Our first stop on the Holland America cruise was Eidfjord, a small village of 962 people at the end of the Hardanger fjord. There are more than 1,700 named fjords in Norway. The fjords were shaped by massive glaciers that carved out deep valleys, which later filled with water as the ice melted. Because the water is so deep, cruise ships can travel far into the fjords.
We chose to visit the fjords this year since the Norwegian government is planning to make all cruise ships fully electric in the next couple of years. We figured it would be more affordable to go now before prices go up.
In Eidfjord, we took a bus out to see the famous Vøringfossen waterfalls. Instead of booking through the cruise line, we went with another tour group. It turned out to be cheaper and we were guaranteed a tour guide. Our guide was Alexa, who’s originally from South Africa and used to be a film director. She leaves Norway for the winter because she hates the long, cold, dark nights.
Vøringsfossen was stunning, though I bet it would be even better in spring when the snow is melting. As we traveled up the fjord, I noticed there weren’t as many waterfalls as I’d seen in the brochures. I should have figured that the waterfalls would be dry this time of year, unless it rains.
Eidfjord gets its name from old Norse words for isthmus and fjord. The area was originally settled by reindeer hunters, though there aren’t any reindeer around now.
Kings of Norway, Olaf Tryggvason and Olaf II Haraldsson (St. Olaf) brought Christianity Norway in the late 10th and early 11th centuries. Christian missionaries traveled up the fjords to reach villages like Eidfjord.
The first stone church in Eidfjord, called The Old Eidfjord Church, was built in 1309. It was funded by a wealthy local woman named Rike-Ragna as a way to make amends for something. She dedicated the church to St. James.
After the Protestant Reformation, King Christian III imposed Lutheranism as the new state religion in 1537, replacing Catholicism. The Old Eidfjord Church started out Catholic but was later turned into a Lutheran parish after the Protestant reformation. The Norwegian King began appointing local priests after that.
During World War II, when Norway was occupied by the Nazis, local families hid an English family in a guesthouse attic and helped them escape over the mountains.