Alas, we have fed the sourdoughs and are heating up the oven in preparation for tomorrow’s baking. Our holiday break was just what the doctor ordered – I got over my pre-Christmas cold, and we had loads of time to ski and hang out with Sally and discover a tiny bit of Norway.
Tomorrow we are baking our usual line-up of breads: Holey Hannah, Grainy Day, Roasted Garlic & Olive, Beer Belly, Ryed On!, Speedy, Rosemary Focaccia, and Tooty Fruity.
We will have Ginger-Pear scones.
Oh yes, skiing in Norway is fantastic. No wonder they invented it. Everyone who likes skiing should go there at least one time to experience the immersive skiing culture. Some fun facts (as far as we learned, anyway): the famous Berkebeiner Ski Race finishes in Lillehammer; they have bread with carrots in it in Norway (not pictured below); Lillehammer is no more expensive to visit than any BC town; everyone really does ski in Norway; there are over 2000 kms of ski trails around Lillehammer that are groomed daily; there are more yarn shops and outdoor gear stores on the 4-block pedestrian strip in Lillehammer than in all of northern BC; more people ski classic than skate (even the young speed demons!); it’s very easy to get around with the local buses – you just add your gear to the huge pile of skis and poles in the luggage compartment, and miraculously, no one misplaces anything; people ride bikes year-round; everyone wears ski gear all the time; SWIX is based in Lillehammer (we resisted the temptation to go to their outlet store, I don’t know why); there are at least two moose in Norway because we saw both of them; most people speak English better than the average Canadian; ski trails aren’t graded by difficulty – why would you need to do that when everyone comes out of the womb with skis on?; and did I mention, the skiing is FANTASTIC!
That is so fabulous!! Good on you three!!!!
It looks like the perfect winter trip, and I love that the civilized city of Lillehammer shovels the snow off of the nice wide sidewalks and piles it in the middle of the street, making space for human beings.
Yes, and that pile of snow had set cross-country ski tracks in it by the day before we left! Now, THAT is civilized!