The Norway Zone

19 May...Traveling from Bergen to Tone's island, Kyrkjøy (Sjernarøyane). We stopped to catch some history along the way. We continued south from Bergen through a tunnel that went under the Bømlaf Fjord (230 meters below sea level) to head to Haugesund. Once in Haugesund we visited a monument raised in 1872 at the Gard Church ruins. This monument celebrates King Harald Fairhair for uniting the 29 kingdoms (at the time) under one king. He did this to gain control of the western ship passages. To unite these kingdoms there was a battle waged near Stavanger. The Three Swords monument was built in 1983 to commemorate this battle (photos on s May 21). Also at this site is Krosshaug (old stone cross) believed to have been erected around 945 AD. We headed south to the Karmøy community and stopped at Vignes. This is the location where the copper came from for the Statue of Liberty. The French requested the best quality copper and it came from Norway! We next visited the Avaldsnes Church and museum. This is believed to be the first settlement of Norway. There is also a needle (long straight stone) next to the church which is said that the world will end if the stone touches the church. They don't really know if the stone kept getting closer or if the monks kept chipping the top off so it would never touch the church. We visited the museum and had a coffee and ice cream. We were not able to visit the first Viking village on the nearest island.

18 May...Today a road trip to Lysøen, the island and summer home of the famous Norwegian musician Ole Bull. Ole Bull was also a good friend (and cousin) of Edvard Grieg, the famous Norwegian composer. It started raining on us this day and when we got up to the house it turned to soft hail. The temperature was quite different from what we got use to with all the sunny days. Next we visited Lyse Kloster, remains of an old monastary close to the ferry to Lysøen. We next visited Troldhaugen, the home of Edvard Grieg and museum.

17 May...Yet another beautiful day! We got ready early to get a place downtown Bergen to watch the parades for National Day. There were three parades and the spot we chose had two parades going at once side by side in opposite directions. I took over 150 photos this day to capture all the festivities. When it was down to the sports and school groups, after over an hour, we left the side of the street where we were standing and started walking around. It had also started sprinkling and there was a cold breeze. We then got a hot dog before calling Geir Roald to pick us up. Once home we had a little lunch and took a short nap to rest our "Disneyland feet". Later we had a nice Lasagna dinner, which Geir had also invited his friend who was the best man at their wedding. After dinner we played twelve games of dominos and then it was time for bed.

16 May...Today I got to work more on updating my website and later we went to Geir Roald's parent's house for dinner. We had a nice spread of waldorf salad, scrambled eggs, Geir Roald's father's smoked salmon, baked chicken, and a large plater filled with fruit, vegetables, and cold sliced meats. Of course, this was followed by dessert, a thin cake roll filled with strawberries and whip cream, coffee and tea. We then ended everything with a little cognac!

15 May...Car tour - we took a twelve hour road trip and saw so much in the Hardanger area! At 8 AM we headed east from Straume (Sotra) to Bergen. From there north to Åsane and then to Sørfjorden. We traveled up the southern edge of this fjord to Dale (where they make all the sweaters). Then on to Voss and continued to Ulvik. We then proceeded south to Bruravik where we took our first ferry ride across the Eidfjorden to Brimnes. Now we traveled down the eastern side of Sørfjorden stopping in Lofthus, where Geir's aunt lives, to see all the fruit trees in bloom. Apples, pears, and sweet cherries as far as you could see...on both sides of the fjord and most of them in bloom. We kept heading south to Odda and then on to the Låtefoss waterfall. We then turned around and headed back to Odda and then turned west up a canyon to Buer to get a closer look of the Folgefonna glacier. We then came back to Odda to eat a late lunch. It was lucky for us that they normally serve potato dumplings on Thursday so we stopped at a local cafeteria to get our fill. Now moving a little slower we proceeded north a short distance on the west side of Sørfjorden then through the mountain tunnel that is 11 km long (6.8 miles). We came out near Gjerde and headed south out the Maurangsfjorden to Ænes and then continued south along the Sildafjorden to Løfallstranda where we boarded another ferry to Gjermundshamn. We then turned north on the west side of the Øynefjorden then turning up a canyon to Eikelandsosen where we hit a little rain that followed us all the way home. We headed south along the Eikelandsfjorden to Fusa where we boarded another ferry to Hattvika and then headed south to Osøyro where we turned north back to Sotra. We got home just before 8 PM and that was the end of another fantastic day!

