Selbu

What I was most excited to come back to and for my kids to experience, was Selbu!

I LOVE SELBU

Selbu is a small, rural town a short hour drive from Trondheim. It is where my mother was born and raised and where, as a child, I spent many summers and weekend blissfully playing.

Since we don't all fit into my mother's car, I take the bus with a couple of the kids when we go up. Here, the bus has just let us of the main road and we are walking up the gravel path that leads to our old farm. It is the buildings to the right here.

The main farm buildings were erected in the early 1800's, while the smaller, older building to the far right, was built in 1730 and at one point, housed a family of 11.

It did not take long for the kids to feel at home there. Exploring the old buildings and seing the many things from my childhood felt like a treasure hunt for them. They literally found things to play with ALL day!

This is in the main courtyard. The building with the stone steps is the old food pantry/ storage building.

Not only is the baby wearing my old pajama's, but that is my old trike as well. I bet you could never guess what decade I was born in....

After playing so hard all day, it is not surprising to fall asleep at the dinner table.

Even in the rain there is fun to be had!
And rain it did.

Exploring the beatiful village by foot!

The kids were terrified of crossing this bridge because they could see the water far below.

The kids found one of the hammocks that used to be ours when I was a kid. It didn't take long for all sorts of dangerous play to take place.

This baby carrier is the same one I was carried in.

Using our old dolls and strollers and the small house from 1730 as a play house, the girls, especially had fun playing.

Here are some frequent visitors to the farm. They are not as grey as the squirells we are used to seeing.

The river, just down the hill from the farm, provided more hours of fun for us all. The water was cold and clear, but didn't stop us from diving in.

Here are some random pictures of the properity in general. I love this place!

After 14 years absence, it was amazing to return to the one spot where much of my childhood was centered. Even the smell of the wet dirt, mingled with the sweet smell of old wooden structures was exactly the same. I am so glad my kids are getting to experince this!

Islandic Ponies

Close to the Swedish border, about a 2 hr drive South East from Trondheim, we got to experience a half a days horse ride on Islandic horses/ponies. It was a rich, exciting experience from start to finish.

The Hell Tunnel: There is a small town outside Trondheim named Hell (in Norwegian, Hell means good luck or good fortune). We pass through this town. Rather than build roads over and around mountains, Norwegians build their roads through the mountain. This is The Hell Tunnel. It is almost 3 miles long.

Instead of renting just a mini-van to get us there, my mom rented a NINE passanger monster. In a land of compact Saab's, Volvo's, Audi's, BMW's, Mercedes, and Opels, we really looked out of place. And, it was a FORD of all things!
It was SO roomy!

These horses, though they appear small in stature, were amazing. They are raised in a herd on Island. I was surprised time and again, as we crossed rivers and climbed steep rocky paths how steady they were on their feet. I honestly felt I could trust my horse 100% to get me safely through any passage. It was also interesting to see them interact with other's from the herd. The horses left behind were clearly concerned about the separation.

In the thick of the forest, with moss covering rocks, wild flowers littered between the plethera of trees, it was easy to picture the landscape that gave birth to hundreds of well known fairy tales and folk tales. I would not have been surprised to see a troll under the next mossy boulder.

Here as the landscape flattens out, we can see the mountains that separates Norway from Sweden.

Intertwined with our path was the historic route that medieval pilgrims would take on foot from all over the country to the then capital Trondheim and the great cathedral Nidaros Dommen (pictures to be posted later). It was touching to see old rocks mark this path and to think of the many pilgrims that wondered this path in search of forgiveness from whatever sins they may have comitted.

The helmets were a must - along with the rain boots. In Norway, there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.

Although they were too young to come on the ride, the babies got to meet the horses when we returned.

After eating our lunch over a small fire, we took time to pose with our backs to Sweded.