5/7 – Alesund

It’s an early call today – 7am – it is also supposed to be cold and rainy.  Ick. We have rented a car so that we can drive to four little islands that originally were only accessed by ferry – until a 9 mile network of tunnels and bridges were built in the late 80’s to connect to Alesund by road.  We get up and head out around 7:30 – and the photographers beg us to let them take a picture, they tell us we are the first passengers off.  No way!  What are these people doing?  We don’t know – but we’re outta here. 

We head down the main road to the Budget/Avis building and wait a few minutes until they are open. We were worried we’d have a big crowd in line there – but as it turns out – there is no one. And we don’t think there was anyone after us either.  It’s really easy to navigate here even though we don’t speak the language – the furthest island is where the airport is located, so we head toward the airport signs.  One turn off the main road in Alesund and we’re in the first of many tunnels that burrows under the harbor as well as through mountains and huge rock formations. 

It takes about half an hour to get to Vigra, which is still rural and farm-centric, just with the airport stuck in the middle.  We follow the main road that circles the island – but “main” is relative – the road is narrow and no more than one lane in most places – little more than a cart path.  So quaint and pretty. We try to divert of the main road to get to the water, but end up not finding our way, so we head back toward the airport- stopping along the way for pictures of the snow capped mountains in the distance.

Next, we head to the other end of the island chain – to Godoy which is essentially one huge mountain rock with a little community climbing up the foothills. We take the only bridge in the island chain to Giske, then immediately take the 3.5 km tunnel to Godoy. This tunnel is seriously creepy.  Really long, really deep and really just creepy.  Ick – I am very glad to rise up into the fresh air again on Godoy. 

 Again, the roads are basic cart paths, with quaint houses situated all along it and incredible views.  We find an old farm – again the cultural heritage is being protected – and want to go see it – but we notice that the muddy road leading up to the farm and apparent lighthouse is off limits to cars.  We’re not slogging through the mud – so we consult some of the brochures we have and find a real live lighthouse on the other side of the island.  Ok – we can do that.

Off we go to Alnes, where the lighthouse is located.  We follow the road with the sign that says Alnes, which after winding through neighborhood houses and a school, dumps us into this freaky one lane tunnel.  Wait.  One lane?  What?  It looks like there might have originally been 2 lanes, but now it is one with a jersey barrier where the other lane might have originally been.  There are pull outs along the way – and when another car comes our way, we have to pull over into the pull out.  Wild!  And creepy.

We finally make it to the other side of the island, driving along the coast to the lighthouse where we stop for photos. The lighthouse is closed, but the scenery isn’t!  Beautiful. 

We turn back after Alnes and head to Giske, back through the freaky one lane tunnel (this time, we have the right of way, which is a little bit less frightening, if you trust that the guy coming toward you will stop at a pull out that is), and then again down into the next freaky long, deep tunnel.  Yikes. 

Giske is worth the effort, more teeny, tiny roads, very much like New England, with a great old church.  We stop there for photos – and find tons of headstones of the Giske family.  Obviously a very local place! 

We circle the island then head back into town. It’s only a little before 10am, but what the heck?  We’ve had a great sightseeing morning.  Also, once back in town I want to find this park with a great lookout over Alesund.  I try to find it in Alice, but she doesn’t know from Aksla park.  So, we’re going to have to ferret it out on our own.  There is a stadium up in the park, so we try to head there, but Alice has some other stadium in there which isn’t what we want – but after winding through some really narrow little streets on the side of the hill, we stumble upon a sign for Aksla.  Yay.

So, up we go, on switch back roads and through neighborhoods perched on the side of the mountain. We find the park and navigate the one lane road to the Fjellstua – a breathtaking lookout over the city and the mountains. 

Alesund is a relatively new city, having burnt to the ground about 100 years ago.  The town was rebuilt in an Art Nouveau style, looking like a newly constructed Norwegian Venice.

We wander the park, taking pictures of the great vistas.

Then we have a picnic overlooking the fjords.

Sunny hangs out…

….and we decide to head back down to town and turn the car in. But first we have to navigate the one lane road. And in doing so, somebody in a car coming toward us starts making gestures at us, making us think we are going the wrong way. But there is only one way in and out. So we’re not sure what he was doing. We turned around and headed back to the lookout – and then decide to follow one of the hop on hop off buses down the hill. That way we were sure to be doing the right thing! 

Back in town, we drop off the car and wander a bit around the town. It is swarming with cruise passengers (The Ryndam was also in port), so we chuck the walk and head back to the ship.  It’s cold and sort of dreary and we’ve seen what we wanted!

Later that night, Ozy, our awesome cabin steward, gives us a special treat:

The cutest towel animal we’ve had!