A view to die for: Dinner in Kaupanger

We make Kaupanger on the Fodnes-Manheller ferry, our first of many ferry rides, by 5 PM or so, and proceed up, and up, and up to my old friend Kjersti's house — the one her husband built, at the top of the road, with the priceless view.

To get there, we have wound our way through quintessential inland-Norway landscapes, driving up Hallingdalen, the Halling valley. The lower sections of Riksveg 7, National Route 7, curves lazily past Krøderen lake, then along Hallingdalselva, flanked by spruce and birch forest, rugged hillsides, and the occasional rocky crags where trolls at one time stood tossing the boulders piled up below. Picturesque farms dot the side of the road with their characteristic red barns and traditional log storehouses. It's a relaxing and pleasant start to the Fjørdgasm, this low-key beauty. This isn't the Norway that broadsides you with scenery so epic it punches you in the eyeballs. It's modest and unhurried.

After a break for a Norwegian bread-and-spread lunch just north of Bromma, however, things start getting rugged. You can tell the road starts to descend, obviously, but the vegetation changes as well. Check the map: That white stuff is snow. We're headed across our first set of mountains.

At Gol, you switch over to Rv52. There is little room for doubt where you are at this point, because this road, which goes through the ski resort town of Hemsedal, is named, in a surprise move, Hemsedalsveien, and you're driving along the Hemsila river through Hemsdalen (dal means valley) and then over Hemsedalsfjellet (fjell meaning mountain). Somehow or other you'll get the idea — this is the Hemsedal area. Your first clue that you're headed for some scenery is this, halfway between Gol and Hemsedal:

Let's picture the design session on this one.

“OK, so we've got a pretty valley with a clear river running through it, and then we flanked it with mountains, and then we put this plateau here and gave it a vertical drop off, and then we put some peaks around it for drama. I still feel it needs some pop.”

“Add a cascading waterfall to it?”

“Brilliant! OK. Now what if we wanted to ice the cake a bit more?”

“Add … another waterfall?”

“Super! Two waterfalls. These people like waterfalls. Add some waterfalls to their waterfalls.”

“Two falls it is, then.”

Once you pass Hemsedal, the tree line comes into view.

Until you're in the mountains. Note the obligatory German camper van.

This is a relatively short mountain crossing. Once you start descending, the scenery ups the drama noticeably.

We're now entering fjord country.

At pretty Lærdalsøyri, you're back at sea level, your clue being the sea shore you're driving along, if the scent of salt and seaweed didn't give it away. We did not have time to stop, so we hustled through the three-mile Fodnestunnelen (all tunnels in Norway have names), which spits you out pretty much right at the ferry dock. Two ferries make a relay of the short crossing, and there was no wait.

Here's the stretch across the mountains in glorious “travelapse” courtesy of the Garmin Virb Ultra 30.

Note to self: Set the intervals closer than every .3 miles. It's a little jerky.

A couple of wrong turns later and a steep climb I wouldn't want to have to negotiate in the winter, we pile out the car, stretch our legs, and enjoy the best meal of Norwegian meatballs ever with the best view ever.

Note to self: Mia loves meatballs with gravy.

Next: Lom and Sognefjellsvegen. Cue I Dovergubbens hall.