We awaken every morning to see the mirror-glass lake and the mountain across the water. We check out the waterfall that is diminishing daily due to the lack of snow now on the mountain top. There is still a line of water and we can faintly hear it. We eat at a table full of food every morning at 9:00. Fish, eggs, breads, cheeses, jam, sometimes cereal ( oh we Americans!) scrimp salad, liver pate, etc.etc.etc. We do not go hungry.
We drive to Forde where we shop for groceries and the like. We visit family members. We met many at a farm in Haukedalen where they gathered folks to meet us. I remembered a few that were children when we were here in 1970. The younger people now own the farms. They had a lovely long table set under the shade trees and we ate fish caught from their lake ( smoked and yummy) several salads and lefser and other desserts. Currants are ripe now, so there were two different currant dishes. We picked red currants a few days ago on the mountain farm across Lake Holsen. They are good to eat as is with a bit of vanilla sauce on them. I think jam will be made with most of them. I learned to make Natronkake from one of the family.
Her name is Turid and is a master of this delicious biscuit. It is served with brown cheese ( often goat cheese) or with jam. I can hardly wait to make this for my family and my church family. Dan caught two fish in Holsen Lake two nights ago and plans to catch more. We swam in the lake yesterday after a hot day and hike up to the cabin on Gulefjellen. Hiking on big rocks is a norm here, but I must say it was a challenge at times. There is marshy, mossy grass fields we walked through, also. Keep in mind that the cows and sheep are grazing up high in the mountains now. They are stepping into mud up to their middles in some spots.
We saw and dodged big holes in the mud where their footprints are and also cow pies. Many people have summer cabins up on this and other mountains and along the lakes. They are kempt and beautifully painted.
One could spend much time in these spots.
We eat the biggest meal ( called middag) at around 3:30 or 4:00, and eat another meal later in the evening.
The light remains from early morning until 11:30 p.m. Indeed, we are now seeing the light lessening earlier this past week. It seems we are going from morning to bedtime being busy every minute in between.
We are enjoying it here immensely. It will be hard to leave here on Monday morning 28 July.
We have seen 4 Stave churches on little trips around Sogn og Fjordane. This is where the longest fjord is and the most fjords are. It seems idyllic to me, and I think Dan, also. We won't buy property here, but there is an urge to do so. This quiet life seems inviting.
Thursday, July 24, 2014
FLAM AND VOSS
We traveled back to Holsen only to repack and head out for Flam and Voss. Rita has a boyfriend named Frode and they have a little house just outside of Voss. We had a lovely time and spent 5 nights and packed a lot of activity into the four days we had there. People can see this area by doing Norway in a Nutshell. We felt we had superb guides ( those being Rita and Frode). We saw every nook and cranny and what most tourist see. Frode took us to his parents' house and on this land they are still finding artifacts from the Viking Age. It never ceases to amaze us ! Aurlandsfjorden is the waterway into the city of Flam. Huge cruise ships come into there daily. When we were there, three of them were anchored. It is a big industry in Norway and some folks here feel intruded upon because of it. One can understand why, but I will keep my opinion to myself. One of the things we did was to take the train up into the mountains to view the vast waterfalls and the mysterious woman dancing by the biggest. The myth says that she draws in the men to the water of the falls. This train runs daily from Bergen to Oslo. There is a trail that can be hiked from Fram to Mydal along the train route. Also, hearty outdoors folk can bicycle there and back...or ride the train up and ride a bike back. What fun the would be!!!! I would love to do that.
Voss is a great ski area in the winter and to me it seemed like a skier's paradise. Lots of neat places to stay and many runs to conquer.
