Balestrand - Relaxing and Beautiful (and some journaling help from my son)

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On our trip, we scheduled two nights in Balestrand. I am so glad we did. After a week in Copenhagen, fitting in every attraction and filling every minute - and then a hectic journey from Denmark to Norway, we needed some downtime. Since it's the weekend, I also decided not to work from here either, but to do a bit of "digital detox". My son is watching me write this but it's the first time I've used the computer since we got here.

It all started with a four hour fast ferry from Bergen. We were up early to get on it, but once we boarded, my relaxation could begin. We were on our way. Soon we were surrounded by gorgeous vistas on all sides. I can't describe them and do them justice. They are so beautiful that you can't know it until you are there. Even a picture cannot convey the grandeur of these fjords. I would pass back and forth from the front (best view, but also coldest and windiest) and the back to get pictures, or just sit in our prime window seats on the second floor deck. Kai even made a friend on the boat, with a little girl, showing her his leap pad.

In Balestrand, we were staying at the Balestrand Hotel. It is a very nice family hotel, and all run by the family. It is very simple, and its 70s style reminded me of my own home, especially the white brick and natural wood of the hallways. It isn't much to look at inside, but the beds are comfortable and the view is amazing. We had a balcony and I could have looked at the view all day. "You can see the whole country", said K. "You can see the other side, but not actually the other side."

Across from the hotel, there is a lawn on the fjord and steps down into the fjord We enjoyed spending time there. There was a baby seagull in residence.

"Me and mommy S. saw the baby duck, and the second time Mommy A. saw the duck And a guy told us about the baby duck And the little baby duck was swimming by itself and the mama bird was cheeping so loud!"

We went on a hike this morning ("and the playground, and it is so fun, we went hiking after.") I really liked the "ropes course" playground in the woods. "Mommy S., all the stuff that happened already is so fun." We decided to go beyond the nature trail (7C, it would have been fine.) and do something bigger. We decided to do the "Balestolen" loop, which ended up being quite serious. You see, I had read tripadvisor reviews of people who did all four loops in one day, or even the Raudmelen climb in an hour. Well, it's not the same with a four year old with short legs. He is an able hiker, but the distances today were a bit challenging. In fact, we turned around after 1/3 because it had taken us so long to get that far, we knew it would take four to five hours to finish the loop. We did manage to see some amazing views however, and I would recommend able hikers to do the whole thing. It's a beautiful forest, with ferns, moss, tall trees and pine-needle coated floors. K wants me to mention that he had to pee a lot and he pee'd in the plants. That's a bit of a novelty still, I suppose! Unfortunately K. picked up a tick in the forest.

We also went on the coastline walk and saw the viking burial mounds. "I walked on vikings!", said K. We saw the old style "Swiss villas". We checked out the Akvarium (though K. was too scared to go inside - too dark), but we did enjoy the starfish pool in the lobby.

After all this, we had exhausted all we could do in Balestrand. There is kayaking, biking, and more hiking to do but nothing we could do with K. So, that was good. It was a chance to relax, and truly relax, not worrying about missing out.

K (my son)'s thought on the trip so far.

I got a tick. It was like we didn't see it, and then we saw it. Mama S. saw it and where's it coming from? Mama A. got it off of me. Someone had to check it. I also took a little rest, and I was OK. We were climbing a mountain, and we went to a great restaurant and had the best cake in the world, and carrot cake, and apple cake. And I had apple juice.

I don't know what else to say but we did go to the amusement park, Tivoli Gardens. And I went to bed, and then another country, now it's the next country. OK, we went to Tivoli Gardens, and (pauses to think) I went in an airplane, had to take two airplanes. OK. We went to the BIG LEGO STORE. We went to the Little Mermaid train, OK. I got a lego set. I got Bumblebee. And ... we got some Playmobil guys. And .... we didn't rent a car, that's a funny thing to say. And I was whining so much. And mommy a. was yelling at me, but I ate some gummis and got a coloring book, and drawed. Ok....I watched TV.

We saw videos of Iceland in America, and I got on a plane and I got some headphones, and I got coloring stuff and some pencils, a blanket. You put Nene in my blanket. We went outside in Iceland and climbed a lot of stairs.

We went to bed over & over. We had so many days. And I ate cotton candy!

We got a big window, but it's unfortunately it's my size and I could fall out. and mommy a. told me don't go, and I would never do that, because I know better than to fall down.

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