Top of the World

Have you ever been to the top of the world? I snapped this picture in Trondheim, Norway in the Springtime. We flew by jet into Copenhagen, Denmark. Then, in Copenhagen, we boarded a medium-sized turbo-prop and flew over the tundra and snow to Trondheim. It's an odd and somewhat disconcerting experience to see ice and snow from horizon to horizon for nearly the entire flight. Everything is bitter cold and you realize that this fragile propeller driven plane is all that separates you from the barren cold Northlands. Then, in a blink of an eye, you near the warmer water of the Fjords and the land defrosts and green hills, freshly painted, multi-colored buildings, towns and roads appear. It's almost as if you are in a whole different world. It's still cold, especially in the mornings but nothing you couldn't handle with a decent jacket.

Everything seems to have a new paint job. The buildings abound with fresh paint in a rainbow of colors. I asked why everyone kept their buildings so freshly painted and they told me it was so they would survive the very cold winters. Compared to America the houses are small and very close together. The hotel rooms are little more than a bed, a tiny desk and a TV and the view was of the alley behind. Still, the people were warm and friendly and everyone at the hotel gathered for their free make-your-own waffle breakfasts. They had a waffle iron that made these sweet, thin and chewy waffles that kind of reminded me of a soft version of waffle cones. The smell of sugar and vanilla was everywhere. They ate them with some sort of soft, sweet, goat cheese. Well, that and these funky pickled herrings that seemed to stare back out of the jar at me as I walked by. I stayed with the waffles. Yum...