Vestlandet (the Western Coast of Norway) has the same appeal for me as a movie star- yeah, it might be pretty, but that’s also all it is to me. Because living in Volda many years ago was so hard- both in regards to the language, to adjusting to a new culture, its rainy weather and its taciturn people, I never feel like going back.

But when I get called there for work, I have to do my best to enjoy myself. And I always do. Unless it’s raining. 😉 Haha!

So I booked a room at my favorite hotel- Brosundet– the one where I stayed a couple of years ago when visiting with F, also for work. When I arrived there, an hour too late and very tired, I discovered to my disappointment that their restaurant- Maki- was closed on Sundays. What?! But they’d saved me a sandwich and I got myself a glass of wine to enjoy in front of a fireplace with a good book. Reading Deborah Levy’s Hot Milk and loving it! (the three last books have not been my cup of tea, so it was about time I found something soothing!)

After staring into the fire and letting it stare back until I was warm to the bone, I went upstairs to my room and built myself a cosy den in all those pillows, reading and sipping to the wine.

Next morning I was so relieved that it didn’t rain- the weather forecast said it would- that I could have jumped with joy! So when we were done in court in one hour instead of one day, we went back to the hotel to have a coffee in front of the fireplace and fetch my bag.

It was a bit gloomy outside, but hey, I can live with gloomy as long as it doesn’t rain! After coffee we had a walk downtown- the pretty colors of the houses and the streets in their late autumn attire made up for the fact that my favorite café was closed and that many shops were going bankrupt. In addition to that, there was hardly anybody on the streets, except for a few tourists and a couple of locals going out for lunch. But then again, it might have just been my mood. 😉

A svele later, the world was a good place to be again. I managed to change my flight to an earlier one and I started looking forward to getting back home. But let me tell you more about the svele, as it’s the very reason why I put on 10 kg in 3 months when I first moved to Norway! 😉 Haha! Svele is a thick pancake made with buttermilk and served with either butter and sugar (I know!) or brown goat cheese (my fave!) and I used to eat one every day in the school canteen. Haha! Optimistic much? Now I only find it when traveling to Vestlandet and it’s one of the few things I miss from living there.

Going back in two weeks’ time, this time I’ll book an earlier flight, so I can find some time for a sauna treatment, too. 🙂 Maybe I’ll even convince F to come with me and have us a lovely meal at the restaurant!

Meanwhile, I’m still in my pjs, got a couple of assignments and bought my mother tickets for the end of Nov., I can’t wait! It’ll be so good to be a little girl again! ❤

And a blurry picture of me towards the end, my colleague was enchanted by the fire, too! haha!

xxx, Alina