After 20 hours in transit, I made it home safely from my trip to Norway. Here are just a few photos — I think these are all from Bergen.
We met my mother’s relatives (they share a great grandfather), who are living in the same houses that there great grandfather and grandfather lived in. Can you imagine?
We also saw beautiful scenery, visited historic sites, ate plenty of fish, and walked miles every day. Surprisingly, I only stopped in one yarn shop but didn’t buy any yarn. At the time I worried about the exchange rate (things cost about 3 times as much in Norway as they do in the States) and lugging it home. I’m kicking myself now, but it’s not as if I don’t have plenty of yarn on hand already.
An hour after we got home we discovered that the sewer had (and still was) backing up in the basement. A friend of mine has accused me of having the “Budd travel curse” because I seem to be a magnet for bad luck when it comes to traveling. I was feeling smug that we got through this trip without a problem. Oh, well.
Don’t feel bad about not buying yarn. Now you have to go back again. I backpacked through Europe with my husband for 4 months in 1983. We spent 3 days in Bergen. Our landlady at the bed and breakfast surprised us with a very special breakfast one morning–fish french toast. I did eat it but the very thought of it makes me ill now. I bought a beautiful handknit Norweigian sweater, red with a white pattern around the yoke. My husband also bought a handknit one in Norweigian blue with white stripes and white animals in between the stripes. He still has his. It fits. I was 60 pounds lighter back then, a wee bit of a thing and in a fit of generosity 20 years ago
gave it to my best friend’s daughter who promptly lost it. I keep hoping to go back to Norway. I have never seen that particular yoke pattern again that was on my sweater and it will haunt me now forever. As long as you had a great trip!!!
I hoped to see a picture of you in a bunad! I cherish memories of my own family reunion in Norway ten years ago – and like you, I met relatives living in the same family homestead my grandfather left over a century ago. Incredible people and country.
Sorry that a plumbing disaster is now linked to your travel memories!
Glad you are home safe and sound and that you had a wonderful trip. I’m sorry you came home to find such a mess.
I just stumbled across your blog. I’m glad you had a wonderful trip to my beautiful country. You’re right, all photos are from Bergen.
You can order Norwegian wool in the USA. I recommend “finull” by Rauma. It’s pure wool and with lot’s of colours.
Greetings from Rannveig