14 May...Down day - I used this day to update the website up to 10 May.

13 May...Traveled to the shopping center to find a replacement power supply transformer for my laptop. We first went to an electronic appliance store with a computer repair counter and they told us we could find a replacement at another electronics store. We found what I needed and went back to the flat until Geir Roald had to go to work. On the way he dropped us off in the sentrum (Bergen center) to sightsee until Tone Karin got off from work. We took a walk down Bryggen (the old Bergen harbor) and ended up at the Bergen Fort. Good timing because students were practicing for the National Day (Syttende Mai or 17 May) so I got some photos of them marching in formation. We toured the fort and then went back through the Bryggen and checked out all the shops. Yes, we bought a few things and then it was time to meet Tone. Once we met up with her we walked to a fine china gallery where she needed to exchange some tea cups she got as wedding gifts. We then walked back down to the Bryggen area and had dinner outside at the China Palace restaurant. Yesterday was Mexican fare and today Chinese! After dinner Tone took our photo in front of Bryggen with a front page of the Herald so we could send it into the paper (keep a look out for it). We then headed home for some left over wedding cake. To see the photo on the Herald website click here!

12 May...It's a Norwegian holiday today and it's Geir Roald's 40th birthday and my day to cook! We are having one of Geir's sisters (& family) and parents over for a Mexican dinner. I'm cooking chili con carne, carnitas, Spanish rice, quesadillas, and flour tortillas. It all turned out great! The chili was gone at the end of the meal. It was nice listening to the family talking in their native language. Every once in a while they would pause to explain what they were talking about. They would also ask questions about certain issues in the U.S. and how similar they are in Norway. We then had dessert that included lefse, kransekake, yellow cake, ice cream, and a cake that was one section of three from Tone Karin's wedding cake. This has a bottom nut layer with layers of cake, whip cream, and strawberries in the middle. It was topped with marzipan and frosting heart decorations topped with marzipan roses and leaves. Dessert was also finished with coffee and tea. Wow!

11 May...After a bacon and egg breakfast we drove to the base parking lot to the road leading to the Fjell Fort. We hiked quite a ways (up hill) to an old military reservation that was used by the Germans in WWII during the occupation of Norway. They used Russian prisoners to build everything there including the roads, tunnels, trenches, bunkers, etc. The main structure was located at the top of the hill. It was the housing for the main guns that defended the German interests in that area, which included the port of Bergen. They had transported a three gun turret from a German battleship to be placed at the top of the hill. The tunnel system supported the guns and provided housing for the soldiers and storage for the ammunition. We took a tour of the underground facilities to experience their living conditions (see photos). Once we hiked back down the hill we made it back home. Geir Roald then had to go to work. Tone Karin then fixed us a national dish (especially in the mountains) called Rømmegrøt after we rested a bit. This meal consists of sour cream cooked with flour and flavoring, which thickens it to a porridge consistency. When served in a bowl you drizzle it with butter and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon before garnishing with raisins. To accompany this you serve sliced dried salty meats and bread. We had a dried thinly sliced dried pork (like prosciutto) and a sliced dried sausage somewhat like pepperoni but dark. I could taste the lamb in this sausage (and probably other animals). I then made a surprise call to Emily for Mother's Day. I called about 6:45 PM (Norway time) and she was with family and friends having breakfast at 9:45 AM (PDT).

Sorry folks...my laptop power transformer stopped working so I can't do updates at this point...unless I can find a new one in Bergen. I was able to borrow my cousin's laptop long enough to add this message. She doesn't have the software I need to make the updates. This update was fun because her buttons are in Norwegian!!! Check in later for updates to the blog and photos. //\\ UPDATE //\\ 13 May...I was able to find a universal power supply for my laptop so now I'm back in business. Yippee!!

