Bridal procession on the Hardangerfjord
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The train is now passing by the outskirts of Ulvik municipality, also known as one of the Hardanger municipalities. Which stretch all the way from the world’s third longest fjord, Hardangerfjord, right to Finse which lies at 1222 metres above sea level. Hardanger is known for its lush countryside, where sunny fjords meet steep mountains with their wild waterfalls and crashing rivers. Artists from around the world have fallen in love with these surroundings and have reproduced the romanticism of the Norwegian farming landscape both on canvas and through the medium of music. “Brudeferden I Hardanger” – Bridal procession on the Hardangerfjord, is a painting that most Norwegians will recognise. The idyllic fjord wedding celebration was painted by Tiedemand and Gude in 1847, it was actually painted in Düsseldorf in Germany, but depicts the romantic and enchanting way of life of Norwegian farmers in the villages on the west coast. It continues to be a national icon, which is today on show at the national gallery. At the bottom of the fjords are the fruit farms with their rows and rows of delicious sweetness which cover the villages. Hardanger is widely known for its apples, pears, cherries and plums. They are best enjoyed straight from the tree, but down in Ulvik they also produce juice, cider, liqueur, dessert wine and spirits from the apples. They say an apple a day keeps the Doctor away. Whether that applies to apple liqueur is unknown but either way it tastes heavenly!