Wait, what's -17.5 degrees in Fahrenheit?

God Jul

We had a wonderful Christmas day with my friend Ingrid, that I met in Finland.  She picked us up from the hotel early in the morning and drove us out of the city and up to one of the ski jumps used in the Oslo olympics so that we could watch the sunrise over Oslo Fjord.  What a beautiful way to start the day.  We also drove by a lodge where the Norwegian Royal Family sometimes holidays.

Ingrid then drove us through the countryside to her home in Vikersund.  Along the way we stopped at another ski jump, the biggest one in the world.  There are also 6 smaller jumps around it to help prepare you (well certainly not Sarah or me).  At Ingrid's home, she and her husband graciously served us tea and coffee.  We of course, tasted every cookie Ingrid had in her house, including a marzipan tower cake (it's not just the name of a dance in the Nutcracker).

"Stairway to Heaven"
Over 1000 stairs lead to the top of the ski jump

Ingrid's husband and all the Christmas goodies!

After cookies and coffee Ingrid kindly offered to take us on another tour of the area.  Norway honestly looks like a winter wonderland.  I don't know how to begin to describe how beautiful Norway is other than by saying that this is a country I will come back to.  The photos speak for themselves.

Church where Ingrid's family attended Christmas Eve Service

As if we weren't spoiled enough by all the cookies and the drive, we went back to Ingrid's home for Christmas dinner.  She prepared traditional Norwegian food: pork, potatoes, sauerkraut, sausage, lingonberry, brown sauce, home brewed beer, and rice cream with raspberry sauce for dessert.  Feeling so contentedly full and ready for a nap, we managed to pry ourselves up, get back into the car, and head to the airport for our flight to Copenhagen!

Oh and for those of you who were wondering, -17.5 Celsius is about 0 Fahrenheit - Brr!