Adventures by Disney Norway Day 7 & 8
Oh, Geiranger, you were so hard to say goodbye to. I woke up early and took one last walk through this sleepy village at the edge of the fjord and tried to soak up all the incredible details: the tumbling waterfalls, the snow capped mountains, the emerald green fields. There are so many places in Norway and the world to explore, but this is one place I would love to return to someday. After breakfast, our journey would take us to Norway’s capital city, Oslo, and even though the bus ride seemed to be long on paper, the day ahead was full of much to enjoy.
Journey to Oslo
Our first stop was in Lom and we stretched our legs and walked around one of the largest and best preserved stave churches in Norway, originally built in the 12th century. Once back on board the bus, our adventure guides surprised us with the most wonderful cinnamon rolls from a hidden gem bakery that specializes in wood-fired oven creations.
Lunchtime found us in the charming city of Lillehammer (the site of the 1994 winter Olympics). We had time to visit the local shops and enjoy some lunch before continuing onto Oslo.
Oslo
Oslo is recognized as the oldest city in Scandinavia, established around 1100 A.D. and on our final two evenings in Norway, we stayed at the lovely, Grand Hotel Oslo. The hotel is very beautiful and the location is incredible as it’s across the street from Parliament, a quick walk to the Royal Palace, and easy for exploring the harbor, Akershus Fortress, the Noble Peace Center and so many other museums and shops.
Dinner that evening was hosted in the hotel and we were entertained by local Norwegian folk dancers. Highlights from our incredible week were celebrated and then it was time to say goodbye to the other families and our lovely adventure guides, Lisa and Paola. Our family took a walk to the Royal Palace with a mixture of gratitude and melancholy. We knew we had just experienced a week that would stay with us forever.
Home to the Aasheim Farm
Within my Adventures by Disney Norway Day One post, I first introduced the inspiration for our trip to Norway. My great-grandparents, Sven and Marthea boarded a boat to sail to American in 1904, never to return to their majestic birth place. Our family had always wanted to explore Norway and perhaps even make the journey to our family farms. We were incredibly lucky to connect with relatives still living in Norway, who graciously offered to be our guides for the day. We left Oslo and traveled to Rendalen, a region known for it’s forests, old summer mountain farms, and deep lake. I had heard stories of this place my entire life—of the family farm and the Aasheim Hotel and bakery sitting on the edge of the lake. To see it all with my own eyes felt surreal. The hotel, now a historic building, is currently being restored by the Norwegian government.
Standing on the same ground my great-grandparents once walked, I couldn’t stop thinking about how two people I never met shaped so much of my life. It felt especially poignant at my great-grandmothers home. Growing up, I was especially close with my grandmothers and I wondered what my conversations and experiences with Marthea would have been like. What questions I wish I could ask her, what she would have taught me.
Since returning from Norway, I’ve thought about my great-grandparents often. What it must have felt like to leave the mountains behind, board a ship to a country they had only heard about, and say goodbye to family and friends knowing they might never see them again. To arrive at Ellis Island, then travel across the entire United States and land on a piece of ground surrounded by a wide and vast prairie in eastern Montana, a landscape completely different than what they were used to.
Surrounded by a different kind of beauty, our country’s Homestead Act gave my great grandparents, two immigrants from Norway, an opportunity to build a new life, to raise a sod house, a crop, and a family. I now understand why a clear lake, a deep forest, a tumbling waterfall, the waves of prairie grass and an endless sky move me so much. They are in my blood. I am reminded of the words: “The world, no matter how big, is often smaller than we realize.” -J.Armentrout
If you’ve read my compilation of Adventures by Disney Norway posts, my guess is you’ve gotten the message that these trips are life changing. Take the trip, you won’t regret it. And when you’re ready to go, I’d love to help you and live vicariously through your adventures in Norway, Iceland and any other country that speaks to you. Do you have questions on Adventures by Disney or other companies that I work with to make your vacation seamless with flights, transfers and all your favorite excursions bundled in? I am a Certified Travel Advisor and would love to work with you. Reach out to me at [email protected] or fill out a quote request here.
