The day started out with Spencer heading into Stavanger with his buddy, Dan, to hit the meat market - BIG score there! He came home with pork chops (which we ate for dinner tonight,) bacon, rib-eyes...yea!!!
Today we planned a little road trip with several stops in mind. The weather was, once again, amazing! Beautiful, bright sun, blue skies, and temperature in the 70's! The scenery on the drive was just gorgeous! We drove by beaches along the Jaeren Coast and pristine farms, some with animals and some with crops. I just love the walls made of boulders and rocks that line drives, divide land parcels and farms, and line the landscape. Some look hundreds of years old and don't have a single space or gap in them...obviously been there for a long time and others are much newer. Spencer had basically mapped out about a 3 hour drive, but we were going to make several stops along the way.
Our first stop was a spur of the moment - so pretty! You have to close your eyes and imagine...huge fjords on either side, lakes as smooth as glass, farms dotting the landscape, boulders, and this beautiful running river...a place called Hegelstad. We just had to get out of the car and get a closer look. It turns out that river ran along a good portion of our drive depositing in various lakes and ponds along the way.
Our next stop was a place called Gloppedalsura - listed as Northern Europe's largest rock scree, it didn't disappoint! Boulders literally as big and bigger than houses lined both sides of the narrow road. Certainly worth a closer look and a bit of climbing around!
From there, we headed over to a place called Byrkjedal, more specifically Byrkjedalstunet, which is known for its candle-making and souvenir shop and an award winning roadside diner. We wandered around the huge store admiring the beautiful gifts and candles - wax so smooth and in all kinds of shapes and sizes. The kids even got to get taper candles and dip them in colored candle wax to make their own design! There is also B&B rooms available and an area with animals. Also, we have seen several, but noted the super cool buildings, some being houses and stores, with grass roofs. We also stopped for a snack in the diner, of course!
As we were leaving Byrkjedal, we discovered we were on the same path as a major cycling race being held today...yes, in the midst of probably hundreds of cyclists grouped up in bunches on narrow roads, off we went toward our next stop...Gjestal, where there is a "spinneri" (spinning mill) and a store where you can purchase woolen goods and knitwear. The kids each picked out a winter cap. Kyla, of course, picked out a pink hat with a heart and a little "bling"...Brendan went with a wool cap with the Norwegian flag! No surprise there!
Our last stop was a porcelain factory in Figgjo. We made it there 10 minutes before closing, so we made a quick run through the store - LOVE the dishes and things there! What I also notice about the goods here - perfection...not a "blemish" on any piece I looked at! I really liked several things which means a return trip will be in my future! It is really very close - maybe a 30 minute drive, if that!
Then, on to the apartment...home for the day. I am including several pictures, but just remember, pictures just don't do justice to the phenomenal beauty all around us here in Norway!
Bonus for me...going to see a movie with a friend tonight - so my first official "Girls' Night Out!"
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