Norway: Ha det på badet din gamle sjokolade

Guys, I can't do it. I've spent the last week paralyzed by the enormity of trying to summarize our Norway trip, and turns out, it's impossible. I don't know how to summarize a 10-day trip into something meaningful and yet brief, let alone interesting for people who weren't there. I mean, seriously, there are only so many times that I can tell you how pretty something was, before you abandon ship and head for Facebook. I bet I've lost some of you already. So, instead of trying to cover the whole adventure, I'm going to smoosh it down into fabulous Norway moments.... Norway Nuggets. Norway Nibbles. Norway... whatever, you get the idea.

Nibble Nugget Number 1: Alf of Naustet

He was the kind of man that when he steps out of his door, he straightens, and straightens, and straightens. Our host, Alf, was kind, welcoming, and enormously tall, and did that Norwegian sharp-inhale-that-means-'yes' more than anyone else we met on the entire trip. He rented us the one room apartment over his boat house for the first night we spent in Norway, and I was so taken with the place, I didn't want to leave.

Can you blame me?

There were baby sheep that had been born the day before. There were NOOK BEDS! I LOVE NOOK BEDS!

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Totally dead to the world in my nook bed. Best bed of the whole trip.

I did not get a picture of Alf. Disappointing, I know. But if you picture him, make sure you get his disheveled blonde hair, green rubber work boots, and slighty-smitten expression when viewing the baby sheep.

Nugget Numero Duo: Waterfalls

Norway got a lot of snow this year, and since it had finally warmed up, all of that snow was celebrating its return to liquid form by leaping off cliffs. We went through valleys where there was a waterfall every 100 yards. Easy. On our first day, I saw a big one coming over a cliff off the side of the road, and I asked Russ why there hadn't been a sign. Oh, right. It's because this time of year, waterfalls are EVERYWHERE.

Number 3: Come on ride the train

We took the train from Flåm to the moutaintop town of Myrdal and back. B-e-a-utiful.

Number Four: Trolls

I feel trolls are relatively self-explanatory.

Number Five: Solvorn

This was my favorite of all the villages we visited. Once upon a time, it was a major trading location on the fjord. Nowadays, it's a sleepy, preserved village boasting Norway's oldest hotel, lots of apple trees, and a funky, cool hostel/orchard called Eplet.

NUMBER SIX: Jølster

The website for this tiny farm cottage warned that the ceilings were unacceptable for tall people. Russ and I figured we'd fit right in. The place was FABULOUS. Over a hundred years old, but carefully preserved, the cottage was full-scale charming. Wood floors, antique furniture, a LOFT for sleeping, and a wood-burning stove.

We went for a walk, crossing out the back of the farm's sheep paddock and continuing up-mountain along the creek.

At first we stepped gingerly, dodging boggy spots and the dilapidated remains of snow banks, but as we gained elevation, the ground went from wet to super-saturated. Steps were missed, socks were soggied, and good intentions were abandoned, until we were slogging merrily along across fields that were literally running with several inches of snow melt and postholing through thigh-deep swatches of shaggy, slushy snow. Believe it or not, this was ridiculously fun.

Completely soaked from the knees down, we squelched our way back down the mountain in the twilight and spent the rest of the evening roasting MARSHMALLOWS in the wood-burning fireplace.

Final Nibble Nugget: The Not Ugly

Norway takes this very seriously. It's one of those places where everywhere you look, there's something that makes you want to say, "Wow, that's beautiful, gorgeous, stunning, superb, FABULOUS, WONNNDERFUL!" And then your head blows up.