What a difference a day (or 2 years) makes! The last time we were here it was cold, rainy and just an icky day. Today, the sun is shining, and we are looking forward to exploring the outlying islands in the bright sunshine.
We are repeating our greatest hits today going to the out islands and Aksla, but adding a detour to the open air Sunnmore museum. We’re off the ship as soon as possible (we’re a little late coming into port today), and hoof it down to the rental car place where they give us a 43+ something category upgrade. Seriously, we had booked a small compact and we ended up with huge Lexus hybrid. Extraordinarily nice vehicle. We all piled in and made out way out to the island of Godoy – to see the Alnes lighthouse in the sunshine. Under the city and waterway we go into the long, but not seriously freaky tunnel. Then out into fresh air again on the first island. Alice is trying to send us down a cow path –once again – so we turn her off and navigate ourselves to Alnes and the lighthouse.
Now, we have to navigate through the freaky one lane tunnel – argh – I hate this thing – but at least we know the drill now. Finally to Alnes, through the cute little town to the end of the road and the lighthouse. But unfortunately, it appears they are building some sort of museum building and the lighthouse is completely fenced off. There is no access at all. Hmm….
Well at least we can take pictures of the scenery in the sun…I should really post the last trip’s photos here as well for comparison!
While it is sunny, it is quite breezy and chilly, so after a few moments we pop back in the car and try to go around the other side of the lighthouse looking for access. We explore the cute little town – more of a village than anything – and eventually end up behind the lighthouse, but there is more construction there and no access either. Oh well, a couple of photos, then Ed expertly turns our big car around in a little space, and we head off for the old church on Giske island.
Back through the freaky one lane tunnel – where we meet a bus coming head on - ack! We slow down so they can make it to the pull out space, safely maneuvering our way out. Once again we navigate ourselves, because Alice isn’t cooperating. We think we’re lost, but end up finding the church easily. It is a perfect day to meander about the church yard, exploring the gravestones and enjoying the weather.
And our timing is perfect. Just as we are done, here comes a tour bus. We had the whole place all to ourselves, and are outta here before the hordes. Nice.
Now we head to the Sunnmore museum, which is an open air collection of cottages and houses that belonged to fishermen, farmers and crofters between the 16th and 20th centuries. We thought that might be a good way to spend a couple of hours in the sun, before heading up to Aksla lookout. And it turns out to be well worth the visit. Even though the place is inundated with tours and kids (lots of field trips here today), the area is so large, that we aren’t crowded at all.
Its really a fascinating look into the lives of Norwegians in the 16 and 1700s. As Maggi succinctly put it – Who looked at these remote, cold weather outposts and said, “hey, this would make a great place to live”? Yikes.
We wander through the farmhouses, school houses and other miscellaneous buildings collected from all over Norway. The moss roofs are incredible, huge bushes and grasses growing wild (do they trim them during the growing season?). The interiors range from one room with open hearth fireplaces (the flue being a hole in the roof that can be opened and shut with a long iron pole) to 3 and 4 room cottages with dining area and bedrooms off to the side.
We each take turns impersonating Norwegians: Maggi and Richard on the doorstep of their new home, us relaxing in our dining area, and the intrepid explorers standing under the house supported only by piles of rocks (well, some of us are standing under it – one of us refuses).
After exploring the “old” buildings, we move onto the relatively “new” buildings down by the harbor. The church cottages all in a row and then the village shop that served as store, warehouse, fish market and general gathering place in Sande, a village in the Sunnmore region. This shop was actually still in operation up until the late 1980’s.
After a couple of hours, we are ready to make our way back to town, so we backtrack past the boat garage where Richard and Ed clambered around the corner and perilously close to the waters edge to get a look inside…
…then past the pretty little lakeside cottage …
…and off we go to find the Aksla look out.
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