Observations

Bratty kids are universal. I stopped going to the North YMCA in Wichita because of roaming packs of kids without parental supervision. Well, the same kids are here in Gjovik Norway. While NK, and I (and JH when he isn't working) have been out seeing the sites around the Gjovik area some of the pre-tee and young teen kids that are home alone for the summer are hanging out and behaving like little thugs. Especially at the water park we have had to contend with kids behaving dangerously - like diving into a shallow wave pool from a banister ten feet above the water. JH and I somehow miss the drill sergeant lifeguards from Derby's water park. Norway needs them! Ok, bratty kids are universal.

Gas is expensive and volatile. Like in the US I find humor in the bouncing around of gas/fuel prices at gas stations. They jump around multiple times a day. Are they responding to the markets? Like the $8 per gallon we pay here isn't bad enough, the prices jump up a few Kroner and then back down, and then repeat the next day.

Norway requires recycling. I am so surprised that once we sort out paper, plastics, glass, bottles, food scraps, etc., that there is little "real" garbage left on the garbage can. I am a lifelong recycler, but I am still surprised. NK and I took the soda bottles and beer cans to recycle at the self-service area at the supermarket. Of course my Norwegian isn't very good, so I kept pressing the button after every bottle or can. Instead of one receipt to take to the teller I had dozens. Kind of embarrassing. The teller laughed and so did I - oh well. I found a a great website that has environmental friendly tips, http://www.worldwatch.org/

Stores in Norway are closed on Sunday. Small kiosks that sell food and supply staples are open. And, stores all have limited hours. Most are open from 9AM-6/7PM. Crazy. I have had to be a better planner. No more late night visits to big-box stores as I did in the US. And, big-box stores are not big. It can be both charming and frustrating to find items. Charming because there are florists, shoe stores, chocolate stores, book stores, etc. The small shops are unique and the people working in the stores understand their products and services - no Wal-Mart. Kind of more like the US prior to the destruction of Main Street USA by the discount stores. But, it is a little frustrating, because a shopping trip can mean multiple stores, and take more time...wait a minute what am I talking about. I like to shop. I don't have anything else to do with my time.

Norwegians change clothes at the beach - on the beach. NK about croaked. Cultural difference. You hold up a towel for a friend or sit on the ground with your towel covering your crotch and you change clothes. Women and men walk around in underclothes and children under 12 just strip down to change. NK raised his eyebrows and looked at me. When we come across the cultural changes I keep whispering in his ear, "We aren't in Kansas anymore Toto".

Movie Theatres have assigned seats and maps. NK and I went to the movie to find out what movies are playing. The lady told us that rated R movies are restricted to people 12 years of age and older - no exceptions. Also each movie patron has an assigned seat and to find your seat they give you a map. Cute. We are going to see Transformers and Harry Potter.

Reading the Norwegian newspaper is hard. I really want to know what is going on, but I am so slow at reading Norwegian and I don't know all the words. I get my daily national Norway fix ready the English version of Aftenposten http://www.aftenposten.no/english/, but I stumble through the local newspaper.

Enough musings for now.

Return Trip from Myklebust - updated

The valleys between our house in Gjovik in southern Norway to Haroy (Island) on the west coast are amazing. Hundreds of waterfalls from tiny water stream falling off rocks to large amazing waterfalls pouring off the mountains. Of course we had to make several stops because I was driving through the windy and narrow mountain roads and thus I had to keep my eyes focused on the road while behind the wheel.

A rushing waterfall coming down out of the mountain and feeding a river and then it goes over rapids through a canyon.


NK and I are at the far right of the photo. I am afraid of heights and of rushing water...yikes!

NK the Cave Dweller.

The troll family.

We couldn't keep NK off these rocks. Considering what was on the other side of the rocks (the photo below), I was nervous.

These little birds were posted on top of graves at a churchyard cemetery near Andalsnes, Norway. This cemetery also had allied troop graves from WW II - I think they were all or mostly British.

Andalsnes is on a peninsula that sticks out into the sea and is surrounded on either side by gorgeous fjords. The road between Andalsnes and Norway is a 'must see' for tourists in my opinion. It is so beautiful. Simply amazing. There are so many camping grounds, vistas, rivers, waterfalls and quaint villages with interesting churches and historical sites.

Freeing Forrest

After weeks of detainment Forrest is free!

