Preikestolen

Ok, so this is technically part of my Norway post, but it is too spectacular to not have its own entry. My dad, cousin Tommy, and Uncle Inge and I all decided to make the trek up to the top of Preikestolen (aka Preachers Pulpit). This is an intense hike that the Norwegians describe as, "a nice nature walk". Bah! Nature walk my foot. This is a 1,982 foot cliff that takes 2.5 hours each way to reach. It is really only 2.5 miles each way but you are on rough terrain that, at times, has a very intense incline. The four of us had all climbed it 6 years earlier, but we had forgotten how hard it really was. I'm pretty sure, at one point, my dad started to cry because he saw the massive trail up the side of the mountain that was covered in boulders. Ah, the memories. In the end, after hours of clambering over rocks, that seemed to get bigger and bigger until you were just climbing on solid granite, we reached the top. So worth it! Its kind of like childbirth, after your near death experience, you get this massive rush of endorphins that make it all worthwhile and exhilarating. I am already forgetting how hard it was and I am ready to go back. I guess, as with all things, there must be sorrow to feel the full extent of joy.

Norge Mitt Norge

In August my parents and I had the opportunity to go to Norway. It was awesome! We were able to visit with family and see a lot of sights. We also traveled through the fjords and popped on over to Copenhagen to show my mom where her ancestors came from. Every new place was an adventure. It was also fun to show my mom things that she had never seen before. That is probably my favorite part of being with people that are experiencing something for the first time, you see it through their eyes. We stayed in some questionable hotels and B&B's. There was one hotel in Denmark that was smaller than our inside cabin on the cruise ship. Oh the joy! So, as you can imagine when 3 adults, that are all very independent, become cooped up together for 3 weeks it can become a bit tense. HA! Ok, so I can become a bit tense. The parents were fine it was my minimal patience that wasn't. I am so glad my parents love me! Not only did they end up putting up with my random outbursts, they also put up with my 6am calls home to my boyfriend. Towards the end of the trip we discovered that if I could just call the boyfriend the days went smoother. Hmmm, maybe next time he should just go with us... Now, back to Norway.

Norway is such a wonderful country. There is so much beauty there. I have seen a lot of Europe and every country has something different that is truly remarkable, but Norway is breathtaking. I am pretty sure it is what Heaven looks like. While traveling through the fjords we had the opportunity to stay in some cabins on the waterfront. We would literally wake up and walk on to deck and look at the most transcendent view. Right there, 10 feet in front of us was the fjord. It was so inspiring to be able to just sit there and take in some of the most exquisite creations from God. Of course, aside from all the natural wonder and beauty, there was also the culinary smorgasbord of delight. Mmmm, just thinking about all of the wonderful food is making my mouth water. No really! I have to admit though, that being immersed in such a tasty culture really did a toll on my waistband. Ah, but I'm not going to lie, it was totally worth it. Every bite of Kumla covered in dripping, sizzling bacon fat was worth every one of those 8 pounds I now have to run off. GoOd TiMeS!
So, in the end, even though I gained weight, argued with the parents and missed the boy, I had a fantastic time. I highly recommend Norway to anyone looking for a magnificent experience.