Bryggja, Norway

Now I am staying with a very nice local in an old farmhouse overlooking the fjord. There is the possibility of me staying here, or moving into another farmhouse of his nearby, so i can explore the nearby mountains.

The summer solstice is celebrated here in Norway, usually with a big bonfire. However Gert (my host) and I, along with another couchsurfer named Chris, took his boat to the other side of the fjord where some of his sailing club partners were having some festivities. Their sailing club actually works to preserve the knowledge of making, repairing, and sailing Viking era ships, so we were having our celebration in one of their old dock houses they restored to hold some of their boats and masts and other equipment. Very impressive ships, with pine and fir tar used to seal just about every inch of wood and rope, the smell permeating everything. A pleasant smell though, and only added an even more genuine touch to the night's celebration.

Went for a nice little cycle trip down the fjord today. Then 10:30 rolled around and thought i would hike into the hills behind the farmhouse, and at 12:45 when I came back it was still light enough that I could retrace my steps in the forest. 24 hours of light has it's advantages, ya know.

Spent the day on a little tour across Nordfjorden on one of Gert's boats, and then cycled for a bit to a trailhead that took us to the end of the island we were on where WWII German buildings and fortifications were. You can see them all along the coast really, sometimes glimpsing slits in the mountainsides where artillery cannon were once hidden from plain sight, ready to fire on approaching Allied ships. The place we were at still had a huge gun on the mountain top, but it still had many old bunkers still intact, as well as ammunition storage, the officers housing (left completely as it was, with even the original, working kitchen from the era); even the group shower building with it's coal furnace and white tiles was still standing. Slightly bizarre.

Afterwards we went out fishing in the fjord and caught a few coalfish . It's ridiculously easy to catch fish here.

I have a couple interesting options before me, both great. I have the option of taking Gert's boat out on my own through the fjords and using it as a basecamp for climbing and hiking in this region. Just bring my bike and some camping gear along and I could get to just about any place I want, with the ability to stay a few nights in the hills if I don't feel like going directly back to the boat.

Similarly I could take a row-boat tour through the fjord, stopping each night yo sleep at the various old harbor buildings Gert and his coastal club have restored.

Hmmm....such are the decisions a vagabond must make.