UT.no - Hiking Made Easy

Our appreciation for the outdoors has reached new levels since living in Norway.  We may still be a little particular about the weather (our Norwegian friends don't let a drenching rain or gale-force winds keep them inside), but when it's sunny you can bet that Jeffrey and I are looking for a new area to explore.

Enter: UT.no  a one-stop shop for all of our hiking inspiration.  The site also added the translation functionality so it's even easier to use!  I usually just go over to the map, make sure Turforslag is checked and peruse the options.  The little flags take you to information on that particular hike like its difficulty, how to get there, and what you'll see along the way.  

I just love maps.

On new year's day, this hike caught my eye. So Jeffrey and I packed up the dog, some snacks, and headed for Egersund.  

One thing to remember while hiking in January - the sun sets at 3PM.  So there's really no time to dilly dally.  If only we had remembered that when we started.

Instead, we tried to impress each other with feats of brute strength...

Or kept looking impossibly fluffy and adorable so many stops HAD to be made for pictures...

Or just enjoyed the January sun's faint warmth and unusual brightness on our faces so that a long sit on the rocks was not only mandatory but thoroughly enjoyed.  Sometimes just a little sunshine can make us (me) feel incredibly happy.

But, wait! Sundown? How far away is the car? Luckily, I have this guy to guide me.

Except he led us right into a rushing river.

Ok, so maybe it wasn't a river. But it was still a formidable obstacle.  Good thing I long jumped in high school :)  And after a freak hail shower and impending darkness, we made it full circle with enough time to wash Pistol in a little stream before we took off. I'm sure he appreciated that too.

So, if you're ever in Norway and want to know where to hike, check out UT.no!  But good luck finding a guide as cute as mine..

The First Ski and Snow of the Season

It's still unusual for us to take a weekend ski trip.  Ski trips for Oklahomans mean 10+ hours of driving, usually overnight so that we don't waste too much of the trip on travel, and then we ski hard for 4-5 days before heading home.  These trips have always been fun and memorable, but I could get used to a weekend in the mountains. My favorite part is that I don't feel like I have to exhaust myself skiing because we can just go again the next weekend!

We recently took the Sauda ski boat again and enjoyed a day on the slopes, but our first ski trip of the season was in Roldal.  It's about a 4 hour leisurely drive and one ferry away from Stavanger.  We happened to drive through a heavy snowfall, but that just made it feel more like we were really in the mountains. Actually, Roldal is known for getting some of the best snow in Norway.  We were a little early for the best conditions, but Jeffrey couldn't wait any longer to try out his new skis.

We stayed at the Marathon apartment with Leif Christian and Therese for the weekend.  And while Jeff and Leif Christian enjoyed some skiing...

I got to hang with this little girl!  Therese and I snuggled Sophie, read books, watched Norwegian TV, and were very lazy.  A full day of skiing this time of year was from 10-3 since that's when the light is best anyway, so the boys were back to entertain us before long.

It wasn't too long after our ski trip that Stavanger received its first heavy snow.  Jeffrey wasted no time in gathering supplies for a proper snow man. And of course Pistol has to be a part of it! 

It's hard not to enjoy just about anything when I have these two around!  

Celebrate!

This winter season has brought many milestones and reasons to celebrate.  We've had our anniversary, Christmas, our first trip to Germany, and welcomed a new year.  We also had our first company party!

This may not seem like that big of a deal, but everyone in the office knows each other (versus the Houston tower when I barely knew everyone on my floor).  What we discovered, though, was that our coworkers were dancers, comedians, story-tellers, and FUN!    All of our favorite people in one place with a live band and open bar? It's what great parties are made of.  Getting dressed up is always fun too.

Jeffrey also celebrated his 27th birthday with a surprise dinner at his favorite Indian food restaurant in the sentrum.  It's been quite a year for him!  He's changed positions, moved to a foreign country, learned a few Norwegian words, and has visited 10 new countries!  It's been fun to be on this ride with him.

Of course, it wouldn't be a great birthday without gifts to open from home.  Who knew he'd be so excited for deodorant, cereal, tums, and pink lemonade (the Reese's were mine, but I'll share).  It's the little things.

Hibernating after the Holidays

Hi friends! It has been cold the past month. The kind of cold that makes you just want to snuggle under the blankets on the comfy spot of the couch with your love and your pup and watch hours of West Wing or anything else you haven't watched on Netflix (I'm looking at you Downton Abbey).  

Not that we've been completely lazy!  We still had to go to work for a few days in December.  Walking to and from our car gave us a glimpse into our golden years as we clung to each other for dear life to prevent falling in the icy streets.  Snow this early was rare for Stavanger, but it was all gone when we returned from Germany.

In front of our office in Hinna.

The view from behind our office.  Is that the sun?!

Yes, Germany! See, we weren't completely lazy.  We even made enough time to snap a few pictures in front of the Christmas tree boat on our way to the airport.  I already miss seeing this little boat of cheer in the harbor.

