but have seen none. We left Balholm with regret at 3:30 and had a lovely boat trip - not too chilly - for Flaam. We fell in with a pleasant woman from Los Angeles who has been traveling a good deal. The mountains and the fjords were quite wonderful, even though we skipped the Naero fjord. We met a boat at the entrance to it and shifted the passengers in the middle of things. Flaam is at the very end of the Aurlands fjord, tucked in under as high mountains as Merok. The valley there seemed drier than Merok, though the roses in the garden were like those at rose-shows, so big and perfect. It rained after dinner, which wasn't over until about 9:30, so I couldn't explore much.
Yesterday morning it also rained, but the boy said it was a good sign "when the skies come down". He meant the low hanging clouds. We departed each in a little go-cart, with a driver behind and a little fat horse in front and a rubber apron over us, but the rain stopped soon and came only a little at intervals, though the road was drenching and I was glad it was no auto trip. Autos are not on that road - too steep - though we saw one thing which was like a local bus perhaps for the lower valley. I presume it is like the Gudvangen valley - long and narrow and with many waterfalls of fine proportions. At one place there was what must have been a terminal moraine, it looked so like the pictures. It was convenient fun seeing and getting the flowers - several new ones and a chance to pick, for instance, what must be a wild dull purple monkshood, growing high up in the valley. There was at the end what we should call a "head-wall" in a side valley, leading up to Myrdal. This we were invited to walk though I suppose we might have ridden at intervals. It was a zig-zig [sic] of 23 turns and about 1000 feet elevation and steep. (the one I sent you a card of.) We walked over perhaps another half mile to Vatnahalsen, where there is a good-sized hotel in the middle of nowhere, but with a magnificent view of a water-fall and lake and big mountains. I hope my little pictures come out well - almost the only ones in Norway taken with real sun. We had a fine series of views on the way down to Bergen, and it surely is a road of scenery. This forenoon so far it has rained steadily but the clouds seem a bit thinner and we may be able to see presently. The train is now doing curves and tunnels and I'll stop and mail this on this train so it will start promptly, lest you be left without mail as I have been. I've written to you often, but of course it doesn't follow that the letters will get through with any regularity.
I just saw some fine big foxgloves. But the Norway flowers are not as abundant nor as varied as the Tyrol. I've not found a single gentian. There was one tag in the Abisko garden, but no flowers or plants. We get Arctic vegetation again today at Finse, and I do hope it stops raining so we can explore it. Of the Norway places I'd like to come back to, Olden stands out as less spoiled by tourists and with a fine variety of possibilities for walks and feasible trips. At some of the places one must be an Alpine goat, at others there are too many folks. Olden is not on the most spectacular fjord, but I'd go back there rather than anywhere else for a week or two.
Much love honey - I look at your itinerary frequently, but the names mean nothing to me now. My greetings to your companions -