Hiking mountains and playing in snow

There's nothing like hiking through snow when it's nearly June.

Yesterday, Anne and I made the trek up to the family cabin which is a tremendously steep hike up the mountain above Anne's house. We took Mary and Kira with us.
Anne drove us to our drop-off point and did a really great job! I'm proud of you, AK!
The view from our drop-off point:


The hike was steep and we covered all sorts of terrain. We crossed areas of rocky paths, mossy trails, thick groves of evergreens, and snow that was at least a foot deep!

About halfway up, there was snow all around but I had already
taken off both of my jackets. This entire trip I've been freezing and I should have been yesterday, too! I'm thankful for the great exercise because it allowed me to enjoy a warn Norway!
Halfway point:

We made it to the cabin!

It was so peaceful when we reached the zenith. We couldn't hear a sound except for the quiet trickle of melting snow, few birds twittering in the greenery, and wind. The silence was even more breathtaking than the view.

Time for a rest and a snack:

At Anne's house, there are pictures on the wall of her and her two brothers sitting on this rock as babies. I decided I had to get a picture too...even if I'm eighteen.

On the hike back down, we saw a pool of water created by the melting snow. It was filled with frog eggs!

As we got closer to civilization, we had to put the dogs on a leash. Mary and Kira would rather pay attention to the sheep than listen to us. We walked through sheep pastures and trudged in a zig-zagging pattern all of the way back to the house.


Climbing the mountain was an accomplishment. I was tired and sweaty and little bit sunburned, but it was worth it. Nothing else parallels the feeling of your lungs filling with cold mountain air and your legs bringing you closer and closer to the finish line on top of a snow covered mountain. It was inspiring and tremendously empowering.

BFF!

In my element

Yesterday was my kind of day. It was an ice cream day, a school day, a shopping day, a hazelnut latte day, a laughing day, a scooter day, a lambing day, and most notably, a horseback riding day.

Anne and I woke up early, got ready for school, and met the bus at the road. Because of exams, we were moved to a different classroom that also functions as a VIP box during football matches. In English class we discussed the power of advertising and how English is essential for someone who hopes to be successful in the global economy. The time I've spent in Norway has given me a complete understanding of the importance of being fluent in a second language (or third or fourth!) It is possible to learn another language. You must be diligent and passionate. I'm not saying this with experience, but with observation. I have decided to become more diligent in learning Japanese and hopefully, with time, I will be able to carry on complete conversations!

Anyway, school was great and while Anne was preparing for her written exam (it's on Monday and I would say to wish her luck but I know Anne won't need any) Kaia, Andrea and I had some ice cream. And we brought some back for Anne of course!

Like I said in a previous post, the eating schedule in Norway is fairly different from that of America.
Here's how it normally works...for me anyways:
Breakfast at 7am- Two slices of homemade bread with honey and brown cheese
Lunch at 11:30am-Two slices of bread or crackers with...honey and brown cheese
Supper at 3:30pm-Fish, potatoes, bread
The Unofficial Meal @ whenever we get hungry - bread with honey and brown cheese

I'm sure you noticed a trend here! I do adore honey and brown cheese and in Norway, the locals adore routine. We have a fairly set schedule but we seem to eat all of the time here. I'm not complaining! Sure I'll have waffles with jam and sour cream. Of course I'll have focaccia and cauliflower soup just because I feel like it. Norway is so amazing.

Not to bore you with my ramblings on Norwegian food and habit, but I've made one other interesting observation...
Pretty much all of the food I've tasted in Norway has been...bland. I really hesitate to use that word because to me, bland is a connotation for dull. But that's certainly not true of Norwegian cuisine! The food is fantastic even though there's not a lot of range in the flavor. Nothing too sweet, nothing too salty, and definitely not anything too spicy.

Ok, moving on...
Anne, Andrea and I had a little after school treat at the cafe. I got to sample a few of the cafe's most popular desserts-the apple cake, walnut brownie, and raspberry cheesecake. Mmmm.

