It took just a little over two hours of an incredibly scenic drive (see photo) to arrive at our destination for the weekend – Hotel Alexandra in Loen, one of the most popular resorts in all of Norway since 1884. It sits at the end of a long fjord and is surrounded on all sides by incredibly steep mountains with the most interesting peaks imaginable. The hotel is known for its spa services, three different swimming pools, and incredible food. Within hours of arriving, we’d experienced a taste of it all. Tobias and Kaleb barely made it into the room to get their swimsuits on before they were splashing around in the pool. They thought it was just too cool to jump in the pool inside the hotel, and then swim under a wall and be in the outdoor pool. They found out it was cool alright – freezing cool – so they didn’t last long outside. But they liked the indoor water slide and sauna just fine. While Kory took a dip in the hot tub, I had a six o’clock massage appointment so I got my weekend off to a good start with a little stress reduction. By 7:30 we were all partaking of the evening buffet, which had more food than I have words to describe. The boys went back several times but just got French fries and lasagna nearly every time. (I heard some talk of eating like “Garfield.”) They loved having the options of all the food selections even if they didn’t partake of it all. So did I. I’ve never seen such a spread of food in all my life and I’m not exaggerating to say that if I would have just taken one spoonful of all the things they had out, I could have filled ten plates easily. Kory was in heaven, as most of it was special Norwegian foods and he enjoyed the splurge. We all ate until we were downright uncomfortable. You’d think we were Americans or something.Some of the conversation at dinner tonight centered around a huge painting hanging on the wall above our table. It portrayed the hotel a hundred years ago, but it also showed the mountain peak jutting straight up behind it. Jonathan (one of Kory’s bosses) said that to hike to the top of that peak takes about six hours, but his wife’s cousin was able to run to the top in just one hour and 28 minutes (it’s nearly 6,000 feet straight up). He was not able to break the record for that ascent however, which stands at one hour and nine minutes. The man that set that record died last year while he was out running up yet another mountain when it was just too cold up in them thar hills, and he himself had a cold and he collapsed and died. I guess that’s why we are always told we must REST when we are sick, not go running up mountains. What’s interesting about all that is that every area of Norway I’ve been to, all the locals know how long it takes to reach every summit they can see, and many know who holds the record for getting there the quickest. Local folk heroes, these mountain climbers, even if they die in the process. Jonathan also said that up on top of the nearest mountain sits the remains of a cabin that was built over a hundred years ago for people with tuberculosis. The cure of the day was to give TB patients clean, cold, fresh air. I guess horses took them up in some kind of wagon. So I’m sure that mountain runner guy isn’t the first one to die up there, as fresh air was no cure-all for TB.
Something I thought was ironic today was that I had a Swedish massage, and I’m in Norway. The woman giving me the rub-down is from Sweden. There must be something to that…. And even more ironic, it was the first massage I’ve ever gotten where I was asked to put on some disposable undies, rather than be totally nude. Considering Norway is so accepting of public nudity, I thought that was just downright strange. But what was funny is that they gave me a disposable “thong” to wear. I’ve never put on one of those before so I kept it to show the boys to see if they could figure out what it was. Kaleb thought it might be something I’d wear in my hair. Close, but not quite.
This entire resort, plus the hotel across the street, is full of customers from one building supplier named Dyrøy (said almost like “Deer-roy”). Dyrøy is holding a big product demonstration tomorrow – kind of like an expo, with classes on the use of the newest building materials. They are heavily subsidizing this weekend so it’s a real perk for their customers. Dyrøy pays more than half the hotel, plus all the meals and activities. Such a deal. Interestingly enough, it used to be just doctors that got these kinds of perks from drug companies, but now, they have outlawed doctors from being able to take any kind of outside compensation. Other businesses however, have jumped on the bandwagon and now everyone EXCEPT doctors can enjoy such lavishness. Too funny. I guess, for once, I’m glad I didn’t marry a doctor.
