Due to our long drive and last night yesterday, we have a very slow and relaxed morning. We enjoy our tea over breakfast. Then we take turns going to the shower building as we sort out our stuff. We finally leave at around 12:30 PM and drive the short distance back to Røros to go and check out this historic town - which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
We do not have much time on this visit, as we have to arrive in Koppang later this afternoon. We park our car and discover that a festival of some sort is going on. Some of the streets have been closed off and there are tons of people. We eventually find a parking place and then join the crowds wandering around the streets.
There are marching bands all over the place, marching this way and that way playing their instruments. We make our way up to the church - a huge octagonal stone church that can sit over 2,000 people. Zion's Church gives and indication of how rich this small village used to be with the extensive copper mines and works that surrounded the town. The church was built in the baroque style in 1784. A wedding was in process when we arrived, but we were still allowed to enter and view the church from the back.
We then checked out the copper smelter from the outside - now shut-down and turned into a museum. We continued to make our way around the town's narrow and winding lanes.
One of our favorite lanes is the Slaggveien (or Cinder's Row), which is lined with the warped, low and 250 year old miner's cottages. They are not as fancy and splendid as the buildings on Bergmannsgata, but they have a lot more character.
Soon it was time for us to head on. We make a quick stop at the local bakery to pick up some snacks and treats to bring with us to the birthday celebrations this afternoon. Then back in the car and we carry on down route 30, past Os where we stayed last night, on our way to Koppang. It is a very pleasant drive that takes us a bit over two hours.
There are a number of sights to see along the way, but we have no time today. Maybe we will have time again on our next visit. We drive along the small river and soon reach the large lake of Storjøen. Halfway along this lake, we turn west and make our way to Koppang.
At Koppang, we pass through the small town and head to the farm of Nordre Bakken on the river Glomma. Koppang is where Lars' mother grew up and where her sister lived throughout her life. We are visiting the farm that her sister and husband passed on to their eldest son, Jan (Lars' cousin). Lars has spent time during many summers visiting this farm and he and his brothers would wreck have on the place. A rural farm is very forgiving to rambunctious young boys.
Many of Lars's relatives are there when we arrive. And the party begins. Norwegians certainly know how to have a good time and there is plenty of food, drink and good conversation. After some light snacks we have a barbeque dinner. Stacks and stacks of meat is cooked to join all the other food served along with it.
We spend a few hours eating all the rich food and then sit back and have coffee and dessert in the living room. The rest of the evening is spent hanging out and chatting, about old times, world affairs, what is happening with the farm, and soccer (the euro-cup is on).
We will spend the night a short distance up the dirt road at the house that Sten, Lars' other cousin, lives in. Live (another cousin) and her husband Frode also stay here. We walk the short distance up to the house and after hanging out for a bit, we all retire for the night. We are staying in the basement, and it is cold (we will be happy with that later in the summer as we shall see), but right now it is a bit chilly. We, however, have the comforters to keep us warm.