Day 40 - Old Town Bridge and Making our Way To Lillehammer

Gamle Bybro, Nidaros Cathedral and Road Trip to Lillehammer

July 31, 2023: This morning we went for a walkabout around Trondheim. We walked to the Old Town Bridge (Gamle Bybro in Norwegian).

Gamle Bybro was initially constructed in 1681 in conjunction with the reconstruction of Trondheim after the great fire of 1681. The bridge location was of military-strategic significance. King Christian V of Denmark assumed the cost of construction. It was completed in 1685. Since then Gamle Bybro has undergone many changes. It was originally constructed of wood. In the middle of the bridge, an iron gate was placed. This remained a guarded city gate until 1816. At each end of the bridge there was a toll and guardhouse. Gamle Bybro was reconstructed in 1861 by the engineer Carl Adolf Dahl and has become one of Trondheim's characteristic landmarks. The bridge is also known as Lykkens portal (Gate of Happiness). The view from the bridge reminded us of Burano, Italy with the multi colored houses in the channel there.

Next we walked to the Nidaros Cathedral. It is built over the burial site of King Olav II, who reined over Norway from 1015–1028. He became the patron saint of the Norway. The Cathedral is the traditional location for the consecration of new kings of Norway. It was designated a Catholic cathedral from 1152 to 1537, until the reformation. Since then, it has served as the cathedral of the Lutheran bishops of Trondheim.

We then headed back to the hotel so we could pack up and begin our trek to Lillehammer, 350 km from Trondheim. The journey would take us over 5 hours with stops along the way. Our first stop was Soknedal Bakeri & Konditori (bakery & patisserie) for some lunch. It was a quaint little restaurant where we enjoyed some coffee, sandwiches and dessert. Then it was on the road again. We finally arrived in Lillehammer a little past 6:00pm. They served dinner there as part of their service, so we had something to eat before heading out to explore the area around our hotel and to get some Softis (soft ice), my favorite Norwegian ice cream. I love mine sprinkled with chocolate that taste much like Nestle Quik which reminds me of my childhood. We enjoyed our ice cream and then headed back to the hotel. We would explore more of Lillehammer in the morning, but it was a long day and we decided to call it a night. It has been so nice to spend this time with Knut and Marit. I never know eat time I see them how long it will be until I see them again. This time it had been 4 years, I hope it not be so long until we see each other again.