Golden Train 黄金列车
July 1, 2026
Our first stop was Åndalsnes, a picturesque town nestled at the end of the Romsdalsfjord. A couple of weeks earlier, we had purchased tickets for the Golden Train, a scenic excursion that travels along the famous Rauma Railway between Åndalsnes and Bjorli.
The journey took us through some of Norway's most spectacular mountain scenery. Along the route, we passed Troll Wall (Trollveggen), Europe's tallest vertical rock face, admired the emerald-green Rauma River, and viewed the beautiful Verma Waterfall. We also crossed the famous Kylling Bridge, often described as Norway's most photographed railway bridge. Ironically, the best view of the bridge came only after the train had crossed it, when we could see it from a distance. Even so, the surrounding scenery was magnificent, making the journey well worth taking.
During the ride, we also learned why this excursion is called the Golden Train. In April 1940, shortly after Germany invaded Norway, nearly 50 tons of Norway's gold reserves were secretly transported by train through the Romsdal Valley to Åndalsnes. From there, the gold was loaded onto ships and eventually made its way to the United Kingdom and later to North America, preventing it from falling into German hands. The successful operation helped preserve Norway's financial independence throughout World War II. At Bjorli Station, the Golden Train Museum tells the fascinating story of how Norway’s gold reserves were secretly transported to safety during World War II.
It was also the first time we learned about Norway's famous troll legends. According to folklore, trolls were giant creatures that lived deep in the mountains and could only venture out under the cover of darkness. If caught by the rising sun, they would turn to stone. Many Norwegians like to imagine that the towering cliffs of Troll Wall and the surrounding jagged peaks are ancient trolls frozen forever in the daylight. Standing among these dramatic mountains, it was easy to see how such fascinating stories came to life.
After the train ride, we boarded the Romsdal Gondola and ascended to the summit of Mount Nesaksla, where breathtaking panoramic views of the Romsdalsfjord, the town of Åndalsnes, and the surrounding alpine peaks awaited us. We took a short hike around the summit before hurrying back down to make it to the ship on time. It was a wonderful first day of excursions, combining spectacular scenery, intriguing history, and a touch of Norwegian folklore.
But the day was far from over. We attended Norway’s Coastal Kitchen on Deck 9, hosted by the ship’s executive chef. Today, he introduced us to fenalår, a traditional Norwegian cured meat made from a salted and dried leg of lamb. We sampled thin slices of the lamb accompanied by LINIE Aquavit, a Norwegian spirit. The lamb was delicious, but the aquavit was a little too strong for us.
Later, we enjoyed a delicious three-course dinner before attending the Captain’s Welcome, where we were introduced to the ship’s officers and senior staff.
That evening, the ship passed through the notorious Hustadvika, a shallow and exposed stretch of sea dotted with numerous shoals and reefs and known for its rough waters. Fortunately, the sea was unusually calm and beautiful that evening. As we sailed through the area, we passed the striking red Hestskjær Lighthouse, glowing beautifully in the late-evening sun.
2026年7月1日
今天邮轮停靠在这次行程的第一站——安达尔斯内斯（Åndalsnes），这座风景秀丽的小镇坐落在罗姆斯达尔峡湾（Romsdalsfjord）尽头。几周前，我们便提前预订了著名的黄金列车（Golden Train）。这趟观光列车沿着挪威最美铁路之一——劳马铁路（Rauma Railway），往返于安达尔斯内斯和比约利（Bjorli）之间。
列车一路穿行在秀丽的山谷之中，沿途尽是令人惊叹的自然风光。我们经过了欧洲最高的垂直岩壁——巨魔墙（Trollveggen），欣赏了碧绿色的劳马河（Rauma River），还看到了秀美的维尔马瀑布（Verma Waterfall）。列车也驶过了著名的基林桥（Kylling Bridge），这座桥被誉为挪威拍照最多的铁路桥。当列车真正行驶在桥上时，反而看不到桥的全貌；直到列车驶离后，我们才从远处欣赏到它优雅的身影。即便如此，沿途的景色依然令人赞叹不已，这趟旅程绝对值得。
在车上，我们还了解到这趟列车为何被称为“黄金列车”。1940年4月，德国入侵挪威后不久，为了防止国家黄金储备落入德军手中，挪威政府秘密将近50吨黄金通过这条铁路运送到安达尔斯内斯，再转运至英国，最后送往北美安全保存。这次惊险而成功的“黄金大转移”，不仅保住了挪威的国家财富，也为流亡政府在二战期间继续运作提供了重要保障。
在火车上我们第一次听到挪威关于巨魔（Troll）的传说。相传巨魔是生活在深山里的巨大生物，只能在夜晚活动，一旦被阳光照射，就会立刻变成石头。许多挪威人相信，巨魔墙以及周围那些嶙峋险峻的山峰，正是远古巨魔被晨曦定格后留下的身影。置身于这片雄伟壮阔的山谷之间，确实很容易理解这些充满想象力的民间传说是如何诞生的。
结束火车之旅后，我们又搭乘罗姆斯达尔缆车（Romsdal Gondola）登上内萨克斯拉山（Mount Nesaksla）山顶。登高望远，罗姆斯达尔峡湾、安达尔斯内斯小镇以及四周连绵起伏的群山尽收眼底，景色壮丽无比。我们在山顶简短的徒步几分钟，随后便匆匆返回码头，赶回邮轮。
这是我们此次航程的第一次岸上观光，不仅欣赏了挪威壮观的自然风光，还了解了一段精彩的二战历史和充满神秘色彩的北欧神话，这一天堪称完美。