After waking this morning in Lillehammer, rested from fresh air, we headed to the Maihagen museum, an open air experience of middle age and early century buildings. Some covered in grassy roofs, others with hearts stamping out the outhouse peek holes, mainly all dark wood built in the mid 17th century.
From here we wandered the main shopping street, snacked on Danishes, choco milk, fresh delicious raspberries and giant yogurt covered nuts.. Mmmm.
The afternoon took us for a pretty drive through the rolling hills of Ringsaker commune in search of some of Josh’s relatives. We found the area much bigger than expected, with little luck of finding any true and certain leads. There were a couple old white churches that we combed through the graves for names, but it was anyone’s guess as to whether they could be related due to the Norwegian way of surname changing.
Onwards to Oslo, we had an “amazing race” style hooplah to try to find gas for the rental car. The city is full of underground tunnels which nearly instantly lose the GPS signal once you’re in them. Often there is a split in the road within, so it’s a gamble to choose the right one. I think we spent more than 45 minutes circling in and out of the sentrum to find a station not along a tunnel route. Meanwhile the bladder was screaming, and baby needed food. This all started about 5:30 and those nuts were wearing off.
We reached the rental place after closing, found the key drop at a nearby hotel where we learned our own hotel was across the city center…. And since it was nice out, and a tram ticket was $10 one way, per person we walked. It wasn’t that far, maybe 1.5km, but on an empty tank (belly) with a little roller suitcase on cobblestones, uphill partway. You know when you expect food to come soon so you don’t snack and it doesnt happen as fast as you think…. then you feel hangry for not snacking??? anyway, by 8pm we finally found food! Yay!