On to Trondheim

Today was an early wakeup call, 6:15. With breakfast again provided we were on the road again heading to Molde. We reached Vestnes to take an hour long ferry ride across the Moldefjord to Molde.


View on the ferry ride to Molde. (© 2006, Junel Bacigalupo.)  

Two-thirds of the town was destroyed by German bombers during WWII who were searching for King Håkon and Crown Prince Olav. The town is also well known for its roses. We then headed NW to Bud (pronounced Boo). From the Molde & Romsdal Travel Guide 2006:

In the 16^th and 17^th century Bud was the biggest trading post between Bergen and Trondheim. The last meeting of the national council in Norway was held in 1533 under the leadership of Archbishop Olav Engelbrektsson. Today Bud is still an active and charming fishing village with several good fish restaurants.

We ate lunch at one of those and I think it was the best salmon I ever had.


The town of Bud. (© 2006, Junel Bacigalupo.)

 

Before that though we stopped at the Ergan coastal defences.

Ergan is a restored German coastal fort from World War II with command center, cannon positions, sickbay, and water reservoir built into the rock. In addition to the 350 Germans, Bud was home to 150 Russian and Polish POWs. The fort has a view of the whole of Hustadvika bay, the shipping lanes to Ålesund, Molde, and Kristiansund as well as the fishing villages of Bjørnsund and Ona. (Molde & Romsdal Travel Guide 2006)

Exhibit at Ergan. (© 2006, Mark D. Williams.)  

 

After lunch we got to drive across part of the Atlantic Road which "zigzags across bridges and rockfills from island to island." One of the bridges we crossed looked like a skijump. We stopped for some pictures and then retraced our steps instead of going on to Kristiansund.

 
Bridge along the Atlantic Road. (© 2006, Mark D. Williams.)  

 

We had one more short ferry ride and then headed up E39 to Trondheim. We were getting tired and took a short little nap. We had a short stop at Heimdal to stretch our legs and grab a soda and when we got back on the bus, Dawn and I surprised Mom and Dad by singing "The First Forty Years Are the Hardest." That brought on a round of "bus karaoke." I think people were getting punchy from being on the bus all day.

 

  

Roadside stop on the way to Trondheim. (© 2006, Junel Bacigalupo.)

 

 We got into Trondheim and headed for the Radisson Hotel. MariAnne pointed out some of the sights we'll see tomorrow more closely on our city tour. After getting our bags to the room I went down to the lobby where Dad, Dawn, and Bob were having a beer. Since I needed some cash I went out and searched for an ATM machine (or Minibank as the Norwegians say). After I returned I also got a Dahls beer and then blogged a little before dinner. They had a decent buffet and we all said goodbye to our tour driver, Tor Ivar. I think we'll probably try to get to bed early tonight. More tomorrow.