On the trip driving to these places we zig zagged around mountains on a very narrow road. The scenery was awesome, of course, with magnificent waterfalls, deep fjords, rugged mountains and peaceful lakes. Occupying the landscape were goats. Countless numbers of them. At one spot, a goat was laying in the middle of the road and the cars were having to go around it. The animal decided to sun itself there, and there it was going to stay. Because vehicles had to share this narrow road, neither coming or going cars could pass this contented animal. We were stopped! Soon one goat after another started to jump from the rocks on the roadside. It was like a waterfall of goats!!! I started to laugh, then got out of the car and called the animals to the side. " Come on, little goats", I purred. " Come on over here." "Come out of the road, please", I beckoned. Two of the goats come up to me as if I had something to feed them. They let me pat their heads and they looked me strait in the eye. They were adorable! Several goats were on a concrete picnic table in a turn-out on the road. How humorous and fantastic! Finally, the middle-of-the-road goat moved out of the way, the others followed and we in cars got to be on our way. An experience not soon to forget. Countryside is filled with sheep as well. Mama sheep (ewes) and lambs. I love the peacefulness of it. Little bells jingle while they eat and move to greener pastures. Many folks now are up in the "setters" while the sheep and cows graze and fatten up for winter. Farming seems to be big here and I marvel at the way the farmers drive their machinery on these steep slopes and rocky land. They are haying now. Many dry the grass on peaked fence lines. How you see it in old photos or paintings is how it is mostly today. However, there are many modern ways of doing things here, too. It has been fun to learn how this process works. July is the time for vacations ( called holidays here), but the farmers may hay while the sun shines!
Voss is a great ski area in the winter and to me it seemed like a skier's paradise. Lots of neat places to stay and many runs to conquer.
On the trip driving to these places we zig zagged around mountains on a very narrow road. The scenery was awesome, of course, with magnificent waterfalls, deep fjords, rugged mountains and peaceful lakes. Occupying the landscape were goats. Countless numbers of them. At one spot, a goat was laying in the middle of the road and the cars were having to go around it. The animal decided to sun itself there, and there it was going to stay. Because vehicles had to share this narrow road, neither coming or going cars could pass this contented animal. We were stopped! Soon one goat after another started to jump from the rocks on the roadside. It was like a waterfall of goats!!! I started to laugh, then got out of the car and called the animals to the side. " Come on, little goats", I purred. " Come on over here." "Come out of the road, please", I beckoned. Two of the goats come up to me as if I had something to feed them. They let me pat their heads and they looked me strait in the eye. They were adorable! Several goats were on a concrete picnic table in a turn-out on the road. How humorous and fantastic! Finally, the middle-of-the-road goat moved out of the way, the others followed and we in cars got to be on our way. An experience not soon to forget. Countryside is filled with sheep as well. Mama sheep (ewes) and lambs. I love the peacefulness of it. Little bells jingle while they eat and move to greener pastures. Many folks now are up in the "setters" while the sheep and cows graze and fatten up for winter. Farming seems to be big here and I marvel at the way the farmers drive their machinery on these steep slopes and rocky land. They are haying now. Many dry the grass on peaked fence lines. How you see it in old photos or paintings is how it is mostly today. However, there are many modern ways of doing things here, too. It has been fun to learn how this process works. July is the time for vacations ( called holidays here), but the farmers may hay while the sun shines!
FLORO ll
To finish up a bit from my previous blog, I want to tell about a hike we took to the top of mountain in Floro.
We hiked late in the afternoon on a road about 3Ks long and straight up. A very big reward was had at the end. The panoramic view of the outer waters and islands and mountains was worth every step. We were able to spot the islands where we visited the previous day. We spotted snow clad mountain tops and waters of the sea everywhere. Suddenly, black clouds gathered and thunder roared. We knew we had to get down the road fast to avoid danger from lightening, not to mention getting soaked from a heavy rain.
A few spits of rain followed us down the road, and as soon as we got into the car in the parking lot, big drops of rain came pouring down. We were happy for the experience and even got to sign our names in the log book on the top of the mountain. Yay us!!!
We hiked late in the afternoon on a road about 3Ks long and straight up. A very big reward was had at the end. The panoramic view of the outer waters and islands and mountains was worth every step. We were able to spot the islands where we visited the previous day. We spotted snow clad mountain tops and waters of the sea everywhere. Suddenly, black clouds gathered and thunder roared. We knew we had to get down the road fast to avoid danger from lightening, not to mention getting soaked from a heavy rain.
A few spits of rain followed us down the road, and as soon as we got into the car in the parking lot, big drops of rain came pouring down. We were happy for the experience and even got to sign our names in the log book on the top of the mountain. Yay us!!!
SOGN OG FJORDANE
We have been one week now in this part of Norway that is the homeland for my mother, Norma. Therefore, a place of my beginnings. It has been a marvelous week with good weather and sightseeing and visiting with our generous and hospitable extended family here. Their home sits by the side of Lake Holsen and across the shimmering water is a big mountain with a long, thin waterfall. The place is idyllic in many respects.