Not only was I excited to visit a new country, but I was especially excited because my brother would be traveling through Germany with us.  I hadn't seen him in 11 months and it sure felt good to hug him again!

I loved living vicariously through his stories from the last year in college and he reaped the benefits of my new tour guide skills as we train-hopped from Berlin...

to Dresden...

Nuremberg...

Hohenschwangau... 

and Munich!  Between the Christmas markets, gluwein, wursts, and weissbier I'm just glad I had a good excuse to wear a big puffy coat around every day.  We definitely indulged in all Germany had to offer.

Though Jeffrey and I have been fortunate to see so much of Europe over the last year, nothing can ever really replace going home for Christmas.  There was some comfort in knowing that my grandparent's house would still be covered in Christmas decorations that I first remember seeing as a little girl and my dad would be running around town dressed as Santa.  But it was hard saying goodbye to my brother on Christmas Eve knowing that he would be home and Mom would be finishing up the fried shrimps, oysters, and clam chowder.  Mimi would be having her fourth plate of caviar and Papa would be sitting by the fire talking to Justin and Dad.  Where's my sister?  She'd probably be cuddled up in the rocking chair with her new little one while big sister holds his hand, willing his eyes to peek open at her.

There really is nothing like family at Christmas.  We can't wait to share the next one with all of them.

My precious niece and nephew

In Norway for the Holidays

Jeffrey and I have really enjoyed learning about some the Norwegian holiday season.  Of the many traditions, the food has to be one of the most unique.  The grocery stores here are filled with Christmas or "jule" food and drink like:

• Pepperkaker - a gingerbread-type cookie in fun little shapes.  They are supposed to be easy to make at home, but the store-bought ones are so tasty.
• Julebrus - Christmas soda! The bottles are decorated with Santa and reindeer.  There are two kinds that I've seen - brown and red - but the ones in the glass bottles are the best. I also mistakenly bought sugar-free julebrus... it was a sad day in the Burro house...
• Juleøl - it seems like every brewery has a Christmas beer.
• Pinnekjøtt - re-hydrated, salty pieces of lamb rib.  Not my fave, but our Norwegian friends love it.  

And the list goes on.  One of our more memorable experiences was dinner coordinated by good friends at City Bistro in Stavanger.  This restaurant wasn't chosen just by chance.  It is actually one of the few and best places to eat Lutefisk and Smalahove, so of course we ordered one of each.  

Wondering what's on Jeff's plate?

I got a little worried when the waitress brought out four shots of Aquavit without even asking if we wanted any.  We learned that the shots were considered an appetizer before the Smalahove.  I kept wondering why Jeff would need this sort of liquid courage... and then his plate was served.

Smalahove is half a sheep's head.  Not just the meat from a sheep's head like I'd imagined (and was still a little repulsed by) but actually a sheep's head.  Teeth, tongues, eyeball, cheeks - everything (except the brain)! I'd never seen anything like it.  Needless to say, Jeffrey downed those shots pretty quick, and he actually enjoyed his meal.  He said the eye was the best.  I also ate my Lutefisk and am grateful for the experience, but I don't think I'll be adding steamed fish that's been soaked in lye to my recipe book. 

Since we enjoyed our traditional Norwegian meal, we felt it only appropriate to invite some friends over for Thanksgiving!  We should have taken more pictures... but cooking so much food makes for a hectic day.  On the menu was turkey (obviously), giblet gravy, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, cranberry sauce, corn, homemade rolls and two pies - pecan and pumpkin!

There was almost no room in our tiny dining area for the table, but we made it work.  Good thing we all like each other!

Thankful for friends!

Now, we are getting ready for Christmas.  It sure FEELS like Christmas with these sub-freezing temperatures and a few inches of snow.  Our neighborhood has put up some garland and the houses have decorations in the windows - it's very festive.  I was lamenting that our tree wasn't going to fit in our house and Leif Christian let us borrow their tree once he realized we would enjoy it longer (generally, my Norwegian friends won't decorate until the 23rd or so and everything comes down around the New Year).  I'm so happy to have a tree in our living room with our one little strand of lights plugged into a converter and ornaments from our travels.  It's actually our first Christmas tree to decorate together since we've been married :)

We've had much to be thankful for this year, but we are especially thankful for our friends here in Norway that have become our family-away-from-family.

Happy Holidays!

Two Years Ago

Do you have a great story when asked "how did you two meet"?  It's funny... neither Jeffrey nor I can remember the moment we met.  I've come to accept this lame answer to an otherwise fun story-telling opportunity and have actually come to realize the beauty of it - we can't remember because it feels like we always knew each other. Of course there was a time when he was unaware of my existence (what a dark, lonely time it must have been - ha..).  Love isn't supposed to have an ending, right? So why should it have a beginning?  Love just is.  And, man, do I sure love him!

Fortunately, we have a few other good stories to share!  For example..

He asked me to marry him on Bow Bridge in Central Park on New Year's Day 2010.  It was freezing and I did not wear proper shoes (I thought we were just walking through the park on the way to dinner!), but our dear friends hiked all over the park to follow us and take pictures. I couldn't stop smiling...