While waiting for the bus, Anne's dad and younger drove by so we were able to hitch a ride with them (and the two Border Collies) back home. Randi, Anne's mom, made a "fish gratin," whole boiled potatoes, and carrots for supper. I watched everyone else as they prepared their meal and I followed suit. We mashed our potatoes and gratin together and poured melted butter on top. Julia Child would've been proud.

After we finished the delicious meal, Anne and I left the house for another adventure... one that I've had on my bucket list for a while. Kristin needed to move her horses to another pasture so Anne and I got to ride them up the mountain! My horse, Blesa (it means "blaze" in Norwegian), was so well behaved! We passed cars, tractors, sheep, and cows and she barely flinched. She let me trot a little as well. After riding her, I think I'll have to own a Døle horse someday, just like Blesa.



We helped Krisitin get her horses situated then we went back to Anne's to bundle up for the second adventure of the day. We rode on Anne’s scooter and that was fun. ..especially when we had to lean forwards to make it up the hills!

Anne's dad arranged a visit for us at their neighbor's farm where they train Icelandic horses. I was introduced to Guro and her mom Hilde and then we got to fetch our ponies to ride! Guro let me ride her "competition horse" Glaður. Glaður means glad in Icelandic. Guro, who is only sixteen and one of the best riders I’ve ever met, has ridden Glaður in several international competitions.
Technically speaking, Icelandic horses are really ponies. They are small but they are strong and known for their sure-footedness. The Icelandic horse can perform five gaits (the Icelandic Horse registry recognizes the canter and gallop as one gait) including a fast, four-beat, lateral gait called the tölt.

We brushed, saddled, and got to know our horses. I learned about a traditional Icelandic bridle and a special saddle pad that’s made of gel so it won’t slip while riding across the steep terrain of Norway.

After walking our horses down the road a little ways, we mounted and started our ride. Guro asked me if I wanted to try to try the tölt. Of course I did! Hilde went down the road a little ways so she could stop us if the horses got a little carried away. It took a little practice for us to learn the cues for asking our horses to tölt but when when Anne and I got it, it was so much fun! It was faster than trotting and so much smoother.
We got to tölt and I even got to canter. So much fun!


On the ride back up the mountain, Guro instructed us that the horses are barn sour and they love to run back to the barn. If we wanted, we could let them run and just hold on. Anne and I agreed we would do that.
Hilde stopped to talk to a neighbor. Anne and I were just sitting comfortably on our horses. I heard Hilde say something in Norwegian and before I knew it, the horses took off up the mountain. Glaður was galloping...something I hadn’t expected at all. At first I was scared to death but then I got into it, leaned forward and just went with it.
When Anne and our horses were next to each other, we were both laughing so hard we could barely breathe.
One second we’re standing and chatting and the next we’re galloping. I had no idea that was going to happen but I loved it. It was definitely one of the highlights of my trip. I was in my element!



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Back at the barn, I caught my breath and started untacking Glaður. It was such a fantastic ride and Glaður is one of the most well-trained horses I’ve ridden. She turned and stopped at the slightest shift in weight and to ask her to move forward, I just pointed by hands forwards the tiniest bit. Amazing.

As we were untacking our horses, Guro got our attention. A sheep was giving birth! Gura and Hilde’s family owns over one hundred sheep and this ewe was one of the last two to give birth this season.

Hilde examined the sheep and found out that one of the lamb’s legs was pointed in the wrong direction. She had to reach in and fix it.

Anne, Gura, and I watched intently. After Hilde’s help, the sheep didn’t have much trouble. An hour or so later, an adorable lamb was resting in the pen with its mother. We were so lucky that we came on the right night to see the lamb being born! Absolutely incredible.
Anne and I had a spectacular day. It was jam-packed with fun times and memorable experiences. I loved it. I was in my element.

Harastølen

I have officially been a part of two trespassing endeavors in Europe. I can go ahead and check that off my bucket list.

Yesterday, Anne, Kristin, Kaia, and I took a road trip to Harastølen, a town on Sognefjord. We drove for an hour or so on the curvy roads and in the long tunnels through the mountains. We made several stops along the way...some for a photo op, some for the view, some for the food...and sometimes the stop was all three.



