Publisher's Synopsis
This is Volume 1 of a totally new two volume full color set on the beauty, excitement and drama of cruising along the coast of Norway, visiting its most important fjords. The very word fjord is from the Norwegian language and describes a deepwater channel carved by glacial ice that is now flooded by seawater. There are fjords in Canada, Greenland, Chile and New Zealand, but none have the absolute majesty of those in Norway. And in the other world fjords there is little settlement. The Norwegian people have lived along their fjord coast for centuries. Small villages and isolated farms cling to the steep slopes and people utilize the fjords as water highways. This book series takes you on a virtual journey through the Norwegian fjords. It offers valuable geographic and historic information. And it provides suggestions as to the most important sights not to be missed. With regard to dining on shore, it provides recommendations as to the best restaurants offering traditional Norwegian cuisine. Unlike the mass-market tour books, it keeps the information to a concise level and does not spoon feed you every last detail, thus enabling you to discover many of the joys of visiting Norway. You will not be overwhelmed by massive amounts of information, but rather be given just the right amount of detail to enhance your visit. The books are loaded with maps that are referenced to on line sites where you can then use your smart phone and either enlarge or reduce them while on shore. Thus you cannot get lost if you go off on your own rather than staying with a tour. Norway is a safe and friendly country, so you can feel free to do some independent exploring. And this book enables you to do so. For those cruise itineraries that will continue on to Murmansk and Arkhangelsk in Russia's Arctic, there is an extensive chapter on those two ports.Volume 1 takes you from Oslo in the south to Kristiansund about midway up the coast. This is the farthest port that the majority of cruise ships visit. Volume 2 continues on to Nordkapp, the top end of Europe fronting on the Arctic Ocean. And the final chapter explores Murmansk and Arkhangelsk, two Russian Arctic ports that few travelers ever have a chance to visit.I trust my information will be of great value in your Norwegian travels. I have made over a dozen cruises through Norway and as a geography professor with 46 years of experience, I share my expertise with you.