Due to US federal government cutbacks there are fewer USDA approved laboratories that process rabies titre tests. Unfortunately, the Norwegian government required that Forrest's rabies be processed by one of the few laboratories. Fortunately though, there is an approved lab at Kansas State. Unfortunately, the lab is swamped and backed-up. So, when NK and I left the Oslo airport, we had to leave Forrest with the Norwegian government authorities because his test results were not available. I have since been told that we could have had the blood drawn in Norway and sent to Belgium or Great Britain and received the results faster than the US lab turn around time.

When I hadn't heard anything from the veterinarian in Topeka that drew Forrest's blood for the titre I got on the phone myself and called the lab in Manhattan (KS). The vet was calling the lab, I called the lab, a representative from a US Congressman called the lab - and it worked. The test was processed and forwarded to the vet who faxed the Norwegians and walla - Forrest is free!

Today NK and drove nearly 2 hours south along Lake Mjosa to the Quarantine Center. It was a big adventure for NK and I. The drive was beautiful. The area south of Gjovik is an area rich in agriculture. Today the farmworkers were harvesting strawberries and onions. For miles and miles the valleys are planted with berries, onions, potatoes, carrots, grains and other root vegetables.

The quarantine center is at a small farm NE of the Oslo airport close to Eidsvoll which is the home to the Norwegian Constitution, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eidsvoll

When we drove into the farm I rolled down my window and the young couple running the facility said, "Are you here for Forrest?". Yep we were. The facility is the cleanest and nicest animal boarding facility I have been to. The cattery has an outdoor area and as we walked up a familiar cat jumped out. Forrest! A skinnier Forrest - but definitely our Forrest!

When we in to see Forrest we found out that there were two cats in the cattery - Forrest and an unfriendly cat. We were told that Forrest spent 10 days in isolation before joining the cattery. He tried several times during the past several days to be friends with the other cat - but the cat had been there before Forrest and the cat was territorial. Each time Forrest tried to brush-up against the other cat he got smacked.

They gave Forrest the run of the facility. They left Forrest's cage door open and he strolled around and sat in the outdoor area. For our amusement they had spray painted a message in the outdoor/patio - in the photo below:

Forrest was treated like a little king.

After paying the final fees we jumped into the car and drove North. Forrest was nervous in the car so we sang round after round of Kung Foo Fighter - NK's favorite song of the week.

We are home now - in our new home. Forrest has been walking around sniffing. He likes NK's stinky Heely's the best. After roaming around for a 1/2 hour he stretched out and then curled up on our rug. Wish us luck. We have our Forrest, and we hope he will fit into the fabric of the new 'hood with the current feline pecking order.

Myklebust Photos

NK and his cousins Gabriel and Ruben. Their great-grandfathers (Jon, Rasmus, and Harald Myklebust) were brothers.

Below are photos taken at my favorite beach on the island - near the bird sanctuary.

JH, NK and I had out photo taken on this rock eight years ago on July 4th, 1999. We revisited the site.

NK and JH in the boat in the Myklebust marina. NK is learning how to row with a little help from dad.

This lady is JH's grandmother's sister. They live near the farm house at Myklebust. Lovely people.

This is a whaling ship - the Kato. It is based at Myklebust. We picked-up a big box of whale steaks before we left the island. Sorry folks - but they are yummy. They taste like a high quality of beef steak. The fat content is very low. Since the year 800 it was known that Norwegians hunted and ate Minke. For more information, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minke_Whale

This stash of rhubarb was found on part of the farm property near the beach. We took it home and cooked it down and feasted! We have 12 pints in our freezer and one in the refrigerator! Yum!

This is the view at the base of the farm property near the beach where I plan to retire. I will keep my eye on this property - but someday this is where I will be found in a little cabin enjoying the view.

This is the main view of the farm where I would like to build a home someday.

NK at his great-grandparents grave. We cleaned it up a little and planted flowers.

NK after a long day. Enjoying the sun at the farm.

This is a flower that Norwegians use to make tea. A small/mid-sized pink flower. Tasty.

Moments after taking ths photo I ate these blueberries. They weren't quite ripe but they were good. In a week or so this will be blueberry heaven.

This is the soccer field that has been used on the island for a hundredish years. It is at the base of the mountain. A great place for hiking, bird watching and eating berries.