From Holsen we took a day trip to the big glacier named Jostedalsbreen. There we cooled our feet in the melted stream that was coming out of the glacier into an ice blue/green lake. We found ice flows and were able to gather a few which absolutely amazed us. We visited the Glacier Museum and learned much about this huge glacier and the ice age. Also, there is good information about global warming and it is frightening to learn first hand what is happening to the earth. It is very apparent in this glacier alone that what we have heard is very true.
Then we ate our lunch by the waters of the Faerfjorden and walked into a little burg that the locals have named Book Village. There were numerous bookstores selling mostly pre-owned books. All kinds. It was fun to browse through these shops and we even found some books in English. We continued on our scenic journey through mountains and lakes to come back to where we started in Holsen. Our "guide" was Rita, one of the family and she did a good job of telling us about area and what we saw. Hopefully, photos will help tell this story. I find my words lacking in how to describe what our eyes have seen.
Wednesday we set out for Floro where Rita and her sons live. It is an hour's drive from Holsen, and is a lovely city by the waters of the North Sea where there are many islands. Thursday we went onto the island named Kinn where the ferry left us for several hours. We saw a church that was built in the 12th century still standing there in it's stone and cement structure. There is a stage in front of the mountain where a middle ages production is preformed by actors and village folk annually having to do with a Norsk myth. People sit on the mountainside to watch this production. Our timing was such that we did not get to witness that, but it was interesting none-the-less. A little sheep had become lost outside a fenced area, and it was bleating loudly to find the way back in. We found a gate, opened it and finally the fluffy little animal was able to get back to the flock.
It was sad to hear it's cries. Poor little thing was frightened to death!
Suddenly, big black clouds filled the sky and a very strong wind began to blow. We had no way off the island until the ferry came to get us. We hunkered down inside a small cabin on the dock and waited what seemed like an eternity. Finally at 9:20 the fast boat came and we bounced all the way back on very rough waters. Such is life on the North Sea.
Friday we island hopped, first taking an express boat, then a ferry, then a bus, a mail boat, a bus and the express boat back to Floro. A great experience to see how the island folks live. The mail boat delivers not only mail, but cases of wine, and other things that one on a island may want delivered. People seem to live simply on these islands and love doing so. With the beauty of it all, I wonder if maybe they have the right idea.
From Holsen we took a day trip to the big glacier named Jostedalsbreen. There we cooled our feet in the melted stream that was coming out of the glacier into an ice blue/green lake. We found ice flows and were able to gather a few which absolutely amazed us. We visited the Glacier Museum and learned much about this huge glacier and the ice age. Also, there is good information about global warming and it is frightening to learn first hand what is happening to the earth. It is very apparent in this glacier alone that what we have heard is very true.
Then we ate our lunch by the waters of the Faerfjorden and walked into a little burg that the locals have named Book Village. There were numerous bookstores selling mostly pre-owned books. All kinds. It was fun to browse through these shops and we even found some books in English. We continued on our scenic journey through mountains and lakes to come back to where we started in Holsen. Our "guide" was Rita, one of the family and she did a good job of telling us about area and what we saw. Hopefully, photos will help tell this story. I find my words lacking in how to describe what our eyes have seen.
Wednesday we set out for Floro where Rita and her sons live. It is an hour's drive from Holsen, and is a lovely city by the waters of the North Sea where there are many islands. Thursday we went onto the island named Kinn where the ferry left us for several hours. We saw a church that was built in the 12th century still standing there in it's stone and cement structure. There is a stage in front of the mountain where a middle ages production is preformed by actors and village folk annually having to do with a Norsk myth. People sit on the mountainside to watch this production. Our timing was such that we did not get to witness that, but it was interesting none-the-less. A little sheep had become lost outside a fenced area, and it was bleating loudly to find the way back in. We found a gate, opened it and finally the fluffy little animal was able to get back to the flock.
It was sad to hear it's cries. Poor little thing was frightened to death!
Suddenly, big black clouds filled the sky and a very strong wind began to blow. We had no way off the island until the ferry came to get us. We hunkered down inside a small cabin on the dock and waited what seemed like an eternity. Finally at 9:20 the fast boat came and we bounced all the way back on very rough waters. Such is life on the North Sea.