The reason we travelled to Harastølen was more out of curiosity than anything else. And to say that we "went there." You see, from the late 1800s to the 1980s, Harastølen was home to hundreds of tuberculosis victims, mentally ill patients, and quarantined immigrants. It was a place for people who were deemed harmful to the rest of the society. Anne and her friends have heard stories and rumors about this town. Before we went, they told me it's like a ghost town. Everything is still intact; all of the furniture, the clothes, even the medical files are still there.

I'm not one to be scared of ghosts or to be creeped out by old buildings, but everyone was making this place sound freaky. Really freaky.
When we made the turn to Harastolen, we started to make the steep climb to the top of the mountain. The zig-zagging road was enough to make anyone carsick...especially me. Just as we were all starting to get apprehensive, the car stopped. Just stopped. On the side of the mountain. Luckily all it needed was more oil but as Kristin was getting the VW ready to drive again, a big dog just appeared out of no where. Kaia screamed, then Kristin screamed, which made Anne screamed and so I screamed too...because everyone else was screaming. It was just like a scene out of a badly made horror film geared for preteens.

We all laughed it off then started driving again. The road was bumpy and there were hardly signs of civilization. I will never say I live in the middle of nowehere ever again, because after living in Norway for two weeks, I know what "the middle of no where" is like.


At the top of the mountain, we made the final turn and this huge white structure filled the entire spectrum of our view. The building, the insane asylum and tuberculosis sanitarium, is certainly one of the eeriest buildings I've ever seen. And definitely the eeriest one I've ever been inside.

We parked the car and quietly walked around the building, peering into windows and sneaking across the grass and shards of glass. In the first room, I saw wooden weaving looms and bolts of dusty fabric. The next room must have been the boiler room or something...it was full of pipes, wires, dials, and a big metal tank. The third room was the spookiest. It was lined with tile from the floor to the ceiling and facing the window was a metal chair. I think it must have been a dentist chair but it was so morbid looking that it could've passed for a torture device. So creepy.

Our group of four kept exploring. The outside of the old building appeared to be the scene of a few teenage parties, lot of truth or dare games and several trash can fires. There was evidence all around.

As we circled the building, I saw a door. I didn't think it would open but of course, with my luck, it did and then it was pretty much a given that I had to go inside. The others weren't as eager. Kaia told us how there's a groundskeeper who roams around, kicking trespassers like me off of the property. I walked in anyway and Kristin followed. Kaia and Anne watched the door so they could warn us if the groundskeeper (who looks like Filch in my mind) appeared. So nerve-racking.

Kristin and I walked up the spiral staircase to the second level. This particular corridor was fairly undisturbed. Chairs lined the walls...it seemed like it might have been a waiting area. I was too busy taking pictures to notice the smaller details, but Krisitn got my attention and we both looked to the floor. In the corner there was a pair of tiny baby slipper. So eerie.


On the third floor, we saw pretty much the same thing. Old books, some clothes, and old furniture strewn about across the hallway. So bizarre.

While walking back down the staircase, I stepped on a piece of plastic, sliding and making a terrible scratching sound. It's really ridiculous how something so silly can make four perfectly intelligent females scream bloody murder.

Kristin and I switched places with Anne and Kaia and kept watch so they could venture up the sinister stairs.

I would've loved to stay and explore a little bit longer. As creepy and morbid as it is, the entire concept and history of the building fascinates me. But, unfortunately, we left so before we (ahem, Kaia) got too freaked out.




I won't be able to shake the creepy feeling Harastølen gave me anytime soon. When we got back to Anne's and I googled the old building and the purposes it served, there's hardly anything at all online. And that makes Harastølen that much more disturbing.

Pictures, pictures, pictures

I don't have a lot to report today, but I thought I'd add a few more pictures for y'all to see! Photo credit to Miss Andrea Kvam.

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One Week in Norway!

When I woke up this morning, this is what I saw...

