4.5.09

Hytte Life

 

Spending the weekend in a ‘hytte’ (cabin) is as common for Norwegians as Sunday shopping is for Irish people. So far though, we’ve only managed one weekend away from Oslo in four and a half hours. Until the weekend just gone by. 

Now, my version of a cabin is a brand-new or recently-renovated house complete with dishwasher and flatscreen TV but I do know people with cabins that don’t have running water or toilets. Yes, people actually drive for hours every weekend to get away from the trappings of modern life such as flushing toilets and showers. Well, not me. Ever.


We went to a tiny settlement of only a few houses - where people live all-year-round, miles and miles from civilization and shopping -  at the innermost point of Mauranger fjord. It was so stunningly beautiful that I didn’t mind that it rained all day Saturday, even though only a few miles away we could see the sun shining. It seemed we had hit upon a micro-climate.

Luckily the satellite dish meant that the kids had many more television channels to watch than they have at home. It was a bit strange, driving for almost six hours each way, over snowy mountains, within spitting distance of glaciers, to the edge of civilisation in fact, to watch Sky News. 

We were the first ever family to stay in the hytte we rented since the previous occupants died in the 1950s. They were a pair of blind sisters. Can you imagine, living right on the edge of a fjord and not being able to see it? 

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5 comments:

JEDA said...

Aw, wasn't that nice of Vestlandet to share some of it's rain with you.

Doesn't look like spring has quite made it to Mauranger yet. Looks like you had a nice time anyway.

The housewife said...

It sounds like you enjoyed 'roughing it up' a little - lovely photos. I will be in Norway in August, we must get together and have a chinwag.

Michele said...

Absolutely beautiful! I know what you mean about not managing to have weekends away---husband and I never make the time to travel within Norway. Terrible! We promised ourselves we'd make it over to the coast this year and your pictures are motivating me to make sure we go!

Interesting observation about the blind sisters. Those old girls must have been very tough, taking care of themselves in such isolated surroundings. True Vikings! :-)

Unknown said...

Jeda, It was my first trip to vestlandet, and I was very impressed by the scenery, like a real tourist. The weather at sea level was a bit Irish though for my liking ;)
Caroline- we'll def be here at the end of August. I look forward to that chinwag :)
Michele -the family of the owner of the house we stayed in helped the blind ladies manage. One of them was able to see until her early twenties. I think it must be very close-knit community even now. Kind of itching to find out a bit more about them actually .... might have to go back

Jo said...

It looks truly glorious to me! We did a trip like this with my DHs family when we visited years ago, no elec, no indoor toilet, no fridge just a box in under the floorboards. Interesting, what was that about vikings?