By Steve Bergsman

Probably the best disaster movie in the past decade was not American but Norwegian. Called "The Wave," it was released in 2015. The film is about the citizens of a small Norwegian village fighting for survival when a massive landslide causes a 250-foot tidal wave. The film is loosely based on a real incident: In 1934 a massive rockslide caused a tsunami that destroyed the village of Tafjord and killed 40 people.

I bring all this up because I highly recommend visiting the small burg of Flam, which is the Norwegian word for flood. The tourist town has never had a tsunami, but it could happen as Flam is built at the end of a vast fjord where a large landslide of the proportion in the movie could certainly happen. Flam has had serious flooding as late as 2014. One local paper wrote at the time, "Many homes and vehicles have been lost in the flooding ... the situation is far from being under control. The houses being taken by the river will soon come to a closed-off bridge south in Odda."

On a more practical level, Flam is only really endangered by a flood tourists, especially in the summer months. I arrived in the quiet off-season of mid-autumn when the crowds had dissipated and the weather was cool but not cold. Winter had come to the surrounding mountains but not to Flam.

Travelers to Norway who arrive first in Oslo eventually head west to Bergen, where they board ships to tour the country's western fjords. The most convenient way to do that is to take a train directly between the two cities. However, the most scenic way is to take the train across the country's central highlands from Oslo to Myrdal. It's a lovely, picturesque ride that climbs from alpine countryside to northern tundra.

As fascinating as this part of the journey is, it barely compares to the next stage because at Myrdal you climb into the more rugged cabs of the Flam Mountain Railroad, which, over the course of about one hour, descends 13 miles, dropping 2,600 feet through 20 tunnels and passing so many waterfalls that you lose count almost immediately. On the cars of the train are the words "One of the world's most beautiful train journeys," and it is.

That's only the first half of the journey. At Flam, you board a ferry that will take you on a two-hour ride across the Aurlandsfjord to Gudvangen, where you board a bus to Voss to catch the train to Bergen. This is fun but a little excessive for one day's travel, so I highly recommend stopping in Flam for at least one or two nights and catching your breath in the bracing air of this little town.

Don't fret that you might end up in some student hostel having to share a room with a dozen close buddies you have never met before. Flam boasts one of the great historic hotels of the country, the Fretheim Hotel, a massive wooden structure that dates back to 1860, when the first tourists, who were British lords, came to fish in the rivers and lakes of the region. By 1879, a Lord Wigram had leased the fishing rights to the Flam River and the tourist trade began.

At the start the fishermen stayed at the farm of local Christen Fretheim, who eventually built a hotel to cater to their needs. The 21 rooms of the original hotel still exist and have been incorporated into the ever-expanding hotel. The original rooms were lined with bunk beds, and the fishermen would sleep as many as 12 to a room. These accommodations have been modernized for today's travelers and are some of the most coveted rooms in the hotel because of their antique decor.

Flam is a very small town with a visitor center, tourist shops and a small museum. People who stay over do so to enjoy the dramatic scenery and enjoy outdoor activities such as kayaking, biking and hiking. One of the most interesting hikes is a short one along the country road behind the town because if you look up you'll see a vast waterfall cascading hundreds of feet from the top of the mountain. Look for the hand-cut sign and follow the trail up the mountain to the falls. The path is very good at first before degenerating into a single track. All in all it's not difficult, although you do climb in elevation very quickly

"The Wave" was not filmed in Flam, but Hollywood often comes calling. A recent guest at the Fretheim was Liam Neeson, who was filming "Hard Powder." Also, when looking to create the scenic backdrop to the blockbuster "Frozen," Disney Studios sent its scouts to Flam for inspiration — in regard to the landscape, not princesses.

WHEN YOU GO

Many travelers heading to Bergen via railway pass through Flam. I definitely recommend spending at least one night here.

From Oslo by train to Myrdal, switch to the scenic Flam Mountain Railroad: www.visitnorway.com/listings/nsb-norwegian-state-railways/491

I stayed at the historic Fretheim Hotel, a beautiful and grand accommodation: www.fretheimhotel.no/en

Steve Bergsman is a freelance writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.