Friday we island hopped, first taking an express boat, then a ferry, then a bus, a mail boat, a bus and the express boat back to Floro. A great experience to see how the island folks live. The mail boat delivers not only mail, but cases of wine, and other things that one on a island may want delivered. People seem to live simply on these islands and love doing so. With the beauty of it all, I wonder if maybe they have the right idea.
Sunday, July 6, 2014
OSLO
A rainy dark traveling morning ( 3 July ) turned into a sunny warm afternoon. We arrived in Oslo just before dinner time and found our apartment without too much effort. After obtaining the key from the neighborhood grocer, we climbed four flights of stairs to find a bright apartment with a kitchen window that has a panoramic view of the city. A loft-like bed is housed into a bookshelf, but comfortable and cozy.
We shopped for our few days worth of groceries only a couple of blocks away and then we got settled into our new place and after a bite to eat, a glass of wine on the balcony and the computer set up, we were ready to call it a day. The drive here was beautiful with trees and a picnic spot by a lake to break for half an hour before traveling on.
Our first day for touring began with a bus ride to the downtown area of Oslo. We went to the Central Station and obtained a 3 day pass for the city which allowed us to get on any one of the four transport sources and free to some museums and discounts on others. We started at the City Hall and were taken with it's grandeur. A massive inside with marble floors and a huge staircase. It is where the Noble Prize Banquet is held. Many frescoes on the walls and ceiling to depict the labor and history of Norway. Large hand carved wooden plaques showed characters from Norsk mythology. Quite a sight.
Then we went on a mini cruise around the water from the Oslo Fjord where we saw the Opera House made like an iceberg and ice flow, the area of four museums and City Hall where we began. With our tickets, we could bet off and on as we chose at these shops....and as many times as we wanted in the 3 days. It paid us will to do so. We got off at the museums to see the Kon Tiki and enjoyed learning about all of that history.
Also there on that property was the Viking Ship Museum, and the Fram Museum. ( We had seen these two before when in Norway 8 years ago ). There is a Folk Museum there, also just a short jaunt away, but we did not have time for that. We ate a late lunch at the same restaurant where we did on Oct. 31, 2006 (Dan's birthday) We thought ourselves very clever to be able to find it again! New ownership, but still very nice.
The day that began warm and sunny turned into a black sky and and wind. We took the boat taxi back over the fjord and caught bus 54 to bring us back to the apartment. We spent a long time at the Kon Tiki. The original boat is in a huge room and many wonderful photos are there explaining the unbelievable feat that was had in 1947 and again in 1979 and 1980 in Ra 1 and Ra 2, the boats made out of reeds.
Day2 July 5.
Woke to warm, wonderful sun and clear sky. We bussed to Vigeland /Frogner's Park. Oh My! This sculpture park was amazing! A huge monolith made up of human forms in one pose or another to depict human relationships with male and female of all ages. Gustav Vigeland was the sculptor and was many years working on the park for a centennial celebration. Fountains and park areas abound for sight seeing and relaxing.
A children's section was added at a time . There is also a " Congo Village" made of straw huts, but is not as welcomed as it was in it's first years. We also took in the Vigeland Museum where nearly all of Vigeland's works are held which opened to the public in 1947. Busts of many people famous and not famous are there as well as showing how all of the park sculptures were made,,,,bit by bit. Very interesting study indeed.
After the hours of these viewings, we boarded a tram to wherever it went.............so we ended at the end of the line! We saw the city from a different perspective and into neighborhoods where there are houses......mostly white ones. Wonderful, white houses with black rooves, geraniums and white curtains.
Then we boarded the tram in the opposite direction to downtown so we could catch bus 54 back to our neighborhood. A bite to eat and soon it is 10:30 pm and bedtime even though light lingered.
Day 3 July 6.
As predicted, it rained heavily through the night. That left a balmy, overcast morning. We started out about noon and took bus 54 back to the city center. No rain yet at that point. First stop was the Historical Museum: Museum of Cultural History. This took us through 9000 years of Norwegian history and showed us Bronze Age burial sites Viking weapons, jewelry, handcrafts and mythology. Beautiful wood carved entrance doors to medieval churches and a large selection of gold, bronze and clay artifacts were among much other things such as textiles and glass. Then, on to the Oslo
Cathedral only a short walk away.