The north end of the Island once belonged to Sweden and the south end (Myklebust) belonged to Norway. This is the border marker.

A factory on the Island makes some of the largest boat and other usage winches in the world.

Looking out the back of the farm towards neighbors and the marina/harbor.

The Myklebust farm house - Bakken.

This is NK at the end of a long day. He crawled in the car for a snooze.

Do you recognize the ship's captain?

The captain is with Rune who lives on the island with his wife Tracy and daughter Louise. They invited us over for a day of eating, drinking, swimming, fishing, hiking and enjoying the sun at their new beach front home.

The two fisherman in my life.

My rock climber. He has on his life vest because he kept scaling rock fronts hanging above the sea. He fell once.

NK and Louise enjoying the beach.

Looking back at our island from a small island where we fished and swam.

NK on the North Sea;-)

Tracy with the catch. Actually, Rune trapped this feast the day before. We didn't set any crab or lobster traps this trip - next time.

On the Way to Myklebust

The Island of Haroy is above with the village of Myklebust at the base of the mountain near the shore.

Last Thursday evening we drove to Myklebust on the Island of Haroy, JH's father's family homestead and ancestral community. JH posted some photos of his earlier trip to the island. Here is a link to Haroy/Myklebust, http://maps.google.com/maps?tab=wl&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

NK and I packed up the car (at our home in Gjovik). Packing reminded me of how badly I hate packing after packing our house for months! We picked up JH and off we went from Raufoss. We drove back through Gjovik and up the shore of Lake Mjosa towards Lillehammer. I drove this trip which was more complicated by a near constant rain.

The winter Olympics were held in Lillehammer in 1994 and there are reminders everywhere on signs. This is a beautiful place to be (and live!) and Norwegians are proud of the honor to share this region with the world.

There is a lot of history in this area on Norway. JH provided great commentary on the trip. Since NK and I love history we had an interesting trip. We heard a lot about the World War II resistance and the battles against the Germans. The story of the King and cabinet escaping Oslo through these valleys aided by the resistance and the Norwegian and English forces. We learned about Iron Age and Stone Age settlements and findings which were also marked with signs by the roadside, including carvings and ruins.

When we were tired of talking we popped in our Chicago CD. Ironically we then sang along with Chicago. I am so lucky, my kid and husband both love Chicago;-) NK especially loves the instrumentals with lots of drums. JH loves the woodwinds. I love the brass. If only NK had been wearing his Chicago t-shirt we would have looked like real Chicago groupies - even roadies.

It is high "holiday" vacation season in Norway. Everyone who has a camper "caravan" is either on the road going somewhere or parked near a gorgeous vista. There are pine forests everywhere. Flowers of all colors are blooming along the roadside.

I am still relearning how to drive a manual car, so the rain and the weaving and rising and falling into valleys was a chore. Rivers run most of the distance in the valleys between Gjovik and the West coast of Norway. Water falls pour off the mountains and form great waterfalls which run into the rivers. With all of the rain in Norway this summer the rivers are gushing. Even the river rafting sites along the way had no daredevils in the water.

Sorry for the quality of some of the photos the rain and fog were tricky to work with.

It was interesting to note that when we crossed the continental divide the rushing waters rushed down into the central valleys or down towards the coast and the sea fjords. The color of the water(s) are so beautiful - and cold. Many of the are ice feed from snow capped mountains.

The farmsteads along the way came in batches of white houses and red barns or clusters of brown houses and barns. It amazed me that some of the farms were thousands of feet up the side of the mountain from the valley floors. JH said that they had pulley systems to get supplies up and down the mountain to the secluded farms high above the valley floor.

The Norwegian government has great systems of highway rest stops every few kilometers all the way (6 hours from Gjovik) to the coast. Every few stops has a bathroom. Even the smallest towns have a gas station which also serves as the local grocery and fast food (think QuickTrip style).

There were bicyclists everywhere. In the rain on the very narrow (sometimes hardly wide enough for two passing vehicles) and winding mountain rodes were bicyclists. Most of the riders were solo and some were in groups with younger (teenage?) riders. And some of the riders were well past middle age. All with legs of steel. Biking is becoming huge in Norway.

The trip to Myklebust is beautiful. We made the ferry by about 10 minutes.

These are photos taken from the ferry looking back towards the coast and out to the Islands. Haroy is the Island to the right in the photo of JH & NK.