Isn't it good? Norwegian wood

Norway is magnificent. I don't think I have  the literary genius to convey how beautiful the country is. So I am just going to share some glimpses of how Norway looked through the camera. Let me add, I don't have the photographic genius to capture what my eyes actually saw either. Treat this as an amateur's attempt and just take my word for what it's worth when I say that you must see Norway for yourself. It has changed my definition of beauty forever. I am scared nothing else may seem beautiful ever again.

It was raining all the way during our train ride to Myrdal, but even the view from the rain drenched window was so pretty!

~I hear the drizzle of the rain, like a memory it falls, soft and warm continuing, tapping on my roof and walls~

This picture somewhat captures our introduction to the fjords and is what will define that first cruise from Flam to Gudvangen. At every turn we saw yet another mountain and yet another shade of green. There was the fresh, light green of the meadows at the bottom and the deep, dark shade of the conifers on the top, that somehow gave a whole new meaning to Norwegian woods. Added to these were the dark grey shades of the rocky mountains, the white patches of snow on the peaks and the rays of golden sunlight poking their way through the clouds, which seemed to be the final stroke in this masterpiece of a painting.

I felt really overwhelmed by just the vastness of the geography. The mountains are tall. They are like tall walls that can keep the sun out. And the waters are vast. The tiny specks that Akshita and Avinash look like in this picture is the best I found to capture how tiny I felt. It's one of those sights that makes one think about how small and insignificant we humans actually are and how powerful the forces of nature can be. 

"If people sat outside and looked at the stars every night I bet they would live life differently"  - Calvin and Hobbes 

We talk about seeing things which look their straight out of fairytales, but this sight was straight out of my childhood drawing book. For years the most cliched scenery I drew was mountains in the background, a stream flowing, trees around it and a few dainty houses dotting the landscape. I drew it I think mostly because that's how I was taught to draw a scenery and I may have seen it as an illustration in a book. But I doubt I had seen such a close version of that for real.

This was on the way to Kjerag. We were on a narrow, winding road that seemed to reveal a new sight at every turn.

This was on the flat stretch at the very end of our trek to Kjerag Bolton. There were mountains stretching till as far as my eyes could see. And not like I've been on a lot of mountains, but I think I've seen my fair share, but I've never quite seen rocky ones like these. I had a similar overwhelming feeling as when I had earlier seen the fjords, but in this case I think it probably was just born of fear. One thought that I think continuously ran through my mind was what if I got lost in this maze of mountains.

So yeah, maybe they weren't the mountains of my dreams but I definitely had to keep telling myself to it wouldn't be as hard as it seemed.

~Standing on a hill, in the mountain of my dreams, telling myself it wasn't as hard, hard, hard as it seemed~

The trek was challenging and I was scared. But as scared as I was the sight of standing in between and seeing mountains on all four sides, extend till as far as my vision and the clouds would let me see was quite something. It's a pity the camera can't capture the cold wind blowing into my face and the shivers running down my back. 

Panaroma from the climb

I saw this glorious sunset from a ferry in the Fjords. The water body on either side stretched far and wide till it was finally contained by the steep and rocky mountains. The sun blazed through the clouds, letting its light reflect on the water as well as the rocks and the mountains, seas and skies seemed to be competing for creating a riot of colours. 

~The sea was red and the sky was grey, I wondered how tomorrow could ever follow today~

The riot was over. Games had been played. The colours had settled into a peaceful portrait. 

~Shaam bhi koi jaise hai nadi leher leherjaise beh rahi hai~

Norway was magnificent and majestic. And I don't think any of these pictures can capture what we saw and felt. Even while I was there, I felt overjoyed with the sights, which are like a never ending  feast to the eye, helpless knowing that these sights were going to be fleeting and hopeful that I would somehow find a way to keep everything I saw and felt with me long after I had left at the same time. So long, Norway! Hope I see you again! 

Before I sign off, cheers to the people with whom I shared these amazing sights. 

~Good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye, singing this'll be the day I die~