a norwegian breakfast and trip to the fjords

Today is the kind of Sunday that I just want to chill and take time to enjoy breakfast. I am already on my 3rd cuppa and some toasted muffins buttered and topped with strawberry jam. A rare moment of day off which in this work am in we hardly know.

It’s also the kind of Sunday I wished am with my sister and Nikos, where we would be either whipping pancakes, or doing a full english breakfast, or preparing a Filipino breakfast with garlicky fried rice, sausages and what ever left over we could find…. paired with a cup of Greek coffee. I know I know…we both grew up adapting all these cultures, here I am at the boat passing my time before I go meet a friend for Le petit déjeuner… baguette “tartines”, tea, croissants, next to the market or to my favourite creperie in town (Antibes) Caesars, where the owners would pamper me my needs (must be a favourite client )…

Two breakfasts today, who is counting the calories?
I know its so comforting to enjoy these moments while you are still in pyjamas and read newspapers then I thought of one memorable breakfast I had.

Why it stuck to my memory… because the way it was presented? The freshness of it or perhaps the setting, the location in far away Norway?

The time we had to cross back to UK from Stavanger, we decided to stay for few more days in Rogaland region of Norway. But not in Stavanger so I checked my book where would be the best place to do a day hike and scenic drive.

I found Sandness…Lysefjord and Preikestolen

In Sandnes Town centre, near the railway station and Norway’s longest pedestrian street (Langgaten) you will find a unique and exciting hotel, GamlaVærket Hotell & Restaurant.

We had no intention to stay there but after stopping for afternoon tea, I was like bewitched with the hotel restaurant.
It had been decided to have an early evening and start early to head to Lysefjord.

GamlaVærket Hotell & Restaurant used to be a pottery and brick factory, it has been transformed into a cafe, restaurant, hotel and bakery. The rooms are very spacious, a very Sandinavian feel. After staying at various hotels since leaving Oslo this was the second best so far after that lovely hotel at Eidfjord

An early start the next way greeted us with this breakfast.Two types of brown bread the Norwegians do have great bread,the one we had had hazelnuts on it. A cold meat plate, pate, ham, bacom and some reindeer sausages.Omelette and bacon. Yoghurt with toasted muesli and some cheese.

It did not feel heavy, compared to the English full monty.It was filling the kind of breakfast you need on a long journey since we criss crossed to the mountains and discovered a very glacial scenery up the mountain before descending to Lysefjord a drive of 27 hairpin bends.
Other than that drive we hiked to the top where you can see the untamed scenery of the fjord.
So that breakfast was worth embedding to my food memory and Norway indeed is one of the most beautiful places in Europe that worth exploring.

This was in May 2005 which I confirm with my diary and photo file. One of the last trips I did with the Swiss Cheese. Thank you Markus for the wonderful times and being such a fun companion with all the trips we did.