Original acanthus carving is still on the alter and pulpit and the housing for the big pipe organ. There is a second smaller pipe organ there, also. This cathedral is not as big as others we saw in different countries, but beautiful in it's simplicity with a rotund ceiling frescoed by painters starting in 1936 and finished in 1950.
The cathedral was sanctified in 1697 and is the main church for the city of Oslo, the bishopric and the nation. We spotted a place we think especially for the king and queen should they worship there.
We took in the Akerhus Castle and it's area and had a short time to visit the Norwegian Resistance Museum.
That time in history always shakes my heart, but we did find it interesting and well done. The day remained rainless, but now as night draws near, a weeping sky has begun.
Oslo is an easy city to like and to like very much. It is modern, yet wholesome. It is clean, accomodating, friendly and hospitable. It is bustling with young people and young families. We enjoyed our three days here and take with us many memories that we will share for a long time.
We shopped for our few days worth of groceries only a couple of blocks away and then we got settled into our new place and after a bite to eat, a glass of wine on the balcony and the computer set up, we were ready to call it a day. The drive here was beautiful with trees and a picnic spot by a lake to break for half an hour before traveling on.
Our first day for touring began with a bus ride to the downtown area of Oslo. We went to the Central Station and obtained a 3 day pass for the city which allowed us to get on any one of the four transport sources and free to some museums and discounts on others. We started at the City Hall and were taken with it's grandeur. A massive inside with marble floors and a huge staircase. It is where the Noble Prize Banquet is held. Many frescoes on the walls and ceiling to depict the labor and history of Norway. Large hand carved wooden plaques showed characters from Norsk mythology. Quite a sight.
Then we went on a mini cruise around the water from the Oslo Fjord where we saw the Opera House made like an iceberg and ice flow, the area of four museums and City Hall where we began. With our tickets, we could bet off and on as we chose at these shops....and as many times as we wanted in the 3 days. It paid us will to do so. We got off at the museums to see the Kon Tiki and enjoyed learning about all of that history.
Also there on that property was the Viking Ship Museum, and the Fram Museum. ( We had seen these two before when in Norway 8 years ago ). There is a Folk Museum there, also just a short jaunt away, but we did not have time for that. We ate a late lunch at the same restaurant where we did on Oct. 31, 2006 (Dan's birthday) We thought ourselves very clever to be able to find it again! New ownership, but still very nice.
The day that began warm and sunny turned into a black sky and and wind. We took the boat taxi back over the fjord and caught bus 54 to bring us back to the apartment. We spent a long time at the Kon Tiki. The original boat is in a huge room and many wonderful photos are there explaining the unbelievable feat that was had in 1947 and again in 1979 and 1980 in Ra 1 and Ra 2, the boats made out of reeds.
Day2 July 5.
Woke to warm, wonderful sun and clear sky. We bussed to Vigeland /Frogner's Park. Oh My! This sculpture park was amazing! A huge monolith made up of human forms in one pose or another to depict human relationships with male and female of all ages. Gustav Vigeland was the sculptor and was many years working on the park for a centennial celebration. Fountains and park areas abound for sight seeing and relaxing.
A children's section was added at a time . There is also a " Congo Village" made of straw huts, but is not as welcomed as it was in it's first years. We also took in the Vigeland Museum where nearly all of Vigeland's works are held which opened to the public in 1947. Busts of many people famous and not famous are there as well as showing how all of the park sculptures were made,,,,bit by bit. Very interesting study indeed.
After the hours of these viewings, we boarded a tram to wherever it went.............so we ended at the end of the line! We saw the city from a different perspective and into neighborhoods where there are houses......mostly white ones. Wonderful, white houses with black rooves, geraniums and white curtains.
Then we boarded the tram in the opposite direction to downtown so we could catch bus 54 back to our neighborhood. A bite to eat and soon it is 10:30 pm and bedtime even though light lingered.
Day 3 July 6.
As predicted, it rained heavily through the night. That left a balmy, overcast morning. We started out about noon and took bus 54 back to the city center. No rain yet at that point. First stop was the Historical Museum: Museum of Cultural History. This took us through 9000 years of Norwegian history and showed us Bronze Age burial sites Viking weapons, jewelry, handcrafts and mythology. Beautiful wood carved entrance doors to medieval churches and a large selection of gold, bronze and clay artifacts were among much other things such as textiles and glass. Then, on to the Oslo
Cathedral only a short walk away.
