So the journey south on the Havila Castor ended in Trondheim, where we docked at the ungodly early hour (for Tom) of 6:30 am. Fortunately, it was a longer port call and, while we had to check out, we didn’t actually have to leave the ship until about 9:30 am. Yum – one more delicious breakfast.
One of the downsides of that early arrival was we couldn’t check into our AirBnB until about 3 pm. We had no desire to haul our luggage around for a few hours, but our AirBnB host offered a solution – we could drop our bags just outside the apartment, in a fairly secure area (a key was needed to get to the landing). We went for it, if not enthusiastically, and it all worked out.
Freed of our burdens, we took a walking route recommended by one the crew of the Havila Castro. First stop was the Nidaros Cathedral, an impressive site for sure, but maybe the best part was that the children’s choir was practicing while we visited. Their youthful, melodious voices added a very nice vibe to the whole experience. Inside, the cathedral is stunning, although the exterior could be a bit gruesome. When King Olav was converting Norway to Christianity, his motto was “the Bible or the sword.” The sword was in frequent use.
From the cathedral, we wandered over to the Bakklandet neighhborhood, a pretty area with picturesque houses lining the meandering streets. Then a quick stop at the English Pub, and it was time to actually get into our rental.
The rest of the evening revolved around dinner, but I will leave that to a later post by Robin.
The next day, Tim, perhaps inspired by our previous dinner, felt the urge to cook breakfast and there was no stopping him – though we didn’t really try. A simple repast of fried eggs on cheesy bread with even more cheese. A nice start to the day.
Tim and Nan, after their time on the ship, felt a need to walk and went off to explore the city. Robin and I felt no such compulsion and opted to head to HAVET to indulge in a sauna.
We weren’t completely sure what to expect, but packed our bathing suits and took an Uber. It was, shall we say, not fancy but quite inviting. They had a number of saunas along the waterfront, some public and some rented to private groups, and also a bar and restaurant alongside. We grabbed some towels, suited up, and in we went…
To the INFERNO.
Crap, it was hot in there. More so after having been hanging out in the moist, cooler environment that presides here. But I guess maybe that’s the point.
There were a few folks enjoying their sauna as we entered, and I was waiting to see how long you were supposed to tolerate the INFERNO before it was time to step out for the PLUNGE into the fjord water just outside.
Apparently, not long. Like maybe 15 minutes. After watching some younger folks take the plunge, we boldly followed and dove in head first.
Not.
We got on the ladder and slowly lowered ourselves in to test the waters. I really think this was a good idea, because the water was fucking cold. Like, on another level cold. But it was enough to get us back in the INFERNO.
After another 15 minutes or so, and we actually wanted more of that fjord cold. This time, the PLUNGE. And I couldn’t get out fast enough.
Rinse, repeat a couple more times. And I came to see the attraction. Skin all tingly, my hair full of ice crystals, and I felt like nothing would ever feel cold again.
But enough was enough, and we decided to rinse off and grab a beer in the bar. While ordering, I noticed the menu – TX BBQ. Really? Here in Trondheim? I mentioned being from Texas to the bartender, and let him know we take BBQ pretty seriously, like it’s a religion. If you’re saying you’ve got Texas BBQ, you better be able to back it up.
He promptly introduced me to the manager/pit master, and after a bit of conversation I got the impression these guys knew what they were doing. For them, it started during the pandemic, with them hearing about TX BBQ, reading and watching videos, and starting to experiment at home.
After a quick tour of their pits, and a very generous sampling of their work, I can confidently say you can actually get TX BBQ in Trondheim. Who knew?