10 May...Shopping and groceries for the Monday dinner party and Geir Roald's sister's barbeque. We met Geir Roald's older and younger sisters, kids, & friends. Fantastic food (lamb, chicken, green salad, potato salad, roasted whole potatoes (drizzled with olive oil), gravy, pork kabobs (we prepared - marinated pork tenderloin, onions, red peppers, mushrooms, pineapple, zucchini) bratwurst, pølse, Spanish red wine, and Norwegian beer. After eating dinner outside in the back yard we moved the tables and chairs to the front of the house where the sun moved. We sat and talked a bit, letting dinner digest a little. They then started bringing out dessert! First there was a two-layered dessert made with an opaque firm creamy layer (lemon fromage) topped with a layer of orange Jello with fruit cocktail (yum!) Then there was a large plate full of fruit (watermelon, cantaloupe, apples, & honeydew), lefse, kransekake, and three flavors of ice cream. There was also coffee and tea to wash everything down. The younger kids were playing on a trampoline after dinner. The older kids were playing video games and when the little ones got tired they watched the big kids play video games. We continued talking outside about an hour after the sun went behind the clouds. We left about 9 PM and said our thank you and good nights.

9 May...Norway in a nutshell tour...I would recommend this to anyone with just a little time in the area. The photos really tell it all... We started our tour at the Bergen train station leaving at about 8:40 AM. We would take this to Myrdal through several tunnels. I've never seen so many tunnels but it makes sense with all the steep mountains. Once in Myrdal we switched to the train to Flåm (Flåmsbana). On the way to Flåm, after the Kjosfossen waterfall, we passed through the mountain through some winding tunnels. At Flåm we took the "Gudvangen" ferry out on the Aurlandsfjorden to the Nærøyfjorden (the narrowest fjord in Scandinavia) up to Gudvangen. We then took a bus up the Stalheimskleiva, a windy switchback road, which was the main road before 1980, to Voss. In Voss we then took the train back to Bergen. What a trip!!! More on Norway in a nutshell click here!

8 May...Today was a down day...catching up on postcards and resting for our tour tomorrow. After Tone Karin got home from work we took a little drive around the Sotra islands (where we are staying), which is the island west of Bergen. Tone had never been to the southern most areas before so it was a great discovery for all of us. At one point we could see out to the North Sea!

7 May...Up at 11 AM again...a quick breakfast and then a trip to the local shopping center. Later we went to downtown Bergen to start our adventure (see photo album). Before starting our trek around town we had an early dinner at a local favorite restaurant Egon. After dinner we rode on the only Scandinavian cablecar up to see the spectacular views. More on Floibanen click here!

6 May...After waking up a couple times in the early morning we finally got out of bed at 11 AM. Took it easy all day and then a short walk through the neighborhood in the afternoon (see photo album).

4 May...Our flight from San Francisco went great. It's always fun to try to stuff 480+ people (and all their stuff) into a large airplane (KLM 747-400). We took off and we were above the clouds in no time. They first started serving beverages. And shortly after the cute Dutch stewardesses started handing out hot towelettes to clean up before serving dinner. That was very nice! The meals were created by a South American Chef and came in well designed containers with individual portion containers for hot and cold items. Dinner consisted of chicken with a wasabi sauce and white rice with poppy seeds, couscous topped with raw salmon, and cranberry bread. They later provided a snack choice of a sandwich or ice cream. Of course, I took the chocolate ice cream! More beverages later...and a couple movies...we were then provided another towelette before being served breakfast. When they said "meal & snack" with the flight I assumed only one each! Breakfast consisted of "Tapas"...heated scrambled eggs with creamed Swiss chard, warmed apples and raisins in a sauce, yogurt with granola, and zucchini bread. About an hour after breakfast it was finally time to land in Amsterdam (after 10 hours May 5th!) We made it to our next gate and onto our plane (KLM Fokker 100) to head for Bergen. We got to Bergen in less than two hours. We were under the clouds and what a spectacular view coming into the airport! After landing we made a quick trip to the baggage claim and got our bags in record time. About 15 minutes later Geir Roald came to pick us up to take us outside where Tone Karin was waiting. We hit their traffic jam and the drive that normally takes 15 minutes took an hour to get to their home. We finally went to bed about 10 PM (Norway time) and it was still light out.