We found the famous hole!

Today, the plan was to make it to Bronnoysund, where our guide book said we had to hike to see the famous hole.......  we were intrigued.....  For one thing we don't know ANY famous holes (we know a few infamous a-holes, but that's a completely different thing...).  For another, what's type of hole? in what? through what?  so we could not wait to find out - but you, dear reader, will have to wait a bit, because we only found the famous hole at the end of the day.

While the weather was not spectacular today, it was much better than yesterday (which had set a very low bar....).  So we had a stroll by the harbor in Rorvik, where people where lining up to buy today's catch of shrimp (more about the local shrimp later - A lot more!).

We caught sight of these people practicing using their survival suits by swimming around the harbor.  It looked to me like a bunch of kids at summer camp....  I guess summer camps are different here.....

 We wished we had the wild life super-duper lens to take close up pictures of the sea gulls nesting on the obligatory red and ocher harbor buildings, but we only have the wide angle super-duper lens, so this will have to do.....  must be tough to get these buildings cleaned up......
(If you look carefully, yo can see the little chicks).

We went to the oddly grand Rorvik museum, which goes through 10,000 years of fishing history in Norway.  We learned that fishing is REALLY important in Norway, and has been for a long time!
Then we zig-zagged our way through a whole bunch of islands, going around fjords and inlets, taking ferries (driving here is an adventure!), to the inexplicably large town of Bronnoysund (it's not huge, it just a small town, but with at least 3 hotels, and a lot of pretty houses spread around pretty fields.  It has a nice center near the harbor.  The inexplicable part is that it is almost unreachable.  You need to take a ferry from either direction, and then drive around a very rugged coastline.  Then again, that's true of every town in Norway I have seen so far.....).

Which is where we found the famous hole!  and an impressive hole it is indeed!!!!!
(this is me- in blue- in the opening)

 This is the view to the ocean through it, and below a closer view at the islands.

The guide book said that it was an easy walk to the top, but I think that someone mistranslated the word "easy".  Here is what the trail looks like.  Joe thinks that what "easy" means in Norwegian guidebooks is:  "little Norwegian children have climbed it, so deal with it!".  Anyway, it was quite short and 100% worth it!  It is indeed one hell of an impressive hole!  it is basically a large natural tunnel carved in the mountain, and providing a great view of the archipelago beyond.  There are two theories about what created this hole.  The boring one says it has to do with freezing and thawing cycles and erosion.  The other one has to do with a troll's love and how, when his maiden rejected him, he tried to kill her with an arrow, but the king of the trolls protected her by throwing his hat in front of the arrow.  The hat became the mountain and the arrow made the hole.  You choose which explanation you believe - I think the troll story is better. 

This sign refers to is as "God's door" (God Tur), and I think suggests that God may be trying to kill us by throwing rock at us.... You can walk though the hole, as through a tunnel - here is a picture looking back at it (with people at the top of it).  CORRECTION:  I think that' God Tur means "good trip" or something like that.  I think my original  interpretation was funnier though, so i'll keep it).

The trail continues around the mountain, and you can get a good view of it from the other side, and goes through wonderful fields of wild flowers.

Also saw some cute critters on the way (I think that snails and mice are cute, in the right circumstances.....).

 For dinner, we decided to have some local food, and Broydosund is large enough to have not just "Italian food".  So Joe ordered the local shrimp - which were very fresh and delicious - BUT - this is what you get when you order shrimp - you get... shrimp!  A lot of it!!! no veggies, so salads (they were not a option, it's not like we could have added them).
He ate them all!