DAYS 14-15 Lillehammer Norway

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Today was a travel day with a six hours bus journey to Lillehammer and a two night stay at the First Hotel Breiseth. The trip was very scenic through lush valleys that follow rushing streams, vast lakes, remote villages and a surreal drive through the Lærdal Tunnel, the world's longest road tunnel at 24.5 kms. The tunnel is equipped with intermittent special blue lighting to help drivers stay alert by giving off the illusion of driving into daylight.

Lillehammer is an Alpine playground on the picturesque Lake Mjøsa that hosted the Winter Olympics in 1994. Upon arrival we headed out for a brief orientation walk around the 19th century town where the main streets are pedestrian & lined with wooden houses, boutiques and restaurants before having dinner at a micro brewery housed in a former brewery cellar.

Next morning we visited the Maihaugen Museum which comprises both indoor & outdoor presentations on the evolution of Norway’s existence & development up to the present day. The indoor display is brilliant and gives a simple insight into the various eras of Norway's history starting with an audio/video timeline for the last 10,000 years & then a chronological maze of lifelike models & installations that represent Norway’s human development over the last 2000 years.

The outdoor part of the museum comprises over 200 wooden buildings relocated to the museum grounds. The oldest & best known is a 1200 year old medieval Stave Church. Other relocated buildings include a 17th century Bjornstad farm (27 buildings alone (for human habitation, stables, cold stores), a school, post office, railway station, shops & prisons.

The afternoon was cool & wet & not very encouraging for walking, so instead went aimless shopping (yuk) & played cards.

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