Animals

In addition to our run-ins with cows in Norway (not only did we spot them trying to use the public toilets, but when we went for a hike in Flåm, a bunch of cows came running over and followed us as we walked along the fence...they were smaller than Swiss cows and didn't wear bells, but they were charming nonetheless), we also had at least one run-in with sheep. It seemed like every time we turned a corner there would be another field filled with sheep contentedly grazing and baaaing (or maaaing, as they say here). We must have seen thousands of them. I don't know why, but I just find sheep to be inherently funny. At one point we were driving through the mountains. We were above the timber line where it was barren, cold, windy, rainy and generally inhospitable, when we came across four sheep just standing in the middle of the road. Unfortunately we didn't have our camera ready, but after we came to a stop, all four simultaneously turned and faced us. There we were in the middle of nowhere, the sheep staring at us in silence, and us staring back at the sheep wondering if they were ever going to let us pass, when all of a sudden all four turned and started sprinting. Let me tell you, a sheep running at full speed down a wet and curvy mountain road is not exactly the picture of grace. After a while, they just bounded off the side of the road and let us get by (Gretchen was afraid they were going to tumble down the mountain, but I figure they knew what they were doing.)