HAPPY NEW WEEK!
I hope everyone has a joyful week. The Brood X cicadas were screaming today on my patch. About a week ago, I noticed some big holes at the bottom of my trees. Various critters dig holes in my yard, so I didn't think much about it. Since then, I've seen articles about some of last year's Brood X cicadas popping up this year. Apparently, some of the bugs, called "stragglers," decided to sleep in, and they're appearing this year instead of last year. In most cases, it's because our soil didn't warm up to the required 64 degrees Fahrenheit until too late to wake them up in 2021. So, some of the noisy screechers decided to hit their snooze alarm and climb out this year instead!
At least we were sitting on the best side of the train.
The track took 20 years to build. It opened for steam trains in 1940, and then electric trains in 1944. There are now only electric trains on the line. It has a gradient of 55% for almost 80% of the line. It takes an hour to climb to the top, which is a journey of 20 kilometres and through 20 tunnels, so is sometimes referred to as the "20 Train"
This waterfall, which was v e r y high, had a zigzag road next to it which we were told had been one of the original tiny roads for the horses and carts which were the only access to Flam before the building of the railway.
Two thirds of the way up, we stopped & the driver let us out for precisely 8 minutes, to photograph the hugest waterfall. Kjosfossen.
If you look carefully, you can see top right that a person in red is standing, waving. There is a legend that here in the mountains there are creatures rather like mermaids, who try to lure travellers to their deaths! She shrieked and sang a little, then disappeared!
Everyone scrambled back onto the train, quickly!
The countryside was scrubby, tough looking vegetation.
We got ever higher. The water everywhere was fast moving and plentiful, as the winter snow was melting.
When we reached the top, it was snowing gently! Then we began the journey back down. (At this point I began to get annoyed as a woman not far from where we were, was talking incessantly. She managed, eventually to talk non stop for the entire two hour journey. !!!!!!!!!)
Tried to capture a very old church here as we descended, at the side of the river. Right hand side of the river, just above the bridge. Their buildings are mostly clad in wood and have steep roofs to allow the snow to drop off.
Not the best of pics, as a bit out of focus as the train was moving, and so was I!
A memorable trip. We were well wrapped up against the cold, and as we descended back to sea level, I had to take my coat off as I got too warm. We were so lucky with the weather - it was 10 degrees that day and not much wind.