Norway: Hardangerfjord

With so little agricultural land, Norway has always been dependent upon the bounty off their coasts. Fishing is a major industry, and it shows on their dinner table. Salmon and herring abound. If you visit Norway, be prepared to eat a lot of fish! Needless to say they possess a large fleet of ships. But during World War II about half of Norway's merchant fleet was sunk carrying cargo for the Allies...

The mountainous terrain has always made overland travel difficult. But the fjords link towns far inland with those at the sea. They serve as safe and secure harbors. They have always played an important role in Norwegian life. One can as easily imagine a Viking longship gliding along the fjord as a modern fishing boat. Both crews bolding setting out to challenge the seas...

Cloudy skies finally caught up with us but the scenery was still fantastic. Small homesteads dotted the coastline under imposing mountain sides. An occasional fishing boat floated by. With such steep terrain it is easy to sea why the fjords are so important to the Norwegians. They are highway and farmland alike...

• Notice how much the color of the water changes. It goes from dark blue and gray, to light blue, to bright green.
• By the way, that's mom with the hat and Norwegian sweater.