Original acanthus carving is still on the alter and pulpit and the housing for the big pipe organ. There is a second smaller pipe organ there, also. This cathedral is not as big as others we saw in different countries, but beautiful in it's simplicity with a rotund ceiling frescoed by painters starting in 1936 and finished in 1950.
The cathedral was sanctified in 1697 and is the main church for the city of Oslo, the bishopric and the nation. We spotted a place we think especially for the king and queen should they worship there.
We took in the Akerhus Castle and it's area and had a short time to visit the Norwegian Resistance Museum.
That time in history always shakes my heart, but we did find it interesting and well done. The day remained rainless, but now as night draws near, a weeping sky has begun.
Oslo is an easy city to like and to like very much. It is modern, yet wholesome. It is clean, accomodating, friendly and hospitable. It is bustling with young people and young families. We enjoyed our three days here and take with us many memories that we will share for a long time.
Saturday, July 5, 2014
SWEDEN
July 5.
With the cancellation from our host in Stockholm, we made a decision to take a different route into Norway.
Things work our as they should. Despite it being cold, we had an enjoyable time in Sweden. Relaxed and quiet.
We traveled from Helsinki to Vaasa, a place where there are two universities. One primarily in the Finnish language and one primarily in Swedish. It is a lovely city with friendly people who also speak English. Also, we could not get over the huge breakfast feast set up for guests the next morning. Everything from fish to eggs, all sorts of breads and cheeses. Juice, smoothies, yogurt and muesli. We did not leave there hungry.
The ferry we took was a huge ship with three decks for vehicles large and small. We could not believe the number of trucks that come and go on that form of travel. All a way of life for them. We disembarked in Umea, Sweden ( also a university city) and followed the coastline to Harnosand where we spent the night in a small hotel that is also a hostel. There was a waterway and fountain just across the street from our little room and we could see the comings and goings of the townspeople. We met a young couple from Sweden that we had share a table with us for breakfast and it is so much fun to visit and learn about folks here.
They were cheerful and sweet and were on holiday to go visit with with parents.
It was rainy and cold there. No matter. We walked around and got to see the town a bit and had a lovely dinner by the water. The waitress asked "What are Americans doing here?" Sometimes we become a novelty where we are. Evidentally, Americans do not go to their town!!!
On, then, we traveled to Enviken near Falun, Sweden to a cabin we rented by a big lake. We were on the property of the cabin owners and had a wonderful time there. Ulla and Mats have now become our friends.
We have invited them to Bellingham and we think they will come because they have a son and his wife that live in BC, Canada. We sat on the dock on the lake in the mornings and in the evenings with a cup of coffee/tea each day. We rode bikes one afternoon when the sun came out and traveled a back road about 8 kilometers. They loaned us the bikes, helmets and locks. Great fun! We hired a guide to take us on the Carl Larsson Trail to Sunborn where we viewed the artists' house. Both Carl and Karin ( his wife ) are famous for their art work.....she mostly for textiles and hand work. The guide was a slow walker, so it took us 2.5 hours to walk the 8 ks over a "mountain". It was fun learning about all the vegetation and the stories of Carl Larsson and his family in that area. We started the trail in Falun and what a lovely city is that!
And...............the world championships for ski jumping will be held there in February 2015. The place was humming with activity to get ready for that. The HUGE ski jumps were unbelievable! How does anyone go down that kind of slope? The area seems to be a recreation area for both winter and summer sports.
If anyone would like information on the cabin experience and the cabin itself, we would be more than happy to share about it. We were the first guests for this Airbnb rental. It was like an oasis in the desert as far as the peaceful, restful and very hospitable place. We even made friends with the cat!
Traveling to this spot was beautiful in itself. A road less traveled, variegated colors of white, pink and violet lupine grace the roadside for miles and miles and miles. It is high in the mountains, so the tree tops were in our sight as well. Tall, skinny pines made up most of that, but other tree species did too. We would come to a summit and then see waves of more mountains on the horizon. Couldn't have been better, and the roads were good, too. It was hard to leave after just a few days there.
