The charms of old houses

I’ve just got back from a business trip to Roros, Norway (my third visit there) —

An old mining town in the mountains that is now a UNESCO world heritage site.

Modern-day inhabitants live in the old mining huts

And houses dating back to the 1600 and 1700s.

A lot of the old houses have been restored

And keep their dark facades —

Giving parts of the village a medieval feel.

People kept telling me how mild winter had been

And that there was a metre less snow than normal.

(Still looks as if they had some decent snowfall though…)

Even pets in the village

Have their own wooden huts.

And look – the kennel even shares another feature of the old houses:

A grass roof!

I leave you with a final image —

The optimism of drying clothes outside

In the freezing temperatures.

Surely this is a sign of spring in the mountains of Norway?

For more charming stories, please visit: Our World Tuesday.