Monday, August 2, 2010

On mountaineering

I haven't been doing a whole lot of travelling this summer. It's got to do with several things, most notably time (in between the job and the studies, it didn't feel like I could take much time off), and money (no student loans during the summer always makes the budget a little tight, but this time it was worse than usual since I didn't work this spring). Thus it sounded like a great opportunity to get away for a while when my parents suggested that I came with them to visit some relatives of ours in the mountainous areas in the middle of Norway.

These relatives (it's actually my mother's cousin and her husband, but since my mom and her cousin are both only childs, they are more like siblings. So for the purpose of this post I will refer to them as my aunt and uncle) have a cabin up in the mountains. It used to be very simple, but with time they have installed power in the cabin, and these days they even have water (it's still outside the cabin, though directly outside it). However, it remains a simple life up there, and the area definitely offers space to let your mind wander.

I'll be away a few days. I have scheduled posts, but I won't be around to reply to comments or visit other blogs. In the meantime you can enjoy some pictures from my last visit:



This picture makes the weather look more dramatical than it actually was. But I couldn't bring myself to touch it up...

This is what all Norwegian homes look like. Well, no, it's not. This is taken at the "fine dining with authentic feel showroom" of the Norwegian master chef Arne Brimi (who is the closest neighbours of my relative's cabin).

The official name for this flower is Skogstorkenebb (which translates to forest stork beak, tee hee) or Geranium sylvaticum in Latin. In my family, however, it only goes by the name "Midsummer flower" due to a particular family story I might consider sharing someday...

This is water coming directly from the glaciers, so even if this picture was taken during summer, the water was ice cold. Makes it perfect for drinking, though.

That would be my dad and my uncle walking ahead. My uncle's family owns most of this valley.

We had been walking for a couple of hours or so when we reached this place, but we parked where the driveable road ended. Back when this place was a summer farm, they didn't even have cars! I'm guessing that the walk from the village took about a day (at least when they had cows with them).

I think this picture gives an idea how remote this place is. No wonders they believed in trolls!

The old weathered cabin, where my uncle spent all his childhood summers.

This ravine, known as Ridderspranget (The Knight's Leap), has a legend tied to it. According to the story, a young man kidnapped another man's bride and ran away with her. They were pursued until they reached the river Sjoa, where he managed to jump across and escape.
"You talkin' to moo?"


The long stretch of mountain in the middle of this picture is the popular tourist route "Besseggen", which is the closest I've ever been to any actual mountaineering. It's quite the hike, and there are parts of it that requires climbing of sorts, but despite that the title of this post is quite misleading...


23 comments:

Missed Periods said...

I wanna come!

RHYTHM AND RHYME said...

Have a lovely time and come back refreshed.The pictures are wonderful as usual.

Take care.
Yvonne.

Anonymous said...

Nice photos.
Have a nice time.
I'll miss you. Now who's going to tease me?

All the best, Boonsong

Mason Canyon said...

Wow, beautiful photos, especially the ravine shot. Hope you have a great time.

Mason
Thoughts in Progress

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

You live in a very beautiful country! Enjoy the cabin. Glad there's running water!

Anne Gallagher said...

Thank you for sharing such an incredible place with us. I hope you have a wonderful time. It's absolutely beautiful there, and yes, I can see why they would believe in trolls.

Unknown said...

SO beautiful. Love the photos. I think I would like to visit someday.

CD

LTM said...

these are gorgeous pix! Have a great trip--we'll miss you! :o)

Jen said...

Now I want to visit Norway even more! Look so pretty!

Summer Frey said...

So beautiful! Thank you for sharing photos--I haven't seen many pictures from that region, but now I know what I'm missing!

Jules said...

The photo's are gorgeous, I love the cows. Have a most wonderful visit, I will miss your comments. : (

Trying To Get Over The Rainbow

Jemi Fraser said...

The countryside is so rugged and hardy and beautiful! You're not going to raise any wimps in that part of the world - and the imaginations must soar!

Ann said...

The countryside looks remote, rugged and stunning. A perfect place to rejuvenate.

Have a wonderful holiday...and don't break anything!
Ann
Inkpots n' Quills

Jan Morrison said...

oh wow! Can I come? Pleeeeease?
Oh all right. I'll stay here and work for I live in paradise too. It is the most beautiful world in the world isn't it? (Nielson from album Nielson Schmielson)

Anonymous said...

Have a lovely time! There's nothing like a family planned getaway to make sure that we take time off. It's easy to say no to ourselves, that we can't afford it, don't have time, etc etc. But when our family plans it all out for us, we can't say no. It's such a treat! - G

Hart Johnson said...

It's absolutely gorgeous, Mari- and you've just knocked me on my butt about mountain stereotypes. All my life I've thought of a mountain cabin as surrounded by a thick pin forest. I forget how much farther north you are, which means it is LIKE you were that much HIGHER--your treeline must run comparatively lower by quite a lot.

It looks like it is right out of a fairy tale though--I hope you have a notebook and pen.

Hart Johnson said...

erm... that would be PINE forest... the pin forest is to be avoided...

Ella said...

enJOY, looks so peaceful, serene...a get-a-way for the soul!

Unknown said...

Gorgeous photos. Thanks for sharing a little bit of Norway with the stories and the pics. Makes me feel like family.

:D

Natasha said...

Haven't we seen these pictures before? And wasn't there also one of two lakes- one green and one blue?

One day, I am visiting you in Norway!


And is that the flower that is going to make an appearance in your troll story?

RosieC said...

Amazing! I wanna come, too :) Hope you have a nice, relaxing time.

MTeacress said...

Oh how lovely. I wish I could close my eyes and dream myself there - beautiful. Thanks for sharing them with us. Have a great week. :)

Cruella Collett said...

MP - you should! I really love visiting those mountains :)

Yvonne - thank you :)

Boonsong - see, I'm already back, and ready to tease!

Mason - thank you. I'm no photographer, really, but it helps having a good camera!

Alex - thanks :) I really did enjoy it. The running water and everything...

PW - thank you. I heard lots of stories about other mythical creatures as well this time. I will have to try to write some of them down...

r.a. - uhm. Okay. Thanks for letting me know..

Clarissa - I'd be delighted if you did (and offering my services as a guide, of course!)

Leigh - thanks :) I missed you guys too!

Jennee - we even have some hot guys ;)

Summer - sorry about that ;) I mean, you're welcome...

Jules - there were cows everywhere up there!

Jemi - I do believe we have gotten our fair share of wimps with time, but I agree that most kids probably grew up strong and sturdy back in the olden days!

Ann - I didn't break anything! But I do feel rejuvenated :)

Jan - of course! Just pack a bag and head over the ocean - I'll guide you through the mountains so that we don't run into any trolls ;) (Definitely the most beautiful world in the world!)

Georgina - true! All I had to do was to make sure I had enough warm clothes with me (I did!)

Tami - haha, no pin or pine forest up there, no. I've no idea how high (low) the treeline runs, but the altitude (latitude?) matters for sure. The actual cabin we stayed in is surrounded by trees, though (but not a lot of pine - mostly leaf trees that high)

Ellie - thanks, I did :)

Chary - but you ARE! We're one big family in the Burrow, aren't we? ;)

Natasha - there was such a picture, but that wasn't one I had taken myself. I just added that for effect. I thought that this time I'd stick with my own shots ;)
And I would LOVE it if you visited :)

Rosie - I did, thanks :)

MT - glad you liked them :)

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