Carnival Pride 10th June 2022 Part 4

Monday 13th June 2022 This morning we arrived early in Skjolden. This is a village in Vestland county, located at the end of the Lustrafjorden, which is a branch of the Sognefjorden. I believe this is the world's longest and deepest fjord, so the village should be fascinating. Travellers come here for kayaking, glacier hiking and hiking and biking. We are not booked on an excursion so met at 9 a.m. for Buffet Breakfast, admiring the views from the vast windows up in deck 9 aft. From my starboard cabin I had already been happily surprised and amused to look out at a steep small mountainside green field to see sheep and a few lambs, which reminded me of fields near where I live in the south of England. The ship is berthed in a tiny area, a quiet end of a fjord, with deep green water around. The surrounding mountains are high, there is snow on the top of a few very distant high ones, and mist or low clouds are drifting around. It all looks very calm and we plan to walk to the nearby village and enjoy the air and views of the various waterfalls tumbling down. Wearing warm clothes we went out into the lovely air. One of my friends had been informed that on board our ship we had 2049 guests, made up of 1265 from the USA, 531 from the UK, 122 from Canada, and 7 from Cleveland, Ohio. I don't understand the significance of this 7 from Ohio, or the differing totals, but never mind. We are on holiday and I think many of us left the ship this morning to enjoy our surroundings. The walk to the village at the end of the fjord was wonderful, becoming noisier as we went, due to the many mountainside waterfalls tumbling down, and many of them into the river we were approaching. A pedestrian bridge gave us safe passage across the fast-flowing water and we marvelled at the green water in the fjord. I'm told it is very deep. Our path curved round the back of several houses, which we guessed might be for summer use, and then we arrived at 'the village' which had a general store, and a cafe/museum on the opposite side of the road. Our path had joined the mountainside road giving access to other locations. On our right was a winding path giving access to a viewpoint which one friend chose to go and see. The rest of us chose to cross the road bridge which crossed the wide river which was only slightly less noisy than the pedestrian bridge crossing but still amazing to see. Now was the time to sit and stare and enjoy our surroundings.

During our walk we had enjoyed the views back to the ship, when we realised just how thoughtful the local authorities had been in allowing the small terminal to be sited where it was. I suppose 'terminal' was hardly the right word, but it would do, to describe how unobtrusively we were enveloped into the vastness of this magnificent fjord. Our morning walk had been an unforgettable and satisfying experience. Back on the ship we enjoyed lunch and our own choices of afternoon activities, as the ship prepared to depart later that afternoon. Sailing through the calm water of the fjord I remember chatting with one friend as he pointed out a local ferry. He identified it as MANHELLER, built in 2020. That seemed an unexpected sight amongst mountains with no visible roads to be seen, but it astonished me to hear that access to the ferry was right through a mountain, emerging into the daylight through a road entrance/exit near the water's edge. I could see the entrance as the ferry started its crossing, obviously carrying vehicles and passengers on the road that had emerged from the mountain. What an incredible feat of engineering that was.

Later we all met for a drink before dinner and then went to see and enjoy the evening's show in the Taj Mahal theatre, which was called Getaway Island.

Ships seen: Carnival Pride, Mannheller, the ro-ro passenger ferry built in 2020 To be continued...