On a very rainy, cold morning we traveled to Mora so we could take in the Anders Zorn Museum. Mats was born there and suggested we go and showed us the route to Oslo. It was a beautiful drive with lots of trees and few vehicles. We allowed ourselves one hour to view Zorn's work. The house where he lived is still there and is part of the museum, too, but we only had time to see the art work. He was a genius at making waterscapes, among much more. He and Carl Larsson were friends, and Carl was quoted to say that in his next life he would like to be Anders Zorn. He was also a master at etching and work carving.
We enjoyed our hour there. We were very glad that we took the time from our travel day to see what we did.
Next stop from there..............Oslo.
With the cancellation from our host in Stockholm, we made a decision to take a different route into Norway.
Things work our as they should. Despite it being cold, we had an enjoyable time in Sweden. Relaxed and quiet.
We traveled from Helsinki to Vaasa, a place where there are two universities. One primarily in the Finnish language and one primarily in Swedish. It is a lovely city with friendly people who also speak English. Also, we could not get over the huge breakfast feast set up for guests the next morning. Everything from fish to eggs, all sorts of breads and cheeses. Juice, smoothies, yogurt and muesli. We did not leave there hungry.
The ferry we took was a huge ship with three decks for vehicles large and small. We could not believe the number of trucks that come and go on that form of travel. All a way of life for them. We disembarked in Umea, Sweden ( also a university city) and followed the coastline to Harnosand where we spent the night in a small hotel that is also a hostel. There was a waterway and fountain just across the street from our little room and we could see the comings and goings of the townspeople. We met a young couple from Sweden that we had share a table with us for breakfast and it is so much fun to visit and learn about folks here.
They were cheerful and sweet and were on holiday to go visit with with parents.
It was rainy and cold there. No matter. We walked around and got to see the town a bit and had a lovely dinner by the water. The waitress asked "What are Americans doing here?" Sometimes we become a novelty where we are. Evidentally, Americans do not go to their town!!!
On, then, we traveled to Enviken near Falun, Sweden to a cabin we rented by a big lake. We were on the property of the cabin owners and had a wonderful time there. Ulla and Mats have now become our friends.
We have invited them to Bellingham and we think they will come because they have a son and his wife that live in BC, Canada. We sat on the dock on the lake in the mornings and in the evenings with a cup of coffee/tea each day. We rode bikes one afternoon when the sun came out and traveled a back road about 8 kilometers. They loaned us the bikes, helmets and locks. Great fun! We hired a guide to take us on the Carl Larsson Trail to Sunborn where we viewed the artists' house. Both Carl and Karin ( his wife ) are famous for their art work.....she mostly for textiles and hand work. The guide was a slow walker, so it took us 2.5 hours to walk the 8 ks over a "mountain". It was fun learning about all the vegetation and the stories of Carl Larsson and his family in that area. We started the trail in Falun and what a lovely city is that!
And...............the world championships for ski jumping will be held there in February 2015. The place was humming with activity to get ready for that. The HUGE ski jumps were unbelievable! How does anyone go down that kind of slope? The area seems to be a recreation area for both winter and summer sports.
If anyone would like information on the cabin experience and the cabin itself, we would be more than happy to share about it. We were the first guests for this Airbnb rental. It was like an oasis in the desert as far as the peaceful, restful and very hospitable place. We even made friends with the cat!
Traveling to this spot was beautiful in itself. A road less traveled, variegated colors of white, pink and violet lupine grace the roadside for miles and miles and miles. It is high in the mountains, so the tree tops were in our sight as well. Tall, skinny pines made up most of that, but other tree species did too. We would come to a summit and then see waves of more mountains on the horizon. Couldn't have been better, and the roads were good, too. It was hard to leave after just a few days there.
On a very rainy, cold morning we traveled to Mora so we could take in the Anders Zorn Museum. Mats was born there and suggested we go and showed us the route to Oslo. It was a beautiful drive with lots of trees and few vehicles. We allowed ourselves one hour to view Zorn's work. The house where he lived is still there and is part of the museum, too, but we only had time to see the art work. He was a genius at making waterscapes, among much more. He and Carl Larsson were friends, and Carl was quoted to say that in his next life he would like to be Anders Zorn. He was also a master at etching and work carving.
We enjoyed our hour there. We were very glad that we took the time from our travel day to see what we did.
Next stop from there..............Oslo.
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