I cannot believe I've been in Norway for one whole week! This time one week ago, I was just arriving at Anne's house. It's crazy to think about everything that has happened in one week. Anne and I were listing all of the things we've done...
-Seventeenth of May parade + celebration
-Pre-seventeenth of May celebration
-Soccer Game
-China House!
-School x 3
-Gammalost Festival
-Pirates of the Caribbean premier

This list goes on and on. I'm having so much fun and I have been welcomed so warmly by Anne and her family and friends... but, I have to admit that I really miss North Carolina. I hope everyone back home is soaking up the warm weather and attending Saturdays in Saxapahaw for me!

Anyway, here's what I've been up to today.

I went to school with Anne again. It's really fun to go with her because I have gotten to know all of her friends and I'm able to hang out with them and share inside jokes. Kaia, if you read this, I just want you to know that "you're so blessed!" :-)

In English class, we discussed stereotypes and generalizations made by different cultures. It's so interesting to see what others think about America. We're not all addicted to McDonald's and La-z-boy recliners.

After school, I went home with Kaia while Anne went to work at the cafe.
The cafe where Anne works is the cutest place ever. It's right in the center of Sogndal and if you walk by it, you can typically see kids flipping and doing all kinds of tricks on the trampoline outside. Inside the cafe it's bright and cheerful. Local artists can display their work on the walls and in the windows so there's plenty to look at.

Kaia and I made some great pasta at her house and discussed all kinds of intelligent things...like the cultural differences between the U.S. and Norway.


Back at Anne's house, we went out to the dairy barn and I got to milk a cow! I even drank the milk that I milked! Anne's dad and younger brother were in the barn working and it was neat to see how a Norwegian dairy farm works. Like you already know, the Rygg family has sheep, too! The lambs are so adorable!
Anne's like brother, Ole Kristian, found a tiny kitten in the barn. It was even cuter than the calves and the lambs! I carried it around inside of my coveralls while Anne and Ole Kristian mucked out the calf stalls.

I like this picture because the lamb and I are making the same expression!






I'm still loving Norway tremendously and I'm looking forward to another week in this beautiful country with all of my beautiful new friends!

Gammalost Festival

We spent last night in Vik, a town about an hour and a half down the fjord from Sogndal.
Vik is famous for gammalost, a type of cheese that's 1% fat, 50% protein, and 100% acquired taste. Gammalost (or Old Cheese...the literal translation) is "the cheese of the vikings" and is characterized by its grainy texture, hairy mold, and rotten smell. It's seriously one of the most disgusting foods I've ever eaten. It's almost as bad as the infamous raw quail eggs from Japan.

It may not seem like gammalost would be cause for a festival, but apparently it's more than a reason to party!

Anne, Kristine, Kaia, Andrea, Ingvild and I took a bus and ferry to get to Vik. We passed snowy mountains and a gorgeous waterfall.


Kristine's grandparents live in Vik so we stayed in their upstairs apartment. Ingvild brought her guitar per my request and we all sang Adele and Brandi songs. I got to play a few of my originals and after this weekend, I think all of the girls know the lyrics to "Favorite Day." :)

We got together with some more friends and then we got all dressed up and headed out to the party.
I'm wearing the dress and belt I bought in Paris...and Andrea was so sweet and let me borrow her awesome heels!


The Gammalost Festival was unlike anything I'd ever been to before, but it was really fun and definitely something I'm glad I experienced! I was dubbed "the babysitter" by Anne's mom and Anne and I did a great job of keeping up with everyone.
Norway's own "Kings of Lien" band played... that's right, there's a Norwegian band covering Kings of Leon songs. Pretty much the most epic thing ever.
We all danced and partied but around 3am I couldn't wait to go back to the apartment and sleep!
When we woke up today, we had pizza that Kristine's grandmother made for us. I was lame and slept pretty much the whole day away, but I know Anne and the girls had fun playing cards ad such.

We got back to Sogndal around 7pm and we're gearing up for another day at school tomorrow!

Whaddup Norway?!