Flåm & Sagastad: Vikings, Fjords & the Spirit of the Norsemen
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Time to read 4 min
Day 6
I slept well, but felt my body had been accumulating some fatigue and stress. With this time, I was reflecting on Norway as a country of striking contrasts. In Flåm, you go from sea level to a mountain peak in a single railcar ride; the peak rivals Stratton in Vermont, which takes six hours of driving to reach. The same contrast exists with light. Summer here means nearly endless daylight, while winter brings almost none. A repeating theme. Light and dark, high and low. Also sitting with the intention to step forward into the unknown with confidence and staying the course.
Fjord Cruise & Frank
We took a beautiful ride on a fjord cruiser, just soaking in the stunning scenery. We were in a town named after Njord, the Norse god of the sea, which sparked a wonderful conversation with Frank. I mused about Njord and his wife Skadi, she of the mountains, he of the sea, who famously separated because neither could bear to leave their beloved landscape. Looking out at the fjord, I wondered: with the sea visible at the end and the mountains right here, would it really have been so hard for them?
Frank—a man of the sea—answered without hesitation. Surrounded by the towering fjord walls, he felt quite claustrophobic, closed in, longing for the wide-open expanse of the sea near his home at Askrova. Suddenly Njord and Skadi's parting made perfect sense. Another layer to Norway's beautiful contrasts. It was so wonderful to see Frank again; it was a real highlight of the day.
Viking Village
A rich, affirming experience. So much of what I'd read before was confirmed and deepened. The Vikings were far more than warriors. Farmers, craftspeople, shipbuilders, explorers, and traders. And notably, they weren't even called Vikings in their own time—they were Norsemen, and society as a whole was the focus and center of everyday. I am really proud to carry that heritage.
A guide in the village told the story of Romans who arrived expecting barbarians and found instead a complex society with laws, trades, crafts, and technology; Some of which we still use today. For example, the keel of a boat traces back to Norsemen. In some ways, their society was more advanced than Rome's. They had the beginnings of democracy, women held real rights, and it was a well-organized way of life.
We met two remarkable people at the village. Thor's wisdom stayed with me: when a day feels difficult or failure comes, the question one should ask is, what have I learned? Profound. He also reminded us that we are nature—not separate from it, but part of it. We are creatures of Earth.
On the Norsemen
One perspective shared with us was that the Norsemen were a peaceful society, long established before the Viking Age as we know it. Our guides explained that the term "Viking" came later and described how it took years for many Norse communities to arm themselves in response to the spread of Christianity pressing in on their culture. Peaceful until provoked.
I am so grateful to be sharing this with Frank, who loves Norsemen as much as I do. Feeling the joy of having manifested this dream—making the documentary—and daring to imagine where it leads: more adventures in Norway, traveling and discovering the Norsemen. A lifestyle to embrace. There is much still to learn and to answer Thor's question for today: I have learned a deeper understanding of the ancestors who came before.
Day 7
A day of centering before manifesting. I’ve been sitting with the idea that strength is built slowly, that we learn as we go, and that acting and learning by doing is enough. An overarching grounding theme before a remarkable day.
We drove from Flåm to Sagastad, where we were met by two Vikings, Jacob and Harald, who took us by boat out to Davit. There we met the most amazing people, including a gentleman named John, who immediately made us feel welcome.
A Moment of Grace
We took an amazing boat ride through the fjord to a destination where we got to row a Viking ship—in full gear—and had an absolute blast, with lots of laughter and a genuinely great time.
On the boat ride back to harbor, our hosts graciously circled and fed seagulls from a fresh fishing catch. And then, overhead, two eagles soaring above us. It was epic and beautiful. A gift from the journey.
We explored the Myklebust ship. It is the largest Viking ship ever discovered by volume. Found in a burial mound in Nordfjordeid in 1874, it had been burned as part of the burial ritual—likely as a funeral pyre for King Audbjørn of Fjordane, who fell in battle around 870 AD. Skilled boat builders faithfully reconstructed a full-scale 30-meter replica, analyzing more than 7,000 nails found at the site (The same type our cousin Lars made for us in his blacksmith shop!) To stand before that ship, knowing its history, was absolutely extraordinary. Such an incredible place, I wish we'd had more time and would love to go back and dig deeper.
Community & Kinship
Perhaps the most beautiful part of the day was simply being with the people. Learning about their community, what they are building, the tourism they are bringing to the region, and how the whole community of Sagastad has come together around this place and its history. The long tradition of shipbuilders in the area lives on. Meeting a local businessman, feeling the warmth and the sense of shared purpose. It was a living reminder that the spirit of kinship so central to Viking society is very much alive in modern Norway. Norwegians are so welcoming, so grounded, and so genuinely lovely to be with.
