Olden

Olden

As we docked along side the sleepy village of Olden, a light rain dusted the balcony. The air was crisp and all around us was calm and sleepy. That was until the locals spotted the 80,000 tonne ship parked on their doorsteps as all the houses along the dockside suddenly reivented themselves as tourist shops, selling your average Norwegian gifts, viking helemts, troll mugs etc.

Olden looked a very uninspiring place, all the excursions were based outside of the village and since we hadn't booked on one we thought we would disembark and take a short stroll around the village. To our delight, when we arrived on the quayside there was a small road train ready to ferry passengers off around the surrounding areas. We trundled off at walking pace, passed the petrol station and then a small convenience store I was at this point not feeling very optomistic. However, if ever there was a moment that taught me to be patient it was this, we travelled passed the greenest grass I had ever seen, passed some of the highest mountains I had ever witnessed, all with trickiling waterfalls tumbling down their sides.

Our first stop was beside a lake, the water was as still as a mill pond, the surface almost looking like glass. literally two minutes down the road we enjoyed the complete opposite of that, standing over the gushing white rapids of the flowing river that had just fallen down the side of the mountain, water so fresh you could drink it.

Our last stop was a delighful little wooden chuch, built in 1759. It is not in use anymore as a newer brick built church was constructed in 1934. The feel inside was one of serenity and calm. It felt like the parishoners had just left and were to return at any moment.

Olden 'Old' Church

Interior of the chuch

I don't really have much to say on Olden as there is isn't really anything there so I thought I would let my pictures do the talking. Needless to say Olden was my trip highlight, It was definately the surprise package of the cruise and is a truly inspiring place. It makes you feel a very small person in a very big world, it felt a million miles away from home but I loved the isolation, I would have been quite happy for the ship to sail away without me and for me to live the most peaceful and undisturbed existance possible.