Until I started crying (cue ugly sob face)...  

We were married on December 4, 2010, in a beautiful Tulsa, OK cathedral.  

And we were surrounded by so many people that love us as much as we love them.

So, we may not remember the moment we met, but I'll remember these moments forever. Especially that smile when he first saw me in my dress.

Happy Anniversary Jeffrey!

Krakow

This trip was kind of planned spur of the moment (at least compared to our trips to Greece and Prague/Vienna which were planned months in advance).  Like I said in my last post, our main motivation for visiting Krakow was to see Auschwitz, but this beautiful city exceeded our expectations!

We really enjoyed the location of our hotel because it was within easy walking distance to the Jewish Quarter (Kazimierz) and right in the middle of the Old Town.  Plus, our room was so cozy!  

Our room at Hotel Senacki

We arrived on a Wednesday afternoon and enjoyed our first stroll through Krakow's Main Market Square (Rynek Glowny) on our way to lunch.  This square is enormous!  And even though the high-season for tourists was pretty much over, there was still a lot of activity - wreath and flower stalls, pigeons, and vendors selling obwarzanek (yummy!).  I'll admit, I had to look up the spelling of that one... but no research necessary to know if it's worth tasting - just don't call it a bagel...

Standing in Rynek Glowny with St. Mary's Basilica in the background

 After lunch, we took a tram to Kazimierz.  It was close enough for a walk, but it's always fun to try out a city's public transportation (unless it's smelly... but this wasn't).    Before WWII, the Jewish population totaled around 65,000 and primarily lived in this area.  Sadly, only a few thousand survived the war, and now Krakow only has about 200 Jewish residents.  Before the war, though, this community thrived.  Thanks to its many synagogues, traditional restaurants, an incredible museum and a popular movie, the Jewish spirit is still intact.

We walked around the neighborhood and wandered across the Vistula River to Podgorze, the site of Krakow's ghetto and Schindler's Factory Museum.  Ghetto Heroes Square, right in the middle of Podgorze, has a monument consisting of several empty metal chairs.  The Jews were rounded up from the ghetto, leaving everything behind to sit and wait here for transport to death camps.  Just down the street from here is Schindler's Factory - now, an amazing museum.

On top of describing the inspiring story of Oskar Schindler, the museum is an interactive timeline of Krakovian life during the events leading up to and during WWII.   It has all of these touch screens if I wanted to learn more about a particular topic and different themed rooms (the German invasion, a 1940's tram car, life in the ghetto etc).  My favorite room was the Room of Choices.  The rotunda's cement walls are covered in real-life accounts of people that were opposed to the evil all around them and chose to help.  It reminded me that we are the choices we make. 

This one was a favorite.  There's no doubt in my mind that my siblings would have done the same for each other.

We ended the day walking through the drizzle, contemplating the history lesson we just had and preparing for the day ahead of us at Auschwitz.

The day after our trip to Oswiecim, we wandered around the Old Town.  We strolled through the Planty...

Reminisced about college life at Jagiellonian University (Copernicus and Pope John Paul II studied here!) ...

Jagiellonian University's beautiful courtyard

Played knights versus dragons outside the old city walls...

Florian's Gate

Krakow's Barbakan

And pretended to be princesses that lived in a castle (okay, maybe that was just me)...

Walking into the Wawel Castle grounds

Wawel's courtyard

One of my favorite sites of the Wawel Castle grounds was the cathedral.  I know nothing about architecture, but it's obvious that this one is made from a dozen different styles... and it just works!

Wawel Cathedral

Krakow is gorgeous, right?  Tourists visit the city, but not many compared to western European cities.  WWII hit Poland hard emotionally and economically.  After "liberation", the communists brought the steel industry, copious amounts of smog, and a regime based on intimidation and rationing - the country continued to struggle.  I read in my Rick Steves guide book that the communists even controlled hair dye so that there was only one color available - a shocking pinkish-red!  The Poles, known for their historical dissidence, carried out major protests and were met with martial law that lasted for two years in the early 1980s.  In 1989, the Polish people finally achieved the autonomy they had hoped for for so long.

The castle grounds

We had really lucked out with the weather in Krakow so far seeing as how it was supposed to rain the entire time and we hadn't felt one drop.  When we made it back to Rynek Glowny late in the afternoon, though, we could see the clouds rolling in.  We did a little shopping in the Cloth Hall and then took a break drinking the thickest, yummiest, dreamiest hot chocolate we've ever had.

Cloth Hall

The clouds did bring rain. Lots of it. So we made good use of the gigantic shopping mall near Krakow's train station.  Somehow, Jeffrey walked away with more merchandise - that never happens!  We enjoyed a delicious meal at an Argentinian steak house on our last night and woke up to a winter wonderland the day of our departure.  We were only there a few days but flew back to Norway with a greater understanding of Polish culture, the country's struggles during WWII, and an appreciation for this beautiful, hopeful city.