Thursday & Friday, 7th & 8th June.
Odd and Bjørn said that we would spend today and tomorrow at their cabins in the wilderness. It seems to be a national pastime; just about everyone has a cabin in what we would call the bush.
I didn't really know what to expect. I had ideas that we would be staying in corrugated iron shacks like a lot of West Aussies have up the coast north of Perth in places like Wedge Island. But I couldn't have been further from the truth.
This is Odd's cabin. It was built by their father in 1964. It was sitting on the edge of a small lake. He and his grandson, Matthias, spend many happy times there.
Odd pointed out this little cabinet on the wall. It was made by my father. It's interesting to see items that involved my father, in a country so far away, when all I knew of course was our lives in Australia.
We stayed long enough to have a cup of coffee and some cake on the deck outside.
On the way further north we stopped at a small village that had some very old buildings. In the past these were used as family living areas as well as storage for the farm animals in winter.
We stopped at another living museum village.
It is on the banks of a river. Apparently the river is a metre thick ice in the winter and they have to ski down to where the cars are left.
Water is pumped straight from the river and is suitable for drinking.
The flag is raised to let other occupants know that they are "in residence" and available for drinks. It was here that I was introduced to Aquavit.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akvavit
40% alcohol !! I have to concede here that I would not be lining up in a hurry to drink this. I jokingly said that I can go down to my local hardware store and buy this in 4 litre containers, it tasted just like varnish. I think I'll stick to Bundy Coffee Liqueur.
The next day we went for a walk along the river. It was flowing very briskly.
This bridge is used by the sheep to cross the river, it's OK for humans too.
Odd and Anne Stina. Bjørn and Toné.
While in Bjørn's cabin I flicked through a magazine devoted to cabins and the lifestyle, much like our caravan magazines. It is a highly regulated industry; permits, rules, requirements abound. In the magazine there was an advertisement for a Cabin Expo, like our Home Shows. It had four pages listing exhibitors. There was everything available to make your cabin lifestyle very luxurious indeed.
It was a long drive back to Svelvik, but the experience was terrific.
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